I work in Kharkov, away from the ceddrofis and, accordingly, away from all equipment, lights, cameras, stabilizers and drones. With the advent of the cold season, it becomes more and more difficult to shoot outdoors, which means that you have to move indoors. And today I will tell you how I made a home softbox with my own hands specifically for these purposes.
Target
In my case, the goal was quite simple: to make a convenient lighting device for photo and video shooting at home. Of course, going to the store and buying a couple of softboxes would probably be easier, but, firstly, it would cost a pretty decent amount, and, secondly, it would take away the opportunity to make something with your own hands and remove that very the magic of DIY.
So the main criteria for what should come out in the end were as follows:
- budget, but without much fanaticism
- sufficient power
- foldable design for easy storage
- versatility of placement
Previously, I made a small light fixture from a table lamp on a clothespin, two wire hangers, a few A4 sheets, foil, a stapler, and duct tape. And, of course, a powerful fluorescent lamp was used, which I once grabbed for some action. My "Light Mark I" served me for quite a long time, but time has shown that the lamp structure has a tendency to break, and, moreover, ordinary paper cannot provide sufficient rigidity for a reflective structure.
Another significant disadvantage of the first incarnation was its inconvenience. Although the Mark I Light turned out to be quite compact, it was quite problematic to store it, especially given the fragility of the structure. So now it has come to a rather deplorable state, although it is still quite functional. In the new version, I tried to take into account all the mistakes and not repeat them again.
Source codes
For the manufacture of the body of my future softbox, I decided to use the most ordinary cardboard box. In my case, its dimensions were 40 x 35 x 28.5 cm. You can buy such a box at the nearest post office or any other place where something is packed. The pleasure, by the way, is quite inexpensive.
Prototype
Naturally, before doing anything with the box, I needed to develop a prototype. I worked with the most common A4 sheets, so the scale was about 1: 5.
I want to say that if you were once told that geometry is not useful in life, then here is a refutation of this dubious thesis. So if you've heard something like that, you can find your math teacher and, highlighting everything with a softbox, laugh in her face.
Satisfied with the prototype, I proceeded to cut a full sized copy out of the box. In order for the structure to easily fold, secure and unfold, I added small square projections, with which the fastening will be carried out. But more on that later.
After the main parts were cut, it turned out something like the following. Everything is adding up, which means you can move on to the next phase of the "Light Mark II" project.
In order to make everything easy to assemble and disassemble, I decided to use the most common Velcro. You can buy it at any fabric store that sells accessories. A meter with a large margin was enough for me, and I gave about $ 0.50 for it.
As it turned out, the square protrusions were not enough to firmly hold the structure, so two additional Velcro were needed for each of the joints. The protrusions can be used as an attachment for a suspension or it is just convenient to hold onto them.
The lamp itself, which in my case is a pegged base, bought for about $ 4 at the nearest hardware store, is also attached to the inner wall with Velcro. To do this, a small area of cardboard remnants was glued to the lamp with hot glue.
With the entire structure folded in and out successfully, it was time to apply the reflective layer. For him, I used the most ordinary food foil and PVA glue. Having smeared the glue with an even layer with a brush, I laid out the pre-cut pieces of foil on all internal surfaces, smoothed and allowed them to dry. The result is quite impressive.
As the final touches, I attached a wire to each of the parts of the lid, "covering" it with a layer of reinforced tape. This allowed them to be fixed in any position, if needed. And as a diffuser, I use white baking paper, which can be found in any supermarket. So far I'm still thinking about how to make a better mount for it.
Outcome
As a result, I got a pretty powerful lighting fixture. All my requirements were met. It develops, it is budgetary, it is, as it is fashionable to say now, modular. His work suits me more than completely.
My plans are to blow out the Mark II Light with black paint on the outside to make it look more professional, rework the Mark I Light, and also make the Mark III Light, which I will also talk about.
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152760 Studio photography 0
Still an interesting topic - shooting in a photo studio: studio lighting, lighting schemes, examples of use ... If you search the Internet, you will find many articles on this topic .. But first, let's remember what types of light are used in photography.
Studio (or it is also called pavilion) shooting is carried out in a room in which artificial lighting is used. The number and power of the light sources used in this case must correspond to the amount of illumination required to obtain a high-quality picture. In accordance with these requirements, the luminous intensity of lighting devices, their arrangement is regulated, which allows solving compositional problems, obtaining lighting effects of various nature.
Types of light sources
The main role in the formation of objects is played by painting light revealing their sculptural-volumetric plastics. Skillfully using this kind of light, the photographer can highlight the most important elements of the composition and leave the secondary ones in the shadows. The ratio of light and shadow, that is, the creation of light balance, is also determined by the strength of the key light source, which is created under artificial lighting with directional lighting devices.
If the shadows created by the painting light do not carry a decorative principle or semantic load, they can be highlighted fill light ... It is created by diffused light sources and, together with other types of lighting, primarily modeling light, determines the degree of contrast in the image. Fill light evenly illuminates subjects and the room, creates the level of illumination necessary for satisfactory detailing, and does not create visible shadows.
Modeling light carries the functions of additional fill light (shadow illumination), for which weak scattered light devices are used. Bottom modeling light softens, smoothes harsh shadows from the main (spot) top light. Modeling light can emphasize the plasticity of volumes, creating on them a play of glare and reflexes, that is, local reflections from various parts of surfaces and surrounding objects, and their shape, color and intensity can be adjusted.
Background light serves to illuminate the background, for which diffused light devices are usually used.
Contour light creates a light outline around the object being shot. This outline should be brighter than the lighter part of the illuminated object and the area of the background onto which it is projected. Contour lighting can be an expressive part of a composition.
Spectacular light will create highlights and shadows of a given shape, color and intensity on the elements of the photo composition, as a rule, reproducing the effect of a powerful light source located above the frame's boundaries.
Leveling light illuminates the shadowy portions of your subject and never shadows portions of the main directional or key light.
When shooting, almost never all types of lighting are used at the same time, two or three are enough.
“The most powerful light source, which determines the nature of the lighting, creates the main key light; shadow areas of an object are illuminated by a source of diffuse fill light. Backlighting is often used to effectively outline the contours of objects with highlights. In some cases, the background is illuminated separately using a background light source. Modeling light can also be used to help illuminate specific areas of objects expressively.
To use these five types of lighting, you need five lights. But in most cases, two or three lighting fixtures are enough for the main, fill and backlight, provided that the selected background is light, located close to the object and does not require special lighting. "
A. Simonov, magazine "Soviet photo", August 1968
When working with artificial light, the photographer should keep in mind four characteristics of lighting: 1) the illumination of the subject and the entire space; 2) lighting contrast; 3) the direction and size of shadows, i.e., shaded areas of the surface of the object being shot; 4) spectral composition (chromaticity) of light falling on the surface of the object being shot.
Speaking about illumination and contrast, it is necessary to remember about the peculiarities of visual perception, for which not only the amount of illumination is important, but also the ratio of the brightness of individual sections of the composition being shot. The human eye distinguishes between brightness if they differ from one another by at least 10%. Therefore, to reproduce human visible light and shadow gradation, it is necessary to correctly pronounce the exposure metering of the illuminated and shadow areas.
It is necessary to learn how to correctly use the direction of light and the size of the shadows. There are countless options for illumination with artificial light sources - from subtle, airy, shadowless, created by fill and modeling light sources, to a black contrasting cut-off image obtained with only one key light.
Using directional light sources, you can create an expressive cut-off pattern. A soft, transparent shadow will make the drama of your shot less clashing. A pronounced chiaroscuro, in which some objects or parts of them are immersed in shadow, while others, on the contrary, are brightly lit, will add elements of dramatic tension to the composition of the frame and make the frame more expressive.
Skillfully using the contrasts of light and shadow, you can get completely different effects - from picturesque richness to the harsh sharpness of poster art.
As already mentioned, in order to create a certain type of lighting, it is necessary to choose the right lighting fixtures for this and install them correctly. There cannot be a universal scheme for setting light for any type of shooting, since the choice of lighting is dictated by the individual creative tasks of the photographer and various plastic features of the objects depicted. Therefore, we provide only a general scheme, which should vary in each individual case. We will consider some of its options in this lesson below.
Equipment for pavilion photography
Some of the most common studio lighting attachments include:
— Umbrella is a very handy attachment that can be attached to almost any lighting fixture. As a rule, umbrellas have a diameter of 80 to 120 cm. There are translucent umbrellas, which help to scatter and attenuate almost twice the light coming from a flash lamp, and umbrellas with a reflective surface. The latter have an outer surface of black fabric and an inner surface of fabric of various colors. Depending on the color of the fabric on inside the umbrella can receive one or another light. For example, the matte white surface of the umbrella provides the photographer with a very soft light, while the golden color of the fabric increases the temperature of the light.
- Portrait dish.Thanks to the design feature of the "portrait dish" light is obtained at the same time concentrated and soft. That is why this attachment is used when shooting portraits. Also, the "portrait dish" effect can be supplemented with honeycombs or soft attachments.
— Reflectors
... One of the most commonly used attachments in studio shooting is a reflector, which allows you to limit the light flux in the angle of propagation and concentrate it in the desired direction. There are various types of reflectors - standard, background, diffuse and umbrella. Umbrella reflectors are used in conjunction with umbrellas and their main function is to direct the reflected light onto the working surface of the umbrella. Background reflectors help the photographer illuminate the background evenly, while satellite dish-like diffuse reflectors are needed to keep the harsh flash light from hitting the subject. In addition, a variety of parabolic reflectors are on the market today, which are used to limit light at a certain angle.
— Soft boxes
... The soft box construction consists of a lightweight metal frame, which is covered with dense fabric. Moreover, the inner part of the fabric (metallized layer) takes the shape given by its frame and becomes, in fact, a reflector reflecting the light flux onto a quadrangular diffuser screen. Such a diffuser screen is a special piece of fabric that scatters light well, but at the same time practically does not affect its spectral composition. Quite often, soft boxes are used in studio shooting to create key and fill light, as well as to obtain uniform soft illumination of the object being shot.
Long soft boxes, which are several times longer than wide, are called strip boxes, which are most often used to illuminate full-length models, as well as when photographing large objects. Strip boxes (also called strips) are great for creating long, narrow highlights on reflective surfaces. Octo boxes are large diameter octagonal soft boxes. Used as a key light for group portraits. In portraits and product photography, they give a round shape in the eyes of models or on glossy objects.
— Tubes and honeycombs
... Other attachments for lighting equipment used in studio shooting include tubes and honeycombs. Tubes are conical-shaped nozzles that allow you to limit the luminous flux to a narrow, directional beam of light. With the help of such a nozzle, the photographer can highlight the desired detail with light, place certain accents. Honeycombs are fine mesh nozzles that help create a beam of light that is nearly parallel.
— Sources of constant light ... In addition to pulsed illuminators, constant light sources can also be used in studio photography. Constant light sources are often used in product photography, when traditional flash strokes cannot provide the photographer with a normal exposure during the pulse duration. Also, constant light sources are used to more accurately assess the distribution of light, shadows and glare when aligning the frame, which is sometimes problematic when using conventional flash illuminators. Many professional photographers generally find that continuous light sources are preferred over flashlights for portraits.
—
Racks
designed for mounting various equipment, positioning it in the studio and setting it in height. The crane is a stand with a crane and a sinker for installing lighting fixtures, designed to support any weight, including soft boxes and octo boxes.
— Other equipment ... The set of equipment used in a professional photo studio is very wide. For example, the same fans not only serve to cool lighting equipment. Tunnel fans with variable power rotation help to make the model's hair develop and her clothes flutter in the breeze. Working with lighting equipment requires synchronization with the camera. For this, in particular, a so-called IR trigger is used, which is attached to the place of an external camera flash. The IR trigger synchronizes the operation of the lighting equipment and the camera through an infrared pulse, thereby ensuring that the camera shutter opens and the light pulse occurs at the same time. Synchronization can be carried out either by wires, or by means of a radio receiver connected to a light source (the transmitter, respectively, is connected to the camera).
For studio shooting, the photographer will also need good optics. In particular, for product photography, you will need a macro lens that allows you to shoot at very close distances and is characterized by maximum sharpness and detail. Shooting in studio conditions also allows the photographer to create truly unique environments with voluminous ambience and smoke. For this purpose, a smoke generator is used in the studio, which makes it possible to create a fog of the desired density in the room, acting as a background.
Only a well-chosen studio equipment opens up a wide field for the photographer for all kinds of creative experiments, the embodiment of his ideas and the effects of professional photography. In a studio, you can organize a wide variety of lighting schemes, provide the creation of fog or wind. You just need to be able to work with a variety of photographic equipment and lighting equipment.
Examples of setting light when shooting in a studio
The studio lighting schemes shown in this tutorial are not dogma or direct guidance, are shown as an example only and may be used differently at the discretion of the photographer. These schemes use the minimum number of light sources.
1. Classic light scheme with 3 light sources
Option 1: 3 sources of pulsed light - 2 soft boxes and a flash with a reflector.
The octo-box was used as the main (drawing) light source. Considering that octo-box, as a kind of soft-box, gives soft, diffused light of a large area, there is no need for fill light.
The use of a white background is due to the desire to make the subject stand out without being distracted by details. The background light seems invisible, but the backlight from the opposite side of the key light - the shadow side - evens out the brightness of the background. A similar arrangement of studio equipment, with minor modifications, is used in stock photography and for high key photography.
Option 2: 3 pulsed light sources - octo box, vertical strip box and light head with reflector.
The same standard lighting scheme. For additional illumination of shadows, instead of the fourth source, you can put a reflector.
A model in white clothes stands out well against a colored background, although it is more suitable for artistic or glamorous photography. Lightening the background, given the white clothes, might not have been worth it. However, thanks to this lighting, the background is not uniform and "plays". The contour on the shadow side of the model also emphasizes the silhouette favorably. Background and edge lighting are used to create effects, and the use of such lighting makes the photo more "tasty".
2. Lighting scheme with 2 sources
Option 1. The background is light. The model is close to the wall. The source of fill light is a large octo-box located on the crane above the model. The painting light is a vertical strip-box located approximately 45 degrees to the optical axis of the camera.
Option 2 similar, but the background is neutral or dark, and the key light is rotated so that it shines from the side. In the studio, this is called grazing light. Side lighting is the best way to bring out the texture of a surface, such as fabric, when shooting to showcase clothing. The image is more contrasty and the outline is accentuated by backlighting to the back, top and side of the model at 45 degrees.
3. Shooting with a parabolic umbrella
A giant parabolic umbrella (approx. 180 cm in diameter) stands in the center of a photographic studio. The color of the reflective surface is white. The umbrella design is on wheels with counterweight, and the light head can be moved along the axis to achieve various effects.
On the Scheme 1 you can see how the bright light highlighted the model from two sides. The large size and shape of the bounce reflector provides soft, uniform illumination that serves as both key and fill light. The characteristic round umbrella flare works well for portraits. When shooting close-ups, a brightly lit circle with spokes is visible in the reflection of the eyes.
The pulsed light from the reflective surface of the parabolic umbrella itself has an "enveloping" effect. This umbrella is ideal for portrait photography, as well as dynamic shooting of a model in motion.
Scheme 2 for studio shooting on a light background: a large diameter parabolic umbrella and two strips of backlighting. To otherwise separate the model from the background, you need to brighten the background. Used 2 vertical strips for uniform illumination of the background over the entire height. The power of the sources is maximum. The light from the parabolic umbrella is voluminous. It works well the texture of leather and fabric, drawing details, and therefore is indispensable for fashion photography for clothing catalogs and photo stocks.
4. Shooting scheme on a white background for photo stocks
A feature of shooting for stock photography is the isolation of people or objects from the background. Usually a white background and additional lighting are used.
Scheme 1... Octo-boxes on the sides of the model are used as sources of drawing and filling light, one of which is on top of the crane.
To keep the white background from looking gray, you need to light it up evenly. For this, 2 vertical strip-boxes are used, one on each side. The pulse power of the background light should be sufficiently high or maximum. As well as the painting, although the painting can be slightly reduced. An additional nuance of this light scheme is the use of the background as a reflector and backlight. If the model is in close proximity to the background, then a bright light contour is formed around, and the figure is drawn.
Scheme 2: For a chest portrait, you can use this setup when the background is lit by a large octo box on the crane.
5. Lighting scheme on a black background
Consider the scheme for shooting a contrasting portrait in a studio, on a black background, using two light sources. To create a rigid pattern of light and shadow, special nozzles with honeycombs are used. And the tube will serve as a source of accent (sometimes called sculptural) or modeling light.
The Modeling Light is located on the axis of the key light, and is located on the opposite side of the model. It "tears off" the unlit half of the model from the background. It does not have a clear pattern and does not compete with the painting light. If installed incorrectly (for example, excessive brightness) can disrupt the entire light palette. If the photographer “does not see” or does not understand the modeling light, then it is better to refuse it. Due to the fact that the light from the modeling light source can hit the front lens of the objective and reduce the contrast or cause unwanted reflections, it is installed in the tube, or the light source is equipped with protective shutters.
Light scheme 1: Two sources of pulsed light - a beauty dish with honeycombs and a tube with honeycombs.
The specific nature of the lighting that a portrait reflector creates differs from soft boxes or umbrellas, since the light flux is evenly distributed on the reflective surface. A diffuser is used to obtain a softer light, and a honeycomb is used to obtain a directional light to the size of the plate.
The honeycomb tube is an attachment used in portraits to create highlights or highlights in hair. Illumination with a point light source such as a tube requires more careful and accurate positioning of the flash.
Scheme 2: The photo shows how the not very well positioned modeling light influenced the character of the pattern.
The key light source is located at 45 degrees to the model in front and slightly higher, and the modeling light, on the contrary, is at an angle of 45 degrees and higher behind the subject. The result is a contrasting portrait that stands out well against a black background.
6. Scheme of light from two sources with a color filter
The highlight of this two source scheme is the use of a color filter on the edge light. The small octo-box creates the main light-shadow pattern, gives a white (cold) tint. And the orange reflector filter, located behind, on the side and above the model, illuminates part of the face and dress with a warm yellow light. The drawing turns out to be so fashionable golden. The resulting overall golden illumination makes the image softer.
If you want to make the tone colder, and the colors of the skin and dress more natural, you can adjust the white balance or post processing. It can ruin all the romance of the lighting though. Initially, the white balance was set at 5560 K, in order to "cool" it, you can reduce the temperature to 4500 K.
This concludes this tutorial. Complex, a complete understanding of which comes only with practical experience that we wish to acquire for you, our dear readers, as soon as possible.
In the next lesson # 3, you will learn how to properly set up your camera for shooting in the studio. All you need is photographic!
A separate room or even a whole house is an important point at the stage of renovation design. Light can be basic and interior. With the help of interior light, you can emphasize the color and texture of the surface of walls, ceilings, zone the space, and spotlight some interior features. Lighting even affects mood. It is much more pleasant to be in than in a room with dim light.
Before making indoor lighting with your own hands, you need to ask the following questions:
- What kind of light will it be: main or additional?
- What kind of lighting will it be? Lighting devices with an incandescent lamp or diodes are popular.
- How will the fixtures be positioned?
Attention
When working with devices that are connected to the mains, it is necessary to observe precautions. For serious manipulations with an electrician, it is recommended to invite an electrician.
Read about how to properly make lighting at home with your own hands, as well as arrange illumination in the courtyard, find out about LED lighting in an apartment, and how to connect a chandelier and a switch to the power grid is described in.
Beautiful extra light
Devices with diodes are often mounted as additional lighting. It is better for beginners to use. Experienced craftsmen can make a luminaire with individual diodes. You can create a sconce with any decorative elements. The tape is cut with ordinary scissors. As a mounting platform, you can use a ready-made board, an old shade.Good for videography
Light is used for household needs, highlighting decorative elements in a room, and even for video filming. If the house is equipped with a filming room or the owner of the premises keeps a blog, often shoots home videos, you need a good lighting fixture. Successful light can make even a budget camcorder or smartphone shoot at a high level. can be made from scrap materials. You will need to create a prototype of the future softbox case on paper. A softbox requires a small, powerful fluorescent lamp on a clothespin.- The body of the device is made from the most ordinary cardboard box. The size of 40 x 35 x 28.5 cm is suitable. The contour of the future body is transferred to the cardboard, cut out and glued.
- You can use cling foil to create a reflective layer inside the enclosure. The foil is cut into small pieces that are used to glue the inside of the softbox. It is convenient to use PVA as an adhesive.
- After gluing, the foil is gently straightened and smoothed. White baking paper can be used as a diffuser.
Correct installation
Fundamental rules:- The main lighting should give an even luminous flux over the entire area of the room and may consist of several groups of lighting fixtures. These groups, for example, can be located at different levels of the plasterboard ceiling. When installing the main lighting devices, one should take into account the directionality of the light, its intensity, and color rendition.
Illumination should not be dull or dazzling, should not glare on surfaces or fall onto the work area.
- It is recommended to combine lighting groups with lamps of different colors. The presence of lamps with both warm and cold white glow is desirable.
Installation instructions at home
For example, to illuminate a plasterboard ceiling, an LED strip is used. To create, you need:
- Select Ribbon by calculating the number of diodes required for the backlight.
- Mount it. The LEDs are mounted on adhesive tape. The sticky layer should only be on the back covered with a protective film.
The adhesive tape can eventually peel off from the drywall, so it is recommended to do the following: before working with the tape, you need to find a PVC corner that fits the shelf and slope in size, and attach it with small screws in a niche where there will be light. Adhesion to PVC with Velcro is much higher than with drywall.
- Solder the wires. The wires are soldered to the LED strip carefully, as diodes do not like overheating.
- Attach to controller. Masters advise to connect each three-meter section to the controller with separate wires.
- Observe the polarity. When working with LED lighting, you must accurately observe the polarity and purpose of each wire.
Varieties of LED devices
Kinds
Popular types:
- LED indicator and lighting SMD (Surface Mounted Device). Designed for surface mounting on a printed circuit board. They can be mounted on a small board in large quantities by making a homemade LED lamp or light panel. The popular ones are a set of SMD LEDs on a substrate.
- "Piranha". Super-bright rectangular LEDs with a special base shape and improved diffusion properties. They easily mount with four pins to a PCB or other flat base.
- Lighting LEDs COB (Chip On Board). COB is a set of semiconductor crystals embedded on a single substrate, embedded in a phosphor. These diodes can be mounted on a substrate in a larger number than SMDs, so the COB has a higher luminous flux.
- Filament LEDs. This type has even better light properties than COB. Crystals are mounted on a glass substrate, then filled with a fluorescent composition.
Density
The density of diodes is the number of LEDs per running meter. The more diodes are located on a meter segment, the brighter it is. Popular types LED strips by diode density:
- SMD 3528- on one running meter, from 60 to 240 closely spaced light elements are used. This is a tape with increased brightness.
- SMD 2835 Premium- from 60 to 120 diodes are used on one running meter of tape. Most often used for spot lighting.
- SMD 5050- from 30 to 120 elements are located on one running meter. A quality budget product.
SMD 3528, SMD 2835 and SMD 5050 strips are considered almost independent light sources thanks to high level brightness.
Tape security
The protection class of any electrical equipment is indicated by two letters IP (International Protection). In each IP-marking, in addition to letters, the manufacturer indicates two numbers, the first of which indicates the degree of protection against dust ingress, and the second - protection against moisture.
Among the tapes, there are two types, which are distinguished by the degree of protection:
- Open tapes IP 33. Protection IP 33 is covered with transparent varnish on the front side. This coating is used for dielectric protection.
- Closed tapes from IP 65 to IP 68. The protection is a layer of transparent epoxy resin, and the IP 68 tape has double protection: this tape is placed in a rectangular PVC tube and covered with a layer of transparent epoxy resin.
Advice:
- Before installing the wires, you need to draw up a lighting project, mark the places for future cable laying on the walls.
- Conductive wires are laid strictly vertically or horizontally. If you plan to make a turn, then only at a right angle.
- From the wiring to the ceilings, openings of doors and windows, there should be approximately the same distance, but not less than 100 mm.
- The cross-section of the wire is selected according to the power consumption of the lighting. A wire with a cross section of 1 mm 2 is rated for 11 amperes, and a 100 watt incandescent light bulb consumes approximately 0.45 amperes.
- Additional insulation is laid in the places of contact of the wires in the wall.
All twists must be of high quality, well insulated.
- When working with LEDs, you need to solder with one touch.
Lighting devices help to comfortably spend time in any room in the evening and at night. But this is not their only task. The right lighting will highlight the elegance and beauty of the design of a room or the whole house. Even a beginner can make lighting in an apartment or house, if you approach the matter responsibly, observe all precautions when working with devices powered by the network.
In contact with
This article is a logical continuation of the article "Studio light from a table lamp" and considers the question of how to independently create a permanent light for a home photography studio.
The desire to have their own light sources arises in any amateur photographer who has begun photographing something other than “selfies and home gatherings”. A natural desire to find the cheapest and the best. Considering the design of numerous photos of lamps offered by manufacturers, you are convinced that the difference between the cost of the design and the appetites of sellers is not commensurate. That is why there is a keen desire to make your own lamp. When self-made, its cost will be 10 percent higher than the price of a set of lamps for it, and self-esteem will rise by 200 percent.
Since this is not the last home-made device that will be considered on our site, let's try to consider the order of actions that it is advisable to perform when creating any new device.
First you need to determine what components you need to assemble the device. For the manufacture of the lamp, you can use the tools available on the farm or purchase at the nearest construction market and in an electrical store. First, you need a plate, preferably made of non-combustible and insulating material, which will become the board on which the lamp will be mounted. The size and shape is determined by the number of lamps that will need to be installed on this plate. It can be rectangular or round, the main thing is that the total weight of the structure does not exceed the carrying capacity of the rack on which it will be installed. It is advisable to choose ceramic holders for fixing lamps. They have small overall dimensions and provide good heat exchange with the environment. This is important because one of the sources of heat in any lamp is the transition contact between the lamp and the socket. The fixing of the luminaire to the lighting stand must be rigid and reliable. The design must provide for the possibility of changing the inclination of the luminaire in the vertical plane. In the design of the luminaire, it is also necessary to provide for the possibility of installing an umbrella, reflector or an additional light modifier. It is advisable to provide a power switch or switch for the number of lamps on.
Any development begins with a technical assignment, so we will formulate it. We will make a luminaire based on four lamps powered by a 220V network and having a standard E27 socket. Lamp holders must be mounted on a dielectric, non-combustible plate that will be mounted to the light stand using. Electrical installation should exclude the possibility of accidental contact of the user to the current-carrying parts of the voltage of 220V. Installation of the luminaire should exclude the use of a soldering iron. The design of the luminaire should provide for the possibility of installing an umbrella for reflection or an umbrella for light.
The next step will be the selection of components. For the manufacture of a carrier plate, you can use getinax, textolite, thick plywood, a piece of laminate. In our case, it will be a plate made of caprolon, an electrical plastic that can be mechanically processed well and is inert to solvents. The plate has dimensions of 131 mm * 118 mm * 8 mm.
As cartridges we will use E27 ceramic cartridges with a metal holder.
Horizontal mount chuck
The holder has a threaded hole and allows the chuck to be installed horizontally. If the holder is bent 90 °, the chuck can be installed vertically.
This kind of cartridge installation is used in many homemade fixtures. Unfortunately, when the lamp is installed in the holder, the entire structure will vibrate like a blade of grass in the wind at the slightest movement due to the fact that the lamp with the holder has a large mass and hangs on a thin corner. After testing, this design was rejected.
For electrical installation, you need to purchase a power cord with a plug and a switch.
Additionally, you need a screw terminal strip and fixing screws.
To fasten the umbrella, we use a corner and a clerical clip according to the method shown on. The difference is that the heel of the umbrella will rest on the corner above the opening for the umbrella. This unloads the clerical clamp, which connects the umbrella handle and the corner.
At the third stage, you need to draw a sketch that will allow you to think over the location of the holes, their sizes, options for fastening and installing individual parts, and identify the need to purchase additional elements. The connection of the entire structure with the tripod head will be made using an M8 bolt, therefore, a corresponding hole must be provided in the base plate. Since in the assignment we determined the need to install an umbrella, it means that in the center of the carrier plate it is necessary to provide a hole for the umbrella handle and holes for attaching the corner. To attach the umbrella, it would be more convenient to use a flange sleeve with a fixing screw, but for simplicity, you can replace it with a corner with a clerical clip. Installation of lamp holders should be carried out at the same distance from the umbrella handle, and lamp bulbs at a sufficient distance from each other. This can be achieved by using the hole for the umbrella handle as the center of the circle around which the lamp holders will be installed. This arrangement will allow, if necessary, to increase or decrease the total number of lamps when designing other luminaires. Based on the above reasoning, you can draw a sketch that will allow us to make our lamp
For those who want to repeat the design, we present a sketch of the drawing.
To increase the size, click on the picture.
At the fourth stage, it is necessary to make all the holes in the plate and carry out its additional refinement.
In order to increase the light output of the luminaire when installing the umbrella, we will stick a self-adhesive reflective film on the center of the plate.
The next fifth step is mechanical assembly. In order to increase the area illuminated by the lamps and improve heat transfer, when installing the cartridges under one of the mounting screws, install an insulating washer so that the cartridge deviates from the vertical position.
After installing the sockets, the lamp will look like this:
The final sixth stage is the final assembly of the luminaire and its electrical installation. To do this, we will draw up an electrical diagram:
To increase the size, click on the picture
It shows that all lamps are connected in parallel and that the power is turned off using the switch on the power cord. With a small number of lamps, there is no need for additional switches. If necessary, you can simply unscrew one or two lamps. If the number of lamps is more than four, then additional switching will have to be provided. To do this, you will have to use an additional housing in which switches will be installed or use household lighting switches.This can significantly complicate the design, installation and increase the price of such a lamp.
We carry out electrical installation in accordance with the electrical diagram using mounting terminals.
The disadvantage of this installation is that for those who like to get under voltage, this opportunity is left in the form of uninsulated screws in the mounting terminals, so it is advisable to close the entire installation with an insulating box. For example, using a box from a halogen spotlight.
As a result of our work, we get a constant light source for a home studio, which looks like this:
If necessary, such a light source can be used in conjunction with an umbrella.
If you use fluorescent lamps, then we get a light source with a different type of spectrum and a different color temperature.
The design of the luminaire allows the use of constant light lamps and pulsed cartridge lamps at the same time, which makes it possible to combine pulsed and permanent light sources in one shot. The main requirement is to use sources with similar color temperatures. You can get acquainted with how to pick them up in,
In this case, it becomes relevant to adjust the light of the cartridge flash using the method described in.
As a result of this switching on, we obtain a luminaire with unique qualities, combining the advantages of a constant-light luminaire and a pulsed luminaire.
With this type of light, you can shoot with aperture priority mode, which will have shutter speeds significantly slower than flash sync speed. This makes it possible to provide a good study of details not only of the foreground due to the use of a photo flash, but also of the background due to an increase in the exposure time and illumination with a constant light source.
Conclusions: if there is a desire and elementary skills in handling tools, it is enough to simply assemble a budget lamp using finished goods and materials on hand. You can use ready-made light modifiers in this lamp, such as umbrellas, softboxes, screens. You can use photographic lamps in a homemade lamp different types and of different power, including combining pulsed and permanent lamps. With the simultaneous use of permanent and flash lamps, we obtain a luminaire with a new quality and the possibility of creating new methods of using light.
A homemade lamp will help you learn the basic ways of working with light in a home studio and determine the criteria for buying a professional light.
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A creative approach to staging lighting in a photo studio will allow you to shoot excellent studio portraits, so the importance of high-quality studio lighting can hardly be overestimated. However, for a beginner photographer, buying professional equipment for a photo studio, for example Recam, Lastolite, Profoto, Fomex or Prograf, very often becomes too expensive ...
But, do not rush to lose heart - you can make your own lighting fixtures and accessories for a photo studio, while the quality of studio portraits shot in such a photo studio will be no worse than when using expensive professional photo lights!
Video: How to make a photo studio at home
Photography studio lighting
If you have basic locksmith skills, it will not be difficult for you to make light fixtures that are not inferior in light quality to professional equipment for photographic studios.
Homemade soft box for a home photo studio
SoftBox for diffused fill light can be easily made from a wooden frame with tulle, gauze or nylon stretched in several layers. Such a frame can be used to cover a conventional illuminator with a reflector and obtain a very soft diffused light. Just do not allow such an illuminator to work for a long time, due to the heating of the lamp.
Homemade reflector for home photography studio
Instead of a professional photo-reflector such as an umbrella, you can use an old umbrella painted white from the inside. As a last resort, a sheet of white cardboard of the required size is suitable.
Reflectors can be not only a sheet of cardboard, but also metal foil or even a newspaper. Reflectors can be used with a light source, directing light onto them, or simply placing them on the shadow side of the subject.
Homemade lighting attachments for home photography
When shooting in a photo studio, professional photographers often use various attachments for lighting fixtures. Usually these are various lattices (honeycombs), tubes in the form of tubes and cones. Their design is also not very complicated.
In amateur studio photography, out of the wide variety of professional attachments for illuminators, you can use a table lamp with a homemade tube-shaped attachment. Such a tube lamp can be used as a modeling light source.
A professional illuminator with a four-blade shutter can be replaced with lamps with reflectors of different depths.
You can adjust the light when photographing at home by selecting the power of the electric lamps and changing the distance between the subject of photography and the light source. One of the most common mistakes aspiring photographers make is using limiting lamps. For a small express photo studio in the kitchen, 4 lamps with a maximum power of 150-200 watts are enough.
Homemade photography studio background
When organizing an amateur photography studio, attention should be paid to the background, especially when photographing portraits. The background should not be placed closer than one and a half meters from the photo model - this will save the photo from the appearance of shadows. In addition, the background should be illuminated brighter than the subject by 1-2 exposure units.
The fabric background can be replaced with Whatman sheets, but the joints of the sheets may have to be masked in Photoshop or any other photo editor.