Carole Loiselle |
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Lighting for Tabletop Macro Photography
I would appreciate some ideas on inexpensive lighting for a homemade tabletop studio for macro photography.
June 18, 2006
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Sharon Day |
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Situate your table near a window for natural light, and use a white piece of paper to reflect the light on to your subject. This is inexpensive and works great. When you play around with the sheet of paper, watch how the light reflects onto the subject. I usually need to move mine around some to get the best lighting, and the effects can be seen while rearranging the paper. There are other inexpensive things you can do if you want to shoot after the sun goes down. I've seen little tent things at eBay for around $50 that look like they'd work nicely. I'll see if I can get the link for you. This seller has equipment at auction all the time.
June 18, 2006
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Kay Beausoleil |
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To add to Sharon's great ideas: if you're shooting digital and can correct the white balance, a naked light bulb and a flashlight do a very good job. For reflectors, there's also foil paper from the kitchen and gold foil candy bar wrappers.
June 18, 2006
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Carole Loiselle |
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Thanks so much Sharon and Kay. Currently I am using a naked light bulb but tend to get hot spots. I've also sat out on the patio table and taken some nice shots outside. Will definitely try the reflectors you both have suggested. Thanks again!
June 18, 2006
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Keith S |
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Carole, check out this link on how to make a simple and inexpensive light tent: http://tinyurl.com/7hbk6
June 20, 2006
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Bill Boswell |
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I built the same light box and it works well with a twin white sheet from Wal-Mart for $3. Next, I purchased 2 reflectors at Lowe's for $5 each and 2 compact fluorescent bulbs (highest wattage I could find) and some black velvet off eBay for a backdrop. The light is wonderfully diffuse with no harsh shadows and I even won an Honorable Mention for a close-up using this $35 setup.
June 20, 2006
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Robert F. Walker |
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Just found a interesting photography link, try alzo.com and see what you think about their web site and their portrait lighting ideas. They discuss different aspects of Lighting and offer some nice products too. Best wishes in all your Photographic endevors.
June 20, 2006
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Jennifer Deckert |
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As mentioned in another post, try going to ebay and searching "studio in a box" Many results come up. I've also seen it at amazon.
June 20, 2006
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Eugene B. Steinberg |
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Hi Carole,
I have done many macro flower shots at home on a table. I cover the table with black velvet material and I have made a black velvet background by attaching the material to a 36" x 36" piece of wood. I wait until it's dark and only use an overhead adjustable lamp with a 60 watt bulb. When you reposition the light, you can see the different effect the light has coming through the pedals.
I hope this helps.
Gene S.
Andover, NJ
June 20, 2006
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Carole Loiselle |
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Thanks so much everyone for your responses. Currently I do use different coloured stock paper and an adjustable lamp. Not sure which type of bulb to use though. I have used the outdoor colour type but not always happy with the outcome. I will certainly try your suggestions though.
June 20, 2006
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Richard P. Crowe |
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Consider a light tent. There are many light tents on Ebay at various prices but, the quality doesn't seem to vary as much as the prices - so look for an inexpensive one that is the size which will accomodate the products you desire to photograph. As far as lights - you can use two worklights from a home improvement store - experiment placing them on either side of the light tent. Experiment to see how high the lights should be to give you a nice image. You can set the light stands on various cardboard boxes to give them height. The halogen lamps get pretty hot - so be careful about burning yourself or the tent. Inexpensive strobes, especiallt those with modeling lights (JTL strobes from Ebay come to mind) will do a wonderful job rather inexpensively. Either use inexpensive light stands (also available on Ebay) or jury-rig light stands from PVC piping.
June 24, 2006
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Carole Loiselle |
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Richard, thanks so much for to good ideas.
June 25, 2006
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Carole Loiselle |
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Richard, thanks so much for the good ideas.
June 26, 2006
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