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'No Frills' $75.00 home studio tent/lightbox
- Thread starter SharpByCoop
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I don't think so.....nozh2002 said:
Vasilli, Joss is making a 'tent' and not a true 'box'. With the angled back of the upper diffuser and reflectors from the front side, you can get 90% of the typical lighting needs met. You have a different setup and your work is great. But I think your own setup is more limiting, if I understand it correctly. Photo???
Joss, dimensions aren't all that critical. Having the ability to move those lights around in the back a bit is more crucial. Keep going.
Coop
nozh2002
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SharpByCoop said:I don't think so.....
Vasilli, Joss is making a 'tent' and not a true 'box'. With the angled back of the upper diffuser and reflectors from the front side, you can get 90% of the typical lighting needs met. You have a different setup and your work is great. But I think your own setup is more limiting, if I understand it correctly. Photo???
Joss, dimensions aren't all that critical. Having the ability to move those lights around in the back a bit is more crucial. Keep going.
Coop
Angeled back-top reflector is only what needed - no side walls (which is what you have also, it is not a box).
It may be diffuser with light from the lamp going throug, but for reflector you may use just white paper of better white foam sheet, which is easier to hold, and it will look better reflected in the blade then semitransparent diffuser. So if point powerfull light to it it ill be enough for fill light which eliminates or soften shadows from side lights.
To highlihg front (or any other part of the picture) I directly lighten it and from both sides of the knife. With box it will be impossible.
Chipest setup I tried:
I already posted it some time ago
However this $4 lamps require tripoid, and this is too complicated for me. I am lately using three flashes - one on camera and two on the sides. I have one foam screen and hold it with my left hand adjusting angle and distance while shooting with the right (it is bit acrobatic, but gives me more control over light and some exesize). And it allows also to manage reflection making different planes of the blade dark or light. Flash on the camera usually point to that screen and usually horizontal - this is fill light. Side flashes I position around. For soften light (difusion) I put foam filter directly on the flashes.
Thanks, Vassili.
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How far are the lights from the tent "wall"? Mines are about 20" away, and it's not super light inside the tent. Also I had to use a vinyl matress cover - I couldn't find white plastic bags big enough... It's kind of a bitch to put together. I can't get the vinyl taunt without collapsing the walls.
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OK, here's my first try from the tent. It was in "all auto" with the Canon EOS 20D, and the flash actually triggered in both cases.
That was one of Bruce Bump's ABS Mastersmith pieces - a small cowboy dagger, very cool. I have a lot of work to do to do it justice...
That was one of Bruce Bump's ABS Mastersmith pieces - a small cowboy dagger, very cool. I have a lot of work to do to do it justice...
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Unless you have modelling lights on electronic flash, it is very difficult to know the behavior of the light prior to exposure.
the image shown seems to have a "yellow" cast to it so you might try some other method of doing the white balance and review what material is being used to diffuse the light or are there some incandescent lights on in the room and you have a slow shutter speed? I think you are getting some bounce reflection from the wood background also.
Background--take a look at Coops images. He uses a very simple background that compliments the subject and the emphasis is on the subject. Strong lines -- horizontal, vertical or varied such as shown in the image of the Bump dagger will only distract the eye from the subject. Also, text and more importantly, text that is not complete or at an unusual angle also distract.
I mostly use one background but do have a few others and then I'll create a background from something already within the image. Here are some examples and also something of where I choose a background that just looks kewl for a knife.
Lets take a look.
here is the same knife done on my most used background and another scenic one
his is another basic background
here is one that the background originally was color but I changed it to b/w but left the knife as a color image (the knife actually is mostly b/w in effect but with gold pins)
here is an image I did for the "handle" thread that never got published as the thread petered out. with this one, it is my basic background manipulated in DIP 10 to create one that works with the knife handle
hopefully some of this is of value. all the images were done with my light tent setup which is accessible from this thread.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3358160
keep in mind I am still using the Nikon 995 CoolPix 3.2 megapixel camera and it is set to Auto.
the image shown seems to have a "yellow" cast to it so you might try some other method of doing the white balance and review what material is being used to diffuse the light or are there some incandescent lights on in the room and you have a slow shutter speed? I think you are getting some bounce reflection from the wood background also.
Background--take a look at Coops images. He uses a very simple background that compliments the subject and the emphasis is on the subject. Strong lines -- horizontal, vertical or varied such as shown in the image of the Bump dagger will only distract the eye from the subject. Also, text and more importantly, text that is not complete or at an unusual angle also distract.
I mostly use one background but do have a few others and then I'll create a background from something already within the image. Here are some examples and also something of where I choose a background that just looks kewl for a knife.
Lets take a look.
here is the same knife done on my most used background and another scenic one
his is another basic background
here is one that the background originally was color but I changed it to b/w but left the knife as a color image (the knife actually is mostly b/w in effect but with gold pins)
here is an image I did for the "handle" thread that never got published as the thread petered out. with this one, it is my basic background manipulated in DIP 10 to create one that works with the knife handle
hopefully some of this is of value. all the images were done with my light tent setup which is accessible from this thread.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3358160
keep in mind I am still using the Nikon 995 CoolPix 3.2 megapixel camera and it is set to Auto.
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Murray - thanks. I know I need to get some background paper, I just couldn't find any this w-e. I know where to get some close to work.
I suspect I had left the main light on in the room - I can't recall. I also think the way my lights are set up too much is lost. It might be due to the material, but I think I also need to bring the lights closer - they're 20" away right now.
I couldn't find plastic bags big enough. It's possible the vinyl mattress cover is too opaque. I saw some sheer blinds that were reasonably cheap, but I was concerned they wouldn't diffuse enough.
I suspect I had left the main light on in the room - I can't recall. I also think the way my lights are set up too much is lost. It might be due to the material, but I think I also need to bring the lights closer - they're 20" away right now.
I couldn't find plastic bags big enough. It's possible the vinyl mattress cover is too opaque. I saw some sheer blinds that were reasonably cheap, but I was concerned they wouldn't diffuse enough.
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go to a fabric store and they will have material or go to an art supply store and they will have it also. fabric needs to be very taut so I suggest using white spandex. Also, as your image editing skills grow, you could try to use photos of backgrounds and use that as the background layer and add images to that layer. I have not done that yet but I suspect Coop can add to this discussion.
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The shadow bothers me too. You could reduce it by lifting the knife above the background [make sure nothing shows] .A white reflecting board in the front would help too. I like to use sheets of white translucent plastic instead of the box ,it's more flexible that way. The flourescents are cooler . The plastic garbage bag might not stand the heat of incandescents.
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Joss,
It's a good start. Lots of yellow, as Murray pointed out.
Go to a good art supply store and buy a few sheets of draftsman's Velum paper. It can come in sizes like 32"x40", and that's what I am using now. Costs about $4.00 per sheet. Get off of auto mode and start using manual. The delete or 'trash' button is your friend. Mine is wore out...
Always shoot with the macro capability. The 20D does not have a macro setting, that comes as a function of the lens. Right?
Use a background that does NOT carry the colors in the handle. Show some contrast. Crop in tighter. Show the knife.
Lose the internal flash. I don't see the bothersome shadow that mete refers too, though. Shadows add depth and contrast and show textures. That's a good thing.
Vasilli: Damn. There are twenty ways to get the job done. Yours works. Thanks for the photos.
Coop
It's a good start. Lots of yellow, as Murray pointed out.
Go to a good art supply store and buy a few sheets of draftsman's Velum paper. It can come in sizes like 32"x40", and that's what I am using now. Costs about $4.00 per sheet. Get off of auto mode and start using manual. The delete or 'trash' button is your friend. Mine is wore out...
Always shoot with the macro capability. The 20D does not have a macro setting, that comes as a function of the lens. Right?
Use a background that does NOT carry the colors in the handle. Show some contrast. Crop in tighter. Show the knife.
Lose the internal flash. I don't see the bothersome shadow that mete refers too, though. Shadows add depth and contrast and show textures. That's a good thing.
Vasilli: Damn. There are twenty ways to get the job done. Yours works. Thanks for the photos.
Coop
nozh2002
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Everybody complins about dark front. Reflector makes it lighter, but it will never be of course ligter then top, so front will be always darker - all murray pictures perfectly demonstrate this and same for Joss. With direct light you may make it even lighter then top. Also light is too soft too even.
This is latest example where front is actually directly highlighted with almost horizontal light.
Here:
and also here - even more:
So this is what Ken Onion complain. What I see everybody put all lights on tent, while one filling should be enough and all other lights may be used for background, for front etc...
Thanks, Vassili.
This is latest example where front is actually directly highlighted with almost horizontal light.
Here:
and also here - even more:
So this is what Ken Onion complain. What I see everybody put all lights on tent, while one filling should be enough and all other lights may be used for background, for front etc...
Thanks, Vassili.
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Vassili I like those,, they show what the knife looks like, side, top, everything
Art pictures are great,
but guys remember,, knife makers are selling knives
not back ground art, though nice they will load slower for the web surfer
we want the knives in front of the customer ASAP.
also we can touch up our work with the programs,, we don't want to
miss-represent our work, that would mean returns and a one time customer..
just some things to think about.
now I need to cull some bad picture work from my site
though they are old they were kept there because they were sold and I can't re-shoot them.
edited to add,
I just finished this one so I messed around with a picture of it...
tear me up guys
remember my Monitor is messed up, so tell me what it looks like
this blade is mirror polished O1
edited to add this one is less than 56 kb in size
Art pictures are great,
but guys remember,, knife makers are selling knives
not back ground art, though nice they will load slower for the web surfer
we want the knives in front of the customer ASAP.
also we can touch up our work with the programs,, we don't want to
miss-represent our work, that would mean returns and a one time customer..
just some things to think about.
now I need to cull some bad picture work from my site
though they are old they were kept there because they were sold and I can't re-shoot them.
edited to add,
I just finished this one so I messed around with a picture of it...
tear me up guys
remember my Monitor is messed up, so tell me what it looks like this blade is mirror polished O1
edited to add this one is less than 56 kb in size
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- Oct 8, 2001
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Clear and crisp. Lots of 'information' in one rectangle. Good color balance.
Subectively I would crop with a little bit more space arount the knife and insets. Give it a little 'breathing room' as Terrill Hoffman once said about an image posted on another knife photo forum.
I try to space my knife and insets in equal distances. Knife from the borders, insets from the knife.
I would have just cropped it out a bit more and given those 50% increased insets a little more room and a small border to distinguish them neatly. They look a little grainy. Are they digitally enlarged?
Overall it's WAY above average in quality. :thumbup:
Coop
Subectively I would crop with a little bit more space arount the knife and insets. Give it a little 'breathing room' as Terrill Hoffman once said about an image posted on another knife photo forum.
I try to space my knife and insets in equal distances. Knife from the borders, insets from the knife.
I would have just cropped it out a bit more and given those 50% increased insets a little more room and a small border to distinguish them neatly. They look a little grainy. Are they digitally enlarged?
Overall it's WAY above average in quality. :thumbup:
Coop
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I did a little editing. Everyone has their favorite sauce recipe...
Before:
After:
Cropped in tighter, color corrected with grey eyedropper in PS 'levels' and then faded back to 75%. Added a vignette (shadowing around edges), and then erased the shadowing on the knife with the history brush. Perked up the contrast 10%, and dodged the guard with the highlights brush. Used the shadow reduction tool just a bit to draw out the detail in the darks.
All in a day's work....
Coop
Before:
After:
Cropped in tighter, color corrected with grey eyedropper in PS 'levels' and then faded back to 75%. Added a vignette (shadowing around edges), and then erased the shadowing on the knife with the history brush. Perked up the contrast 10%, and dodged the guard with the highlights brush. Used the shadow reduction tool just a bit to draw out the detail in the darks.
All in a day's work....
Coop
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thanks Jim
I have Photo shop 6 but when I open it I know I'm going to get lost in there for hours
I only spent a little time this one with my simple PhotoStudio program..
and compressed it with LVIEWP1B
most my problem with my set up I found was in my white bal in my camora..
before, I just didn't seem to get enough light with my inside set-up..
thanks for the pointers..:thumbup:
edited to add that one is less than 56 kb in size
I have Photo shop 6 but when I open it I know I'm going to get lost in there for hours
I only spent a little time this one with my simple PhotoStudio program..
and compressed it with LVIEWP1B
most my problem with my set up I found was in my white bal in my camora..
before, I just didn't seem to get enough light with my inside set-up..
thanks for the pointers..:thumbup:
edited to add that one is less than 56 kb in size
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Joss unfortunately, DIP10 does not have history brush. That and healing are a couple things I wish it did have. I'm not sure how to get such a selective vignette. I have a vignette filter (third party) but I don't think I could get it that refined as is. I suppose I could create a vignette layer and then make the center transparent and then increas the transparency on the vignetter over the blade but boy that would be a lot of work. I use vignette on people shots but have not found it necessary on knives.
Sometimes I do use the same tone of background as the knife handle as can be seen in the folder image above. however, there is also enough contrasting image that the shot works.
The nice thing about the setup I have suggested in another lighting thread is that the lights are 3:1 which makes using the front light as a fill quite easy. However, for each image, it does require "eyeball" adjustment.
Sometimes I do use the same tone of background as the knife handle as can be seen in the folder image above. however, there is also enough contrasting image that the shot works.
The nice thing about the setup I have suggested in another lighting thread is that the lights are 3:1 which makes using the front light as a fill quite easy. However, for each image, it does require "eyeball" adjustment.