Lightbox Experiment 04

Okay, so I guess that I must be some kind of anti-social or something if I spent my Friday evening building a lightbox while watching my recording of the Kennedy Center Honors. Haha!! :-)

 

Anyway - I DID build a lightbox, and am now attempting to teach myself about lighting. I want ANY and ALL suggestions or help that you can possible send my way!

 

For example, here are the shadows again (rrggghhh) and the magenta cast (only on the label of the bottle ... it isn't magenta!) And are the lights supposed to be reflected in the glasses/bottle?

 

Thank you!!

I'm starting to feel like Kim here with all the wine bottles. This is another one that I liked better in B&W. I'll again include that version for comparison. (YES, I know, I know ... sensors.....)

Again, I like the color, adds warmth. I like everything but the round light reflectons on the bottle & glasses. Maybe adding a rectangular light screen over the lights would create a more pleasing reflection. These light screens are easy to build. PVC pipe & white material. They are kind of like portable soft-boxes. They can also be used as reflectors if needed. If you're interested, I can send you the instructions for making them :) They are easy!

Lou Ann, Here is my ZOMBIE AT HOME

See it if you have time, please!

PDE

Jayme - thank you SO much for the visit. And for the suggestions. Yes, I would love information about building the softboxes. I don't know that there's space in this lightbox (it's rather small) to add anything that contains pvc pipe ... but when I finally get myself a new house, I'm going to try to set up a studio space, and then I want to start working with real lighting. This is just a start! Thank you!!

Good work on the light box... Have you put any diffusers over the lights? The reflections on the bottles are a little distracting. A tad more space on the left of the bottle would help imo.... Hope you drink this bottle in good health this next year... Good to see your work back on PN...

 

Lou Ann, exactly two glasses... for both of us... for the new year... looks good! cheers!

Your light box looks like it contains fluorescent bulbs, which gives you an idea of how distracting the reflections are. I use white sheets I bought at Wal-Mart to diffuse light. They're about $2; I also bought a couple of black sheets to control light around the subject. I hang the white sheets a meter or less in front of the light source, and then hang the black wherever needed. Regards.

Thanks for the input, everyone. Looks like I need to find a way to diffuse the light. Richard - the box is about 2.5' x 1.5'. Not much space to hang sheets. But I think I might be able to find a way to cut down some cloths and hang them in there somehow. Now that I've done this and am playing with it, I look forward to having my own home and more space for a larger set up! :-)

I forgot to mention that I usually shoot a gray card with something like this so that I can know the exact color of things. I like the "sunlight white" lamps but even they are not true sunlight temp, so it's easier if I shoot a gray card. Unfortunately they cost more than the sheets.

A Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year to You and Yours, Lou Ann! I trust that you are staying warm and still enjoying all of the winter you've got up there these days. First, I love your experimentation with the light box. I, myself, prefer your black and white rendition that you've attached. Kind of a tight crop on the left side, isn't it? Anyway, I wanted you to know that I am tickled that you now seem to be safely headed down the camera raw path. I think you'll find that it really adds a lot to your photography.

 

Also, I'm gonna look for the 2004 Salmon Run Meritage. I've heard nothing but good things about the upstate NY wines. By the way, the decked out train in my Christmas photo does move about. We took my two-and-one-half year old grandson to the 'North Pole' to pick up Santa one evening a few days before Christmas. He had a ball! Cheers! Chris

Chris - if you are a wine lover, you MUST plan a trip to the Finger Lakes of Central New York State some day. Do a google search. They have some fabulous wineries! Meritage is a blended wine ... not necessarily my top preference, but I always enjoy local wines. Check out http://www.meritagewine.org/. Anyway - I have to say that you would love the Finger Lakes ... you would have a difficult time choosing between photographing the beautiful views (especially if you come in the autumn) or doing the wineries tours. Happy New Year!

The reflections are defintely distracting. I have a large diffuser softbox that fits over one light and then I have an umbrella over the other one, so that's minimized and helps a lot. I think that's your answer to the sharp reflections. These do look like smiley-faces, so maybe a good post for the New Year! :)

I am brand new to studio lighting ... built myself a very small

lightbox and am working on lighting and other techniques. This is one

of the first few images. Please help! Thanks so much!!

Hi Lou Ann, looks like you are getting lots of help with your light box project, I can`t help other than to say best of luck.