Lightbox: even lighting examples

[Bm7b5]

Anybody enjoy the lightbox ?

I built one that I like alot. Makes for good clean fun on those dreary rainy days.

Here are a couple.

[Bm7b5]

Oh yeah, I used to collect knives......................but I am cured now...


And yes, I wish I hadn't nipped off the tip of the blade. new camera, new light box, rookie move.

[Bm7b5]

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Rick,

Assuming we are talking about one of those 3 or 4 sided fabric boxes to place small things in for even lighting, then yes I have something similar, got mine as a (requested) Christmas present.
I have it set up, but haven't used it much yet Can't decide what to photograph!

Looks like you have a diverse set of surfaces to place things on, or do you move the whole thing around to shoot where the surface is?

What do you light with?

Cheers,

[Colin Southern]

... I have something similar, got mine as a (requested) Christmas present.

Oh Dave, where's the spirit in requesting a present? ... totally kills the element of surprise!

You should take a leaf out of my book - next christmas I'm planning on buying the wife several presents;

- New compound mitre saw,

- New Pocket Wizard (she's not into photography, but I'd like her to be prepared just in case!)

- Perhaps a new electric drill!

[Davey]

I know that's a joke but I have a brother who actually does that. He buys films for people mainly, exclusively ones he wants to borrow (and often wont get back hahaha). He doesn't care if you like them or not, better if "not" as he's got easier chance of lending quickly. He doesn't even care you have no tv these days he buys them all the same.

Saying that he got me a different present this year.................a pair of undies with david hasselhoffs face on them, really I can post pics to prove it too (but not with me in them as people seem like a decent bunch here and I couldn't live with mentally scarring people with that image).

[Bm7b5]

Hi Rick,

Assuming we are talking about one of those 3 or 4 sided fabric boxes to place small things in for even lighting, then yes I have something similar, got mine as a (requested) Christmas present.
I have it set up, but haven't used it much yet Can't decide what to photograph!

Looks like you have a diverse set of surfaces to place things on, or do you move the whole thing around to shoot where the surface is?

What do you light with?

Cheers,

Yes, that's it.

I made mine from PVC so it breaks down in 5 seconds and goes together in the same.

I bought a variety of 12 x 12 tiles, in Marble, Slate, vinyl, etc at the flooring store and use them as desired.

I use a small 2 or 3-way lighting with a variety of bulb types. Still experimenting in that regard.

Just inexpensive gooseneck table lamps. Some of the bulbs cost as much as these $10 lamps.


It's good clean fun.

[Dave Humphries]

I bought a variety of 12 x 12 tiles, in Marble, Slate, vinyl, etc at the flooring store and use them as desired.
I use a small 2 or 3-way lighting with a variety of bulb types. Still experimenting in that regard.
Just inexpensive gooseneck table lamps. Some of the bulbs cost as much as these $10 lamps.

Hi Rick,

That's a good idea for the flooring, I might try that

I too use cheap goosenecks.
Sticking with one bulb style might be wise to avoid differences in color temp in shadows, etc. i.e. basic incandescent, halogen or compact flourescent - although the latter may not be too wise due to discontinuous spectrum of phosphors, but then again they are cooler, which can be important for some subjects (ice cream anyone?)

Cheers,

[Colin Southern]

I bought a variety of 12 x 12 tiles, in Marble, Slate, vinyl, etc at the flooring store and use them as desired.

Excellent idea - I might have to pinch that one

[Colin Southern]

I know that's a joke but I have a brother who actually does that.

Hmmm - the old saying "if you can't beat em, join em" comes to mind (aka "Two can play at that game!")

[Bm7b5]

Just realized that most of them are 18 x 18, not that it matters but ...

[Colin Southern]

Just realized that most of them are 18 x 18, not that it matters but ...

Ah - thanks for that. I was thinking the 12 x 12 might be a bit small.

[Zephyrize]

Ha! spotted this thread right when I was building my own homemade lightbox this rainy afternoon

bm7b5, I like your idea of having a textured ground for your objects, first time I see this.
I you have pics of your setup, I'd be interested to see
Maybe you could help; I couldn't find any specific lights at home, so managed to get 2 tungsten lamp and a neon lamp for a side+top lighting setup which led to weak yellowish results..
Since I don't have an external flash, I could do the light bouncing trick.

Si wanted to ask, does it mess up the White Balance having lights of different colour temperature?
also, what kind of bulb do you suggest to obtain those plain white environment?

Here's a few examples from my shooting...

[Dave Humphries]

So, wanted to ask, does it mess up the White Balance having lights of different colour temperature?
also, what kind of bulb do you suggest to obtain those plain white environment?

Yes it will. Mixing can result in colour gradients across an image (as you have in some here), this can look nice, but is usually undesirable.

It doesn't really matter too much what lamp type you use as long as they are all the same and you remember to white balance for them. Ideally in camera, either custom with say, a Whibal card, or just using the right preset, or in PP.

Having said that, you may find issues with compact flourescent lamps as they work by exposing the phosphor on the glass to an UV discharge plasma and the spectrum will be discontinous - by which I mean if you shone it through a prism and looked VERY carefully, you wouldn't see _all_ the colours of a rainbow, as you would with sunlight. This can still lead to WB problems. That was probably way more technical than it should have been, sorry.

I, like Rick (Bm7b5), use 3 very cheap gooseneck lamps with filament bulbs.

Regards,