Take better photos: Stow-Away Light Box DIY

 

I had mentioned in an earlier blog that I wanted to take better photos and looking to make a light box. Not long after, my good friend Shima sent me a link to a light box DIY by flax&twine... What a great tutorial and now I'm in love with flax&twine.

Using materials I had lying around, I decided to take a stab at making a light box.

Here's what I had on hand:

Large carboard box
Scissors
White plastic shower curtain liner (no mildew preferably)
Masking tape

I didn't follow the instructions to a tee, as I have ADHD and my mind started working overtime. I kept thinking how much it sucked to lose storage space to this thing, and if only there was a way I could make it fold-able... so here you have it, I essentially made a cardboard table top and draped a shower liner on it.

Not crazy pretty, but it does the job and I can fold it up and put it under the bed.

Step 1: Start with a large cardboard box.

Step 2: Cut our into the box. Leave a structural frame. An Exacto knife would have worked better, but I couldn't find one in our house.  Scissors worked fine, but it hurt my hand and took a while.

Step 3: Tape up the legs to strengthen your frame.

Step 4: Drape the shower curtain line over. I'm going to play with this once I buy some Bristol board to use as a large curved backdrop. For now this piece of paper worked.

It can fit right under the bed or couch.  

Poor thing looks like a purebred horse with legs all taped up for a race. Just not as expensive or graceful, ha!

I've been playing around with different ways of draping the liner and backdrop. I'm sure I'll get better at it. I already love the way this photo turned out: