Supplies and the prices that I purchase my supplies, not everything listed is required... Clear storage bin - $8 Bendy clip lamp x3 - $9 Daylight CFL bulbs x3 - $10 (mine actually came in a package of 4) Flat white sheet - $8 Posterboard white - $.68 Posterboard black - $1.49 Binder clips x2 - Had on hand/free. Power strip - Had on hand/free. This is the bin that I purchased, it's clear and rectangular and is the right size for the items that I want to photograph in it. Yours can be any size that you need, smaller, or larger. This bin is about 18.5" x 23" measured at it's largest part across the lid. This bin was purchased at Target for about $8.
This is a side view. One of the best parts of this whole set up, if you ever need to take it anywhere you can simply place everything inside the bin, snap the lid back on and away you go...I would start by laying your posterboards in the bottom so they gently bend up the two sides. Then take your sheet and roll up your lamps and power strip inside it to protect both them and your paper in transit. Lay your bundle gently on top of your poster board in the bottom, place anything else that you want to take in there too, making sure that it won't damage your paper or other supplies. Snap on your bin's lid and away you go! Fully portable!
As you can see this bin is a Rubbermaid clear bin.
A picture of one of my lamps, these were purchased at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for about $9 each. They work great because they are a clip light so they will clip right onto the edge of the bin and they are fully adjustable so that I can change the angle of how they point at the box depending on what I'm taking pictures of. I can bend it closer, farther away, down, up, and anything in-between.
IMPORTANT!!! You must use daylight bulbs, not regular, and of cours CFL's are always better than incandecents, they don't get as hot (less fire hazard, especially important when they will spend their life so close to a cotton sheet), and they use less energy (better for the planet), just remember to recycle them properly and don't throw them into the garbage as they contain mercury. Anyway the daylight bulbs are nice and white instead of the yellow hue that the regular bulbs have. I purchased mine at Lowes in a package of 4 bulbs (therefore I have one extra), they are "60" Watt, meaning that's how they are rated, though they are CFL's and only use about 13 Watts. I believe the box of 4 bulbs cost about $10.
These are my two posterboards, one white and one black, kind of the two essential colors for what I am taking pictures of. Things with white boarders and things with black boarders. Really any color would work, whatever you want to be your background, though traditionally white is used, if you are taking a picture of something white it probably won't show up that well, so I also have a black one. The white one was purchase at Office Max for $.68 and was cut to size as it was too large to fit into my bin. The black one was purchased at Hobby Lobby (Office Max didn't have any black) for $1.49 and was the perfect size.
These are the backs. I should mention that I looked through a few sheets to choose the best ones without any defects, marks, or anything that would show up in my close up pics. On the black you can see my velcro close to the corners.
A close up of the velcro, the hook side of the velcro is on the paper and positioned appropriately. I purchased a set of sticky back velcro squares to hold my backdrop paper in place. I started by placing the fuzzy velcro onto my bin where I wanted it then placed the hook side onto it (velcroed them together), then gently positioned my paper where I wanted it and pressed it onto the sticky side of the hook velcro. Then to release the easiest way is to grab the front edge, the edge that's closest to you on the bottom of your bin when it's set up and gently pull towards you. The velcro releases and you don't put any unsightly creases or bends into your paper. Then I followed the same procedure with the other paper. Since I didn't know any use for the extra fuzzy velcro square I just stuck it to my bin next to the other one that way there's more fuzzy side to stick my papers to, just makes it easier to place them in there. ;)
Here you can see the placement of the velcro, on the raised bottom of the bin so that it will be easy to attach my posterboard backdrops.
A closer pic.
Inside the bin I put the fuzzy side of velcro strips to attach my backdrop papers so that they don't move around or want to slide down while I'm taking pictures.
Here you can see my two pieces of fuzzy velcro in my bin, they are on the top back when your bin is in place, I just held my black sheet behind so you could see them.
With your bin set on it's new bottom it's time for the sheet, just a cheap flat bed sheet. Purchased at Target for $8, I think Double or Full bed size, whatever was cheapest. Folded in half from top to bottom since it's cheap two layers is best for diffusing the light. To make this process of setting up easier I use two binder clips to clip my sheet onto the top of the bin as you see here while I tuck and fold the rest.
I fold the side down and under getting a slightly tight fit without too many wrinkles to catch the light. You want it fairly smooth. I clip my first light on there to hold it in place.
Close up, fairly smooth, but doesn't need to be perfect.
Then I attach my second light on the top.
Then tuck in and smoth the other side.
Then I'll clip on my third lamp.
Then I remove my two clips and use one of them to secure all the cords off to one side. This deffinately isn't necessary but I like them all nice and neat, besides, even though the CFL's are cooler, there is still a risk, this way they won't ever touch or get too close to the business end of the lights.
Almost done...
Now, the extra sheet mess, really if you don't care, it probably doesn't matter...
However this is what I prefer... ;) I just kind of tuck and roll it into itself to make it nice and neat back there.
Ahh, nice and neat.
I have all three of my lights pluged into a power strip/surge protector for three simple reasons...One I have more length to reach a nearby outlet (if I was going to travel with this I would also include a grounded extension cord so that I would have more success reaching an outlet in an unknown location), I only need one outlet instead of three, and I can turn all three lights on and off at the same time, with one simple switch on the power strip.
Tada! There was light, one last step...
The upper left hand corner, pulled back so that you can see the velcro.
The upper right hand corner of the paper velcroed to the back of the bin.
Add your posterboard, simply lightly velcro it into the top back corner of your light box.
Here's the black one. BTW, when you want to remove your paper to switch to another color simply grab that bottom edge that's closest to you and gently pull towards you. The velcro will easily release and you won't have to worry about damagin, creasing, or folding your paper in the process. :D
Now for some professional pictures! :D I love how it almost looks like it's just floating there.
My trusty Thermos water bottle. Even larger items like this fit, with your backdrop curved like that from top/back to bottom/front, with no crease you get a wonderful professional seamless look. Though obviously I held the camera a little crooked in this one, but since it's digital, I can just take another one.
A greeting card, one of the main purposes for me making the light box.
You can see how things look differently on a black vs. a white background. :)
My trusty Thermos water bottle looked better against the white than the black.
Another greeting card, I use the white for anything with a dark edge and the black for anything with a light edge so that you can see it more clearly. This white card edge would be hard to see against the white background.
Another example of a light background against the black background. Pictures like these I take with the camera about 5" - 6" away from the card straight up, pretty much right in the middle of the light box. You can't even tell because there aren't really any shadows, but I am holding the camera directly between the top light and the card. Don't forget you can play with your lighting, move them up, down, left, right, farther away or closer to the sides of your bin to get the lighting just right, but most of the time you won't have to futz with it. ;) The beauty of the light box!!! :D:D:D Couldn't be happier with mine!
