Studio Lighting - Really cheap homemade diy studio - no lighting needed
So, you want to start your own homemade photography studio but you are totally broke and you want it to be cheap. Actually, being cheap is your prime demand from this studio. You don’t need no external fancy lighting or strobes, you don't want them expensive softboxes. You just want to try out some still life photography, or you need take some shots for eBay. This article is just for you.
Here is what I have to offer for about 1–3 USD. This still life photography studio utilizes a huge softbox and a seamless backdrop. But before we start lets see some of the prime requirements from a still life photo studio. We want to get even light, with good shadow management and a smooth background that will not distract from our main subject.
If you are serious about your homemade studio and your lighting, you should check out the guides for homemade reflector stand, homemade backdrop stand, homemade hot lighting panel, and the rest of the homemade studio articles.
Here are the materials you will need for your still life studio:
-
A few inches of Duct tape (or just any tape)
-
A thick, A0 sized, sheet of paper. (I use polypropylene sheets because they are more durable and can be cleaned - this is the backdrop I used for the Wolverene shot in the softbox guide).
-
A sunny day and a shady location.
-
A wall/table/chair/fence
Now, this will not take care of your all your studio needs, but it will provide you with a cheap way to start exploring studio like pictures. Namely, you will get good background for your pictures, pictures with little shadows and good even light. If you only want to take "eBay pictures" this is enough.
Instructions - The first thing is to find a nice shaded place on a good sunny day. your porch is fine for that, and so is your back yard. Next, you need a wall, or a chair or anything you can lean your professional backdrop (A.K.A piece of paper) against.
now tape the paper to the wall/chair and tape it to the floor. TADA!! your seamless backdrop is installed. I used my porch as a shady place and a green table I have as a backdrop mount.
Taping the top of the polypropylene seamless backdrop to the table
A side view of the setup
The next thing you will need is a model. This set up is really good for still life photography or for taking product shots (for eBay.com, or for stock agencies like Fotolia). For this tutorial, I used my daughter's caterpillar toy.
Shutter speed and aperture- If you have a good sunny day, you can go up and nice with the shutter speed. All the caterpillar pictures here were taken with F/8 and shutter speed of 1/200-1/400.
Here is one picture taken at this "homemade studio"
Multi-color seamless backgdrops - To add some interest to the pictures, I use several sheets of paper and polypropylene, each with different color. This way, I have instant multi-color backdrops.
My roll of papers - each color a different backdrop
Here are two more pictures taken with the homemade studio setup:
(a RED backdrop and a BLUE backdrop - both polypropylene)
And here is another picture taken some time ago utilizing the home studio setup
(white polypropylene as my seamless backdrop)
Good luck with your still life studio.
Get the DIYP greatness via RSS, newsletter and Twitter
Connect with the community: Facebook Page, Discussions
Share Ideas, Setups, Images and Projects on DIYP's Flickr, visit Readers Photos
Comments
great article
this article shows clearly how simple and handy it is to create clear and impressive shots.
i use this technique often for pro photography when shooting outside the studio and away from the heavy gear.
my comments :
Manual calibration of White Balance calibration is highly recomended when using this method. when a white backgrownd is used, manual WB is as simple as taking a photo of the backgrownd, then following the steps for using Custom White Balance option of the camera.
another thing is, when using this article's method, you can (and should!) also set the exposure manualy to get constant and accurate results. before placing your model on the set, take a clean picture of your white backgrownd and use the histogram to examine results. you should apply exposure paraeters that make your graph alligned to the right, this is where brightness level of your backgrownd will be accurately represented in the photo.
bare in mind that some materials may look white but are actualy not...
a good way to tell if your white backrownd is infact white is comparing it to a clean sheet (typo fixed) of your printer paper.
Please elaborate
Ron, thanks for the insightful follow-up. Good tips indeed (even if I do need to unearth my manual to determine how to manually white-balance my camera), and I know I’m harping on an obvious typo, but if you’re going to be serving up a lob like this one, it’s hard to resist the urge to smash it back across the net...
Could you please elaborate on just what constitutes a “clean sheet?” (typo fixed)
I believe he means simply to
I believe he means simply to compare your backdrop to a white, UNprinted page of regular blank white paper that you would put in a printer or photocopier. However, if I might add to this suggestion, usual printer paper is about 87% white, and therefore is not a true white. Make sure your comparison paper is indeed 100% white (the manufacturer will mark this on the outside of the package).
clean sheet you mean?
clean sheet you mean?
Nice.
Now I just have to find A0 polypropelene. I'll use this.
PS. Ron Uriel - you wrote 'a clean sheet (typo fixed) of your printer paper'. What the heck?
place to get A0 polypropelene
They are avalable at your local office depot
Actually finding a0 polypropylene
I've looked at staples and office depot and they say "huh? what is a0?" and then.... "huh? what is polypropylene?"
and then both respond with "we have poster board"
they also both said 'the biggest paper we have is 11x17'
re: Actually finding a0 polypropylene
Hi Funk,
Well it was only long after I wrote this post that I discovered that american office depot don't cary polypropylene. another good chance would be your local art store
Does it exist?
Well i went to an art store, and they actually knew what polypropylene paper was thankfully, but the largest size they had was 20x27.. and that had to be ordered.. and it only came in white.
i even checked out http://www.modulor.de/ and they only had a4
are there any other websites? cause after searching for 30 minutes, the only a0 polypropylene was rolls of it for $50+
re: Does it exist?
I can assure it does :)
It was after I made this post that I discovered that polypropyleneis not very common in the US. The other alternative is white A0 paper. It will get dirty or have creases over time, but it is about a Dollar a sheet.
funny "sheet" word lost
Hi All, Sorry but I had to edit out the typos with the sheet being misspelled. dont be mad, I promise more funny TYPOs in future to come :).
Thanks
Thanks
sorry for the typo... (not mother language)
and i'm glad i've contributed some laughter together with the tips :-)
Photo Background
Hello, Udi. Excellent info on a practical homemade studio.
On the last photo (with the bottles) it is impossible to see any shadows, etc.. Was this photo edited? If so, which program did you use?
Thanks,
Elkin
last photo
Hi Elkin,
Thanks. The last photo was edited with PS CS. mostly color and contrast adjustments. and also some burning of the shadows.
there is a way to make the pictures even more professional by using a piece of glass or Perspex under the subject. Then the subject does not seem to float. I will try to post something about it soon.
regards,
Udi.
homemade studio
great pics at the bottom with the caterpillars! i want to make the same kind of pics, but of shoes. however, i do not have the luxury of taking the items outdoors. i do not have expensive lights. i will be purchasing 2x50W halogen lights to light the shoes and maybe cover it with a silk sheet or some material to diffuse the light.
if i do this will i get the same results? i am trying to make photos like the ones below:
this one
and this one
please let me know if i can get these kind of results with the setup i mentioned. thanks very much!
taking photos of shoes
Hi Mark,
One of my setups uses a 2x500W hotlights (the ones you can get at your local home depot store), and I think you are on the right track.
There are two things to remember: 1. diffusion is very importatnt here. and 2. make sure you set your white balane correctly.
If you have a strobe you can also use it off camera, and diffuse it like I do.
you said 2x500W?
you said 2x500W? so you think 2x50W will not be sufficient to get the results seen in the pictures i mentioned earlier?
2X50
I have not tryied working with those lights. but i can get a 500X light from the hardware store for about 10USD, so his is what I us. at any rate, you will need a tripod, as exposure might be long.
Additional thoughts...
Would like to add a couple of thoughts on the discussion of indoor lighting. Considering that you are doing tabletop photographs of objects that are not going to move there is no need IMO to purchase 500w lighting. Rather than setting the background up on the floor put it on a table and pick up a couple of really cheap adjustable arm clamp on desk lamps from some place like Ikea. Using a 100w regular household bulb works just fine as long as you set a custom white balance. 500w lamps put off an awful lot of heat and can get pretty uncomfortable to work around in short order. Also white plastic garbage bags stretched on a frame make excellent diffusers or even a light tent. Just don’t get your lights too close.
Cheap still life studio
I own tons of Digital cameras and photo gear but when it comes to shooting for ebay, I always rely on the same trick.
With a webcam mounted on a tripod and a homemade seamless backdrop similar to yours, I shoot my subject several times while moving a portable 6V camcorder lamp around (white balance is easy to acheive). Of course, since I "trip the shutter" via my computer keyboard, nothing moves but the lamp. Subject and camera are as still as possibly can.
Then, using a stitching utility, I overlap all the shots into one. Mine lets me choose a percentage of final ponderation for each image. The result is amazing.
For one, I end-up killing all the random noise (by diluting it) and get an amazingly clear shot, but more interesting is that I can actually "post-process" my lighting ratio by giving more or less ponderation to one shot (main front lamp) over the other (say, the key light).
You get the point?
rouelibre
indoor photos: White balance?
Could you direct me to the explanation of how to do this? Or explain? I'm trying to do indoor (due to the weather) portrait type photography on an all white Muslin backdrop with really bad lighting LOL. I will hit Lowe's this weekend. Please explain "white balance" to me.
thanks
White balance explained
White balance is how you tell your camera what is "white." Different types of light (incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, sunlight, etc.) have different inherent colors to them, so your picture may end up with a red or blue cast to it. You can see this when you look at an object in the picture that is known to be white and find it's not.
Many cameras allow you to set the white balance, effectively calibrating the camera to the light source so that whites appear white in the final picture.
White Balance
How do you know which setting to choose?
Read your camera manual.
Read your camera manual. Normally you go to custom white balance in the menu, then you take a photo of the white backdrop and the camera will set a custom white balance according to it.
How do I setup a Cheap Home Studio for Portrait Shots
How do I setup a Cheap Home Studio for Portrait Shots. I am an artist that seeks for professional results with pennies to spend. Your help is appreciated.
Portrait shots
Hi Annastacia,
check out the home studio section, as well as Brian's ideas for home studio. there are some cheap ideas there.
regards,
Udi.
White Balance and RAW
Keep in mind that if you shoot in RAW mode then you don't need to worry about white balance when shooting. You can simply adjust it afterwards in your RAW converter. Also you tend to have a far greater dynamic range to pull from and I have often converted RAW files twice and then blended them in Photoshop to bring out detail in both dark and light areas that otherwise would have been lost in jpeg shooting.
Chris :)
A0 polypropelene?
I know that you said that you could get the polypropelene at an Office Depot. This isn't paper is it? Is it like a plastic? I went to my local Office Max and they only have posterboard. I know that would work, but I would prefer to get the polypropelene. When I go to the store is this what I will ask for & what section would I find it in? Thanks!
polypropelene part number
Hi Caity,
Sadly I dont know the part.catalog number for polypropelene. What I can say is that you can show the guy (girl?) at the store what it looks like. It is made of the same material that soft binders are made of. Also, where I leave the the sheets are on the same stand as the posterboards and A0 sketch papers.
Please drop me a note if you find the part number. at any rate, until you get it, you can use card board.
AO Polypropelene
Thanks! You have helped me alot. Now I know what I should be looking for since you told me its the same material as soft binders. Now I kinda know what to look for. Does it come in a roll or is it also on the rack like the posterboard? Thanks again!
backdrop
Hi - another useful material for backdrop is a roller blind , it's slightly stiffened, comes in many sizes and colours and has a rod at the top making it easy to secure.
No one at staples or office
No one at staples or office depot knows what a0 or polypropylene is.
they just say 'uh, the biggest paper we have is 11x17..... and posterboard'
but posterboard is highly reflective....right? meaning i'll get reflections in it if i use a flash?
re: staples
Hi Funk,
Try Moduler.de they ship!!! or your local art supplies store. When I made this post I was not aware that US Office Depot does not carry this.
- udi
i want turn E-TTL II flash of eos xt to normal
hi, because of preflash fire of 350D internal flash my slave cant sync with exposure, plz tell me how can i turn 350D internal flash to normal mode, thanks
Zahab.
Superb
Hi here a reaction from an enthousiastic amateur photographer from the Netherlands. Today I had some time off and decided to go ahead with this article. I bought A0 paper (the cheapest I could found) for just $0.75.
I compiled it outside just like in this article and took some pictures. The results are great.
Thanks again.
Johan Vorsterman van Oijen
is it possible to have a homemade studio, room-sized?
thanks for the ideas, but im looking for a homemade room-size studio, with a short budget kinda thing.. currently im a member in photomalaysia.com which we shares out pictures and techniques of photography, but we are lacking of advise on economical type of studios, hope you could lend a hand...thx
polypropylene
I stopped by office depot and she looked like a confused deer looking at oncoming traffic when I asked for polypropylene sheets and showed her what I was looking for. Went to a crafting store and they only had a semi-clear 8" piece used for stencil making. Any other ideas on where to get it?
Thanks
A0 Polypropelene sheets
I just bought a large(probably 24x36" sht of polypropelene plastic about 1/8 to 1/16 thk for 2.00usd @ Michael's (craft supplies) in Dallas, Texas. It is sold for a surface to write on and wipe off for whiteboards and note boards etc. Dont know what size A0 is but this is pretty good size. Excellent diffuser material.
re: A0 Polypropelene
Thanks for sharing that info. Looks like finding polypropelene is not a trivial thing while in the US.
Great article showing how to do this cheap.
Nice, nice, nice. :-)
I've been recommending this type of setup for a long time to people but hadn't yet put this into an online article. It's amazing how easy it is to get great shots with a simple paper background and an overcast day or even a window with a shower curtain diffusing the sunlight. Some of my best shots are with this method.
And it still kind of erks me and enthralls me every time because I've spent tons on all the pro gear as well, and it isn't always needed if the conditions are right.
In fact, I spent so much time learning and mastering this over the years that I finally put together a video showing inexpensive ways on how to do it. Hope you don't mind me sharing my efforts here: www.ProVideoLighting.com
Anyway, great, great article. You're really helping people out by posting this. In fact, its encouraging me to do the same as I've been intending to do so for so long, but you've already done it. Kudos and keep helping people. It matters.
Highest regards,
Dave Marcotte
Materials
As a signwriter, I have access to a lot of materials which would be perfect for this application such as matte white signvinyl - this is self adhesive, and so could be applied to a sheet of plastic for a more permanent solution.
If anyone is interested, do not hesitate to contact me at info@pcands.co.uk
Regards
David Woodthorpe - Preseli Computing & Signs
I shouldn't haved dumped the carpenter!
I dated a carpenter 3 years ago. I should have kept him around for one more project. If only I knew about this site! Darn! I need a backdrop. I have to use my curtains!
I used to work in fine art doing murals and large paintings. I happened to already have to great light sources... An overhead projecter (2x 300-400W bulbs), a slide projector (for spotlight). Turn out the lights and use the reflector and you can have a decent show. The backdrop is all I needed!
more cheap tricks
If you want BIG sheets of white paper, look for "drafting supplies", or go to an art store and get watercolor paper. You can usually find it by the roll, called "mylar" or "vellum".
For fun effects, shine lights through the backdrop to backlight your subject, use fancy art papers, or cloth.
Putting the backdrop on a table with the top part taped to a wall or other support keeps you from having to do "belly flop" photography.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/52513/digital_photography_light... is my eBay setup, and what I do for on-site factory shots. Cheap and effective.
To minimize shadows under objects, make them easier to isolate, prop them up on tiny bits of something of uniform size. Because of where I usually shoot, I tend to use stacks of washers or other spare parts
loved it
This is such a fantastic idea. As a newbie photographer I am loving all the stuff at DIYphotography. I tried using the backdrop with a homemade light diffuser and it was a real fun experience and an eye opener.
Keep the good stuff coming.
Cheers
Polypropylene sheets?
i can't seem to find these polypropylene sheets,what should i ask for when i go to office depot or staples? so far all i have gotten are confused looks from the staff?
re: Polypropylene sheets?
Hi Pauly,
Try Moduler.de they ship!!!
- udi
Ive had some trouble finding
Ive had some trouble finding it the polypropylene sheets and am wondering, will this work : http://www.macroenter.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=TK-WRMPB-R365&c...
Lighting
I wanted to try studio photography, and trying to find the right room an space in the house has been difficult, but reading all your entries it looks like I don't need much room. I also thought I would have to start buying a bunch of lights and back drops, all your ideas sound great and I can't wait to give them a try next weekend.
Does the back drops work for portraits as well and the 2x500W lighting? What do you think about black felt for a back drop?
U Rock
I have been going through some of your articles. THe bokeh.the softbox and so on. I must say that you totally kick ass....its just awesome.....splendid job. continue the good work..I just am totally in love with your website. You dont mention your name anywhere dude......I only see Nick everywhere.....I must say that youre the "Nick of my life". And yeah I am from India and we find it a little difficult to get all those things youve stated in the stores nearby. The rubberised compound is probably not available here.
Thanks Arvind
It is always nice to meet new friends. try the about page for some "me" details.
And yes, Nick rocks!
Clear objects
How can I phograph clear objects?
This is a great question
photographing clear objects is a big challenge. There is a great book called Light: Science and Magic. you can have a look at the online version at google or get it on amazon. see chapter
Sweets in cellophane
I work for a sweet shop and I need to take photos for the website of sweets and chocolates in cellophane. It is a nightmare to get a good, profesional style photo..any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
I need to know about Human Subjects
So how would I be able to studio photos with human subjects making it really cheap and inexpensive. I am a Pfc. E-2 pay grade in the Marine Corps. I don't make that much money each month just yet. So when I get a personal camera I want to make money on the side to fulfill certain aspects of life like purchasing funds and other things that can financially benefit myself and my family. If you can help me with this question I would be very thankful. Also can you possibly gie me an estimate of how much I would be spending?
re: human backsdrop
Hi,
You may wan to check this link for fast/fun/cheap human sized backdrop.
As for spending, that really depends on what you'd like to do. I can try and help if you;d be more specific like: are you planning to take portraits at your home / basement? outdoors? What type of equipment you have?
Studio for people portraits
You do not have to spend alot of money, start by looking at websites and look at the ideas available and study them try to duplicate them. Its all about your hunger to become successful! Remember buying the most expensive equipment doesn't mean better photos! Nikon has several cameras that are great for human photography. The D300, D200, DX200, D40, D60, and other fine SLR format cameras are available. Canon also makes good cameras find one that is 10 megapixels or more thatis all you'll need the rest is up to you. Also a 25mm, 105mm, and 70-200mm, are all the lenses you will need if you can get a 25-105mm lense first that is all you'll need for studio photography, later you can get a 70-200mm lense, also you already have a studio available, its outside! Try using sunlight as your main source of lighting. Shoot from 6-8am and try to shoot about 5:30- 8:00 pm. These are the time when lighting is at its best colors are more vivid, and human skin is smoothe. Hope this will hepl you out. Oh also E-BAY buy your equipment the for better prices when buying camera equipment some times you get better prices and more equipment for your money, cameras are sold as kits meaning you can get serveral lenses when you purchase a camera.
One of the best things I
One of the best things I learned in slowly building my studio is that if you don't have good equipment, you can get into trouble during commissioned shoots. I also learned that even if you have the best lights around, you can still take terrible pictures if you can't use them. So the best advice I can give is to learn how light works first. You do this by shooting with those ugly yellow hallogen work lights. They are bright, cheap, and even come on a stand ($40?). This will give you some experience in eliminating shadows, and properly lighting a subject. And it's good enough to get paid for (just don't ask for much). I made enough this way to buy myself the strobes I still use today. As far as cost, you should get a good DSLR, I find Canon to be the best (low cost, highest quality), it's the only thing I've seen studio pros use. Or you could also go with Nikon, but they are a bit more expensive and just don't deliver as good of results yet (www.dpreview.com). Also, keep in mind you only need 8 megapixels to make a perfect 300dpi 8x10, anything more is overkill for the beginner. A Canon Rebel XT sells for about $400 or less. I use an EOS 5D and EOS 1-Ds MarkII in my sudio at work, but I use the Rebel XSi for my work on the side and personal stuff (The XSi is $600 and well worth it). I'd also pick up the 50mm prime lens they offer, it's a great lens and it only costs $80 (lenses last forever, I have some that are 10 years old). You'll need photoshop elements ($100) or learn to use "the gimp" (free). The back drop Udi pointed out is a great solution ($15-30). Now these costs are the bare minimum needed to charge people money, but I started their and I now work for a publishing company. Also, read this site and Strobist to learn techniques, and to fine tune your skills. You need to learn the art before dropping more money on studio lights. I hope this is helpful.
DPR Review Canon versus Nikon
You posted a link to dpr review regarding your comment: Or you could also go with Nikon, but they are a bit more expensive and just don't deliver as good of results yet
Here is what DPR Review had to say about the Nikon's
Did you read the reviews on the D3, D700 and D300???
The D700 is considered the benchmark.
"In conclusion the Nikon D700 is an excellent camera that is extremely versatile and performs well both in the studio and on location. No doubt it sets a benchmark in the 'compact' pro bracket of the market. For how long remains to be seen. We will know more after we've reviewed the Canon 5D Mark II and the Sony DSLR-A900."
The D300:
"There is price, but sometimes the best products demand a premium and the D300 is no exception. Nikon's biggest problem now will be bettering the D300; it raises the bar to a new high, and represents the state of the art despite strong competition from the likes of Canon, Sony and Olympus. There's simply no better semi-professional digital SLR on the market"
I'm sure the new Canon 5D may have the potential to leapfrog the Nikon once the review is out on it but the last 18 months have belonged to Nikon.
I'm sorry. I really wasn't
I'm sorry. I really wasn't trying to start a DSLR war. I just simply prefer Canon and all the photographers I've known and work with use it, since the switch to digital. Everyone knows Nikon has the best film cameras and lenses around. I have no idea what the D700 or D300 cost, but I'm sure they are out of the price range of the comment I was replying to, just as the 5D, 40D, etc. Canon's Rebel XSi is 12 mp and only $700 with and IS lens, Nikon can't top that yet for entry level. I really like Nikon cameras and lenses, I just prefer Canon for a few reasons. The SLR I learned on was a Nikon FM (If they ever make that digital, metal case and all I'll be buying that). I'm not trying to recruit people to the Canon side, I just think they are a better place to start because the price.
Sorry, I forgot something.
Sorry, I forgot something. Canon DSLRs come with free decent RAW conversion software, making it possible to spend $0 on software if you use that with "the gimp" software.
New at "IN-DOOR" Lighting
I am attempting to set up a home studio. I have a TON of questions, but first I was wondering, at the sake of sounding really DUMB!...when I set my camera's White Balance (which I have NEVER DONE!)....do I need to have my lights ON that I will use, or just take the shot of the "white" background by itself?? And therefore, when I change background colors, should I stick with this "custom" white balance if I am taking in the same spot, same day, etc!!????
THANK YOU for the info you have provided here already!! While "people" have been my subjects.... due to your info on product photography, I am now taking shots of some items I wanted to sell and will maybe post them later. THANKS!!! Ga.
RE: "IN-DOOR" Lighting
Amy question is welcomed. be sure that when you ask a question there is at least one more person that would benefit from hearing the answer.
As for setting the white balance - the white balance setting is not affected by the color of the object you are shooting, only from the color of the light hitting and bouncing from it. This is why you;d wanna take your reference shot when you use the actual lights you'll use in the real shot.
It is best to take a picture of something with neutral color like a gray card or a white poster board. This way you'll be measuring the white that falls on the subject and not the color-cast of any light reflected from a colorful object
you have saved my life! or
you have saved my life! or lots of time. thankyou very much
!!
SHAME ON YOUR COMIC SANS! (thanks for the rest)
Your idea is great
Your ideas are great and it looks nice, I think I might as well start setting up a home studio.
Polypropylene... via modulor.de
some order numbers:
700x1000mm, 0.5mm thick. Mist white: 660310S
650 x 1100mm, 0.8mm thick. opaque white: 51301070. €10.
Hth.
Great Idea
The color of the images are very entertaining, it's bright, it gives compliment to each other and it blends well.Very nice:-) How much would it cost me to set up an own studio?
a simple answer to a continuous background
I've put boxes on a table and kept the top of the sheet in place with cans of beans as a way of making an ogee curve continuous background.
But it never occurred to me to use the table top itself as the top and lead the sheet down to the floor.
So thank you for that inspiration.
Setup article
A great post. Your instructions were followed by easy to understand pictures.
I appreciate it- Nate
I have been going through
I have been going through some of your articles. THe bokeh.the softbox and so on. its just awesomes great job.
New Photographer
I am a bit new to the photography world and am looking to get started. I have had much experience with nature and outdoor photography. What I feel lost with is how indoor light works. I think I want to get a studio studio started in my home but I am unsure of what to do. There is just so much to do or learn. When do I use soft light or hard light or the umbrellas or soft boxes? The list goes on and on. What do I do? I have realized that I can spend tons of money with all this and don't really want to spend so much with out being uneducated. If there is anyone that would sort of take me under their wing and help me out I would greatly appreciate it.
oww
Very nice tactics, thank you man ;)
Ebay had it all
Just wanted to say that you were right about EBay having all the supplies needed. I managed to stay on budget of $100 to setup the home studio. I already had the camera of course :D
Thanks
I will bookmark this because i really need it. Finally, i found it. Thanks!
Polypropyle sheets
Great post.. for those of you still looking for the polypropylene sheets here is a link to the website.
http://www.fredaldous.co.uk/shop-online/polypropylene-sheet.htm
Various colours available in 800 microns 650 x 1100mm
Hope this helps.
Cheers.
Ebay photography
Hi there, looking through the forum i see some great ideas and thought i'd offer mine.
When I photograph small items for sale on ebay, I photograph them in my BATH, it offers a great white backdrop and I'm fortunate my light is over-bath, meaning I can snap without flash and get no shadows.
I'm an electrcian and plan in using the tips above to set up 500w halogen lighting with a white sheet diffuser for family and friend portaits.
re: poly and bath
@Sarito - thanks for this link. It was so hard to find a place that sells those in the UK.
@Russell Lees - What a great idea. I bet the bath does great job at reflecting the light from all around. As for the halogen, just make sure the sheet does not get over heated and melt.
Lighting
Been doing a little research on lighting for family portraits, and would love to hear from peoples opinion or experience of the following lamp I'm considering using a 105w 5500k (Daylight) compact flu instead of 500w halogen, it appears to have all the same natural light and power of the 500w without the heat.
I am currently trying to sourse them through local electrical merchants, let you know how they go!
Might be worth mentioning I dont yet own dSLR as I've been getting by with Sony H10 which does have a lot of manual setting. The sony seems to give some great results outside but indoors some of the shots have too much noise for my liking. So hoping with the right lighting can sort these DIY indoor family portraits.
Hi Guys I just would like to
Hi Guys
I just would like to say a big thank you!!!
You have answered all my questions, with your comments.
PS you can by polypropylene sheets on
http://www.directplasticsonline.co.uk/
speaking with a member of there staff HDPE sheet is a better shade of white.
kind regards
Aj
will 1mm be thin enough to bend properly ?
?
Hello, i think you have a
Hello, i think you have a great ideas
100% super post
Good job!
Great work!
Small Studio
I love this article. I am a very serious amateur used to working with natural light and never setup a studio before. But using the ideas from this article I used some extra blackout fabric I had for making curtains, a nice fuzzy baby blanket (I have a four month old, the youngest of three) and an office chair. I put the chair next to the kitchen window which gets lots of indirect sunlight all day. I draped the blackout over the chair to cover the arms. I interchangeably put the fuzzy blanket down as the backdrop depending on the mood I was looking for.
Later in the afternoon I put a dining room chair outside on the patio and draped the whiteout over it in the shadow of the house, again with lots of indirect sunlight.
See samples on my photo blog at http://photoblog.reniseblack.com.
I love to cook and have begun posting recipes at http://grillqueen.fiveapples.com so some of the pics are of food that I made. Yesterday for example I made a smoked chicken salad sandwich and took pictures of it using this studio. Voila! My pics look awesome!!
In a way I find this strangely addictive and spent a lot of time taking pictures of baby toys and christmas ornaments, some of which you will see a sample of on my photoblog.