Lightbox for knife photos???

[southriv]

I seem to remember seeing something about using a lightbox to photograph knives. This was described as a box with white covering inside. I'm not sure how the lighting was applied. I need something to better photograph my knives. I had good luck outdoors, but with the low winter sun, I can't get rid of the shadows.

Inside, I can get good overall shots, but I can't get the finish of the blade to show – mirror, stain, hand rubbed all looks the same. The attached picture is a good example. The flats are mirror and the grind is hand rubbed 600 grit – but you can't tell anything from the photo.

Will this lightbox help? If so, how to light it and use it. For my pics I've been using a tripod mounted Nikon Coolpix 950 with no flash.

Thanks, Bob

http://home.attbi.com/~southriv/

 

[Sylvester]

http://www.customknifedirectory.com/CKD_TutorialFrameset.htm?CKD_Tutorials.htm~tmain

 

[Mike Hull]

I have very good luck with a frame I made, 40"x50", of 1/2" PVC. Over that, I stretched white ripstop nylon, just stapled it at one end. I set this on my dining room table, at a 45 degree angle, with a piece of jack chain attached to an eye screw in the center of the frame, and tied to a hanging lamp, overhead. I shine two, 500W photo floods through the back, about one foot above the bottom.