Introduction: Foldable Homemade Light Box

About: Hi, I'm Yaron, A proud father of 3, A software engineer by trade and a creator by DNA. My love for building things started at an early age working with my dad over the summers, now this love fills my free time…

From Time to time I find myself looking for a good spot to photograph a product, for instance for selling online.

I saw some nice light boxes online and also here on Instructables but I needed something big enough but not big in storage, so I took some ideas points from them, added my touch and created this one...

enjoy.

Step 1: Tools & Materials

Materials:

  • 2 kappa board 100cmX70cm
  • 2 meter of white cloth (can be replaced with cooking paper like I did).
  • loop\hook tape.
  • Tape Glue.
  • White Light Bulbs.
  • Poster Board (i used white, but any color that will fit your subject will do).

Tools:

  • Any kind of cutting knife.
  • Ruler.
  • Pen or any kind of writing instrument.

Step 2: Design & Model

I have designed it to be 50cm X 50cm X 50cm, but you can adjust the cube to be any size... the cube will have 5 sides, 3 with window and 2 sealed.

To be on the safe side I built a little kappa model, it helped me set the folding order and to decide where to put the loop tape.

Step 3: Mark & Cut

You'll need to have 5 sides:

  • 3 with a window (top and sides).
  • one sealed (back).
  • one 50cm X 60cm (base).

Mark the 4 squares of 50cm by 50cm and one 50cm by 60cm.

Cut 50cm by 50cm size, for the windows cut 30cm X 30cm squares in the middle (leaves 10cm of frame).

Step 4: Put It All Together

  1. The first thing it to apply the cooking paper to the three sides with the windows, tape it as tight as you can so the light will be distributed evenly.
  2. Now the next thing it to piece together the permanent parts (marked in red in the pic), to do so use the regular tape, apply it from both sides.
  3. There are 4 points to apply loop and hook tape (you can see them colored marked in the picture, each color is the point of contact), use more if you see that the cube is not strong enough.
  4. To install the background I also used loop tape (see in pic marked in red circle), put 2 inside the cube and 2 on the back of the poster board.

Step 5: Photo Shoot Setup

If you got to this step it means that you have a Light box! Great work!

Now to setup the photo shoot,

First, place the box on a table high enough, so you will be comfortable and you won't have to bend.

Place the light bulbs on the sides and from the top.

As for the angle of the camera, it's really up to you, try them all ;)

There you have it!

P.S

Don't forget to fold it back after you are done ;)

Step 6: Done!

If you liked it, don't hesitate to leave a comment.

Y.

Photography Contest 2017

First Prize in the
Photography Contest 2017