A light box allows items to be photographed with a neutral white or colored background.
A photo light box, also known as a light tent, is a small, enclosed set with a neutral background that allows soft light to shine in from multiple directions. Commercial light boxes are available for purchase in a variety of sizes and styles, but it is possible to make your own light box largely out of household materials. A homemade light box allows for lighting on three sides, giving you control over shadows and illumination, and permitting you to create professional-quality pictures with a range of light and shadow options.
Instructions
1. Cut the flaps off one end of a cardboard box, leaving four sides and the opposite end of the box intact. For best results, you should use a square box, although boxes of different shapes can be used as well.
2. Draw a line approximately 2 inches from each edge on one of the box's remaining sides, creating a square "window" on the side of the box. Cut out this square. Repeat on two of the three other sides so that only one side and one end of the box are uncut.
3. Cut strips of white poster board or Bristol board to the length and width of each "window." Glue the strips on the inside of the light box, trimming as necessary so that they create a white lining around the three "windows" in the box. Do not glue anything to the uncut side or end of the box.
4. Trim a sheet of poster board or Bristol board to the width of the box, making sure it is longer than the box is tall. Set the box upright and insert the sheet so it touches the edge where the middle "window" meets the uncut end. Press down gently so the poster board lies along the uncut end and curves up toward the open end, but don't crease or fold. The uncut side should be covered in the process. Tape into place at the open end of the box.
5. Place tracing paper, tissue paper or white cloth over the open end of the box and the two facing, side "windows," leaving the "window" opening to the poster board or Bristol board uncovered. Tape the paper or cloth into place, making sure no wrinkles appear, as these could cause shadows.
6. Place an object in the box so it is positioned on the poster board or Bristol board at the uncut end on the box. Turn on one or more lights so they shine through the paper or cloth covering the openings. You may now take close-range pictures of an object and only the neutral background of the poster board will appear.
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