Another DIY light box, with build and test pics

I'm using two 500w lights through diffusers on the sides of the box. The bulbs are halogen.

I need to figure out the optimum white balance setting.

Joe_Gravelle wrote in post #7974097
I'm using two 500w lights through diffusers on the sides of the box. The bulbs are halogen.

I need to figure out the optimum white balance setting.

Just do a custom WB. Be sure to shut off the other lights in the so that you're not mixing light sources.

Joe_Gravelle wrote in post #7971004
what should I be shooting exposure wise and or setting up the custom white balance(its cake on the xsi, shoot a pic of something, select custom WB, and viola)

I'm not getting that seriously blown out background effect.

see this pic, mind the vignetting(did it on purpose as its for a Depth of Field assignment for class)


only PP I have done so far is crop and adjust the levels

I looks like you are underexposing. You are probably putting the meter needle in the middle. You want to over expose the shot. By how much depends on how light the subject is. But an average is 1 1/2 to 2 stops over exposed according to the meter. Think quality of light NOT quantity. You can do very nice stuff with 3 compact flouresent 22 watt bulbs. Now you need a tripod and long exposures. But you can indeed get some amazing shots.

Keep in mind the meter is not intelligent. it wants to make every shot 18% gray ( some argue 20%). It does not know or care what in in the frame, or what you want to do with it. As your image is mostly white it will want to cut down the light and make the white gray. So you have to compensate and up the exposure.I would start at 1 stop over exposed and move up from there. The actual exposures depend more on what you want out of the picture. Short or long DOF, etc..etc... And I would shoot in RAW simply because it has more info of the image to twist around as you want. Weather it is fixing the WB or throwing it way off on purpose. And better at fine tuning the exposure.

you know, I think I might have left my ceiling fans light on. Once I turn on those 500W lights I cant tell if any other light is on... oops. I'll try again

Thanks Mark, I'll use what you said and report back. Never shot in RAW but there is a first time for everything

Here are a couple I took recently using my movable foamcore boards and black gobos made from cardboard simply painted back using a $0.96 can of flat black spray paint from WallyWorld. I am trying to use what I gleaned from this thread and what I have learned about brighfield lighting (or at least my take on it... :lol:

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Hi all

Just thought I'd post a link to a talk I gave a few weeks back on Lightbox Photography I hope you don't mind but I borrowed a few of the images from this thread as examples of the sorts of results that can be achieved ...

http://www.vimeo.com/4​370378

It's about 50 minutes Hope you enjoy it!


David

Hogster86 wrote in post #8036786
Hi all

Just thought I'd post a link to a talk I gave a few weeks back on Lightbox Photography I hope you don't mind but I borrowed a few of the images from this thread as examples of the sorts of results that can be achieved ...

http://www.vimeo.com/4​370378

It's about 50 minutes Hope you enjoy it!

David

I hope so, too!

for ppl that have a michaels craft by them here is a 50% coupon you can use to buy foam board to make your light box
http://clhousingpictur​es.com …=iz3lradhcgsv7h​rnnty9.png

Made a variation of a DIY light bar/box tonight using a cardboard box some tinfoil & white spray paint. I cut a hole in one end for my 2nd flash to fit into then cover the top with a white velvet sweep from one of my light tents. In this shot I used it as a backlight with my second flash directly above at 1/64 to fill and soften shadows. I could not get the white balance right and just realized it might be because one flash is an OLD Vivitar 273 and my main flash is a 430EX II. Plus I had the overhead light on in the room...or I'll just add a custom WB shot next try. I'll take another whack at it tomorrow but don't think this is too bad:

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morpheus6d9 wrote in post #8037682
for ppl that have a michaels craft by them here is a 50% coupon you can use to buy foam board to make your light box
http://clhousingpictur​es.com …=iz3lradhcgsv7h​rnnty9.png

FYI, that coupon is good for only ONE item. Still, thanks I might pickup an OTT light or something..a 50% discount there is a good deal.

iv noticed alot of u aint putting down your exif date..if the image inst intact with this info can you please give the details besides the image..it helps people learn how you get the dof your getting ect.

MJ:

What is happening for me is since moving to SmugMug for my site, they only pass the EXIF info through on images they have not processed. Any of the other image file sizes they generate from our upload are stripped of the EXIF...I was quite taken aback they do it that way. In a recent exchange with the folks over they, the claim/promise it they have something in the works to address them stripping the data.

In the mean time my work around is a directory with files created to fit within board guidelines and just link to those. I don't have a lot of images so that is no big deal, but for others it's huge.

And glad you added your voice to the EXIF deal, we had the conversation either earlier in this thread or on the 24-60 thread I forget which...turned out I was assuming they kept their grubby paws outta my info, but nope they screwed me...seems most hosting sites are doing the same. Why? I have no clue, this is text data and takes only a tiny bit of space/image.

brecklundin wrote in post #8051997
MJ:

What is happening for me is since moving to SmugMug for my site, they only pass the EXIF info through on images they have not processed. Any of the other image file sizes they generate from our upload are stripped of the EXIF...I was quite taken aback they do it that way. In a recent exchange with the folks over they, the claim/promise it they have something in the works to address them stripping the data.

The way to get around this is to click the Large "link" box, paste the link and replace it with "O" (the letter). This will make it so the image includes your Exif data, but will use the original size file for the display image.

I just wish they used original file names.

After going through all the 229 pages of posts I realized some of u guys are crazy and some of u are damn creative