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One Great Tip » A Bright Idea for Photographing Your Work
A Bright Idea for Photographing Your Work
By Dan Chiappetta, WWGOA reader
Photos By Author
Posted: February 27, 2013
In an effort to better document my work (and possibly move into sales), I've begun to focus on my photography skills. One major need is light, preferably diffuse and bright-white.
After checking my options online, I decided that cheap clamp lights sold in big-box stores were a better idea. Only thing is, they cast harsh shadows. So, I bought some 100W equivalent CFLs and wrapped the light fixtures in an old undershirt. The CFLs stay cool enough to prevent burning, and the white material creates a bright, diffuse light ideal for photography.
A set of 4 of these lights can be purchased for under $30 and will really improve shots of small to medium sized projects. Here's how I did it:
1. Here's the fixture and bulb.
2. Giving the process the shirt off my back...
3. All wrapped up...
4. The lights in use.
5. And the results!
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4 Comments
Thanks for the tip!
Though I respect you and your intentions, I think i'll pass on tying a piece of cotton fabric around a metal lighting appliance in the middle of my sawdust infected workshop.
I would store it in a non-dusty area, but I wouldn't hesitate to bring this into the shop for a photo shoot. If the t-shirt gets dirty, you could just throw it in the laundry.
I've struggled for a long time with lighting - and photographs of my work. I'm going to give this a try - thanks for the great tip.