Clay Posted January 17, 2009 Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) You mind if I pick your brain? What does your photo booth consist of? Meaning lighting, bottom and even that case I saw. Edited January 18, 2009 by Clay
Dr. Cranky Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 Oh, I found it, buddy. Yeah, give me a little bit of time and I will get you all the specs. The wife and I are going to dinner and so when I get back I'll get the stuff.
Clay Posted January 18, 2009 Author Posted January 18, 2009 Ok Virgil, I can wait. Now I dont really want to copy you but I really like your photo booth.
Dr. Cranky Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 All right, buddy, I am back. One thing, you might want to change the topic of this one to Digital photography set up so that other people can see it because right now it sounds like Virgil is in trouble or something. Before finalising my set up, I have gone through a whole bunch of different sets ups, and through experience and just testing stuff at random I settled on what I have, but recently I was very tempted to try this one: http://www.amazon.com/MyStudio-Professiona...6697&sr=8-9 There are lots of good options out there, but your set up has to work for YOU!
Dr. Cranky Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 BTW--here's a reference indispensible tool that has come in very handy. http://www.amazon.com/Photographing-Arts-C...697&sr=8-16
Dr. Cranky Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 Here's another set up that gives you everything in one, although I still recommend you use a gradated sweep. http://www.amazon.com/Samigon-Internet-Stu...995&sr=8-22
Dr. Cranky Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 Here are the lights I use: I have two, and although they are not cheap, they really put out plenty of soft light that doesn't create shadows!!! http://www.amazon.com/Lowel-Digital-Imagin...7134&sr=8-3
Dr. Cranky Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 Wow, that was fast, Clay, thanks for changing the topic. Okay, onward to the overhead softbox which is very important, and it is where I would recommend anyone not to go the cheap route. This one is similar to mine. You want one that is large enough to cover your photo table surface beyond the edges, and put out as much light as you can afford. Continuous light . . . I have mine on a extension boom so that it sits low right overhead, and it's totally adjustable . . . . http://www.amazon.com/Photoflex-FVXT1SLDKI...418&sr=1-13
Dr. Cranky Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 These folks are a good source for ideas . . .. http://store.tabletopstudio-store.com/
Dr. Cranky Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 Here's a good contender similar to what Micro Mark sells, or even Tamiya, which has put a complete studio out last year. http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/17193/prod...ography-studio/
Dr. Cranky Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 I know what you are going through because it's taken me a few years to get there myself . . . Here's my first set up which I built with pvc piping and it was so hug because I wanted to be able to photograph my dioramas . . . of course, it ended up being too bulky and in the way . . . Then I moved on to this one, a bit more portable: Then I moved on to this one, but needed more light: Finally, I got plenty of lights . . . and so the system became totally reliable time and again . . . The trick is to keep experimenting . . . phototaking is about having fun too, and getting good results, not about stressing out.
Eshaver Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 Clay, my photo booth is the back porch with a piece of a dining room table with a Marble Finish plastic laminate on it . I barely afford batteries for my camera. Photo booth, HUMPH.......................... Ed shaver
Aaronw Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 Gregg did two good articles on taking photos within the past two years. He also did a seminar on taking photos of models at the IPMS Nationals in 2007. If you ever get a chance to sit through one it is worth it. It wasn't technical at all he just explained what the various features on the camera do, and took pictures. I learned so much in the first 30 minute lecture that I came back and sat through it again the next day. If you want really high end no shadows pics a booth seems to be the way to go. There are some ready to go photo booth kits out there. I've seen some big enough for model cars for around $50 at camera and electronics stores. I didn't want to spend a lot but I think my pics come out ok. I just bought a pack of white 24x36" poster board, and two clamp on 100w lights with reflectors. When I take pics I put a box in front of a shelf, lay a piece of poster board on the box so about half is on the box and the rest curves up the shelf for the background. I clamp the lights on either side on the shelf, then swing the light from my work bench around so I have 3 100w lights coming from different angles. The light from the work bench is on an arm so I can adjust the lighting angle to put light on any detail I want to enhance (also lets me put shadows on my mistakes ). Total cost was about $20.
RodBurNeR Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 Great thread and thanks for the links to Amazon! I need to get one of those
RodBurNeR Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 At home mine is very cheap and simple. Here is how I made mine and what it looks like. I really like to use this because it's light and stuffs away easily. http://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc...ing-a-cheap-ph/ These are some photos I acheive with it. Keep in mind quality has a lot to do with lighting, backdrop and your camera....what settings it has and how you have it set up. I use a Kodak P850 and have Aperature settings on F8. Sometimes the color of a car will throw off things a little, so I might switch to Auto and use Macro with "fill" flash on. I chang all the time especially "at home". My biggest thing is lighting. I can have my camera set up to take great pics, but if the lighting is bad the pics will not be that good.
Dr. Cranky Posted January 18, 2009 Posted January 18, 2009 Beautiful work, Bob, and beautiful pictures . . . yes, a simple set up is often all you need to take good quaility pics!
RodBurNeR Posted January 19, 2009 Posted January 19, 2009 Beautiful work, Bob, and beautiful pictures . . . yes, a simple set up is often all you need to take good quaility pics! thank you! yes that was about $5.00 to build. I prefer to buy a much nicer setup, but for practical home use on internet sharing....it works just fine.
Clay Posted January 19, 2009 Author Posted January 19, 2009 I think I will do a mix of Bo's and Virgil's. I apoliogize if what I type makes no sense. I had a buddy and his family over and we kinda slpit a case of beer.
MikeMc Posted January 20, 2009 Posted January 20, 2009 At home mine is very cheap and simple. Here is how I made mine and what it looks like. I really like to use this because it's light and stuffs away easily. http://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc...ing-a-cheap-ph/ These are some photos I acheive with it. Keep in mind quality has a lot to do with lighting, backdrop and your camera....what settings it has and how you have it set up. I use a Kodak P850 and have Aperature settings on F8. Sometimes the color of a car will throw off things a little, so I might switch to Auto and use Macro with "fill" flash on. I chang all the time especially "at home". My biggest thing is lighting. I can have my camera set up to take great pics, but if the lighting is bad the pics will not be that good. Perfect...add a curved paper from top back to lower middle (contrasting background) make a quick softbox for up top!!!!!!
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