DIY Lightbox For Photography

How to make a temporary light box to photograph projects better using diffused lighting.
Supplies Needed:

• Cardboard Box
• Box Cutter
• White Paper (sheets or a roll)
• Packing Tape
• Small Light Sources (of your choice) To Shine Into The Box When Photographing

Make a DIY lightbox for product photography.

You can orient your light box either horizontally or vertically, depending on what type of projects you most likely will be photographing. My box is vertical.

Cut out panels from both sides and the top. Don’t cut too close to the corners. The wider that the corner supports are the more sturdy and durable your box will be.

I left even wider corners in the top cutout to support sometimes placing a light on top. So, the space that I cut out on top was smaller than the cutout sides.

Begin to tape white paper on the outside, covering the cutouts. I wrapped mine around the back to make taping easy. I also wrapped it around the front edge to easily cover more of the brown box.

When taping inside, I tried to hide as much of the tape as I could to avoid glare when photographing. If you need to piece your paper, create the seams at the top or bottom, rather than across the middle. This will help avoid a seam showing across the middle back of your photographed item.

I chose to make my seams at the top. I will be mostly using this box to photograph, from the top downwards, printable greeting cards, tags, handmade books, envelopes, etc., where a top, background seam would not show.

Continue to cover the other side and the top cutouts.

On the inside, avoid as many seams as possible by draping the paper across the corners. Start with the floor of the inside. Tape it in place.

So much paper is needed in the inside that it’s difficult to avoid seams and gaps. For my next box, I may try adding white fabric to the inside instead. It would allow for softer folds and one piece could be used. Also, painting the inside white is an option to use alone or with paper, but less of it.

Add a horizontal piece of paper across the back, draping it in the corners. Tape it in place.

Add a vertical piece of paper from top to bottom, leaving the bottom half of it un-taped. It can be pushed in or pulled out to enhance the photograph.

I left the top inside uncovered since I’ll be photographing downwards. But, there is something to be said about brown absorbing light. I may add more white paper there. Covering the top inside might bounce off more white light.

This is how my little, LED spotlights look shining through the sides. The white paper diffuses the light so that it is not harsh and glaring. It makes for a softer, white ambience, which is more attractive. It also helps to reduce the amount of photo editing that is needed. The final photo would be cropped to the project, like this…

I could temporarily cover the seam to the right, lower side by standing a small piece of paper in that area. Then I could re-photograph. But, I’m happy with the image as it is.

This is how I would stand one of my lights on top when I need more down light. I plan to buy 2 more of these mini spotlights for shots like that. Sometimes I need 4 sources of light. I have added 2 table lamps propped over, with the light shining from their tops, into the front and other side of the light box.

This light box is as durable as the cardboard box used to make it. It can last indefinitely. Keep it stored in the top of a closet or on a shelf until needed.

Retail light boxes come in various sizes and prices. Some of them have a variety of colored cloth back drops. For instance, if you were photographing some seashells or a strand of pearls, you might want a dark backdrop.

This DIY light box will work in a pinch to improve the look of your product photography!


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