First Pic With A Home Made Light Box

[Beechwood]

I have been very envious as to the quality of other FPNs images and hoped that a light box could be the answer.

 

I made a light box using a simple 10" by 4" box with a clear plastic lid, it had house some chocolates from Hotel Chocolat, similar to the attached which uselfully had thick cardboard. cut out two sides and replaced with paper and found a plastic cube as a stand. The intention is that I stand the bob on end and remove the front to place the pen inside.

 

I cut a hole in the top that was the same size as the lens of my camera so that it could sit up there without a tripod or needing me to hold the camera.

 

I set the timer and simply hold a spot light to one side.

 

Compared to my shameful past efforts I am pleased with the results but would welcome any helpful comments

[Beechwood]

I think I will need to rethink the basic shape, I tried again with a whiter light but still not happy with the results for pen photography.

 

Can anyone recommend a light tent to buy?

[Cryptos]

I think you have the right idea, but perhaps the wrong materials. I've tried something similar, see THIS thread.

 

My set up was as basic as they come. A cardboard box with some holes cut in it and a piece of old white T-shirt. One difference is that I did not put the camera on the top of the box but in the open front (which stayed open) and it was placed more or less level with the subject pen.

 

If you're in the States you may want consider something like THIS

 

 

Not bad for around $50

Edited January 11, 2015 by Cryptos

[Beechwood]

Thanks for that Crytos, there is something very similar on amazon for GBP26, It looks an awful lot better than my efforts

 

Apprciate your advice

Edited January 11, 2015 by Beechwood

[Cryptos]

My bad, didn't see your location.

[Beechwood]

No problem. The same tent is on Amazon Uk for Gbp 26.50 and now on order.

[Cryptos]

Cool. Perhaps you can give a review of it when it arrives, please?

[da vinci]

Yes, if you wouldnt mind Beechwood, that would be much appreciated. I'd be interested to know how user friendly a light tent is particularly to someone with no photography skills!

[Chrissy]

I have one similar to that picture. I bought it on ebay.

 

(Is the fake Montblanc style pen just for show?)

[attika89]

You don't necessarily need a lightbox to make nice photos though.

What I use is a semi transparent plastic file to diffuse the light of the built in flash.
Something like this:
http://kepfeltoltes.hu/150111/DSC_1698_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

It can worth a try.

 

Some results with my Panasonic FZ38:

 

 

 

[Beechwood]

I have one similar to that picture. I bought it on ebay.

 

(Is the fake Montblanc style pen just for show?)

Are you certain that this 149 Rollerball is a fake, I paid $4 for it in Shanghai, I feel like I have been robbed.

[Beechwood]

Yes, if you wouldnt mind Beechwood, that would be much appreciated. I'd be interested to know how user friendly a light tent is particularly to someone with no photography skills!

I would be pleased to Len, not only from the perpective of a user with limited skills but also for someone with a basic compact camera. My thinking on wanting a light tent was following my seeing the quality of pen photography on here and my own poor quality results, hampered by the problems of getting enough light onto the pen without intrusive shadows and unwanted reflections.

 

However Attika's fine efforts, approaching the levels of art, show what can be done better equipment and possibly better skills.

 

I will post some results on here when the tent arrives.

Edited January 12, 2015 by Beechwood

[da vinci]

I would be pleased to Len, not only from the perpective of a user with limited skills but also for someone with a basic compact camera. My thinking on wanting a light tent was following my seeing the quality of pen photography on here and my own poor quality results, hampered by the problems of getting enough light onto the pen without intrusive shadows and unwanted reflections.However Attika's fine efforts, approaching the levels of art, show what can be done better equipment and possibly better skills.I will post some results on here when the tent arrives.

Cheers!

 

Your text sums up exactly the problem I am having despite owning a pretty decent point and shoot type camera with a macro setting.

[Ron Z]

I've used a light tent, and then a light cube for taking pictures for years. I also made one for large objects like the pen cases that I show on my website - all taken using my light tent and color corrected (5000 degree K) CFL lamps and ordinary clamp lights from a hardware store.

 

The frame was made out of 1/2" PVC pipe, and a number of T and elbow joints. For fabric to diffuse the light I used white nylon fabric. I used the thinnest, whitest stuff I could find at a fabric store. Heavier cotton can reduce the light by up to 50%. White, thin nylon allows the light to come through and keeps the color more towards white than yellow. Select the proper light color on your camera BTW to maintain color accuracy. If you can find a gray scale card to calibrate your camera's sensor, all the better.

[Tasmith]

You don't necessarily need a lightbox to make nice photos though.

What I use is a semi transparent plastic file to diffuse the light of the built in flash.

Something like this:

http://kepfeltoltes.hu/150111/DSC_1698_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

It can worth a try.

 

Some results with my Panasonic FZ38:

 

 

 

Very, very nice!

[Beechwood]

Len, I said I would come back and comment with regards to the lightbox. Well, I am only part way there. It has arrived and is thoroughly recommended, for £26 have a good mini studio with two quality lights on stands and a camera tripod.

 

I need more practice, I used to be a landscape and nature photographer in film days, and won competitions and featured on calendars and magazines but never did anything like a still life, so I have a lot to learn, not least of which is on my camera the image size can vary from 200kb to 3000 for the same shot, does 'intelligent auto' automatically mnean a huge and HD image?

 

The good part about setting up this mini studio is that it focuses, pun intended, your mind on the shot and what is wanted. The great thing is that I can work for depth of field with controllable shadows. The shot I have set up is intended to be a problem shot with reflections and detail and the need for depth, but, as I said, a lot to learn.

 

The kit itself is recommended and looks just like the Cryptos pic above, also comes with a useful carry case.

 

 

Edited to add:

 

There is a useful instructional link on youtube, I had set up the studio completely wrong, but.........boys, please dont let your eyes stray and concentrate on what the lady is saying:

 

Edited January 15, 2015 by Beechwood

[da vinci]

Beechwood,

 

Great post, thank you. I am going to get myself one those light box kits for sure. Photographing the shiny stuff is very difficult, and there is an art to the background material. If my first shots are as good as yours I will be happy

 

I am certainly going to be interested in your progress. A few closeup shots using a macro setting next maybe?

 

Cheers.

 

Ps didnt realise there was a ballpoint in the Cross Verve - very nice pens

[Captivelight]

Ironically, as I have a full studio at my disposal, most of my pens get photographed on my rather cluttered desk using a couple of cheap "Yongnou" flash guns with a cheap radio trigger attached to them. I bounce the light off the ceiling or wall to soften it and have also been known to use tissue paper, bubble wrap etc for diffusers. Backgrounds vary, I have a slate table mat, a piece of granite vinyl or if I just want to showcase the pen I simply shoot down onto a piece of plain white printer paper.

I don't actually like using the light tent as it's so limited.

 

http://pencollect.co.uk/personal/08.jpg

 

http://pencollect.co.uk/personal/45red.jpg

[Beechwood]

Beechwood,

 

Great post, thank you. I am going to get myself one those light box kits for sure. Photographing the shiny stuff is very difficult, and there is an art to the background material. If my first shots are as good as yours I will be happy

 

I am certainly going to be interested in your progress. A few closeup shots using a macro setting next maybe?

 

Cheers.

 

 

You are welcome Len. My camera, a Panasonic Summat, doesnt do macro very well I have posted an item in Classifieds and the Macro isnt great, no fault of the light tent.

 

 

Ps didnt realise there was a ballpoint in the Cross Verve - very nice pens

 

You are welcome Len, my camera is a Panasonic Summat doesnt do Macro well at all, and when it does something the image size is too large to upload to FPN.

Edited January 16, 2015 by Beechwood

[Beechwood]

Ironically, as I have a full studio at my disposal, most of my pens get photographed on my rather cluttered desk using a couple of cheap "Yongnou" flash guns with a cheap radio trigger attached to them. I bounce the light off the ceiling or wall to soften it and have also been known to use tissue paper, bubble wrap etc for diffusers. Backgrounds vary, I have a slate table mat, a piece of granite vinyl or if I just want to showcase the pen I simply shoot down onto a piece of plain white printer paper.

 

I don't actually like using the light tent as it's so limited.

 

http://pencollect.co.uk/personal/08.jpg

 

Very nice results Mike, evidence that talent trumps equipment. Particulalry like the light over the P45

 

http://pencollect.co.uk/personal/45red.jpg

Very nice results Mike, evidence that Talent Trumps Equipment. Particularly like the light over the Parker 45.

 

I have a long way to go.

Edited January 16, 2015 by Beechwood