Light tent on a budget

[Platinum]

After some useful critique, I have been on the lookout for a light tent to 'improve' my photos. I found this page, while searching for retailers and decided to have a go...




Hopefully when finished, it will help get me some sales on dreamstime, shutterstock & bigstock

[Oakey]

I don't know if this is out of your 'budget' or not:

www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?TabID=1&criteria=light%20studio&ModuleNo=38260&doy=28m6

I remember they had them on sale a while back and were about £10 at the time

[beano500]

Classy!

...is that the de luxe Morphy Pilchards model I spy there.....?

[Platinum]

beano500 said:

Classy!

...is that the de luxe Morphy Pilchards model I spy there.....?

Any suggestions for the inside? I was thinking of using a piece of art paper for the objects to sit on.





Just need some proper lights now. The daylight bulbs are the blue ones are they not?

Edited by Platinum on Wednesday 28th June 20:48

Edited by Platinum on Wednesday 28th June 20:49

[UKBob]

Platinum said:

Any suggestions for the inside? I was thinking of using a piece of art paper for the objects to sit on.

Just need some proper lights now. The daylight bulbs are the blue ones are they not?

See if you can pick up some ultrabright white non textured paper. I actually use this inside my light tent. Some muslin cloth to take off the glare will prevent highlights from being blown with the daylight bulbs (general craft bulbs) which yes, are blue in colour. Prices range from £2.50 to £4ish. Sorted

Nice work

edited to add: patent it quick, or you'll see similar boxes appearing all over the net/ebay before the end of the week Its a very nice bit of handiwork

Edited by UKBob on Wednesday 28th June 23:25

[Platinum]

UKBob said:

edited to add: patent it quick, or you'll see similar boxes appearing all over the net/ebay before the end of the week Its a very nice bit of handiwork

Edited by UKBob on Wednesday 28th June 23:25

I actually got the design off a website: here

Lets hope that my pictures will turn out as well as my tent.

[beano500]

Do you need to worry too much about bulb colour?

(I suppose you do if you're using silver halide, but for digital....)

You can always

a) preset your white balance
b) take a picture of a grey card and correct when you convert anyway
c) take a picture of a grey card and fiddle in PS


...of which the first option has to be the quickest, easiest and cheapest with regards worrying about bulbs



And, btw, that is such a good idea that I think I may do similar rather than buy another gadget!

[UKBob]

beano500 said:

Do you need to worry too much about bulb colour?
You can always...

...And, btw, that is such a good idea that I think I may do similar rather than buy another gadget!

I'd go for the right bulbs, personally. Im guessing there will be less light bleeding into the photo because they give off daylight, and they seem hotter/whiter/brighter than normal tungsten bulbs. I found very slow shutter speeds with very colourful objects caused a kind of colour bleed onto the card. But maybe the correct white balance would sort this out.

Let the light tent revolution begin