Introduction: Cheap & Easy Picture Light-Box

About: I am a maker. As founder of MakerBlog, I enjoy sharing my creations with others.

Taking good pictures is hard. Really hard. At least, if you aren't a professional photographer. Thankfully, I recently discovered a solution to this problem, and it isn't even technically a box.

I hope you enjoy this Instructable. Please leave comments and suggestions below! Thanks!

P.S. The match cube was made using these instructions.

Step 1: Materials

You'll need the following:

  • Tape
  • A Piece of 8" x 11" Paper
  • A Kitchen Counter-top with Under-cabinet Lighting

(Under-cabinet lighting is essential to this Instructable. If you don't have under-cabinet lighting I recommend trying this method instead.)

Step 2: Preparing the "Light-Box"

Tape your paper about 5 in. up the wall. The paper should now slant down to the counter-top. This slant is essential to the smoothness of the photo, so don't crease the paper! Turn on your under-cabinet lights, and get ready to take pictures!

Step 3: Troubleshooting

If your photo doesn't turn out as desired, check the type of bulb used in your lighting. I used fluorescent light-bulbs, but other kinds may work. You can also use Instructable's built-in image editing tool, Pixlr.

Thank you for reading my tutorial, and I hope you like my idea! If you do, please consider voting for me in the Epilog VII Contest. If I won the laser cutter I would use it to build puzzle boxes like these. I would also be able to pursue wood projects that are too intricate for an unskilled scroll-saw user. I am also interested in building robots with custom covers, and in creating 3D layered art. Thanks!

Epilog Contest VII

Participated in the
Epilog Contest VII

Papercraft Contest 2015

Participated in the
Papercraft Contest 2015