I have found that using a light box to take pictures of my polymer clay pieces create a more true-to-life picture.  My husband made me a wonderful one.  He used plywood, a pipe, three light sockets, and a light switch and wire.  Here are pictures of it with out the shade and color background.

The lights are placed in a circle around where the piece will be placed.  I have use full-spectrum light bulbs. 

  Here is the light box with the “shade”.  To make the shape I used clear velum that I found in the scrap booking area at the local craft store.  It diffuses the light so that the objects don’t have large shadows.  I used a gray piece of paper for the background.  I tried many different shapes of gray to figure out which one worked the best with the majority of my pieces.  The only one that I have had problems with is my Purple Dragonfly Barrette.  The clear purple beads show up looking tanish.

To take pictures I mount the camera to the swing arm and place the piece in the center of the circle.  I use the auto-focus but not the flash.  The flash on the camera tends to change the color of the background and the piece.

Posted by Helen in Tips and Techniques on March 22nd, 2007 |