Built a new LIGHT TENT on the cheap!

[pacifiChrono]

Thanks to a link in another forum, I built a new light tent out of a cardboard box with tracing paper covering the holes I had cut in the top and two sides. I'm still using my two 500W work lights. Sometimes they seem like too much and other times not enough. I shaped the three front flaps to partially close, limiting the background relection in the crystal.

Here's my new tent and a few pics I took today.

[WES]

Looks Good! I have a problem, can't get enough light to get the F/stop up to increase the depth of field. I don't want to build one of those giant light boxes with a bunch of lights, but that looks like it might just be the answer. WES
I almost forgot, Nice Pics

[JBHII]

Tom - yep, that's the problem with halogen light sources. That, and the color shift (which can be corrected in software/white balance. I think if you clipped a couple of 10.00 desk lights equipped with daylight photo bulbs, you'd get some needed top light. But, the shots you have are quite nice.

[pacifiChrono]

Thanks for the tips, John. Do you mean clip-ons in addition to the halogens? BTW, When starting this photo session I manually adjusted the white balance, but I'm still a learning white balance controls.

[JBHII]

pacifichrono said:

Thanks for the tips, John. Do you mean clip-ons in addition to the halogens? BTW, When starting this photo session I manually adjusted the white balance, but I'm still a learning white balance controls.

Yes - I think a couple of clip ons up top would help.

Manual white balance helps, but it's a pain. Ever since I started shooting in RAW file format, I don't even bother to white balance adjust since I can control the light temperature CS2's RAW editor.

[pacifiChrono]

Gotcha! Thanks.

[Scott D]

Hey Tom,

Nice setup & pic!

One other suggestion in addition to Johns that might help. If you can get some front light, that helps too. Where the cardboard flaps angle in the front, cut them out too & cover like you did with the sides & put some daylight lights in front of them. That'll give you some front light to help with shadows (and it'll help with being able to increase the fstop Wes).

Very nice! Look forward to the new pics! ;D

[pacifiChrono]

Thanks, Wes!