My Light Box for Photos

[ink the troll]

Way ahead of you.   I've even sketched out the thing and I think this kind of thing might go best with it.  I think a bit of rubber tape on them could offer extra grip, though.  I've my eye on some neoprene tape on ebay, though 3mm might be too thick and I didn't find a better alternative - I can only put up with ebay's spastic fits for so long.   Any handy products that someone can suggest in the meantime would be greatly appreciated.

Don't know if you'd really need more grip. (Unless you'll use them in combination with something like foils/films for special effects. But then you probably don't need homemade filters...) 

I think plasticard glued to wood board would be more practical than foamboard, even if it doesn't cover the side neatly or completely.  And having a Dad who works in a hardware shop is useful at times.

More practical and cheaper too (especially if you have to replace it later on with a new sheet. Hm, maybe use velcro tape instead of glue, then replacing the plasticard once it's scratched would be quite easy.) Thinking about the velcro tape made me realize that if you'd laminate different backdrops onto thinish wood and added velcro tape to the backsides you wouldn't need clamps/ clips. A bit more effort and possibly more expensive though.

[Ajsalium]

A bit of threadomancy here.

As I have just returned to the world of painting minis, I knew I needed a light box for photographing my minis. Yesterday I selected a nice cardboard box to be transformed into a DIY light box.

I also choosed a little box made of a thinner cardboard to quickly create a prototype and see if oven paper diffused light enough. My prototype light box is similar to Fabian's one, but much smaller. I've been experimenting with different levels of light diffusion, and different light sources with their varied colour temperatures; should you be interested, I'll post those pics. The following pic is the one I've taken today using daylight lightbulbs, one of top (25W) and two on the sides (15W). I think I'll need stronger lightbulbs, but anyway I'm satisfied with the result of the light box:



That pic is straight out of the camera, with only resizing and cropping, but no level adjustment whatsoever. I only need to toy a little with the pics on Paint Shop Pro to correct them, and hopefully pics will be even better when I buy stronger lightbulbs.

[Orctrader]

As I have just returned to the world of painting minis, I knew I needed a light box for photographing my minis...

Why?  Just curious.

I don't use one.

[Ajsalium]

Which is your setup, then?

[Orctrader]

Which is your setup, then?

LINK

You should visit my website more - Link is in my signature.   

[Ajsalium]

Which is your setup, then?

LINK

You should visit my website more - Link is in my signature.   

Oops... 

Then your setup is basically the same as mine, except that I include a light box for diffusing light. But if you don't use one, I suppose that means that daylight fluorescent bulbs already provide a diffused light that avoids strong shines... will have to try that.
Anyway, my light box is good for storing the bulbs once done with the photos!

[Orctrader]

But if you don't use one, I suppose that means that daylight fluorescent bulbs already provide a diffused light that avoids strong shines...

Probably    What I can tell you is that setting white balance - so the camera does not have to guess at the lighting - and the EV settings make a HUGE difference.

[Big Boris]

Just bought a light tent and some big 50w daylight fluorescent bulbs. Now I have to buy a few new desklamps. One word of warning to those buying a tent: they aren't called 'pop-up' tents for nothing. Being smacked in the face by an exploding light tent at 7am isn't as funny as later on in the day.

The main advantage of the light tent so far for me is simply the fact it provides a nice clean background without messing about sticking up huge bits of card. I'm a bit unsure about the diffusion quality - it seems to block most of the light out IMO, so I've brung the lights to the front.  Maybe I just need more of them.

[Ajsalium]

One word of warning to those buying a tent: they aren't called 'pop-up' tents for nothing. Being smacked in the face by an exploding light tent at 7am isn't as funny as later on in the day.

I'm a bit unsure about the diffusion quality - it seems to block most of the light out IMO, so I've brung the lights to the front.  Maybe I just need more of them.

As far as my limited experience goes, it's true that light diffusion also dims light intensity. You should position your lights almost touching the tent.

[Brandlin]

I'm a bit unsure about the diffusion quality - it seems to block most of the light out IMO, so I've brung the lights to the front.  Maybe I just need more of them.

As far as my limited experience goes, it's true that light diffusion also dims light intensity. You should position your lights almost touching the tent.

  although Light intensity is somewhat less important than light quality. A slower shutter speed will make up the reduction in light volume.

I have les slight on my tent than you are proposing Andy - although i admit i dont use it much as i have to set it up on my painting table. Most of my pictures these days are wip 'snaps' on the painting table...