Get Better Pictures With a 30 Second Photography Lightbox

Getting clear, concise pictures of specific items can be a real pain without the proper setup. A white sheet can do in a pinch, but a simple lightbox like this is just a step up, and provides you with clear lighting and a smooth backdrop. This instructable can be done with junk laying around the house, such as printer paper and a cardboard box.

Materials

- Gluestick or tape (to bind the sheets of paper together)
- Box that fits the object you are photographing
- Blank white paper (or of a background colour of your choosing)

You will need enough paper to cover the area you are photographing; if you are doing a simple head-on shot (which is most likely all you need), you'll just need to cover the bottom and back of the box.

If you want to get different lighting effects, you can do things like adding an incandescent lamp or sunlit window to get a warm look.

Tape/glue the sheets together (by whatever orientation you need to fit the subject), with about a half to three quarters of an inch of paper overlapping, or however much is needed to keep them straight and not flopping around. Only put tape on one side, the position it is in when curved in the box will keep it secure.

Put it in the box, with as much of the paper on the bottom as you need to fit the object you are photographing. The whole point of the lightbox is to get even lighting and a clear picture, as if the object is floating in a white void; so set it in a way that makes it curve up without a sharp turn, or the illusion is destroyed. Tape down the edge that is closest to you.

When you're taking pictures using this lightbox, make sure your camera is aimed at your subject in a way that one hundred percent of the object is framed within the paper. If you need more space, just add on more sheets. Remember to use the macro (closeup) mode of your camera, or your results will be fuzzy! And take several pictures of the same thing; a rule of photography you always learn the hard way is to take multiple photos all at once, instead of snapping one, realizing (after you put your camera and subject away) that you shook the camera too much, and then having to go back and take another one.

This thing isn't perfect, but you can make it in about thirty seconds. If you have any mods/tips for using it, post in the comments! Especially you have a solution to getting rid of the paper lines. :D