A light box is an essential part of any photographic studio.
Light boxes are an essential tool for any photographer. They are used to soften lighting, reduce harsh glare and modify shadows. They are available in different sizes, but you can also make your own, which is ideal if you want to add or remove walls and replace them with fabrics of different thickness to play around with light.
On the Light
Light boxes can be placed on top of lights to create a soft, diffused effect. They typically contain at least two different diffusion materials so you can switch between the two depending on your preference. Aside from the white diffusion material, the box is black on the outside and silver on the inside so that the maximum amount of light from the bulb can pass through the material, and the black stops unwanted light from bouncing off your subject.
As a Light Tent
A light tent operates on the same principle as a light box, but the box itself is larger and is placed over the object you are photographing, rather than the light bulb. They are used to get an even, soft lighting for small objects like jewelery, as they are rather impractical for bigger items.
Light Placement
There are different ways of using lighting if you're not placing the light box directly over a lamp. If the light box is placed over the item you are photographing, shining the light onto the back of the box creates a soft image. By contrast, shining the light directly onto the object creates a much sharper photograph, with no shadows. Shining the light onto one side of the box creates a dramatic effect with dark shadows.
Light Box With Two Sides
If you've made your own light box and want an incredibly soft lighting effect, cut out both sides and attach extremely thin fabric in place of the walls. The light then shines through the fabric, creating diffused, barely noticeable shadows.
Tags: Light boxes, light directly, light from, light onto, material black
