DIY - Use what's around you

[digitalium]

I was really impressed by the article DIY Soft Box - Use What’s Around You. I went around playing with things within my reach. And this is something that I ended up with and thought I'd share .

I always fancied the play with lights and background on all the product shots. And I thought it was almost impossible for me with a point and shoot camera. But I guess I was wrong atleast upto some extent. Here's the setup. I used anything and everything that i could think or get my hands on to get this shot



1. laptop (light source)
2. wall with blue paint (background)
3. containers (substitute for a tripod )
4. XS - Paco Rabanne bottle (subject)
5. emergency flourescent lamp (light source)
6. HP Photosmart R967 camera

I turned on the laptop and placed it vertically, the screen facing the wall. This gave a great bluish illumination. I, then, placed the bottle on top of the laptop. To add extra illumination, I placed the emergency fluorescent lamp in between the wall and the laptop screen, the lamps turned slightly towards the wall. The setup looked perfect. And all i needed was a tripod to mount the camera. I didn't have a tripod and so I used some containers to get the desired height.

I did some processing and finally here it is.



I guess it ain't that bad eh!

Have fun!

Flickr: $@p@m's Photostream

[carolinaborn77]

Nice! I tried a similar effect using a small LED flashlight pointing down into a green bottle of water. It came out fairly nice. I'm going to try your setup at home. Good work!

[digitalium]

Originally Posted by carolinaborn77

Nice! I tried a similar effect using a small LED flashlight pointing down into a green bottle of water. It came out fairly nice. I'm going to try your setup at home. Good work!

Great! Please share your shots. It'll be fun!

[Matthew James Norman]

That works really well. Nice.

[jrdnjstn]

Nice setup! I love DIY as I have no money!

Did the bottle ever fall off the edge of the laptop?

[digitalium]

Originally Posted by jrdnjstn

Nice setup! I love DIY as I have no money!

Did the bottle ever fall off the edge of the laptop?

Thanks! Yes, it did fall off a couple of times. My laptop has a flat edge so it wasn't difficult for me to get the bottle up. It would have been difficult it had a tapered one.

[DRs]

great initiative and resources...i like the result its awesome. i will try it some time soon.

thanks for sharing your ideas.

[digitalium]

Thanks DRs, Matthew James Norman, everyone!

[kencaleno]

If you grab a 20cent 20mm X 6mm gutter bolt and nut, and a soft drink bottle-cap, you can make a camera stabiliser like this:

It will fit the camera's tripod socket and when screwed onto a filled soft drink bottle, it becomes very stable.

regards, Ken

[digitalium]

Originally Posted by kencaleno

If you grab a 20cent 20mm X 6mm gutter bolt and nut, and a soft drink bottle-cap, you can make a camera stabiliser like this:

It will fit the camera's tripod socket and when screwed onto a filled soft drink bottle, it becomes very stable.

regards, Ken

Wow, that's great! I am gonna try this one. Thanks, kencaleno!