For taking pictures of small packshot products (product photo studio) background and lighting quality are required, mainly to avoid thinking surrounding objects on metal surfaces.
To achieve these photos yourself with the means at hand, I found a very useful information on the net: the gas can! So basically just a can of gasoline slightly translucent white (most are) and make an incision above the size of your lens.
Placing the container under a light source powerful enough, flash remote, desk lamp, window, giving an overall light and scattered.
Its object is placed in the can you pass the goal into the hole, the bottom of the container in form reproduces an infinite.
Given the narrowness of the work area this type of photo is reserved for a small-sized objects and goals whose area of focus is very short, so usually macro lenses.
For example photos I use a 90mm macro Tamron 50 mm or a classic with an extension ring which allows me to decrease the area of development and that gives me a 1/1 ratio.
Of course we can find cans of larger size to increase the working area, it will therefore increase the lighting to suit.
Here are some photos taken in this "lightbox", these photos are only present to show the type of light produced by this system, I would take more time to make some more pictures when I have thought a little time at my disposal. The photos were processed in the great free RawShooter allows to "develop" its raw files desaturation was applied to the photos.
Pictures taken with the "lightbox":  | Photos of the "lightbox":  |
June 17th, 2006 at 8:02
Hello,
Great pictures. But if you have a compact that does not support the raw format, how can we do?
Thank you
June 17th, 2006 at 2:37
The raw is not mandatory, it simply offers a meillieure dynamic image, a shot of levels in photoshop will do just as well
June 20th, 2006 at 8:24
thank you
one last thing: what were the regulation of your device? (Iso etc.)
June 20th, 2006 at 6:35
The Exif are present in the photo
July 8th, 2006 at 9:23
If I may ...
I am sorry to tell you that it's not that ... packshot
The packshot is to be descriptive and not have shadows or blur ...
Here
Bye ...
July 8th, 2006 at 9:33
JB thank you for this relevant remark, anyway the goal here was to show a simple and inexpensive to make small objects photographed.
If I had a little closed my f-stops and added a source in the box I came home in your definition
July 8th, 2006 at 9:51
Actually ...
Anyway I find it pretty ....
August 4th, 2006 at 11:09
Hello, frankly on this page and a few others, I remain "stuck" with the technique, tips and humility that emerges from all this. Hats off! Congratulations.
August 4th, 2006 at 11:11
... Especially by the advice of the "concert". I will use it well.
November 29th, 2006 at 10:08
Thank you to share your techniques, it's really nice.
Your photos of examples, shows that many things are possible with this method. I'll try the dice as possible.
Good luck!
December 15th, 2006 at 1:23
Very good idea to introduce this system, it can hardly be less effective and the ratio is unbeatable, and then I like the site overall.
Come on, a good day and more photos.
Stone
January 6th, 2007 at 6:09
Personally, I find the idea of a lighter in a gas can, it's the bomb!
Thank you for sharing all these tips.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:22
Hello!
I was wondering if you used as your can of gasoline / light box for your portraits? And also if your portraits to still (I think that your photos are the most successful) you used a flash or continuous light?
Congratulations anyway.
January 26th, 2007 at 12:36
Jérome hello, people I work with are usually pretty big and it has trouble going back to my can of gasoline
For portraits often of natural light, and sometimes the flash
March 17th, 2007 at 1:38
Hi Ben,
And if we can not how can we get a result close to yours? This is my case and I bcp wrong with the success, I use a white background overexposed but I feel it makes me forget about my subject matter.
March 18th, 2007 at 2:04
say that the interest here is the use of this bottle, there is a solution based light tents, the principle remains the same; an infinity for the background and a max of scattering material
April 6th, 2007 at 3:59
Hello,
Why did you put that black and white? and not colored object ... I can be the answer. but I expect to see
April 6th, 2007 at 7:45
Simply because the images were not sufficiently "clean" to be offered, say that the goal was simply to show a diffuse light well, if I had a little time I would do something more constructed
, The objects were also very little color, black and white metal
June 5th, 2007 at 3:49
Benjamin thank you for your articles that are both highly technical and very affordable for the Neophyte.
I was inspired of your container and from a translucent plastic box kind curver (I did not find can), I get very good results already. A small request, could you complete the section by the shema positionnatn / light sources in order to understand how you build your light? I'm sure it would help me a lot and I can not get hold of such an article ...
July 12th, 2007 at 5:20
Hello!
Thank you for the tip! Except that I have a little problem ... I can not find a bottle: / or have you found?
August 13th, 2007 at 11:27
Thank you for the technique. I try whenever I have time.
August 31st, 2007 at 3:19
Hello and thank you for these tips.
Question: How do you use extension ring with your D50?
Jerome
October 29th, 2007 at 4:57
Hello,
I would be very interested to do this kind of picture. I fail to see the size of the container you used. Do not you have a picture of it in action?
Anyway cheers for the site, great photos, superb technical part, bravo!
October 29th, 2007 at 5:08
Hello Samuel, the size of the container must allow the return object
January 13th, 2008 at 7:37
[...] The trick phony Simple and practical: the use of a plastic jug of recovery for a free replacement light tent [...]
February 1st, 2008 at 4:57
hello,
you say earlier that the raw is not mandatory and it simply offers a better dynamic and photoshop will do the rest.
I'm not too agree except on: "the raw is not mandatory."
The RAW is an uncompressed file, more clearly, the file can then be reworked into a log made homeless by the altered image.
Voilou
February 13th, 2008 at 7:20
Hello, I repeat the question that seems unanswered = D
But it can, the famous, or it comes from? I've been around food stall, they have only 5L or 10L, AC is small, I also tried to a garage, but the state has left the can on the desired "white"
If you can give a track
Thank you, and congratulations for your work
February 13th, 2008 at 8:41
Good evening, I found mine in a DIY store
February 13th, 2008 at 9:02
I used a bidonn of washer fluid and it feels fine.
http://www.f2mi.com/acatalog/LAVE-GLACE.jpg
March 9th, 2008 at 9:38
See in pharmacies, some still have alcoll cans of 25 l, it's clean
March 10th, 2008 at 1:56
Ah yes not stupid!
I had to see the restaurants, the idea to polish up an oil can or feel that the curd is sobering
For those who are lucky to have a beautiful wine region, in general all products are in the cans and large capacity
April 7th, 2008 at 7:27
Excellent tip! you had to think ...
thank you for this light! 
April 15th, 2008 at 8:24
See cans for home heating oil (in any free services or DIY store)
May 7th, 2008 at 9:12
No way to find this bottle! I'm looking for weeks.
Help!
August 23rd, 2008 at 5:20
Hello,
I have a small can of 5L, this is done
But my problem is I have a 17-55mm cannon in, and I must be at least 28cm of oject for the development works. How can I do without buying a new goal?
Thank you
August 25th, 2008 at 1:16
Marie,
Extension ring allows you to have a closer focus
August 25th, 2008 at 9:39
Hello,
How do I know the brand and model the price of this extension ring? Because I do not really know anything
Thank you.
August 28th, 2008 at 7:37
Marie,
look toward offering a Kenko tube set (12/20/36mm) that have a very good price / quality ratio (and maintain automation)
August 29th, 2008 at 8:20
Ok, thank you.
Another question: With that, I can take pictures in the can? It makes me a tune to how many centimeters? Thank you.
September 4th, 2008 at 10:02
vein can:
I found mine at the car wash total floor Waterloo Uccle (near the Avenue de Fre)
cans are used for the product rims and the person in charge - that accumulated tins - nothing better than to see from one or two!
If you're looking so desperately as I pass by there!
October 20th, 2008 at 10:30
Benjamin,
I wanted to thank you for your technique of translucent bottle, I was able to make shots of a great quality knives and the client was super happy. It does of course not replace studio equipment, but at the glare that's fine. There are systems of pro chiffon tents for large format but I'm tempted to try with a PVC tank of 1000 liters and three flares (two side and one above).
If I can help or make you a tutorial on a subject, it will be with pleasure.
Flavien
November 28th, 2008 at 12:51
Hello,
For cans, there are ways to find a fuel pump, new ones. Me that's where I go.
Thank you for the tutorial
December 30th, 2008 at 5:16
Hello,
Super idea of the can and much cheaper than a photo studio! I have just a small question, I'm designer silver jewelry and I find that black backgrounds make much better ... is that the quality will be good tjs if I add a black background that can keep only the sides the white top and side of origin??
I just bought an Olympus E420 digital SLR, do you pouriez also advise me on the choice of settings for jewelry photos, I have a 25mm optical and??
Thank you and happy holiday season to all.
Virginia
March 25th, 2009 at 8:54
Great idea!
May 10th, 2009 at 10:50
Hello,
What about Halide lamps or metal halide lamps French?
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lampe_aux_halog% C3% A9nures_m% C3% A9talliques
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/209987865/Metal_halide_and_sodium_lamp.jpg
It's getting warm unless the halogen lighting provided light and natural air, and as it is cheaper than the lights of photographers, it's tempting, but I await your advice.
Thank you for your help!
July 1st, 2009 at 9:49
Hello Ben!
I also advise you on tracing paper large as to make the box, but maybe you know the trick already.
It's cheap and it allows you to take pictures with larger objects. I've done with 3 pots and lids, it works well.
External flash mounted on the camera and lamp type "halogen" outside. Not as the top lamp but the result was not bad!
Thank you anyway for all your advice, it will serve me!
@ More
Caromeli
June 28th, 2010 at 2:53
Hello,
I wanted to know how many gallons the tank is used?
Thank you
November 11th, 2010 at 3:04
[...] To a self portrait Tamron 11mm, two tests of "photo-pub" on BenB's Touch, as well as some pictures of the Japan Expo 2007, all developed with Camera Rawa of [...]
August 5th, 2011 at 1:59
I who was looking for a way to take pictures of LEGO! Thank you for this page very very useful and informative
October 19th, 2011 at 9:04
Thank you for the tip, I'll try that right away.