Creating your own tabletop photo studio is much easier and cheaper than you might think.
A portable indoor studio makes it much easier and
convenient to take photos of indoor flowers and other smaller objects that you
may have around your home. But the real advantage of using a tabletop studio is that
you can avoid the elements of nature which you would otherwise be facing if you
were to be photographing similar subject matter outdoors.
To create a tabletop studio you really only need three items. They are a camera,
a tripod and a reflector. But there are other items that need to be considered
as well. These are the supporting surface, lighting, background and the subject.
We will look at each of these to see what is required:
- A Camera - Pretty much any digital camera will do. If it has macro
capabilities then all the better. Having macro capabilities will provide more
flexibility when photographing flowers or other smaller objects. When shooting
always remember to set the ISO to its lowest possible setting and to set your
white balance setting to "Cloudy" or to a setting that accurately reflects the
light source that you will be using.
Never leave the white balance set to "Auto" as this
may produce inconsistent or inaccurate results. Another item that would be
really nice would be a remote shutter release but it is not essential as most
digital cameras have self timers built in.
- A Tripod - Use a tripod that is easy to move and adjustable. It also needs to
be sturdy enough to support the camera equipment that you will be using.
Typically, the heavier the camera means the heavier the tripod. Your tripod
should have an adjustable head that will allow you to quickly switch from
landscape to portrait, and visa versa, with little effort.
- A Reflector - The purpose of the reflector is to create even lighting on your
subject. To achieve this effect it is best to locate the reflector on the
opposite of your subject to where the light source is. The reflector itself does
not have to be big but it does have to be big enough to reflect a sufficient
among of light back onto your subject. Typically, the bigger the subject, the
bigger the reflector needs to be to light it. To help hold and position the
reflector a second tripod with a support arm can really be handy.
- A sturdy Supporting Surface - The surface itself not only needs to be sturdy
and large enough to support whatever it is that you are putting on it but, also,
portable enough to be moved as the need arises. I personally prefer a good
sturdy folding table due to the fact that they typically have good supports and
are portable.
- Adequate Lighting - You do not necessarily want the light source to be
facing directly into the sunlight as this can produce harsh lighting conditions.
If this cannot be avoided try placing fabric, or other materials, over the
windows to diffuse or soften the light. This will produce a much more pleasing
effect.
- A Background - Try to use colored, textured backgrounds wherever possible.
This could be as simple as a table cloth on your supporting surface to colored
papers and backdrops. I personally prefer to use backdrops whenever possible.
The disadvantage to backdrops is that some require hanging and special
supporting mechanisms for them to be deployed.
- The subject - In most cases you should shoot your subject from the side
facing the light. Do not be afraid to move your subject or any other item in
your tabletop studio setup to get the effect that you want. There are numerous
other items that you may also wish to include but as long as the basics are
covered you should be good to go.
About the author: Stephen Cornfield is a photographer who has several years
experience photographing weddings, sporting and informal events. His company,
Photo Field Imaging,
also provides photo editing, restoration, and scanning services for all types of
photographs, film and slides.
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