I made this about 2 weeks ago... I know, I've been M.I.A. but hopefully I can start posting regularly. Riiiiiight after this humongous paper cut heals! I don't want to get any acetone in it.
It's really fun to have my own mini "studio" :) I've already used it to photograph ALL of my bottles of OPI. (My next project is to link all of the polishes on my "My OPI" list to the photographs I took of them... By now, you know me. It probably won't be complete until summer. Who knows!) I should have gotten another lamp. It is on my to-do list. I'm going to get a lamp with a halogen bulb. I think glitter polishes will sparkle more under halogen lighting.
Pete (the cat) likes my lightbox too. Thirty seconds after having set it on the floor, he ran and curled himself up inside of it! I shooed him out right away. Thank goodness he didn't crinkle the poster paper inside!
Also, I'm adding some decorative elements and text to my photos. I hope you don't find it distracting.
AND... I'm so dumb. I didn't even realize that I'd have to worry about bandwidth usage with my Photobucket account. I got an email yesterday telling me I had almost reached my limit for the month so I had to upgrade to a pro account ($25 a yr). Well, I didn't HAVE to but I did so I wouldn't need to worry about it.
Lastly... I'm like 85, maybe 90, % of the way to having a new camera. I just have to keep saving! I can't wait :)
Thanks for reading!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Great lightbox!! I really need to build one of these! Your pictures all look so nice!
That looks like an awesome set-up, I'd love to make a lightbox. Looking forward to seeing you back again, hope your papercut heals soon!
that's cool.....I am a pro photog - just know that a halogen light may cast a yellow tone - adjust your camera, or you can always edit in Photoshop....
can't wait to see your pics!
:B
~Tiffani
Hello dear,
during your absence I simply took the time to read your whole blog, and it rocks!
you're just so gifted with konadicures! it's amazing!
cheers!
ha ha! my cat did the same thing to mine! only he climbed waaay up on to the third shelf to get to his "hideout" . they are so funny.
Missed you!
Great job! :) Looks perfect, I can't wait to see the new pics.
The setup looks great! I really want a lightbox of my own. I think I'm going to make one when I go back to Norway, or maybe buy one on Amazon. :)
what kind of camera are you looking to buy? im currently on the prowl for a new one myself.
I agree with 'yardsticks for lunatics' in that the halogen will cast a yellow light- they also run very hot, so be careful about how close you get it to the paper sides of the light box, and don't ever touch a halogen bulb with your bare fingers, because the oil on your hands can cause the bulb to overheat.
Have you ever considered balanced fluorescents (à la Ott Light) or LED's? Cheaper, safer, and better color spectrum...
Thanks for looking everyone:)
Flrusso- I'm saving for a Nikon D90. Right now I have a point-and-shoot Canon (Powershot something).
I admire your tenacity in making your own light box. I know they can be somewhat costly. What I was wondering, is if you would be willing to do tutorial on how to use it, how to photogragh with it, and if you do photograph your nails with it, could you do a tutorial on that too. From googling lightboxes, and seeing photos of them, I have a hard time wrapping my head around how one would photograph their nails in this type of thing, knowing I have to hold the camera in one hand, shaky at times.
Starlight- Using a lightbox is very easy. The purpose of it (or I guess, the reason I use it) is to get even lighting on your objects and a nice solid background (in my case, it is white). I chose a white background because it makes it easier to manually change my camera's white balance. My lightbox is illuminated by a normal desk lamp with an Energy Star (daylight) bulb. The fabric on the sides of the box is there to soften the light that hits the objects in the box. There are cutouts for fabric on both sides and the ceiling of the box. This allows for many options to light the box... from the top, from both sides, etc.
Photographing inside the lightbox is a little tricky... especially since I take my photographs on a mirror and have to make sure there is no reflection exposing the inside of the cardboard box! :) Without the mirror, it would be pretty easy to shoot in. The white paper you see on the floor of the box goes all the way up the back wall and is glued in the corner where it meets the ceiling. If you are interested in making your own lightbox, I would recommend you get a small tripod for your camera. They are usually around $10-15.
That is pretty much everything. I hope that helped! :)
Thank you! I once did get a tripod,but I returned it after I couldn't figure out how to use it. I have Nikon Coolpix L18 camera.I think it needs a very small tripod.There is a little whole on the bottom where I think it goes.
Thanks for your help,sweetie!
Starlight- Here is an example of the type of tripod I was talking about:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dynex%26%23174%3B+-+6.25%22+Mini+Tripod/6998591.p?id=1099391932573&skuId=6998591
It has a screw that will fit into the small hole on the bottom of your camera!
thanks again,sweetie...I have one more question for ya'...do you use the self-timer on your camera when taking photos?
Starlight- Your welcome!... No, I don't use the timer but I suppose it would be helpful if you are using a tripod. Just try everything out and see what works best for you!