Photo Studio at home

Sando

Sando

Knife Maker
Joined
Jul 4, 2002
Messages
1,148
I get the occasional question about my knife photos. They aren't great or anything, but you can recognize what's in the picture. I thought it would be funny to show what I'm using these days.

As you know diffused light is generally the best bet. You can buy fancy light boxes and lights or you can make one.

Mine was especially expensive. It came from Target.

bench.jpg


The lights are simple those GE Reveal bulbs that simulate daylight color balance. I put a piece of tile or something down, camera on a tripod, and peek thru a hole I cut in the bottom edge of the cheap plastic container - errrrr I mean the high priced light box. The light gets diffused by the box and the bench lights can get moved around as needed.

Thought you might get a kick out of it.

FWIW I took a quicky photo with that setup last night:

hunt1.jpg


Steve
 
I made my diffuser from 1/2" PVC, in a 40X50" rectangle. Stretched white ripstop nylon over that(just stapled the ends), and shine a couple of 500W photo floods through the back.
I set it at a 45 degree angle.
If need be, I can reflect some light bach with some masonite covered with aluminum foil.:eek: Works for me, anyway. :D
 
My favorite is sunlight through white drapes - course it's lighting you have to wait for ;) . Anyway, another good one is to take a halogen work lamp, point it away from the knife and use a pic piece of white posterboard to bounce the light back to the knife.

Tim

Need to get good photos online.
 
Mike,

I used white poster boards as reflectors for this shot:

birdn.jpg


There were 3 lights and 2 boards. It's kinda fun moving the lights and reflectors around, seeing the changes.

Steve
 
Steve, I hereby nominate you for 'resident genious of the BF'. I will definately try that deal.

RL
 
Lmao, Wallymart better stock up on those expensive light diffuser boxes!!!
I'm gonna get one for sure!
Thanks for the info Steve!!!
 
Definitely gonna get one myself. Camera on way is cheap old one dad had, with an extra lens for close up work, which has a fixed focus. So needed to setup a light box with a tripod at a set distance. Wanted to keep it cheap too, and this is definitely the way to go.
 
Thanks Steve,

I was thinking about doing the frame with the T-shirt stretched over it , but I like this better. The first one...or two will probably end up full of junk and have to get another.
 
Steve, The pictures look great. What kind of camera are you using anyway ? Inquiring minds want to know. LOL Is the hole you shoot from in the seam between the top and side on the front end?
 
Hi Ron,

>> Is the hole you shoot from in the seam between the top and side on the front end?

Yeah, I was thinking I should have had a better picture of that - you can just make it out, but that's exactly where it is. I used a 2" holesaw on the bottom and again on the side. Then I connected them with a saw. Seems to give a good angle for the camera.

>> What kind of camera are you using

It's an Olympus 3030 - 3mp job. Turn the flash off and set the appeture to the mid range and click away.

The picture doesn't show it, but I put a piece of white poster board behind and/or on the side as a reflector.

I'm gonna use Mike Hull's idea and tape some aluminum foil on the back for a reflector. The 'white' box should soften that just fine.

-----------------------------------------
One other cheap-o trick is I keep some kids modeling clay around. I use it to prop up the handle and angle the knife. Makes it real easy to adjust the blade angle and the knife doesn't slide all over the place. If you look close you can tell the handle is elevated off the surface.

Steve
 
I have some of that around because someone suggested it for putting in thong holes to keep them from getting epoxy in them. Never thought of it for something like that. More good tips, thanks. :)
 
Steve, thanks so much for this post. I've been meaning to build a box out of foamcore for weeks now, but that means a trip to an art supply store which I somehow never seem to make. I've got one of those boxes in the basement! I know what I'll be doing tonight!
Ed
 
Thanks Steve for all the helpful info. I'd been wondering for some time about them cheep plastic tubs. I've picked them up several time at Wal Mart trying to decide weather they would defuse the light or not. Your the man !!!!! Keep us updated on your quest for a better picture.
 
My photo's suck big time. Was looking for something simple that might improve my picture takeing and I think I just found it. My wife may even have one of these boxes she dosn't know she has. Steve, Thanks for this post!
 
Steve, Thanks for the trick.

I bought the box today and tried it out. Have some trial and error ahead of me because the pics came out too dark. I am using 100 watt reveal bulbs.

Picture 012.jpg
 
Sando,

I tried to Email you privately but was not able. I was wondering, I am trying to get my pics to turn out as good as yours with the "expensive" light box. I bought the 100 watt reveal bulbs but the pics are still turning out dark. What watt bulbs are you using with yours? I even tried lining the inside of the box with foil and setting the light right on top of the box but that isn't helping either. Oh yeah, I am using a canon A80 on auto with no flash. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

If someone else is using this at home and can maybe help????

Willie
 
I haven't seen Steve Sando around the forums in quite some time.
 
I noticed one of your pictures had a second picture in it. What type of software will let you do that?

Thanks,
Dave
 
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