A new toy for improving my photos on the blog arrived yesterday, a Lightbox.
I've been thinking about getting one for a while, and several readers have suggested that it would improve the quality of my photos. As I have been making an effort to improve my painting skills, it is only right that I try to improve my photos as well to showcase my new talents!
I purchased the lightbox after seeing @craig_paints talk about it on twitter. The one I bought was a TFJ studio LED lightbox. It was only £16.99 on Amazon, which seemed like a real bargain for me.
Here are some test photos that I took when it arrived.
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| Lightbox and camera phone. |
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| White background with flash. |
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| Black background with flash. |
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| Black background, no flash. |
Below are the ones I will probably use in the future. This is with the LED lightbox, a second light source at a perpendicular angle, black background and no flash on the camera.
What do you think? A big improvement? Any suggestions on improving the photos further?
Light boxes really help out. It can be tricky trying to balance the light and changes model to model. However, they do make for cleaner photos.
ReplyDeleteI would try setting the Marine a bit further back. I feel like he's directly under the light and I can catch the light on the model. The model should be lit up but no light reflecting off it.
I agree with Thor and would add that the secondary light source may need to be diffused if it's current bare bulb. Looks like good brightness, but some sharp glare that washes things out a bit.
DeleteMight try playing with the white balance on your phone app or camera to counter act some of the washout.
Light box all the way, is my vote!
Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a go with the next batch of photos.
DeleteThey really do make a difference, but it can be tricky to work out the right setup for best results.
ReplyDeleteLike Thor says, I think moving the model back a bit further would help. Also, keep both backdrops available. I find it best to switch sometimes, depending on what colours the minis I'm photographing are.
Play around with the angle on your other light source as well, that can make quite a difference. For best results, you should have some diffusers on your light sources, but that's not something to worry about anytime soon.
Cheers WestRider!
DeleteCan you remove a panel in the top? considering how economical the purchase was, I would get a box cutter and cut a window in the top, tape one or two layers of baking paper over the window and put a light directly down through it. The white paper retains the reflectivity inside the box and the added diffused light does wonders. Just an idea, keep playing :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice Marc!
DeleteAmazing lights. I like these lights very much. I have also some LED Light Box which are really amazing and stylish. It makes my room very colorful. You can also use them at your bed room or on your table.
ReplyDelete