Light tent I made for shooting jewelry
The Materials I used: (Many are not necessary but I took advantage to some since my roommate works at the craft shop at my University)
1/2 in Plywood
1ft 6in x 1ft X4 (top, bottom, and sides)
1ft x 1ft 1in X2 (front and back)
Duct tape
Velcro (I used alot of this but its cheap)
Staple gun (wish I had air powered)
Air powered nail gun (with nails obviously)
Tin foil
Thick paper (doesn't really matter what kind I used Matboard)
11inX25in (this is for the backdrop)
15 3/8in x 9 1/2in X2 (these are for the sides)
Thin white fabric 12X19 (you can experiment with this.. I just took what was in the free bin :])
White Paint
(Sorry I didn't take pictures of the box being built I had limited time in the shop)
This is what it looked like after I put all the pieces together and painted it white. Note on the top, sides, and front I cut out a rectangle, this was easily done with a jig saw (using a table drill to start a hole for the jig saw). I measured in 1 1/2in all the way around. You do this for the top and sides. The front I did a little differently just for looks. Which the top and sides were measured 1 1/2in like the others but the bottom lip was measured in 2in.
Then I cut out the Mat board 11inX25in. The reason I cut it so long is so it would give me that nice little slope.
Next was the cloth which I just layed on top and stapled the same way you would do canvas. If you do not know how to do this go here http://painting.about.com/od/oilpainting/a/stretch_canvas.htm
Next I cut the velcro in 1 1/2in strips on a board cutter. Placing them around the rectangle openings on each side(so you can attach your tin foil reflectors). This was done by eye, I wasn't worried about lining them lining up. Whats nice about this velcro is that the adhesive that comes on the bottom is very strong!
Once I had the rectangle openings lined with velcro I then began to make the reflectors.
This is where I used 15 3/8in x 9 1/2in X2 mat boards, tin foil, and Duct tape!(Oh how I love Duct tape). You first cut out your sheet of tin foil about twice as long as ur mat board. This is done because I ball up the tin foil so you get all those creases (idk the exact word for it so thats what Im going with) which I have found to scatter the light more efficiently. Once that is done I then (carefully) wrapped it around one side of the board, folding the excess over(Do not forget, shiny side up!). When doing this try your best not to flatten out the creases. Then you duct tape the back keeping the tin foil from tearing/pulling off.
The next part is tricky which is putting the velcro on the mat board (Before this I place the board up in the opening and mark it where to place the velcro so it will line up). It is hard to explain how I did this so I will have to draw up a diagram, but basically I used other pieces of velcro so it would attach to the mat board yet mesh with velcro on the box. (You can get an idea of how I did this by looking at the picture)
Thats it! Then you just attach the reflectors to the sides and you are ready to go!
The bracelet is something my roommate made (he is a blacksmith major). Which the main reason I made this was so I could photograph his work for his portfolio. I think for the next items I photograph I may use a gray card to fix the white balance and also use another light at the top which would fix the shadow issue.
1/2 in Plywood
1ft 6in x 1ft X4 (top, bottom, and sides)
1ft x 1ft 1in X2 (front and back)
Duct tape
Velcro (I used alot of this but its cheap)
Staple gun (wish I had air powered)
Air powered nail gun (with nails obviously)
Tin foil
Thick paper (doesn't really matter what kind I used Matboard)
11inX25in (this is for the backdrop)
15 3/8in x 9 1/2in X2 (these are for the sides)
Thin white fabric 12X19 (you can experiment with this.. I just took what was in the free bin :])
White Paint
(Sorry I didn't take pictures of the box being built I had limited time in the shop)
This is what it looked like after I put all the pieces together and painted it white. Note on the top, sides, and front I cut out a rectangle, this was easily done with a jig saw (using a table drill to start a hole for the jig saw). I measured in 1 1/2in all the way around. You do this for the top and sides. The front I did a little differently just for looks. Which the top and sides were measured 1 1/2in like the others but the bottom lip was measured in 2in.
Then I cut out the Mat board 11inX25in. The reason I cut it so long is so it would give me that nice little slope.
Next was the cloth which I just layed on top and stapled the same way you would do canvas. If you do not know how to do this go here http://painting.about.com/od/oilpainting/a/stretch_canvas.htm
Next I cut the velcro in 1 1/2in strips on a board cutter. Placing them around the rectangle openings on each side(so you can attach your tin foil reflectors). This was done by eye, I wasn't worried about lining them lining up. Whats nice about this velcro is that the adhesive that comes on the bottom is very strong!
Once I had the rectangle openings lined with velcro I then began to make the reflectors.
This is where I used 15 3/8in x 9 1/2in X2 mat boards, tin foil, and Duct tape!(Oh how I love Duct tape). You first cut out your sheet of tin foil about twice as long as ur mat board. This is done because I ball up the tin foil so you get all those creases (idk the exact word for it so thats what Im going with) which I have found to scatter the light more efficiently. Once that is done I then (carefully) wrapped it around one side of the board, folding the excess over(Do not forget, shiny side up!). When doing this try your best not to flatten out the creases. Then you duct tape the back keeping the tin foil from tearing/pulling off.
The next part is tricky which is putting the velcro on the mat board (Before this I place the board up in the opening and mark it where to place the velcro so it will line up). It is hard to explain how I did this so I will have to draw up a diagram, but basically I used other pieces of velcro so it would attach to the mat board yet mesh with velcro on the box. (You can get an idea of how I did this by looking at the picture)
Thats it! Then you just attach the reflectors to the sides and you are ready to go!
The bracelet is something my roommate made (he is a blacksmith major). Which the main reason I made this was so I could photograph his work for his portfolio. I think for the next items I photograph I may use a gray card to fix the white balance and also use another light at the top which would fix the shadow issue.
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Comments
Since you have, wisely, left the side openings available, ( the aluminum reflectors are Velcro'ed in place ), you could also use white scrims on the sides as well, to act as diffusers for off camera flash units outside the tent.
I think these devices are usually called light tents. A soft box is, typically, used to diffuse the light for a portrait. A soft box encloses a flash unit, not the subject of a photograph.
I will change the name in this thread, so as not to confuse the readers.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
Im glad you like it!