DIY Photography Light Studio Set Up
Can I just tell you that I have a bone to pick with Mother Nature lately. She seems to sense when I’m just finishing up a DIY project that really needs to be photographed. Case in point, last week I wanted to photograph my “You Rule Valentines“, but we had 4 days of gloomy weather! 1,2,3,4! I shook my fist at the heavens and told that Mother that I wasn’t going to wait any longer. Then I took matters into my own hands…so there!
I built a little table top light studio, and now come rain or sleet or shine, I have control of my photography lighting!
Want to make your own? It’s super easy. Here’s how…
Materials:
- 3 – 30″ x 40″ Foam Boards
- White Poster Board
- 2 Clothes Pins
- 2 sheets of Tracing Paper
- Xacto Knife
- Metal Ruler
- Scissors
- Packing Tape
- Roll of White Craft Paper
- 2 Lamps (clamp style or a bare bulb lamp)
- 1 CFL light bulb
- 1 Incandescent light bulb
Instructions:
Cut two sheets of foam board in half along the 40″ side.
Cut a window (slightly smaller than the tracing paper) into two boards with the Xacto knife. Tape the tracing paper over each window.
Tape the two window boards onto one board in between the two. (Put your tape on the outside of the light studio so the glare off the shiny tape won’t be visible.) Set the tri-fold boards on top of the uncut 3rd foam board.
Arch the poster board over the top of the light studio and use clothespins to secure the sides. (This will give you more head room to take downward shots of your subject matter.) Leave a gap in the back to feed the roll of paper through. Let the roll hide behind the studio set up. (I like having a big roll of craft paper so I can tear off any that gets marked, creased or dirty.)
Line up the lamps on either side of the tracing paper windows. Keep an inch or so between the paper and the lights.
Here’s a trick I learned in art school. To get more natural color lighting, use one CFL bulb and one Incandescent. The warm and cool will balance each other out. (You may still have to play with your photo color temperature in a photo editing program, but this will get you closer to a good mid-range white.)
Set up your subject and snap away!
For more drama, try turning off one light.
It’s the perfect set up for photographing teeny rings and jewelry.
And when you’re done, simply fold one side forward and one side back.
…and your photo studio can be stored away easily.
Take that Mother Nature!!! Of course, wouldn’t you know that the day after I made my table top light studio, the sun was out and shining in full force. That Mother, she really knows how to annoy a DIY blogger. 😉
What about you? Do you have any photo tricks for dealing with imperfect lighting?
Two other posts to help you improve your photography skills!
Lighting Tips for Indoor Photography
Take Better Photos with Better Composition and Lighting
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Love the photo box idea, I have been trying recently to set up something similar but getting the light into the box was always a struggle but the “windows” are a great idea.
I recently cleared some stuff out the garage and photographed it to sell on eBay (so lighting didn’t really matter). I have a packing table at work with a big roll of brown craft paper, so rather than using a big sheet of white paper as I normally would, I pulled a length of craft up and clipped it to the window behind the table. The pictures turned out pretty good with the craft rather than the white. I will defo be using craft again as it looks a bit different from plain white. Plus if it gets a bit dirty then it no big deal like it would be with white.
I just KNEW I had seen this months ago…. just took me a little time to find it. Hoping to put one of these together real soon. FYI -I’ve been following you for close to 2 years now. I love your blog.
Blondie, thanks and glad you found the tabletop studio ;-).
How could I NOT have thought of using tracing paper!? That’s genius. Every light box DIY I’ve found said to use thin white fabric. Genius. This is the best instruction I’ve found, and I’ve been looking since November. So thank you! And the ‘you rule’ Valentines are pretty adorable.
Hi! Thanks for this fantastic tutorial. I have some larger products that I need to shoot. Any suggestions for setting up something similar for those? I need about 48″ width and height. Thanks 🙂
Sandi, I’ve used a white sheet and foam core on either side to reflect light at it. I think you’ll probably have to experiment and add more lighting for a larger setting.
This was great. Though most of my photography is travel related, still photography and product photography is a lot of fun. Thanks for this great write up. Super!
Thanks for the great How-To. I love that this light box folds flat. Space is tight in my studio so this will work great! I’ve looked at many light box tutorials and finally have found one I think will be just right. I especially like that you included a hint about enough space for photos taken up higher and different lighting tips. I found the link to your site on the EverythingEtsy.com blog. Now I must get to work building my new light box!
Aloha!
This is great! I really need to make one of these. Thanks for the instructions and light bulb tips, too!
Absolutely brilliant!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’ve needed to do this for some time and just didn’t know how! You ROCK!
I seriously love you for this!! I work during the day and with daylight savings it is always dark when I get home and I never have the time to take pictures of my projects during the day! I can’t wait to try this…lifesaver!!
xo Cindy
This idea is fantastic Brittany. You always take great pictures and I was wondering what tricks you’ve got up your sleeve. Thanks for being our mentor 🙂
Since Pittsburgh isn’t exactly sunny your tips will come in handy, LOL.
You know, you’re a life saver for me? I have been having this exact same problem with the lighting in my house and I have been upset at Mother Nature all winter. There has only been a hand full of sunny days this winter and my blog posting has suffered because of it. Thanks so much Brittany for your wonderful tutorial! I am going to go tomorrow to get my supplies and then make this set up.