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'No Frills' $75.00 home studio tent/lightbox
- Thread starter SharpByCoop
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looks good Kam. Probably different monitors see this image differently but mine is a bit on the gray side and I know that these knives are black so I just did an auto levels in my DIP 10 program and go the knife to go blacker. Just a thought but again your monitor and others may view the image differently
ken erickson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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HI,
Wanted to say thanks for having this great thread. This is a knife I made,and photographed using my old homemade light box set-up. I will post a follow up pictures in the near future after making one up close to Coop's design. In the mean time feel free to pick this picture apart! The only way I will learn. The VERY biggest problem I see with it is my reflection in the bolster and too much shadow.
Thanks all, great thread.
Wanted to say thanks for having this great thread. This is a knife I made,and photographed using my old homemade light box set-up. I will post a follow up pictures in the near future after making one up close to Coop's design. In the mean time feel free to pick this picture apart! The only way I will learn. The VERY biggest problem I see with it is my reflection in the bolster and too much shadow.
Thanks all, great thread.
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Ken, I don't want to pick apart anyone's work. I think you did a fine job by anyone's standards.
It does appear from your photo that you have your light source on either side of your subject. Most of the time you are going to want the light source, back behind and up and over your subject. So that your broad light source is reflected in the blades and bolsters of the knife. About the only time I would use side-lighting on a knife would be to accentuate the texture of the handle material.
It does appear from your photo that you have your light source on either side of your subject. Most of the time you are going to want the light source, back behind and up and over your subject. So that your broad light source is reflected in the blades and bolsters of the knife. About the only time I would use side-lighting on a knife would be to accentuate the texture of the handle material.
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Coop: Love your work, sometimes it does not pay to be a exceptionally well versed and informed nice guy! I am going to try this setup with a nikon digital, as the leica R-9 I bought for The wife last year is way over my head and is not digital, thanks for the affordable solution, Still trying to convince her that she could have alot of blades instead!!
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As a side question...
So I made a light tent like recommended here. It works OK, though I get frustrated with having to negotiate my way around the tripod. On the other hand, I have a perfectly good 580EX II flash unit, with off-shoe cord, a nice DIY diffuser, etc. I'm hoping that I can use it for nice, off-tripod pics. What do people think? How should I use it / position it?
So I made a light tent like recommended here. It works OK, though I get frustrated with having to negotiate my way around the tripod. On the other hand, I have a perfectly good 580EX II flash unit, with off-shoe cord, a nice DIY diffuser, etc. I'm hoping that I can use it for nice, off-tripod pics. What do people think? How should I use it / position it?
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Joss -- the problem with an Electronic flash that does not have a modelling light is that you can't see what the light is doing so many times you will be guessing as to the results and having to make a lot of exposures and then adjust and hope the adjust ment works.
ken erickson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Just set this up and one of my first with new light box. My old box was open from the top and I had halagon shop lights shinning in from the sides. I will box in the back and top better after i pick up some more foam board.
The bulbs I picked up are "natural light" by Westinghouse 23 watts 1425 Lumens.
I still have a lot of playing around but I can see this is going to give me better results.
Ken
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Ken: As Phil aptly pointed out, the shot is clear, but not perfecto. Yes, you need to tame those reflections and come in over the back with your lighting. Rounded bolsters are especially hard. Looking forward to round two....
(One of the benefits I enjoy with my strobes is that most of my reflections that aren't in the tent are so dark to not show the mirroring. Some but not as many.)
Infobound1: I would just as soon teach a man to fish. :thumbup: Post your trials here.
Joss: I am a proponent of strobes, but they have to be powerful, wide in dispersion and working as a pair. I could not do it with one. I can't see you being satisfied with that onboard flash.
I could not do my style of work with a tripod in my way. I have adapted to using a strobe system and love it.
That said, there are perfectly suitable monolights on eBay that are WAY less expensive than that Canon unit and will do amazing work. I have one as a backup and it's just great. Do a search. You don't need any higher power than 110watt/sec strobes.
I have purchased from this seller and am suitably impressed with the quality for the price. (Not for the Pro) See example here.
Coop
(One of the benefits I enjoy with my strobes is that most of my reflections that aren't in the tent are so dark to not show the mirroring. Some but not as many.)
Infobound1: I would just as soon teach a man to fish. :thumbup: Post your trials here.
Joss: I am a proponent of strobes, but they have to be powerful, wide in dispersion and working as a pair. I could not do it with one. I can't see you being satisfied with that onboard flash.
I could not do my style of work with a tripod in my way. I have adapted to using a strobe system and love it.
That said, there are perfectly suitable monolights on eBay that are WAY less expensive than that Canon unit and will do amazing work. I have one as a backup and it's just great. Do a search. You don't need any higher power than 110watt/sec strobes.
I have purchased from this seller and am suitably impressed with the quality for the price. (Not for the Pro) See example here.
Coop
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Ken: I posted the above as you posted your improved version. I am questioning what direction you are shooting from, based upon your setup. Are you shooting from that gap at the bottom of the diffuser, or from the other side looking in?
Nonetheless, we are already seeing good results.
Coop
Nonetheless, we are already seeing good results.
Coop
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Coop - thanks. I am going to try with the flash on a bracket and the lights behind, just for the sake of it. Thank you for the recommendation on the strobe but I already have too much stuff around. I used to also have a 430EX, now I (kind of) regret having sold it...
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I'm not dumb enough to argue with Coop's use of his equipment and his results, but just to give the readers here another point of view.
One good light source is all you need, heck there's only one Sun. I think most people know I use a window as my light source. Even as professional photographer with a studio full of expensive equipment most of the photographs I took were done with a single light, a 4' square bank light, on a 2400 watt second strobe unit. That included still lifes to full length fashion figures. It was my portable window.
I suggest that anybody doing product photography (still Life) to use a tripod. Aside from helping with composition and focus, I like to think of the camera locked in place on a tripod as the last decision I made with that photograph. The smallest changes that you make when photographing knives can have a big impact on your image, I don't see why anyone would give up the control that a tripod gives you.
One good light source is all you need, heck there's only one Sun. I think most people know I use a window as my light source. Even as professional photographer with a studio full of expensive equipment most of the photographs I took were done with a single light, a 4' square bank light, on a 2400 watt second strobe unit. That included still lifes to full length fashion figures. It was my portable window.
I suggest that anybody doing product photography (still Life) to use a tripod. Aside from helping with composition and focus, I like to think of the camera locked in place on a tripod as the last decision I made with that photograph. The smallest changes that you make when photographing knives can have a big impact on your image, I don't see why anyone would give up the control that a tripod gives you.
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Phil,
Absolutely sage advice. You know, and I have to conceed, that I have practiced and practiced and practiced until it all seems easy to me now.
Like a performance artist or an athlete... Sure, just do it...!
Not so fast, rookie.
Who can argue with the sun as the singlemost best source available?
Thanks for paying attention and keeping this dialog balanced.
Coop
Absolutely sage advice. You know, and I have to conceed, that I have practiced and practiced and practiced until it all seems easy to me now.
Like a performance artist or an athlete... Sure, just do it...!
Not so fast, rookie.
Who can argue with the sun as the singlemost best source available?
Thanks for paying attention and keeping this dialog balanced.
Coop
Ebbtide
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One thing I've added to my windowsill studio is a sheet of 18x24" tracing paper on the window to diffuse the direct,harsh (southern exposure) sunlight.
I've mounted mine on a frame made of foamcore, but a little scotch tape on the window would work as well.
I've mounted mine on a frame made of foamcore, but a little scotch tape on the window would work as well.
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Natural light is all well and good but direct sunlight will be difficult to work with and any natural light will have color temp shift that the auto WB may or maynot handle correctly and may require manual adjustments in the camera. Whenever possible it is preferred to use a window facing North. One has to be careful also of light that comes thru the window that may have bounced from another building and depending upon the color of that building may affect the color balance of the image.
When I look at Kens box camera angle seems like it might be a problem and also the diffusion material has wrinkles in it and that will affect the highlight/shadows falling on the subject. It is imperative that the material be absolutely flat for the best and most reliable results.
When I see setups like this and I know Coop that this thread is the $75 setup, what with products available on the market and quite inexpensive prices without the inherent problems attached, it concerns me that folks don't just buy a good product instead of spending time & $ in this way.
I also see that the distance from the light to the subject is not very much and this does not allow the light to diffuse enough before striking the subject. Move the lights farther from the diffusion material so as to allow the light to spread and then be diffused before it strikes the subject. If you are unable to do that, then add a layer of diffusion material to the outside of the lamp holder which will add to diffusion.
During the daytime, if direct sunlight is coming thru any of those windows, Ken, try to cover the windows as extraneous, uncontrolled light can also affect the results.
Just a few thoughts on things that may help with knife image making.
When I look at Kens box camera angle seems like it might be a problem and also the diffusion material has wrinkles in it and that will affect the highlight/shadows falling on the subject. It is imperative that the material be absolutely flat for the best and most reliable results.
When I see setups like this and I know Coop that this thread is the $75 setup, what with products available on the market and quite inexpensive prices without the inherent problems attached, it concerns me that folks don't just buy a good product instead of spending time & $ in this way.
I also see that the distance from the light to the subject is not very much and this does not allow the light to diffuse enough before striking the subject. Move the lights farther from the diffusion material so as to allow the light to spread and then be diffused before it strikes the subject. If you are unable to do that, then add a layer of diffusion material to the outside of the lamp holder which will add to diffusion.
During the daytime, if direct sunlight is coming thru any of those windows, Ken, try to cover the windows as extraneous, uncontrolled light can also affect the results.
Just a few thoughts on things that may help with knife image making.
ken erickson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
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- 2,701
Ok, I think I am getting it now. I turned my new light box around, and have the Lights from BEHIND!
Its only been stated about 20 times in this thread you need the light from behind!
I also used Coop's method for merging multiple shots of the same knife into one photograph using Photoshop(in my case PS Elements) Boy , it almost makes it fun! and much faster than what I was trying to do. I know I still have shadows and things to work out, but I am getting a good foundation I think for better knife pictures thanks to this thread.
Thanks for your input Murray. I snapped a picture of my light box in my excitement before I really had it set up.
Ken
Its only been stated about 20 times in this thread you need the light from behind!
I also used Coop's method for merging multiple shots of the same knife into one photograph using Photoshop(in my case PS Elements) Boy , it almost makes it fun! and much faster than what I was trying to do. I know I still have shadows and things to work out, but I am getting a good foundation I think for better knife pictures thanks to this thread.
Thanks for your input Murray. I snapped a picture of my light box in my excitement before I really had it set up.
Ken
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Murray,
Your point on the dangers of the diy approach are valid. However, I'll point out that Coop still uses something he had to build from scratch. Presumably this is not because he couldn't afford the commercial stuff, but rather that it didn't serve his needs?
Your point on the dangers of the diy approach are valid. However, I'll point out that Coop still uses something he had to build from scratch. Presumably this is not because he couldn't afford the commercial stuff, but rather that it didn't serve his needs?