Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Make A Homemade Light Box From A Cardboard Box

A light box is used to help evenly light and photograph small objects. You can pay hundreds of dollars to purchase a light box, or you can make one to your own specifications for little more than the price of a glue stick and a few yards of fabric. The exact quantity of supplies you need will depend on how large or small the box is that forms the base.


Instructions


1. Place the box open end up and cut the flaps off the open end.


2. Trim the center out of the front, back, left and right panels of the box. Leave a 2-inch margin of cardboard intact around the edge of each panel. If you're making a particularly small light box, this can be reduced to 1 inch.


3. Cut your heavy white paper into 2-inch strips and glue them to the inside of the 2-inch margins you left around each panel of the cardboard box. You'll need 16 strips to do this. If you're making a very small light box with 1-inch margins, you'll cut the paper into 1-inch strips, then glue them into place.


4. Slide a piece of heavy white paper or matte poster board into the box so that one edge rests against the lower, inner front lip of the box. The rest of the paper should curve back and up until it protrudes from the upper rear of the box. Trim the paper so that it is even with the box surface.








5. Stretch white fabric over the top of the box and either glue or tape it into place on the outside. Cover the left, right and back of the box similarly, making sure to attach the fabric to the outside. Leave the front of the box open.


6. Place whatever you're going to photograph inside the box and light the box from above. The white paper inside the box produces a seamless backdrop for your photo, and the light will diffuse through the fabric covering, helping to eliminate glare. You can add extra lighting from the sides or rear as necessary.

Tags: white paper, each panel, glue them, heavy white, heavy white paper, into place, left right