My Photo Setup

Vaughn McMillan

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
36,056
Location
ABQ NM
A few people have asked me to show my photo setup, so here's the 5 cent tour...

I've got a 30" photo cube that I bought on eBay, and I use three 30 watt flourescent photo lights. These are 5000 degree Kelvin bulbs (another eBay purchase), which are supposed to be the right color range for still photography. The bulbs are in cheapie clamp-on fixtures, which are attached to either an old boom micophone stand or an old camera tripod, also with a boom. It all works pretty well together, but I wish I had spent the extra 10 bucks or so to get the clamp-on lights with bigger reflectors. That would give me better control over stray light.

Here's the basic set-up, with the cube on a card table in the living room. I adjust the lights as necessary, but this shows a typical setup...bounce the overhead off the white ceiling, put one side light fairly close, and the other one farther away.

Photo Tent - 01 800.jpg

I'm using a Flotone gradient background from B&H Photo...I think it cost more than the tent itself, but it has helped my pics a lot. It's flexible plastic, and somewhat prone to scratches (plus it likes to pick up black dog hair), but I like the results I get with it. I use Photoshop to remove any scratches or dog hair from the picture. ;) Previously, I was using the solid white, gray or black fabric backdrops that came with the tent. Not shown in this picture is a 12" x 12" x 3" tall box underneath the backdrop, to raise the piece I'm photographing above the lip of the tent.

Photo Tent - 06 800.jpg

The backdrop is attached in the back with metal binder clips and rare earth magnets. This makes it ewasy to adjust up or down, so I can adjust how dark the background is.

Photo Tent - 03 800.jpg Photo Tent - 04 800.jpg

It's held in the front with a couple of LOML's potato chip bag clips. If I didn't clip it in place, it'd curl up like a windowshade.

Photo Tent - 02 800.jpg

And of course, you need a good photographic assistant. I'd be lost without mine. :D He's always one or two steps behind me, ready to trip me up if I step backwards.

Photo Tent - 05 800.jpg

That's the quick tour...lemme know if you have any questions.
 
Well there you go, that is what I've been doing wrong................. no assistant :rofl:

Thanks for the pics, I see how this works better, I've got a few things to change on my set up, mainly the lights.

I've tried to get the photo lights, but when I found them they were about $150 each :eek:

So I have some Halogen flood/work lights that I'm going to try, they are supposed to be the right temp lights :dunno:

The gradient background does look really good, I'm going to try to see if I can find one of those local, now that I know what to look for! :wave:

Cheers!
 
...The gradient background does look really good, I'm going to try to see if I can find one of those local, now that I know what to look for! :wave:

Cheers!
I recall seeing a post from John Hart on SMC where he made his own gradient backgrounds. He made a few gradient JPG files in Photoshop (or something similar) then went to Kinko's and had them blown up and printed on large paper stock for a few bucks apiece. I've been meaning to try it myself just for some variation.

On the lights, you might keep your eye on the Japanese auction sites. I think I paid about $30 for a box of four bulbs.
 
I'd love to see some of the shots resulting from a shutter firing as the tripod tips over, following you as you pinwheel your arms wildly trying to keep your balance after tripping over your assistant. But I have a sick sense of humor. LOL.

Seriously though; cool setup. I'm hoping to pick up some tips from a friend I'll be visiting over the fourth. Not sure if he'll be able to help as his lenses cost more than my table saw.
 
I use the same photo tent but use some regular old household type flourescent bulbs, the curly ones. And I've never gotten around to buying a graduated background but I really like the way yours looks. I use a Canon S2 IS camera that has a setting for indoor photography that seems to work pretty well. And I don't know anything about setting it up manually so I use the factory indoor setting all the time.

But my favorite part of your setup is the mutt. What would the world be without a good dog!
 
Vaughn,

I can see now how those photos you post are made so well. Real nice setup.

(Pssst, how about a picture or two of that beautiful clock up on your mantel?)

Aloha, Tony
 
Top