Making a light box for better fly photography

[ghostdncr 0]

There's never enough light. At least that's how it seems whenever I try taking pictures of my flies. I decide to build a light box just for fly photography, and I set out to do it for around $10. I'm hopeful the following will prove useful if you're faced with a similar situation. I'm already considering improvements, though.

 

First, find a suitable cardboard box, some duct tape, white paper, white plastic grocery sacks, and lights. I picked up these little AA-powered headlamps at Harbor Freight for $4.99 each.

 

 

Using a utility knife, cut the flaps off the box and set aside:

 

 

Next, cut openings in the sides of your box. This is roughly what you're trying to achieve:

 

 

Cut to size and install the white paper to the remaining sides of the box.

 

 

Cut the grocery bags into squares slightly larger than the openings you cut in the box's sides. I settled on using three layers, as that gave the best combination of diffusion and penetration. Secure with a piece of duct tape across one edge, then install tightly across the openings in the box's sides.

 

 

Test your light source to see if you have good diffusion and plenty of brightness. I don't, but will be changing to a more powerful light later in the week. I couldn't find the lights I was looking for, so went with these as a temporary solution.

 

 

I'm affixing this box semi-permanently to a shelving unit in my closet, which will serve as a photo station for fly photography. I'll attach its top to the underside of the wire shelving using heavy pipe cleaners and notching the bottom so my vise merely slides into place when I'm ready for a pic.

 

 

Here it is set up and ready to use.

 

 

And here's one of a size 14 Stimulator taken inside my new light box. Please overlook the obvious need for a better camera and the insufficient light offered by the headlamps. Both issues will soon be addressed.

 

 

A little creativity can go a long way toward making better photographs of your flies and as you can see, it doesn't take much money or effort to construct a working light box.

[smokinprice 0]

wow way to go. My father bought me a portable photography studio which is very nice but I cant find some place to set it up and out of the way.

[flytire 0]

did you put the vise in the box when you took the picture??

[Mr. Vegas 0]

you can kinda see there is a little notch cut out where the vise goes a little in the box

[flyrod98 0]

Ghostdncr, here is a THREAD that has 265 pages of info on DIY light boxes. Might pick some ideas for yours.

[ghostdncr 0]

I notched the box so the vise would only go a little way inside it. I may need to deepen the notch along with the lighting upgrade, though.

[deeky 0]

Great start - should come up with something myself. I would suggest more front light on the fly, though. Moving it back in the box will help, but not solve it. Coming from a theater background, the best, most natural looking light is done at 45 degrees, particularly with your primary light. 45 degrees above the subject, and 45 degrees to either side of the subject. I understand this isn't theater, but you have no front light other than ambient light from around the room, and that should be your primary lighting direction.

 

For what it's worth......

 

Deeky

[flytire 0]

i would put the vise inside the box (thats why you made the box), and light it from the sides. better lights will help

[Njardar 0]

How did you had the color temperature shift, or were the led lights balanced to daylight? Just curious.

 

- Charlie

[ghostdncr 0]

How did you had the color temperature shift, or were the led lights balanced to daylight?

 

Charlie: These headlamps are incandescent, using the same bulb style as the small AA-size Mag-Lites.

 

Flytire: I've already deepened the notch so the vice will sit farther inside the box. More lighting will be necessary to see a significant difference as a result of this improvement, though.

 

Deeky: I'm planning to go with larger lights at the sides to flood the box and move the headlamps around to the front, 45 degrees overhead on each side as you recommend. I'll fabricate some type of diffuser and aim them at the fly. I'm hopeful that will be enough light!

[ghostdncr 0]

After deepening the vise notch and playing around with the lighting, I managed these shots. Two of a Polar Shrimp variant and one of a size 24 midge common to the Cumberland River area. The midge really should've been photographed from overhead or beneath, as it doesn't look like much at all from the side. Also, please remember these were taken with a $100 Kodak point and shoot camera so let's focus on the lighting and not the poor image quality.

 

 

 

 

 

[a.k.s best vise rules 0]

VERY COOL MAN

[Bryan Wright 0]

If I may. slow your shutter speed and lower your ISO setting. The background looks pixilated due to a high ISO. Also you last shot seemed to focus on your vice and not your fly. See if you camera has a focus setting where you can make it a single point instead of it trying to focus on the largest object in your shot. If not you can move your camera a littl to your right and focus (this should lock in the foucs on the fly) then move it back and take the picture.