Lucky Bamboo

[travis4567]

[IzzieK]

Perfect, Travis...composition, sharpness and the subject itself. I like to have one of those plants here at home but I keep forgetting to buy one...

[deetheturk]

Nice capture Travis!

[kateveber]

I think we all have rarely seen such bamboo. Many thanks for sharing with us, Travis.

[Mike Buckley]

Very, very nice! Could I convince you to try including a little bit more space at the top?

[bnnrcn]

Very nice plant and very nice shot

[Kyle]

I like it. I think the lighting creates some great shadows.

[travis4567]

Thanks for all the nice comments. Finally set up my tabletop studio. Hopefully, more great photos to come.

[Mike Buckley]

Tell us the components of your tabletop studio!

[rpcrowe]

Very nice against the plain white BG....

[Loose Canon]

Hey Travis!

Looks nice. I don't know if it is intentional but the top corners/edge of the BG are going to gray?

[Ken Curtis]

Nicely done, Travis. Love the white background with subtle shadow to the left.

[travis4567]

Tell us the components of your tabletop studio!

Still a work in progress. I first set up a plywood table with sawhorse legs. There is a small window about 6 feet to the right of the table that lets in some soft light. There are heavy blinds on the window so I have the option of blacking that light out if I choose. The Bamboo was shot with a roll of white matte background paper hung from an old background support. Main lighting from the right was from a Gagne 18 x 24 Lightbox. Fill from the left came from 2 fluorescent studio lights shooting through a roll of Translum diffusion paper also hung from a background support.
I just purchased a new Vanguard tripod with a horizontal center post for shooting objects from directly overhead & to use as a boom light support.
Also plan on cutting some of the diffusion material and making several different sized framed diffusers.

[Mike Buckley]

My guess is that all studios, regardless of the scope and size, are always a work in progress. Yours sounds like you're off to a great start.

Is the "Translum" diffusion material paper or vellum? I ask because, thanks to Terry, I use their vellum. If it's paper, what are the advantages of paper over vellum?

I also use a pair of sawhorses to support the tabletop and I hate having eight legs constantly getting in the way. I hope to eventually figure out a practical method of support involving no more than four legs. Hopefully it will be one that I won't have to make myself, as such a device would surely collapse the first time I use it.

[travis4567]

My guess is that all studios, regardless of the scope and size, are always a work in progress. Yours sounds like you're off to a great start.

Is the "Translum" diffusion material paper or vellum? I ask because, thanks to Terry, I use their vellum. If it's paper, what are the advantages of paper over vellum?

I also use a pair of sawhorses to support the tabletop and I hate having eight legs constantly getting in the way. I hope to eventually figure out a practical method of support involving no more than four legs. Hopefully it will be one that I won't have to make myself, as such a device would surely collapse the first time I use it.

The translum material is actually a mylar product. I have a friend who has a pro studio and he recommended this stuff not just for diffusing light sources but also for a background material. Have yet to try that...at less than $40 for a 54" x 18 foot roll it was worth a try.

[Mike Buckley]

I'm reasonably confident that is the same product that Terry and I use. I have used it as a background whether lit from behind or the front and as tabletop material whether lit from from above or below. When used as both the tabletop and background, it makes a great seamless transition that eliminates the horizon. It's very versatile and reasonably resistant to creasing even in the hands of a klutz such as myself.