# Light tent set up



## TruckDrivingFool

Seeing all of your great pics makes me want to try alittle harder on my own so I started this light tent idea out of stuff I had around the shop. (ya I'm a packrat) Am I on the right track? or should I just scrap it and spend some $$$ and buy a set up?


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## jjenk02

I don't know enough about photo tents to answer your question, however it looks good and I love your down draft work bench. Did you buy or build the bench?


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## TruckDrivingFool

Thanks, I built it.


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## toolcrazy

Yep, your headin right. The only change you need is bulb type and you might think of riggin somethin for a light over the top. 

And your right, better photos are what I'm after too. So, I'm gonna finally gonna replace my aging digi camera. Anybody need a digital camera? []


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## TruckDrivingFool

Then that begs me to ask more questions.

Will some typical outdoor flood light type bulbs work?

Would it be better to leave my light stands free of the base to silde to and fro or mount them solid and hook them up on a dimmer switch?


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## DocRon

Ross
 Setup looks good. I don't have a light tent, (I think I need one) <b> but I use two "daylight" type miniature spiral flourescents in 5" reflectors.</b> Got them at HDepot. Made a couple of simple stands and just slide them up until I have enough light on the subject. So far, this is working pretty well, the light balance on the camera seems to get good color fidelity. . You can see the results in the recent pix in my photo album.
Ron


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## jleiwig

Reflectors would help alot to focus the light.  I'd think you'd get better pictures with flourescent bulbs in your fixtures.  You'll need a white twin bedsheet to wrap around it to reflect light as well. Obviously make sure the sheet is on the inside.  Then pound a couple nails through the back piece to pop a colored background on.  

http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

That's a very comprehensive webpage on making your own setup.  He's got a good picture of a pen in his example pictures.

That combined with Jay Pickens photo tutorial will get you some great pictures of your pens. 

This by the way is my first useful contribution...I hope it helps! I haven't actually turned a pen yet, but I have dabbled in a bit of photography.


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## stevers

No reason to "scrap it and spend anything". I built mine with scraps from the shop and it works just fine. It only has to "look good" from the point of view of the camera.
Good luck and looking good so far.


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## TruckDrivingFool

Thanks all for the links and tips.[]


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## bob393

Your on the right track, change the bulbs to 5000k flourescents and add a top light with some reflectors. and you should be good to go. With background and a defuser of cource.


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## TruckDrivingFool

Well I got it all wired up today, hung some paper towels around it, and took some pics. I can tell a big difference from the pics I took before and these. I still need to work on it and do the camera setup listed in another thread but I'm happy w/ the improvment.


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## Papabear

Wish my shots were that nice [V]


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## jleiwig

VERY NICE!


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## webmonk

Being that tight on your subject is starting to get into distortion problems and some DOF issues, but man that is some in-your-face-bigger-than-life intensity coming from that shot! A little bit of tweaking and you've nailed it!


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## kiddo

I gotta ask...

Is it coincidence that it looks like it's got a head-stock and tail-stock?

Friendly kidding aside, it looks pretty clever!

I'm not sure about the paper towels, but I've had good results with those white plastic bags they pack your groceries in at the supermarket. Two layers worked for me. One was too thin with strong lamps.


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## philland

Hey there, newbie here.  I really like the way that your setup captured the pen (beautiful specimen by the way), but I agree that the Brawney may be not quite right.  I think that the plastic bags will give too much shine on the background.  Consider a plain ole piece of white copy paper.  Most of the backgrounds that I use to photograph people are paper (different colors are available) and they are on a roll like a butcher's paper.  With these paper backgrounds you need not worry about wrinkles in the background taking away from your specimen.  One other thing is someone suggested a 5000K light.  This "temperature" (in Kelvin) will give you the whitest whites.  I am sure that if you look back at the image you will find that those paper towels (I am pretty sure they only come in white) look really gray.  

All in all, I love your box and think that I am needing to build one myself.


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## kiddo

> _Originally posted by TruckDrivingFool_
> <br />Well I got it all wired up today, hung some paper towels around it, and took some pics. I can tell a big difference from the pics I took before and these. I still need to work on it and do the camera setup listed in another thread but I'm happy w/ the improvment.



Since you are using incandescent lamps, see if your camera has a white balance setting called Tungsten. That might help a bit with the colors.


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## alxe24

I hope you don't get upset about the touch up on your picture. As Kiddo said look for your white balance on the camera. 
I like your pictue rather steep angle, I like it. Since you are taking such a close up you do need to change your back ground. The towels draw to much attention from the pen. You do not want that kind of competision between subject, arrangement and background.
Just my 5 pennies
Regards,
Alex



<br />


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## kiddo

Nice adjustment of the colors Alex!

Electric! Absolutely electric!


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## alxe24

What set of filters ar you working with? You [}]


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## kiddo

> _Originally posted by alxe24_
> <br />What set of filters ar you working with? You [}]



I use: 
Most of the filters from Flaming Pear (excellent collection) The mirage shadow is made using one of the Flaming Pear filters.
Alien Skin - Impact
Alien Skin Xenofex 2
AutoFX Mystical
AutoFX Mystical TTC (Tint Tone and Color). I think the AutoFX tools are done by Kai Klaus (Remember Kai's Power Tools?) 'cuz they have the same weird interface.


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## TruckDrivingFool

Thanks for the touch ups Alex and Kiddo!

I have been arguing with my camera about the white balance but they're still coming out yellowish (really blueish with the flash) so I keep reseting and trying. Having been busy with stuff around the house I haven't done much else with it. Before I took this pic I did switch the bulbs to the biggest CFLs I could find at the BORG and the paper towels will get changed out the next time LOML decides its time for new sheets.

Thanks for the input I'm still listening and learning.


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