Full Version: Making product photo box
From: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#1]
9 Feb 2007
To: ALL
Have any of you made your own product photo box? I have a hard time taking pictures and not getting glare from the flash...I was thinking I could put together some kind of small studio box so the lighting would be good and I wouldn't need a flash...Probably didn't explain that right but my wife is the photographer...not me
Mike
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#2]
9 Feb 2007
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#1] 9 Feb 2007
The forum is as slow as First Class mail from NY to California, but I did get a hit in searching. Try the following thread:
http://www.engravingetc.org/forum/index.php?webtag=EE&msg=2341.1
From: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#3]
9 Feb 2007
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#2] 9 Feb 2007
Thanks Harvey. That's exactly what I was looking for.
Mike
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#4]
9 Feb 2007
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#1] 10 Feb 2007
I wouldn't waste your valuable time building a box when you can pick up a pop-up box for a great price on eBay. Here's a LINK to a current auction. They're available all over the place now and allow you to take great product pictures.
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#5]
10 Feb 2007
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#1] 10 Feb 2007
Mike,
I have used both the photo box like David T has and done it without. Personally I prefer NOT using a photo box, but that is just my personal preference.
The key to getting rid of the "flash glare" is to have additional lighting from the top and both sides. I use 100 watt incandescant bulbs in goose neck fixtures.
If you go to www.photo.net you will find some tutorials that will help you.
Good luck.
From: Mike (MIKEHUNTER) [#6]
11 Feb 2007
To: ALL
I bought a "pop-up laundry basket". Very cheap and works well.
It is a white cotton tube, about 18" diameter and long, streched over a spiral spring. In its put away state it is about 1" thick so it's easy to store.
I light the outside of the tube with ordinary 100W tungsten bulbs and poke a small halogen desk lamp through the front as a sparkle lamp.
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#7]
11 Feb 2007
To: Mike (MIKEHUNTER) [#6] 11 Feb 2007
Mike,
It sounds intriguing. Care to post some pictures you took in it?
Thanks
From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#8]
11 Feb 2007
To: Mike (MIKEHUNTER) [#6] 11 Feb 2007
Something like this?
http://www.spacesavers.com/popupnyha.html
From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#9]
11 Feb 2007
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#8] 11 Feb 2007
Interesting. I just found a company in China that sells not only the spiral style, but also sells square popup laundry baskets that look exactly like the ones being sold on ebay as photo tents. It doesn't say what the minimum quantities would be, but I'm guessing whoever is selling them on ebay bought a large number from a company like this and are selling them as photo tents instead of what they really are.
http://www.yyeverblooming.com/producta3.htm
From: Mike (MIKEHUNTER) [#10]
11 Feb 2007
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#8] 12 Feb 2007
Dave
Yes - very similar to the one in your link, except that mine has a cotton covering instead of nylon.
Cotton is fluffier and diffuses the light better, BUT it blocks more light so you need more Watts to illuminate things on the inside.
If you look in Templates/"Drum" Trinket Box, there are a couple of pictures take using the "light box" (which have been totally devastated by jpeg compression).
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#11]
11 Feb 2007
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#9] 12 Feb 2007
Dave,
Now I've got a new place to put my dirty laundry when I'm not taking pictures. :P
From: John (ICTJOHN) [#12]
12 Feb 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#11] 12 Feb 2007
Or...........
a place to take pictures when you're not doing laundry! (devil)
~
From: Cindy (CINDYM) [#13]
12 Feb 2007
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#1] 14 Feb 2007
Years ago we bought part of a business and with it came a great Minolta camera with tripod and a photo box. The person who we bought it from showed me how to get photos without glare, reflections or high glare spots. Right after we purchased this digital camera came out and we've been using the box, but not the camera. Finally gave the camera away, but still to this day use the box.
How ours is set up is like this:
One large box - ours is the size a dishwasher would come in.
White paper - ours is as wide as the box and it came with the box, so don't know where you find this - perhaps a printer or newspaper?
We use a royal blue velour for immediate background
Small dowels a bit wider than the box.
The box is placed so the top is open and the front is open. Two holes are made on the left side - one about a 1/3rd of the way from the back edge and one about a 1/3rd from the top edge and about 1" down from the top of the box edge. Do the same on the right side of the box. Then thread your dowels in to these holes.
The white paper - there is one long sheet that goes from left to right - it rolls over the left edge, goes down to the bottom of the box and then up the right side and over that edge. This paper is taped in to place.
Another long piece of white paper goes from the front edge on the bottom of the box, towards the back - up the back and then over the dowels towards the front. When you are done with both pieces of paper the inside of the box is no longer box colored, but white.
We then set up risers for various items and drape the blue velour material over those risers. We place our items on the blue so our photo only shows the blue background. You can use any color of material and probably any kind. With glass and the clear acrylics you'll want a dark material so the wording shows up.
As long as you have good light from the front, the top piece of white paper seems to keep the glare and reflections completely out of the photos. You are pretty much making a "cave" for your products. We have a little front overhang, but can take photos easily from the front and the light from the room is sufficient.
The set up is bulky to store, but well worth finding the room it if you are doing photos for your website.
I'm not a photographer, and I'm sure a professional would have some issues with needing better lighting, but it works well enough for the amateur.
Cindy M
From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#14]
12 Feb 2007
To: Cindy (CINDYM) [#13] 12 Feb 2007
Ahhh...... but are you able to take a picture of the box? ...... and post it?
:^)
From: Cindy (CINDYM) [#15]
12 Feb 2007
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#14] 12 Feb 2007
As we have seen from my past photo posting experiences, I am not a photographer, nor play one on TV!
Since our move it's been in the outside shop. If I get a chance, I'll pull it over to the main office and take some photos for you - then post them.
Cindy M
From: UncleSteve [#16]
12 Feb 2007
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#14] 12 Feb 2007
From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#17]
12 Feb 2007
To: UncleSteve [#16] 12 Feb 2007
From: UncleSteve [#18]
12 Feb 2007
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#17] 12 Feb 2007
From: Mike (MIKEN) [#19]
13 Feb 2007
To: ALL
http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent
From: logojohn [#20]
6 Mar 2007
To: ALL
I have been trying to photograph plaques, trays, acrylics and other awards for awhile.
I have tried the small purchased light box and a large one I made with sheets as diffusers for the light.
Actually, the main problem is not from the sides on these highly reflective items but from the front.
I figured out early it is best to NOT use a flash from the camera at all.
Even lighting just from the sides without a flash, will reflect the camera, me and the room background in the shiny surfaces. I tried to shoot the plaques at an angle so the camera and me wouldn't be in the reflection, but I didn't like the looks of it and it would still reflect the corner seams of the light box or something else.
I have not noticed anything on the store bought boxes that even have anything to block the reflection from the front.
After trying many things I have found a fairly good solution. I took a piece of engraving plastic about 24" x 24" and cut a circle in it just big enough for the camera lens to stick through. I face the black back side toward the item being photographed which mutes the reflection.
On very reflective things like trays or some plaques, I can just use the clone tool in photopaint to remove the reflection of the lens.
For the plaques, I don't use the light box at all. I just found a "sweet spot" on the display plaque wall. We have many spotlights on the ceiling I can direct where I want. I actually like a little light reflection on the edges especially on the piano finish plaques so you can tell how shiny they are.
Using the plastic with the hole in it kills most of the reflection.
Before digital cameras, dating myself again, we took a van load of things to a photographer to make a catalog. They sprayed a silver ice bucket and similar things with a spray to deaden the reflection. But then it just looked like painted plastic. So they removed it and allowed some reflection.
I just got in some new silver Italian cups so that will put my theories
to the test pretty soon.
There is still room for improvement but these 2 webpages I just finished are much improved over the first attempt.
http://www.trophiesinc.com/plaqueswood/plaqueswood.html
http://www.trophiesinc.com/plaqueallocc/plaquesallocc.html
When you click on the little thumbs on the left you get a very big picture.
EDITED: 6 Mar 2007 by LOGOJOHN
Show messages: 1-20 21-23