Photography Cube for an Idiot

[Twokidsnosleep]

This is one of my 2016 resolutions, improve my photography.
So boxing day on Amazon I got a Cowboy Studios Table Top PhotoCube



Great portable little set up in a carry case with two lights, a tripod stand, four background colour drapes and the velcro'd sides
Got a little adapter for the tripod so it holds the i phone
Here is the intro video from the Cowboy company

Now I have a bit of a short attention span and don't ever consider myself a camera expert...more of a point and shoot and move on kind of guy.
I took 5 pictures last night in the cube. Bad lighting time at night and used an iPhone 6 as the camera.
Too lazy to unwrap and iron out the colour drapes...hey it was late and I was sleepy
Up first, 1/16 Ferrari F40 WIP


Not bad
The i Phone was on a tripod and I hand held a LED shop light overtop to gain some better light

So then my latest figure..he is a bit slouchy on the base, nose down if you will


I like the light in the first shot best. Need to try some daytime shots and fiddle a bit more.
I like the cube and tripod, it has helped already. The side diffusing lights are weak and get f'ing HOT. I would prefer LED's
But they do have cool little tripod feet. Not sure if LED can be retrofitted into those lamps
So there we are so far

[Twokidsnosleep]

A pic of my Christmas draw prize....takes a bit of time to set up, but happy with this photo, details and lighting

[CJSomerset]

Your "cube" doesn't seem to have a top or front? But you say you held an LED lamp over head? If that's right you didn't diffuse that light at all, which is the main reason for using a cube. Kudos for trying to photograph the air brush, shiny stuff is really hard to shoot. Notice that yours has come out mostly black, whilst the one on the Ultra instructions is silver with a black stripe. Thats because with out a front or top to your cube, your AB is reflecting the dark areas out side of the cube. The one on the leaflet was shot in a full cube with a small hole for the lens to poke through. The black stripe is caused by the reflection of lens.

Here's a set up of a euphonium that is did in my studio, it's nearly 4 feet high so it needed a huge white tent instead of a cube. The first shot is done without the tent, the second has exactly the same lighting but it's diffused by the tent and the black stripe caused by the lens has been photoshopped away.

Euphon.jpg

[Twokidsnosleep]

Thanks for the pointers CJ
It actually has no base, I flipped it over to try and get more light from above in the dark room at night, so yes it was direct lighting and not filtered.
I will experiment more in daylight, right side up
It is a process. Nice to have a designated photo area that is collapsible and portable too

[Twokidsnosleep]

Ok, so this pic of my LHS visit booty is fully diffused light from sides and above..meh.
We are dark outside again so not ideal time of day. It looks too dark to me

[CJSomerset]

You have a bit too much stuff in the cube to test it properly. If you have lights on the top and both sides, then the faces of the two cans on the edges are being lit by the open side of the cube. If it's dark out side the cube, that's why they look dark.

A white base / background will bounce more light upwards, if your lights are all above the subject, this will stop them looking darker at the bottom. But the reverse is true of a black background, it will actually suck light away from the subject making it even darker at the bottom.

As you are not meant to see the cube in the picture, I would suggest that yours is only really big enough for models about as big as the X-acto pack in the middle. : (

A different (longer) lens will help to fill the frame. Phones have a VERY wide angle lens, so any camera with a standard lens would be better.

Keep experimenting and have fun!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Thanks for the comments CJ, the black background tips are great and make sense
I like that the cube is a singular place to photograph and agree it is a bit on the small side
I will keep puttering about with it

[Twokidsnosleep]

More fun in the cube
Continuing testing with The Tale of Three Dashboards

The first pic is natural ambient light on a cloudy mid day diffused in the cube


Second has a small LED added from above left direct light undiffused


Last is in the cube with halogen side lights added, diffused, and then a slight photoshop retouch enhancement...meh

I like the first photo the best, though the depth of the blue colour is unrealistic
Amazing how much difference is generated with just light....I haven't changed the camera settings at all
Lot of variables in getting a "good shot" and it is relative to what you are trying to show
Complex subject indeed

[Tay99]

Great post some useful pointers.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Thanks, but God you are in trouble if you follow any of my advice on photography.....listen to CJ , he is waaayyy better at this than me
I am posting more of a what not to do

[11BravoC2]

Scott, I have the same tent as you just not the Cowboy brand. I'm sure they all come from the same Chinese manufacturing plant.
I definitely do not know squat about photography, but i can tell the two lamps that come with the photo tent seem under-powered.

I use two articulating desk lamp with Cree 5000K Daylight equivalent LED bulbs. Probably not the best bulb but much better than those puny lamps that came with my tent. I need a third lamp for the top.

Here are a few shots I took with my old Canon T1i with an EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Zoom Lens. Settings are Manual mode, f/5.6, ISO-200, 1/25 sec.
Hope to be able to take nice shots someday. I'm due for a DSLR class at my local camera shop.







p.s. I'm sure there a lot of faults with the dio. I have to "dust" the glass, give it a dirty look.

[Twokidsnosleep]

I totally agree the the lights are underpowered
You did a great job on the bug's pictures... so much cleaner in the cube without distracting background
I am still floundering with my photography but getting a bit better, just have to stop storing the WIP kit box in the cube

[11BravoC2]

...just have to stop storing the WIP kit box in the cube

Got make it a habit to fold it closed and shove in the closet.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Six months from the last post and the photo cube is chock full of airplane parts and junk...storage area rather than photo booth
I turned to use it for a pic of the Boeing 747 WIP but it would have taken all night to move everything out so I just did the photo on my messy desk
Ahhh another NewYear's resolution down the tubes. Designated photo only area in my next workspace for sure

My Bugatti WIP from last month in the Cube..not too bad photo for me

[Lysus]

Feel free to photograph the Bugatti all you like.

[SergioSolo]

Great tips!
White plastic bags work wonders as cheap light diffusers too! With LED lights there's no risk of fire

[Twokidsnosleep]

That is a good idea!
Gotta change those side lamps to LEDs