My own mini-studio

I haven’t been posting on this blog for the past few days because (1) my Macbook was sent for a repair, and (2) I have been busy looking for stuff I’d use for a mini-studio that I’m setting up in my room. I’ve always enjoyed shooting photos with studio lights. I had a studio lights workshop middle of last year and I enjoyed learning a few things about the impact of lights and shadows on the subject.

I don’t have the luxury of renting a studio just for a practice photoshoot - and the fact that I’m in a foreign and conservative land, my chances are slim in finding a creative venue to learn.

So I went to Ikea to buy lamps and sheets that I can use for a DIY mini-studio. I didn’t buy those high-wattage spotlight systems because I’d like this to be a setup that even dummies can make. I used my room’s dresser as my work area.

I discovered that the mirror and glass frame of my dresser proved to be more of a problem than a bonus. I’d have to go out again and buy styrofoam sheets for a DIY light tent that I intend to build and some paper sheets as background. Oh, I also got myself a model kit of Eva 00 from XL Shop in Midvalley to be my model for my mini lighting studio. It took me over 4 days (or nights) to gather everything but I have to skip 2 nights in completing the setup because of lack of sleep. The supermarket and DIY shops is actually an hour drive from where I live so work on this was very slow - had been up until 2am for those 4 nights

Preliminary shots of EVA 00 - have to work on that background and probably use a DIY snoot.

I’ll pick up from where I left home tonight and see what I can make out of this little project.

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You’re currently reading “My own mini-studio,” an entry on mobile junkie

Published:: 4.12.08 / 12am

Category:: gadgets, hobby, photography

Tags:: DIY, hobby, Lights, Model, photography

About

This site is dedicated to my thoughts (rants, reviews, updates, parodies) about my mobile lifestyle. I have regularly traversed the web in different needs - as a technology power user (Pocket PCs, iPods, gadgets), a hobbyist photographer, and a traveller.

I intentionally created this site to collect my serious thoughts into one site. It may evolve into something else as it grows, but that depends on what fate brings me to like.

As a wandering reader that bumped into my site, I hope you’d enjoy my ideas.

matlus 4.12.08 / 12am

Interesting. It’s nice to see someone who tries to make the best of what they can do. Keep it up.

Try diffusing the lamp you’re using (did you learn about soft versus hard light?). Also it seems that you need to do a white balance since the sheet is white correct?

bacchus3 4.12.08 / 1am

The white balance is intentional. And you’re right about the lamp. I’m still looking for a practical rig for a diffuser to put in front of the lamp.

I’ll probably make something better when I open the box of halogen lamps and the DIY light tent I’m making.

matlus 4.12.08 / 1am

Cool. Just keep in mind that bulbs get very hot, so whatever you use as a diffuser, keep it well away from the bulb and let the heat from the bulb dissipate.

What foreign conservative land are you in and what took you there (if you don’t mind my asking).

bacchus3 4.12.08 / 6am

Will do. Although I’ve been handling bulbs since I was young, I have to rediscover ‘heat’ again when I tried to make a snoot out of a paper cup. It didn’t take long before I smell paper burning.

I’m working in Malaysia as a consultant. It’s a Muslim country and I’m not pretty sure how things work here for photoshoots and studios.

matlus 4.12.08 / 3pm

Yea, I’ve had an experience where the snoot was about 8″ away from the bulb in all directions and within 5-6 minutes I was begining to smell the heat. Halogens get really hot!

I’d ask locals (if you have friends there) about this stuff or observe to see if you see anyone else doing this. Be careful and keep your head and face covered

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My own mini-studio

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