<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>DIY Craft Photography</title> <atom:link href="/tag/diy/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link></link> <description>Product photography for handmade goods</description> <lastBuildDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2014 03:50:42 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5</generator> <image> <url>/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/cropped-DIYC-site-icon-32x32.png</url> <title>DIY Craft Photography</title> <link></link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>Simple White Background Product Photography Setup</title> <link>/simple-white-background-product-photography-setup/</link> <comments>/simple-white-background-product-photography-setup/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[M. Johnson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 06 Apr 2014 13:00:38 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[DIY Setups]]></category> <category><![CDATA[diy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[equipment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[photo studio kit]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=1408</guid> <description><![CDATA[Need some lovely new photos for your shop but limited by a tight budget? This DIY white photo background setup costs less than $5!   Supply List 1 large sheet of white poster board tape (painter’s, Scotch, masking – any kind will do) 2 big pieces of white foam core board “bounce card” made with...</p><p><a class="more-link" href="/simple-white-background-product-photography-setup/">Read More</a></p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/500_cheap_diy_photo_studio1.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1468" alt="500_cheap_diy_photo_studio" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/500_cheap_diy_photo_studio1.jpg" width="735" height="364" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/500_cheap_diy_photo_studio1.jpg 735w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/04/500_cheap_diy_photo_studio1-300x148.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 735px) 100vw, 735px" /></a></p> <p>Need some lovely new photos for your shop but limited by a tight budget? <strong>This DIY white photo background setup costs less than $5!</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/diy_photo_studio_posterboard.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-1428" alt="diy_photo_studio_posterboard" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/diy_photo_studio_posterboard.jpg" width="600" height="450" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/diy_photo_studio_posterboard.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/04/diy_photo_studio_posterboard-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <h1>Supply List</h1> <ul> <li><strong>1 large sheet of white poster board</strong></li> <li><strong>tape</strong> (painter’s, Scotch, masking – any kind will do)</li> <li><strong>2 big pieces of white foam core board</strong></li> <li><strong>“bounce card”</strong> made with white paper or tinfoil (heck, even a large notepad works)</li> <li><strong>a chair, table, or TV tray tall enough to reach the window ledge</strong></li> <li><strong>a well-lit window</strong></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/diy_photo_studio_posterboard_comparison.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-1426" alt="diy_photo_studio_posterboard_comparison" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/diy_photo_studio_posterboard_comparison.jpg" width="700" height="394" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/diy_photo_studio_posterboard_comparison.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/04/diy_photo_studio_posterboard_comparison-300x168.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a></p> <h1>Setting Up</h1> <p>Tape the white foam core boards together at a 90 degree angle. Gently bend the sheet of white poster board and tape it into place over the foam core boards.</p> <p>Place your set up on a chair, table, or tray next to a well-lit window. The light coming in from this window should be even (no dappling from leaves or cast shadows). Shooting in the middle of a cloudy day is best, if you can swing it.</p> <p>Arrange your object(s) on the poster board and <strong>hold the bounce card on the shadowed side</strong> of your object. Prop it up against something, hold it one hand and your camera in the other, or enlist a helper to hold it at just the right angle.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/diy_white_background_photo_setup_bounce_card.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1421" alt="diy_white_background_photo_setup_bounce_card" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/diy_white_background_photo_setup_bounce_card.jpg" width="653" height="490" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/diy_white_background_photo_setup_bounce_card.jpg 653w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/04/diy_white_background_photo_setup_bounce_card-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 653px) 100vw, 653px" /></a></p> <p><a href="/the-magic-of-bounce-lighting/">Read more about the magic of bounce lighting and how to make your own tinfoil bounce card here</a>.</p> <h1>Shooting Photos</h1> <p>Shoot a ton of photos – pick your favorites later. For every 4 photos I use in my Etsy store, I probably shot at least 10-20+ depending on the object. Try lots of angles and experiment.</p> <div id="attachment_1414" style="width: 477px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/cheap_white_background_photography_setup_take_lots_of_photos.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1414" class=" wp-image-1414" alt="cheap_white_background_photography_setup_take_lots_of_photos" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/cheap_white_background_photography_setup_take_lots_of_photos.jpg" width="467" height="387" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/cheap_white_background_photography_setup_take_lots_of_photos.jpg 778w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/04/cheap_white_background_photography_setup_take_lots_of_photos-300x248.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 467px) 100vw, 467px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1414" class="wp-caption-text">Take a ton of photos! Worry about choosing the right one later.</p></div> <p>The photos that follow were taken right here, using my <strong>iPhone 4S camera</strong> in the <strong>middle of an overcast day in March</strong> in Washington State, North America – not exactly “The Sunshine State”!</p> <p>I love the soft shadows and subtle white-to-grey gradation in the background. And Etsy does, too. Drop by Etsy.com on any random day and you’ll probably see a slew of featured items over soft, light grey backgrounds.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/octavius_2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter" alt="octavius_2" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/octavius_2.jpg" width="360" height="360" /></a></p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/betta_size.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter" alt="betta_size" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/betta_size.jpg" width="360" height="360" /></a></p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/christmas_grubs_gifty.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter" alt="christmas_grubs_gifty" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/christmas_grubs_gifty.jpg" width="360" height="360" /></a></p> <p>Details are crisp, and the whole effect is classy and cool. I’m kind of amazed that my humble iPhone 4S could take such nice photos, and I still can’t get over the fact that this whole setup cost less than $5!</p> <p>Want to shoot in the evenings? In the winter? Need more control over the lighting? <a href="/table-top-photo-studio-kit-reviews/">Check out a photo studio kit</a>!</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/simple-white-background-product-photography-setup/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Anatomy of a DIY Home Photo Studio</title> <link>/anatomy-of-a-diy-home-photo-studio/</link> <comments>/anatomy-of-a-diy-home-photo-studio/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[M. Johnson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 03 Aug 2013 21:00:49 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Cameras & Equipment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[budget]]></category> <category><![CDATA[diy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[home photo studio]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=158</guid> <description><![CDATA[My house has a very small extra bedroom. It isn’t good for much besides storing junk, but it’s the best-lit room in the house so I cleaned out the junk and turned it into a little photo studio! I built this studio through trial and error, but now it’s ready to share its secrets with...</p><p><a class="more-link" href="/anatomy-of-a-diy-home-photo-studio/">Read More</a></p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_165" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/budget_diy_photo_studio_at_home.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-165" class="size-full wp-image-165" alt="Budget friendly diy photo studio" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/budget_diy_photo_studio_at_home.jpg" width="1024" height="682" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/budget_diy_photo_studio_at_home.jpg 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/09/budget_diy_photo_studio_at_home-300x199.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-165" class="wp-caption-text">My budget-friendly DIY home photo studio</p></div> <p>My house has a very small extra bedroom. It isn’t good for much besides storing junk, but it’s the best-lit room in the house so I cleaned out the junk and turned it into a little photo studio!</p> <p>I built this studio through trial and error, but now it’s ready to share its secrets with the rest of the world. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f642.png" alt="🙂" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Here’s a tour of my DIY home photo studio!</p> <h1><strong>1) Adjustable Garment Rack</strong></h1> <p>For hanging backdrops, it’s hard to beat this: the horizontal bar you see here is just a $15 portable closet rack! I draped one twin-size white sheet over the bar to create a smooth, seamless background and floor for my craft photos.</p> <p>I chose white because I use a white background a lot and because it won’t show dust the way a black sheet would.</p> <h1>2) Black fabric background</h1> <p>To use a different background I layer a piece of fabric on top of the white default backdrop. (Shown here is about a yard of black fabric, but if your objects are small you can get away with <em>a lot</em> less fabric.)</p> <p>The friction is usually enough to hold up additional cloth backdrops, but if not, it’s very easy to use a few straight pins to anchor the new backdrop to the white sheet. Surprisingly, poster board usually has no trouble sitting in this setup, either.</p> <h1>3) Overhead lamp</h1> <p>Figuring out how to build a spotlight to point down into my photo studio was a challenge. Many DIYers use an adjustable desk lamp, which is a great solution, but I had a mic stand laying around and wanted to see if I could put it to good use. I clamped an $8 aluminum work lamp from Home Depot onto the mic clamp and clipped the lamp’s cord to the stand using a wooden clothespin. The bulb is fairly lightweight (it’s just a 45W bulb) so the mic stand supports its weight.</p> <p>This modification is very easy to undo (and redo) so I can still use the mic stand as a mic stand, too. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f642.png" alt="🙂" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p> <h1>4) Aluminum Clamp-On Work Lamp</h1> <p>I got three of these <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-150-Watt-Incandescent-Clamp-Light-CE-300PDQ/100354511#.Uf2giI21GCM">aluminum clamp-on work lamps from Home Depot</a> (about $9 each). The clamp isn’t strong enough to support the lamp in a free-floating position, but the clamp does do a good job of stabilizing the lamp when it’s resting on a flat surface. The lamp above the studio has a 45W bulb and the two on the sides have 150W bulbs.</p> <p>All three lamps have a double layer of a thin white fabric clipped over the cup to diffuse the light. This cloth layer makes a huge difference – the lights are much to bright and burn out the object in photos without the covers in place.</p> <h1>5) Tripod</h1> <p>Just a standard tripod I bought when I moved out and lost access to my Dad’s old metal tripod. I was shocked at how much better this modern tripod was! If you’re working with an ancient tripod, you might be surprised at how much better the new ones are.</p> <p>My favorite features:</p> <ul> <li><strong>extremely light weight</strong></li> <li><strong>easy-adjust legs</strong> (no tedious turning: just unlock, pull, lock)</li> <li><strong>water-bubble level</strong>, which I use all the time</li> <li><strong>nice big hand cranks</strong> for adjusting and tilting the camera</li> <li><strong>durability</strong> – it’s survived a few tumbles now</li> </ul> <h1>6) Iron & Ironing Board</h1> <p>A bit old fashioned, yes, but the iron and board are essential for pressing backgrounds before photo shoots. Sometimes I feel lazy and skip this step, then later regret it as I try to salvage the wrinkled results in Photoshop. Don’t skip the ironing step!</p> <p>When it’s not in use for ironing, it makes a nice temporary shelf.</p> <h1>7) Floor Lamp with Tinfoil Reflector</h1> <p>I took the shade off this floor lamp ($35-ish at Walmart) and set it up with a tin-foil and cardboard reflector I made myself to help give the room a soft ambiance.</p> <h1>8) Tinfoil Reflectors</h1> <p>Sometimes I place these tinfoil reflectors just outside the shot to bounce lighting back onto an object’s shadowed side. A black shadow turns into a smooth, dark shadow with a tinfoil reflector just outside the shot.</p> <p>Even better, tinfoil reflectors are super cheap to make: just tape a sheet of tinfoil to a piece of cardboard!</p> <h1>9) Window with White Drapes</h1> <p>Here in the Pacific Northwest it doesn’t get sunny too often, but when it does I try to take advantage of it. I chose white for the drapes on this window to diffuse incoming light without adding any colors or patterns.</p> <h1>10) Power Strip</h1> <p>All four lamps are plugged into this one power strip with rocker switch. This makes it super fast and convenient to turn the whole setup on and off.</p> <h1>11) My DIY Light Tent Box</h1> <p>Like many DIYers I’ve built my own light tent out of a cardboard box. I like my open studio better, but I keep it around just in case I decide to switch back.</p> <p> </p> <p>Want to share your own DIY home photo studio? See any room for improvement? Leave a comment below!</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/anatomy-of-a-diy-home-photo-studio/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss> <!-- Performance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: https://www.boldgrid.com/w3-total-cache/ Served from: diycraftphotography.local @ 2024-06-28 17:50:00 by W3 Total Cache -->