Table top photography--What to buy????

Since I am home most of the time with my kids, I am looking to try some product or table top type photography since I can play while the kids are sleeping. The question is I haven't done this before so I am a little stumped on what to really buy. I have done some searching, but am really looking for more info from people who are doing it regularly. I don't have any monolights any more, (not opposed to getting some) and have one ex-600 (may end up getting another for other stuff).

What lightboxes are good ones to get? I don't need the best, just not something too cheap. (size i haven't decided, i am thinking 30-40 inches maybe)

I want to do stuff with white and black backgrounds and maybe also play around with plexiglass too.

Thanks for any feedback.

I wouldn't bother with a light box. Much more flexibility using modifiers on the lights, reflectors etc.

Calumet makes a nice shooting table that can be disassembled. It is just the right size for a 2x4 foot piece of plexi. The thinner sheet available at Home Depot works well and permits curving the back

Umbrella softboxes (think westcott apollo knockoffs) are inexpensive and work well.

Here is a shot done on the Calumet table:

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This was also done in the kitchen:
Black on Black and white on white are probably the most challenging.

As you can see, cleaning the surface and the object make a big difference. Proven by my not taking the time with this test shot. This kitchen setup was motivated by wanting to do a quick test shot with the round two pop up modifiers to see how well they would work for quick setups to accomplish this sort of think.

Two 600EX-RTs in Gr mode, either ETTL or Manual, Canon 5DIII on tripod with 100mm F2.8L macro.

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Yep I even used the $1 white foam boards from the Dollar Store forever; one on the bottom and one on the back.

If you don't want shadows you can use glass from a coffee table or reflection achieved with opaque white or black plexi glass. eBay and other websites have them.

Or depending on the product you can use fishing line to suspend the product from a simple background stand with whatever background you want.

There are some really in-depth product photography setup used if you search on YouTube but this shot for example is with white seamless paper (Savage seamless on Amazon) and B800 on the right with 48" octa and white reflector on left. Probably an overkill for lighting but I just used what I had.

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skater911 wrote in post #16600909
I want to do stuff with white and black backgrounds and maybe also play around with plexiglass too.

It would help if you said what stuff?
I agree with dmward & prefer to "build a set" for whatever I'm shooting. If you have 50 similar things to shoot, a light box is a handy thing to have. If only 1 or two, you'll get more control if you look at the knife & Browning threads here: FAQ - Studio Lighting

This link may prove useful http://tabletopstudio.​com/

There wasn't really anything specific that I was going to shoot more to pass time, learn and have fun. Thank you the advice so far, I think I have much more reading and research to do.

skater911 wrote in post #16600909
Since I am home most of the time with my kids, I am looking to try some product or table top type photography since I can play while the kids are sleeping. The question is I haven't done this before so I am a little stumped on what to really buy. I have done some searching, but am really looking for more info from people who are doing it regularly. I don't have any monolights any more, (not opposed to getting some) and have one ex-600 (may end up getting another for other stuff).

What lightboxes are good ones to get? I don't need the best, just not something too cheap. (size i haven't decided, i am thinking 30-40 inches maybe)

I want to do stuff with white and black backgrounds and maybe also play around with plexiglass too.

Thanks for any feedback.

Buy the book Light science and Magic,

Farmer

You can build a dedicated shooting table for less than any of the shooting tables out there if you don't mind using a saw and drill/driver. Simply build two sawhorses and put a sheet of plywood across the top; a roll or two of vellum for diffusion, some white and black foam core from the craft store for reflectors and flags, some lights and you're golden. Then it's a matter of what you want for backgrounds. You can get white and black plexi from a sign shop, or you can just put some clear plexi (or glass) over white or black paper/cloth/vinyl, etc.

Scatterbrained wrote in post #16602095
You can build a dedicated shooting table for less than any of the shooting tables out there if you don't mind using a saw and drill/driver. Simply build two sawhorses and put a sheet of plywood across the top; a roll or two of vellum for diffusion, some white and black foam core from the craft store for reflectors and flags, some lights and you're golden. Then it's a matter of what you want for backgrounds. You can get white and black plexi from a sign shop, or you can just put some clear plexi (or glass) over white or black paper/cloth/vinyl, etc.

I like it. I am pretty handy so that is a great option.

I made my first shooting table using PVC pipe.
Later I found a card table that had an easy to remove top and it left just a frame and legs. That made it easy to use plexi. Got the Calumet collapsible table to take to client sites.

Advice about foam core for reflectors is a good one. Easy to stand up using the frogs that hold the stems of flowers in a vase. heavy with the prongs to hold the foam core.

skater911 wrote in post #16602635
I like it. I am pretty handy so that is a great option.

This is what my personal set-up looks like:

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dmward wrote in post #16602679
......Easy to stand up using the frogs that hold the stems of flowers in a vase. .......

Ok, now I'm curious, what are those?

This: http://www.amazon.com …oral+arrangemen​t+supplies

My mother and her garden club friends used them when I was a kid.

It took me a while to find them recently. Try Michaels or a floral shop.

Pretty neat, I don't think I'd ever seen one of those before.