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How to Make a Product Photo Lightbox

Photographers have been using soft boxes to photograph merchandise for many years. They are capable of producing well-lit images that highlight the products. With a soft box it is possible to photograph many separate items without having to change the lighting set-up between each object. The cost of employing a professional photographer is often outside of the budget for a small business. Fortunately, assembling a homemade soft box is an easy process. In a matter of minutes you will be able to take professional looking product photos using materials that you may already have in your home.

Things You'll Need

Five Sheets white foam board, 24-by-24 inch
Masking tape
Ruler
White paper, 24-by-48 inch
Clamp light

Instructions

- 1
  Assemble a five-sided box using the foam board and masking tape. Start by placing one sheet of foam board on a flat surface and standing a second piece of foam board next to it to form one wall of the box. Use the masking tape on the inside seam to secure it in place and carefully tape the outside seam for reinforcement. Continue taping the foam board together until you have a square box with one open end.
- 2
  Cut a notch on one edge of the box on the open end. The notch should be about 12 inches long and 3 inches deep. Turn the box so that the notched side sits either on the left or right side.
- 3
  Tape the sheet of paper inside the box where the back wall meets the top wall. Guide the long sheet of paper down the back wall and out of the front. Let the paper arc when covering the bottom back seam of the box. Do not crease the paper as it needs to remain seamless.
- 4
  Clamp the light to the notched side of the box so the lamp is inside of the box. Turn the light on and place the product into the center of the box's bottom to photograph.

Photography