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Other Stuff => Model and Miniature Photography => Topic started by: Fitz on September 04, 2025, 08:45:08 PM

Title: Cheap and Easy Photo Stage
Post by: Fitz on September 04, 2025, 08:45:08 PM
For most people's needs, an expensive lighting stage setup is not necessary for model photography.

Here I'm using a cheap $20 rechargeable batwing LED light as a diffuse overhead light source, balanced on a pair of wooden bookends. The background is a texture I printed on my desktop printer — it's held in place by a pair of 3d-printed clamps, but it could be easily arranged and held in place against a book or something with a couple of binder clips.

Note: I haven't digitally edited any of these photographs; they're raw, straight out of the camera (a Canon EOS 50D)


(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbiXY2k5U66TL1UKVWmRSJ22ADZp1Mwtl_AO1wQqb8a4zegWfeYhbGEnL0xH92oeBCeqX0t5dCkxMp5-1NETKx7jyYSZu7iiPDVdQfvQAVGbHlhx-L0hsajNJClwYVUPf_WAPbVxZ7VjwmYgKYroXR0h8NZwTI9efkwtsvBg5Sq7SDg9Ca1PMGgPJXb3X/s801/2025-09-04_DuncanLoucaGiants01a.jpg)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3n07FSeuhpWmKB8uzBnWxk3MTKgVY9HAmuBWQRZmurl92QPRtvAY7t1HmLX-rEFKbadcYqo5CuZkBnMbAXvHRqtRmfz1yjdKMZwUUzTe5VJbvvgWL_H3rs-lsB4TGxTilu0yiSj8QdsMGEfXLrs7TGlSWqVIDooP7X0uDBk321C65bmisPsNtiw52ckwo/s800/2025-09-04_DuncanLoucaGiants01.jpg)

In this first photo, the light is directly above the subjects, so there are some very dark shadows below. These could be mitigated with the use of a strategically placed reflector, but a simpler method is just to move the light a bit.


(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeqEYPsb_D262UUapN6IRvAU-fnANh20yxjfCJ5G-Gt4XtNDm_RjNjDVzVnNRiExrDTULHwDZRSg7tsdikMEw41Iz7Alp0BwzpQoS2maOLGouH93nnKglqvnCIPcX7N4bXj4WrFQma_cb9dLoxggvxPoW8rfUIHjz0BtRR5tk6Os6CHoOBrPFwT86zDxn/s800/2025-09-04_DuncanLoucaGiants02a.jpg)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSZhQXfd13_Ztg1bjsXtLWXD8Mlk-xWXv-sOEMCBwYHKAk4FmC0daVWxoc0W8bZmqdDRuRoUBE6VJx5Os_wViu9eHdXIlhj55MM4_QgDKYuFFxrqU9AIbHjP3-tFpt_rV5VWSlQ6kuKwFYeGDVPwHuCqpJ1SU9rXKPLKbmNO6Xe6wuaEc9iSPUQo1j4XK/s800/2025-09-04_DuncanLoucaGiants02.jpg)


In this second photo I've just moved the light forward a bit, so it fills more of the lower areas of the models. They could still benefit from the use of a reflector, but the results are a lot better.

You could tinker with the exact light position and height, and add reflectors and what-not. You could swap in a textured or plain background sheet of your choice. Once you have the setup exactly to your liking, it's the work of a couple of minutes to get set up again, and you can photograph to your heart's content.

Total cost of this setup was the twenty bucks or so I paid for the batwing LED torch, which has a multitude of uses aside from miniature photography. Everything else I had lying around, or could produce by my own efforts. The LEDs produce a very white light, close to daylight in wavelength, so there's little need for colour correction in the photo editing app of your choice (I use Affinity Photo).

The models are a pair of giants by Duncan Louca, printed in FDM on my elderly Creality Ender 3.


(https://i.imgur.com/EzxLhJ9.jpeg)


I made this little guy a while ago out of scraps of leftover Green Stuff, plus a 16mm ball bearing for the eye. Photographed using the setup shown above; no editing apart from cropping and resizing, and the addition of a border.
Title: Re: Cheap and Easy Photo Stage
Post by: Pattus Magnus on September 04, 2025, 10:01:52 PM
Thanks for the info, that certainly works!
Title: Re: Cheap and Easy Photo Stage
Post by: pixelgeek on September 04, 2025, 10:20:44 PM
How much is the DSLR?
Title: Re: Cheap and Easy Photo Stage
Post by: Fitz on September 05, 2025, 01:49:15 AM
How much is the DSLR?

It was free :)
Title: Re: Cheap and Easy Photo Stage
Post by: pixelgeek on September 05, 2025, 03:28:20 AM
It was free :)

It is a pretty nice camera. The body, without a lens, goes for about $200-250 Cnd.

Do you have a phone with a decent camera? I'd be curious to see how much difference the camera makes. 
Title: Re: Cheap and Easy Photo Stage
Post by: HerbertTarkel on September 05, 2025, 04:02:11 AM
It is a pretty nice camera. The body, without a lens, goes for about $200-250 Cnd.

Do you have a phone with a decent camera? I'd be curious to see how much difference the camera makes.

A DSLR vs a camera phone is HUGELY different. But … a camera phone is still vastly better than what a digital standalone camera was five years ago. Modern iPhone Pro is almost as good as an older DSLR.
Title: Re: Cheap and Easy Photo Stage
Post by: pixelgeek on September 05, 2025, 01:53:00 PM
A DSLR vs a camera phone is HUGELY different.

This is what I was wondering about. The phones I have had have always had issues dealing with light from a lightbox that my old DSLR never had.
Title: Re: Cheap and Easy Photo Stage
Post by: modelwarrior on September 05, 2025, 01:58:00 PM
Still using my Canon 450D, which I bought back in 2008. Works a treat. £50 will buy you one which comes with a lens.

Thanks for the guide Fitz.
Title: Re: Cheap and Easy Photo Stage
Post by: Ming on September 06, 2025, 10:50:02 AM
Notwithstanding that this is a good idea,..... your painting is outstanding.