Light Tents

The Purpose Of Using A Light Tent

Light tents are necessary for when you want to photograph small items that easily reflect light. Without the use of a light tent, the object you are photographing will not look the same as it does everyday. Within the controlled environment of a light box, the object will be fully illuminated and the resulting photograph will better resemble the actual product. Light tents can be quite expensive and depending on the size the cost can reach at high as $700. Purchasing from online auction houses such as eBay is a strong alternative to buying brand new. Before you buy, check to make sure that the seller is reputable, which can be done by reading the feedback from the seller’s customers. Also, check the seller’s rating. This is a quick way to judge whether to seller is reliable or not.

How To Build Your Own Light Tent

Because light tents are expensive, many photography enthusiasts prefer to build their own. You’ll need some foam board to function as the shell of the box. Tri-fold foam core sheets may be your best bet. This is the type of board that many students use for their science projects. A box needs to be put together with one side missing. This is the side from which you will attach your lights to and also set up the camera to take the photograph. Regular scotch tape will do to tape the boards together. Duct tape may seem like a better alternative but it losing its adhesive properties quickly when under high heat.

The object you want to photograph should be placed on the side of the box that is touching the floor or table. A hole can be cut into the top of the box so that the photograph can be taken. This will allow you a birds eye view of the object to be photographed. The hole should not be open at all times, so flap should be attached that will help keep light from escaping. The lights should not shine directly on the object and should be pointing upwards so that the light bounces off one of the walls. The resulting images should be clear and highlight details of the object that you want the buyer to notice. Without the use of a light tent, small, shiny objects will often reflect light and appear different from the way they actually look.