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Use the custom white balance feature on you digital camera when shooting with soft light.
Photographers who spend a lot of time photographing small items for catalogue use do not need to invest in a larger studio. Using a small table top photo box, photographers can create soft or other type of light they need to illustrate the items they are photographing. If your client requires a soft, gentle light on the objects you are photographing for them, you can build a light box specifically for that purpose.
Instructions
1. Determine the size of the light box you will need. Arrange for the client to deliver the largest item you will be photographing for the catalogue. Design a light box that will hold the item and give you six to 12 inches of clearance on all sides depending on the size of the item. If the largest item is the size of a watch, then you only need six inches of additional space. If the largest item is a microwave oven or other small appliance, then you will need the extra free space.
2. Build a frame for your light box using half inch PVC piping and PVC "T" connectors that allow three pipes to be inserted. These "T" connectors will be used at the corners to hold the cross sections for PVC piping.
3. Place three light sources, one on each side and on at the shinning to the top of the light box. To create a soft light effect, you can either use a "soft light" bulb in your light fixtures or use a material on your light box that will diffuse the light coming from the light source. Insert a "soft light" bulb into each light fixture. Turn the lights on.
4. Cover the sides and top of the light box with wax paper or white linen to enclose the light box. Secure the paper or linen in place using gaffer or duct tape.
5. Attach your digital camera to a tripod, turn the camera on and set the white balance to "custom." Place a sheet of white paper inside the light box and take a picture of it. Press the menu button on the rear of your camera and select "register custom white balance." The picture you just took will appear on the screen. Select this picture for your white balance.
6. Place the item you are photographing inside the light box and you are now ready to start shooting the item using light that is both soft and color corrected.
Tags: white balance, largest item, light that, soft light, your light, create soft
