Light Box. Ever pondered how product catalogs produce their well-lit images that almost seem to be created using photoshop so the objects are placed against a white background? The use of numerous lighting fixtures positioned at varying angles and distances to make sure that the items are well-lit on all sides holds the key to the solution. To produce a seamless white backdrop, diffusers are also needed to soften the light sources while preserving as much color fidelity and detail as possible. It may not always be cheap, though, as the necessary equipment is expensive, clunky, and sometimes only found at a photographic studio.
But what if you could make a cheap, effective replacement yourself? Curious? See how to make a DIY light box using things you probably already have around the house, such as a light cardboard box, tape, and paper, and example output photos after using it!
Light Box Materials:
- cardboard box
- double-sided tape
- clear tape
- white paper
- tracing paper
- penknife
- ruler
How To Create a Photo Light Box
Step 1: Remove the outside folds on one side, then tape the remaining folds on the opposite side flat.
Tip: By going around the rear panel with a combination of double-sided tape and transparent tape, try to flatten it as much as you can.
Step 2: Layer the right, left, top and back panels with white paper.
By affixing the paper to the panels using double-sided tape, you may get a matte surface. The use of transparent tape should be avoided because of the possibility of uneven light reflection and glare onto the target. Avoid wrinkles and uneven bumps in your pictures since they could cast unfavorable shadows.
Step 3: Mark 3 cm lines from the top, left, and right panel edges on the box’s exterior to form squares for the left and right panels and a rectangle for the top.
Step 4: Cut through the shapes that have been drawn using a sharp pen knife.
Step 5: The white paper should be taped to the top of the rear panel using double-sided tape.
To empty the box, adhere to two sheets of white paper together with double-sided tape. Professional photographers use this to generate a photographic sweep that gives their product shots a uniform white background. Make sure the white paper is free of wrinkles and stains.
Step 6: Attach your diffuser panels
Tracing paper, white paper, baking sheets, or any other translucent material of your choice can be used as diffuser panels. You are more than welcome to experiment with different types of paper; for this example, we used tracing paper.
Light Box: Final Look
Light Box: Trial Run
To demonstrate how the Light Box may help you create a high-quality duplicate of those used by professional photographers, we used a straightforward setup and three distinct goods to shoot. Look it up!
Light Box: Sample Setup
Light Box: Output Shots
Whatever box size you choose to use, the techniques for making a DIY Light Box are largely the same. To provide depth and create a seamless white backdrop, it would be more practical to use boxes that are deeper for larger topics. Do keep in mind to adjust the panel-cutting measurement appropriately. A standard 39 cm x 26 cm x 29 cm box, which is appropriate for shooting small to medium-sized objects, was utilized to create the sample for this article. The panels are entirely made of A4-sized paper.
You may choose from a variety of standard light bulbs, desk lights, Speedlites, or even expert desktop fluorescent lighting for the light sources. A normal smartphone flash or a little torchlight is not appropriate for this arrangement since the main goal is to make sure the light output is white and powerful enough to highlight your subject. Equally crucial is making ensuring that the light sources (left, right, and top-down) beaming on the diffuser sides have the same temperature. If they have a somewhat yellow or blue hue, change the white balance in your camera’s settings to get a color that is correct and true to life.
