Ghetto Light Box

[The Inner Geek]

So in an effort to start the process of beginning to try and take better photos of my minis I've built a light box. It's smallish by design, and would cost about $4 if I didn't already have all the bits laying around.

 

I present, ghetto light box!

 

 

This setup is strictly 'proof of concept' to see how, or if at all, it works. I have a warm light and a "sun" light and they are pretty different colors of light. I have a tripod, but it puts the camera too high, so the drill bit box is standing in for camera-steady duty.

 

It's just a bit of foamcore, parchment paper, and glue. I spray painted a piece of card stock gray for the ghetto backdrop. As a first test I put my in progress Gandwarf in for a photo. It's not fabulous, but is far beyond my usual photo quality.

 

 

I think with three temperature matched lights it might just work. If not, the investment thus far is pretty low.

 

[Doug Sundseth]

Don't put all your lights on the sides and top. A desk lamp with a bulb having the same color temperature as the current bulbs and placed in front of the figure will improve your results significantly. You could also use a bounce card – a white card to bounce the light from the sides onto the front of the figure.

[ShadowRaven]

nice box, but it's not really ghetto. You should see mine

[The Inner Geek]

Don't put all your lights on the sides and top. A desk lamp with a bulb having the same color temperature as the current bulbs and placed in front of the figure will improve your results significantly. You could also use a bounce card – a white card to bounce the light from the sides onto the front of the figure.

Can you explain the bounce card a little further? Where exactly would it go?

[Doug Sundseth]

You need light on the front of the mini. You can either put a light in front of the mini or use a "mirror" (which can be simply white card) to bounce the light that is currently aimed at the sides of the figure onto the front of the figure. Angle the card(s) as you would angle a mirror to reflect the light onto the front.

 

The easiest way to see how it works is to set up a shot just like the one above, then add a white reflector on either side of the camera position. You should notice a significant increase in brightness on the front of the figure. Try turning the card a bit to see where it works best. Pixels are cheap.

[Aaron_W]

You can make a pretty nice bounce card by buying some of those cheap stand up cardboard picture frames and wrapping the front with aluminum foil.

 

Something like this in a size you like.

 

http://www.promoframes.com/product_info.php?products_id=319

[The Inner Geek]

I tried a shot with just the Ott-lite coming in through the front. It looks like it may have helped some.

 

[Doug Sundseth]

Move your light down a few inches so it reaches under the hat brim and you should be fine.

[Schmake6874]

Actually - I think this is awesome...and plan on building something similar. I want to become a better painter and I found that the high def pics as I am going along tend to help out. I really am quite horriible!

[Spike]

If you want to diffuse that front light and soften it up a bit too, see if you can get your hands on one of those cheap semi-opaque theme folders (the frosted sort), you can use the plastic sheet it's made with and experiment with holding it different distances from the light source to achieve different degrees of diffusion. You're on the right track though. Get all of your light sources the same temperature and you're there.

It might depend on camera make and model, but I've had real good results with the Philips "Daylight" bulbs. Soft White does well when you shoot in Tungsten setting, but if even a little natural daylight gets into the room where you're shooting, it shows. I'm on a mission to eventually replace all my soft whites with daylights. So far I only have them in "the painting room"

[The Inner Geek]

If you want to diffuse that front light and soften it up a bit too, see if you can get your hands on one of those cheap semi-opaque theme folders (the frosted sort), you can use the plastic sheet it's made with and experiment with holding it different distances from the light source to achieve different degrees of diffusion. You're on the right track though. Get all of your light sources the same temperature and you're there.

 

It might depend on camera make and model, but I've had real good results with the Philips "Daylight" bulbs. Soft White does well when you shoot in Tungsten setting, but if even a little natural daylight gets into the room where you're shooting, it shows. I'm on a mission to eventually replace all my soft whites with daylights. So far I only have them in "the painting room"

I think daylight bulbs are probably the way to go. I just have to get off the bum and start buying them! Thanks for the advice. I'm just excited because my pics already look way better than what I usually take.

[Delantra]

Thanks for the great idea! I've been wondering how to get a better picture of my minis!