Author Topic: Macro lighting (Read 7818 times)

eyeCatchLight · « **on:** March 15, 2011, 11:20 »

Hello,

I have this quick question: some people use light boxes (fluorescent light below translucent, mostly acrylic, surface) for macro/product photography to isolate the background.
Where can I find those? Can I use one of those slide viewing systems?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...G/Porta_Trace_Gagne_1618_4C_16_x_18_Light.html

Thanks,
Simone

visceralimage · « **Reply #1 on:** March 15, 2011, 20:23 »

A good quality slide viewing box would not be a bad idea but it is easier to just make it yourself. In the yellow pages (if you can find a copy or go online), look up plastics or lexan or plexiglass dealers; they have the translucent acrylic. Then just support it between two sawhorses, light it from below and from above, and shoot away. Of course, you will need to work the lights and reflectors to get even lighting and even rations, but I am sure you knew that.

RacePhoto · « **Reply #2 on:** March 28, 2011, 03:00 »

Here's where I got mine. I bought a black, white, and three colors. So far the black and translucent white have been most useful. The colors I thought might be useful but for backgrounds, it's just too much, most of the time. Maybe I'll find a subject that needs a nice shiny midnight blue background.

And yes, even the black reflects to some extent which can be useful or a distraction. I like it. For dull I have Duvatine.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=31886&catid=442

White #2447 allows 35% light transmit - 1/4" 12" x 24" Acrylic $18.30 per sheet.

Once you start shopping around Lowe's, Menards, and places like that, you will probably find, that translucent white is much harder to find that it should be.

Also you can start to see it's not cheap for a good sheet of plastic. But at least you have a site to look and get some ideas.

If you have a local plastic distributor who sells to the public, you can pick it up. With gas what it is now a days, it might be cheaper paying for shipping.

I selected the 12x24 as the useful size. You may be able to do with 12x12 if you only shoot small things, or maybe need a 24x24 for a larger platform?

Perry · « **Reply #3 on:** March 28, 2011, 04:34 »

You will almost never get great lighting with a light table because it always looks like the object was lit from beneath. Also white/light and shiny objects are impossible to shoot on a light table without over-exposing some parts of the object.

I suggest you to get yourself a piece of glass and put the object on it. Then put a white background behind the glass as far as you can (at least 2 feet) and light the background separately. Also try to block out (for example with pieces of black cardboard) all the areas that doesn't show in the image to reduce spill light. Oh, and don't over-expose the background more than needed.

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Author Topic: Macro lighting (Read 7818 times)

eyeCatchLight

visceralimage

RacePhoto

Perry

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