Most modern people are very sensitive to their photographs, because the cost of cameras reaches quite large sums, so the pleasure of shooting should fully and completely pay off the money spent, however, if the quality of the photos is good, then the composition of the photo, the style often leaves much to be desired. Our task in this business will be to help amateur photographers, which will require very little start-up capital, a desire to make money and hands that simply grow from the shoulder joints. The size start-up capital is important only for those who are going to open a small office to meet with clients, in most cases, you can work from home, you will also need money to buy a good color printer if you want to earn more.
The set of raster graphics editors that you need to work is not that great. First of all, it is necessary to install the beloved and well-known Photoshop, which is already legendary. It is not at all necessary to understand the program from Adobe thoroughly, but it is still better to master the basics, for this there are several thousand sites on the network with lessons for novice photo designers. The basic skills required are in the ability to use layers, masks and adjust color / tone / contrast / brightness and, of course, the use of graphic filters. Unusual graphic filters are becoming the main weapon. Other lesser known programs can add to Adobe Photoshop. It is even advisable to buy software packages with ready-made sets of presets, in this case you do not have to master them - you just need to prepare a few edited photos using these presets. In addition to them, there are many programs that work with photographs of all formats, turning them into a specific image style, as well as whole sets of software tools for design work in express mode - programs for making business cards, banners and other printed materials and outdoor advertising.
Further. Using software raster editors, you need to prepare several layouts for demonstration to clients. The main difference between our business and any photo studio is the ability to quickly use already prepared presets, radically change the style of photography (for oil drawing, black and white old photographs, for graphics) in a few minutes, followed by printing, and therefore the catalog of finished photos should be extensive. allowing the client to quickly choose the way he wants to change the photo. It is best to prepare a small album for photographs, in which there would be ready-made works with a small description of the graphic style. The list and variations of photos depend only on you, your imagination and the number of installed filters and brushes for Photoshop, graphic editors and plugins.
How much can you earn? A question that is not so easy to answer straight off. In fact, a lot depends not so much on your ability to persuade clients and professional skills, but on greed. The average cost of working on photography in express mode should be adequate, no more than one hundred and fifty rubles for the work and an additional 15-100 rubles for printing a photo on photographic paper, depending on the size of the photo. The profitability is quite high, because the cost of making each individual photo is not so much, if we calculate the costs of organizing a business and the cost of work, we get (I count at average prices for the regions of Russia): rental cost (10,000 rubles per month) + payment of utilities (from 2,500 rubles per month) + purchase of a color printer with a continuous ink supply system (6,500 rubles for an Epson Stylus printer) \u003d 19,000 rubles in the first month and 12,500 rubles for each subsequent month, taking into account that the office can be used and for other needs. We will also assume that one pack of 100 sheets of photo paper costs 280 rubles, in this case the cost of 1 photo will be about 4 rubles for you (ink costs), it turns out that the price of 60 rubles, for example, for one A4 photo pays off the costs by 1400%. A trifle, but nice. Serving 10 clients for an average photo size of 30 rubles, we get: 10 x (120 rubles for work + 30 rubles for printing) x 30 working days \u003d 45,000 rubles. True, this is an ideal picture, but after all, if you want to work, use advertising, the right approach to clients, the result of ten clients a day is not so much, you must agree.
By the way, using an office for a small design studio will allow you to additionally engage in any other business that uses a computer, Internet connection and other gadgets already at your disposal. In addition, the presence of any office automatically allows you to come up with some additional business to work in the "real" world, while not losing any profit from the main business. The business described above can itself be used as an addition to an existing business, because it does not impose any significant restrictions on the entrepreneur in his work, and also allows him to be in close contact with clients. Who knows, maybe a person who is photographed against the backdrop of a sea wave in Cyprus will want to buy a house in your real estate agency (and now all realtors are going through hard times). A business idea for organizing an express design studio can be put on a "stream" very quickly, spending a little time and effort on it, however, for a real result, you need to work hard and invest not only money and labor in the business, but all your creative energy , it will pay off and, perhaps, in six months you will have your own full-fledged photo studio, which will be contacted not only by private clients, but also by large companies, so that you create design layouts for them and much more ...
Therefore, go ahead for the money.
But there is a device that makes life easier for a photographer. This is a light cube, it is also a photo box, it is also a shadowless tent. Of course, there are ready-made solutions on sale, but a lightcube is such a thing that it is much easier to do it yourself.
Structurally, the device is a frame covered with a scattering fabric with a background inside, and illuminated by 1-3 light sources. The simplest light cube can be made in literally twenty minutes from a cardboard box and tissue paper, but if you want something more solid, you have to work hard. Fortunately, detailed instructions have been posted on various photoblogs.
Most of the authors recommend making a frame from PVC boxes "cable-channel". Ok, Bartimaeus told himself, and went to the hardware store.
So in the beginning I had:
- a sheet of drawing paper, size A1.
- PVC box 16x16 - 4 pcs, 2 meters each;
- joining bar 15x20mm - 6 pcs. 1.2 meters each;
- spunbond, he is geotextile - 1 packvka, 1.6 x 10 meters.
I cut 12 pieces of the box 35 cm long. In four of them I made a slot on the side, in another four I opened the ears. Looking ahead, I will note that this is a very clumsy work. The cable channel is generally not intended to create structures from it, and it certainly does not forgive such an attitude.
For cutting the box, I thought of using a garden pruner. :) And for connection - use Lacrysil construction assembly glue "Steeper than nails", in the hope of compensating for irregularities in the profile and cutting flaws. Looking ahead, I will note that hopes were only partially justified.
Nevertheless, pretty soon I became the owner of two frames 35x35 cm. It remains to connect them into a cube, with "eared" pieces.
The task turned out to be so difficult that ordinary nails had to be called in to help liquid nails ...
Who is there whispering "nightie" ?? Leave the audience, prankster! :))
Forgot something? Surely! The most important thing is light!
This is how a light cube "in combat positions" looks like. I used two table lamps for lighting.Ultraflash UF-301. These are the first pictures. As you can see, they look more than decent. Despite the fact that it was not possible to completely get rid of the shadows (the spunbond is still too thin, at least two layers are needed), the photo quality is an order of magnitude higher than those that I took with the light from the window.
Nevertheless, when the first excitement subsided, I wanted ... to make version 2.0. For in the process, annoying design flaws came to light.
I was already thinking of buying additional boxes and connecting it correctly, cutting off all the irregularities and adjusting the details as accurately as possible, when I saw THIS during the next meditation in the building market.
Remember and do not say that you have not heard! The best material for the lightcube frame is the "corner" profile made of PVC, white, 20 * 20 mm, thickness 1.5 mm. It is sold in pieces of 2.7 meters, it costs a penny, at least - cheaper than a box. And it's tough enough to make a cube even 60x60x60 cm. ...
Perfectly cut with a hacksaw for metal ...
My light cube 2.0 is a parallelepiped 30x35x45 cm. Looking ahead, I will note that I missed a bit - the length of the module had to be 42.5-43 centimeters. Why - I will explain below.
I made another important addition to the design - I glued an LED strip to the inner surface of the upper corner. For front lighting. I spied this solution from the Chinese from aliexpress.
The power of the tape is 14.4 watts / meter, with a piece length of 35 cm (these are 7 LED modules, each 5 cm), the power consumption will be 5.04 watts, with a supply voltage of 12 volts, the current will be 420 milliamps. That allows you to use a conventional 12 V DC unit with a current of 500-700 mA for powering!
While the glue dries, you can build diffusers. According to the new concept, they should be removable. I made 2 stretchers from the jointing block. 30x35 cm and 1 piece - 35x45cm. On the side, I pulled the PONGS ceiling fabric, and on the top one - two layers of spunbond. For fastening, I used power buttons with hats, but ordinary ones are also suitable.
As you can see, this time all efforts were justified. A piece of whatman paper lay inside like a glove, if my photobox was shorter, 43 centimeters, then you could easily use the ready-made A2 format. The ceiling fabric diffuses light well, besides, I screwed powerful 15W Gauss bulbs, 1400 lumens each, into the "tabletop". For the top light, I used a peg lamp"Svetkomplekt" E50N with a 590 lumen lamp, although a regular cartridge on a tripod will do.As you can see, the results have been achieved. The highlights and shadows are gone, the only thing that needs to be done is to correct the white balance, but that's another topic.
Visual demonstration of the results of backlighting with LED strip. Option "no backlight" - on the left. As you can see, the result is very much worth a couple of extra rubles spent on the tape and the block.
Summary. The Lightcube is an effective tool for the subject photographer. It is easy and simple to make it yourself, the main thing is to decide on the dimensions and choose the right material for the frame.
P.S. It remains to wait until Santa Claus brings me an "adult" camera, and I can try my hand at photo stocks ...
P.P.S. The original article was originally posted on the Otzovik website, but due to the administration's policy it had to be moved here.
If you sell small-sized goods through an online store, there is an urgent need to upload pictures of a new product.
High-quality product shots are important!
Foldable mini photo studio (photo box), cheap and prompt help for online stores
As you know, the buyer, visiting online stores and looking at the product he is interested in, gets a first impression based on what he sees. Image is the only way to visually understand and appreciate quality.
How to take high-quality pictures of products for an online store?
For many aspiring entrepreneurs, this situation is a significant problem - there is no own specialized photo studio, and paying for the services of a professional photographer is expensive, and besides, it is not quick.
The way out of this situation is quite simple; for such shooting, a design is needed that would take into account three components - a uniform white background, a correctly lit place and a camera.
The design of the simplest mini photo studio in front of you:
You can play with colors:
The background for a different product can be not only white, but sometimes yellow, blue or green, which can make the background more compatible or contrasting. For these purposes, the author of the invented studio provided a set of background sheets in the package.
You do not need additional spotlights or.
The built-in self-contained LED lamp allows you to take pictures anywhere, it only requires a 9-volt battery.
? Definitely yes! The author of a mini photo studio has created a topical product to help small start-up companies. It is a necessary and easy to understand product. A similar design or purchase a mini photo studio ready-made.
Photographers now have a very large selection of accessories for photography. Especially when it comes to light or other elements for a portable desktop studio, which will provide a wide range of functionality for subject shooting. Various diffusers, reflectors and backgrounds can now be found. However, most accessories have a serious drawback. They are very bulky. Their cost is also high. Many filming devices can be made independently from scrap materials. You can set up a mini studio almost anywhere in a short time.
Your own solutions will be tailored to your personal needs and you don't have to be an engineer to design and create a light or background modifier. Everything is very simple. The main thing you need when shooting small objects is the ability to redirect and change the light.
A simple studio on your desk can be done very quickly with minimal cost... For work, you will need what is in almost any home, and if something is not there, then you can buy it at the nearest hardware or office supply store. The main elements of the studio will be paper and duct tape.
You can change the setting to suit your needs and get various effects. In the event that you want to create a permanent studio that will work for a long time, then this option will not be the best.
Required materials and devices
- Thick black cardboard. It is needed for the base, so its density will affect stability.
- White and colored paper or cardboard
- Duct tape
- For the base, a wooden board or other object that will raise the subject slightly above the level of the table and will look good in the photo
- Additionally, paper may be required as alternative backgrounds or light modifiers
Assembling the structure
The whole assembly process consists in gluing the necessary elements. You need to rely on the diagram. It's very simple. It is important to ensure that the height of all sheets is the same.
This is how the assembled structure looks like:
She doesn't look very professional, but that doesn't matter for a temporary studio. The main thing is that she will do her job in the best possible way. No outsider will see it, and the result will not give out that everything has been done for a penny.
How to install
When shooting in a studio, whatever they may be, the main thing is to correctly control the light and be able to change it. You can work with any light source you want. This form of studio will allow you to get good results with flash and with natural light. However, it is best to use a single directional light source.
The main subject is lit from the front. Since the sidebars are black, they will adjust reflections very well. The streak of light will be narrow and will not fill the object from all directions. This will add volume. The contrast will also increase.
The side panels can be expanded wider or shifted at your discretion. This will change the effect you get. Keep an eye on the background. Side panels must not cast a shadow on it. This will be very noticeable in the picture and ruin it. Almost any shadow will create a nasty gradient.
Given that the main subject is small and very close to the background, they will have the same exposure in most situations. Try using a different background color.
Especially carefully you need to build a composition. Due to the narrow background, corners may be caught in the frame. It shouldn't be.
Using reflectors
When shooting in natural light, the light will most likely come from above. This can create deep, dark shadows. A small reflector will help correct this phenomenon. It needs to be positioned in front of the subject, but in such a way that it does not fall into the frame. By changing the angle of inclination, you can achieve an optimal result. The reflector does not have to be purchased, although you can find a small 12-inch for the normal price. The reflector itself is made from ordinary baking foil.
The reflector can also be installed at the back. This will soften the harsh shadows that obscure the details of the backward parts of the subject. White cardboard can be used as a reflector. It is easy to install vertically.
Transformations
The design of our mini studio is very simple and compact, but it is also quite flexible. You can make any changes in minutes. You can change the following:
Side color
Black panels can be replaced with any color that will blend in with the main subject. In addition to the color, you can change the material, for example, cover the walls with foil. With this configuration, the shadows will be filled with light and the subject will be more detailed, but will lose depth and volume. Different material and color can be used on different sides. White paper will create a less intense shadow filling effect.
Backlight
If you used thick cardboard for the base, then you can cut out the central part from the back panel, glue it with translucent paper (a thin A4 sheet or tissue paper is suitable) and install a light source behind the hole. The paper will act as a diffuser. This gives you excellent backlighting.
The backlight will greatly enhance the contrast. This can be used for a creative effect or to compensate for deep shadows with reflectors.
Various backgrounds
The background color can be changed depending on the plot or creative idea. You don't have to be limited to plain paper. You can apply fabric, wallpaper, or even wood. All this will create a unique look and open up wide opportunities for creativity.
Studio dimensions
We have now described a small setup that is suitable for shooting various objects such as mobile phones, tablets, jewelry and bijouterie, toys, figurines, etc. However, nothing prevents you from taking large sheets of cardboard, for example, from a TV box or refrigerator, and making a studio that will allow you to shoot large household appliances, interior elements, musical instruments or even people.
Afterword
A mini studio like this is not a quality workspace that will last a long time. It is needed in order to quickly fulfill a sudden order or just practice working with light. For beginners, this option will be ideal, since they will not need to invest a large amount of money, but they will be able to try out various photography and lighting techniques in order to determine what style to work in next and what equipment to invest in.
Also, a portable studio made from scrap materials is very lightweight. You can take it with you to the countryside or to a customer whose product needs to be photographed, but in the case of commercial use, make sure that your homemade design looks dignified and does not spoil your credibility as a photographer and serious business partner.
Based on materials from the site:
Photo studio equipment is a basic question for any novice photographer. By creating the necessary conditions taking photographs, the master of photography will be able to receive clear, high-quality frames, significantly increasing the capabilities of his photographic equipment. However, it is necessary to decide not only with light sources, but also with additional accessories: tripods, backgrounds, attachments, etc. Of course, in some cases, for example, an ID photo kit may include only one flash and a reflector. But how to organize a deployed complex?
A ready-made photo studio in the form of assembled, carefully selected sets of technical equipment, ready for use, will help to acquaint with the art of photography. The "Photoshans" online store will help you choose a high-quality lighting kit for a photo studio from FST, Grifon and other popular manufacturers for solving specific problems.
Why is it more reasonable to purchase ready-made photo studios?
Considering the huge variety of professional equipment in the field of photography and video shooting, in order to form a set, you must have certain experience and professional knowledge. What can you get by deciding to purchase ready-made kits for photo studios?
1. Willingness to complete tasks. The kit contains everything you need to start shooting: stands, light sets for a mini photo studio and a large-scale platform, softboxes, attachments, cables, etc.
2. Compatibility of all elements. Remember, it is enough to make a mistake in one component, and you will not be able to fully use the flash and camera control, purchased light shaping attachments may not fit the source
lighting, and the reflectors will not perform their function. Ready-made photo studio kits will save you from such problems.
3. Variety of choice. You need a set for photo documents, lighting for subject shooting or compact stand-alone equipment? Choose a fully formed version and get to work.
4. Saving the budget. Buying a ready-made set will cost less than the entire equipment separately.
Choose for yourself which ready-made studio to buy based on your current needs and budget. But remember that after gaining the initial work experience, you can easily add and upgrade the kit as you wish.
What is included?
A ready-made studio solution from "Photoshans" can save you from rash financial costs and unjustified investments. In our catalog you will find the most popular complexes, from simple sets for photo documents, to equipment for shooting video clips and films. These typically include studio flash, flash or continuous light sources, reflective elements, stands, equipment brackets and mounts, and self-contained power supplies (if applicable).
Contact our operators for advice on choosing your photo equipment!