Light Box Advice?

[tyvm]

Hey Everyone --

With only Saturdays to photograph, and the weather being uncooperative the last couple of weekends, I have several items to put in my shop that I have no pictures for. Therefore, I have purchased a light box.

It should arrive any day. Here's my problem: I have no idea how to use one. If any of you use or have used a light box to photograph items for your shop, please share any advice or tips -- I am a blank canvas!!

[Former_Member]

Your biggest thing to play with is your white balance on your camera. If it is not set correctly you could end up with a very warm or very cool temperature. You setting will depend on the type (color temperature) your light is. So, go to the manual setting on you camera and find your white balance, usually the symbol is WB.

Then, play with the different settings. The symbols are usually like a sun, a cloud, incandescent lightbulb, etc. Try each setting and see what you like best. :) Although, sometimes, the auto setting works best and sometimes it doesn't.

Also, www.picnik.com is my most favorite website. I literally upload my photos, resize them, then hit the "auto-fix" button and I'm done!

I made my light box, so let me know how it works out for you. (Maybe a blog post? ;)) Personally, making my light box was the best thing I've done for my shop. My photos look more professional and I can set it up without bursting into frustrated tears, lol.

Hope it all goes well for you!

[Former_Member]

If you ha vent purchased any lighting yet, you'll need to consider that too. Regular household lighting is usually too dim and too off color for good pictures. I've had good luck with three of the cheap portable work lights form the hardware store, the kind with the silver hoods and that clamp on.

You need decent light bulbs for these as well. Light bulb color is measured in degrees. Most incandescent bulbs are around 2500 and give a warm orange yellow light. You'll want compact florescent daylight bulbs which are usually 5000-6000 degrees. A good 4pack of these can be found at the hardware store for less than $20.

I'm only mentioning the prices because I've seen some of the same places selling lightboxes selling these same light setups for $100+, but you can get everything from Lowes for around $30. If you have an Ott lamp, I've heard those work well too.

Oh, and even with the daylight bulbs and good lighting you will still need to adjust the white balance and exposure setting on your camera. Daylight bulbs tend towards the blue end, so you will need to compensate for that.

[tyvm]

Wow -- thank you both so much for all of the great tips. I got my light box in the mail yesterday and immediately set it up and tried to take pictures. (Anotherworld -- thankfully the lights were included in the set -- which I paid a total of 34.50 for on ebay . . . for everything).
I set my camera on the macro setting (which I JUST discovered -- love it and can now take decent close-ups).
I have a very basic-but-dependable camera. At first the pictures were not coming out well so I tried to find the white balance setting. Have no idea how to do that so I put it in "Smart" mode. VOILA -- I think I've got some pretty decent pictures. Still have some editing to do, but I think it's going to work out well.
Again, thanks for the advice. If anyone else has anything to add, please do so! I am a blank canvas when it comes to photography (as you can tell by some of the pictures in my shop!).

[tinymishaps]

I have to plug ott lights- just use the bulbs- world of different.

I might have to try that autofix. I still spend forever in photoshop.

[tyvm]

Tiny -- I spend forever in photoshop, too. For what it's worth, you have fantastic pictures. it makes me feel better to know other people out there have to use photo-editors too!