Tuesday Tip: White Foam Core Board and a Window

HI! I hope Tuesday is treating you well. I am excited to share a simple trick that I used to take example pictures for the last photography tip that I posted. If you read that post you saw a few pictures of some photography projects we did at our house. Here is the "behind the scenes footage."

Ghetto you say? well, I prefer the term 'simple.' This little mini-studio was constructed by the north facing window in my living room at about 3 in the afternoon. I laid one foam core board on a desk that sits by the window and placed another foam core board behind it. This is how I usually take pictures that have a white background. For Bro's valentine I wanted to add some funky blue circle paper to the mini-studio. I did this by using scrapbook paper and tape. The picture is pretty self-explanatory.

I also tried some other scrap book papers with the greeting card that I shot at the same time.






You can buy foam core board anywhere, I got mine at wal-mart, but I saw bigger pieces at Hobby Lobby last week for a better price. It's a wonderful tool to have when you are doing table top photography. The white reflects light onto your subject and creates a brighter mini-studio. I also use foam core boards as reflectors when photographing people outdoors and indoors and I always use them when I am working with window light. This is a really useful, portable, easy set-up for someone who is taking pictures of objects for their blog, Etsy shop, or for any other reason. Just remember that you want your main light source to be the Be-A-utiful* window light, and your secondary light source to be the light reflecting from your foam core boards. Turn off all of your incandescent lights (lights in your house) and don't use a flash. You may need to use a tripod to avoid camera shake if you shoot with a slower shutter speed. Try this with your point and shoot camera (turn off the flash) or your SLR.

So go ahead, create a mini-studio and try moving your inanimate subject at different angles in the window light. See what you like, have fun, throw in some scrap book paper and create some photo-joy.


*diffused light: Light that is filtered or spread. When you use a north facing window it diffuses the natural sunlight so that it is soft, and very flattering to the subject. Here are some more articles on window light and photography.


http://www.photographic.com/issue-4-people-photography/0909_WINDOW/

http://www.iheartfaces.com/2010/12/tips-for-utilizing-window-light/

http://www.foodbloggersunite.com/home/2010/6/2/shoot-under-northsouth-windows-to-achieve-stunning-results.html

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