JPG Magazine: Stories: How To: Use Your Lightbox for Unusual Photographic Effects

Use Your Lightbox for Unusual Photographic Effects

By Mary McGrath

26 February 2007

Many photographers get stuck in a rut shooting the same old subjects over and over. Sometimes it's hard to break out of these habits, but it's always exciting once you venture out of your comfort zone into another terrain. If you're like most of us and are getting bored with some of the pictures you've been taking, why not trying employing a lightbox to create new and unusual images? It's not difficult, and can add a nice zest to your image files.

I discovered my lightbox while viewing slides for a prospective magazine article. I was fascinated by the amount of light coming through my transparencies, and thought it might be interesting to place a variety of objects on the box to see how the light interacted with them. The editor I was working with at the time liked experimental images, so this project was well received. A larger lightbox makes it easier for shooting, so that there's enough room for the objects to be moved into a variety of positions. You might also want to close the drapes so that there is less light coming from an outside source, but be careful that you are still able see what you're doing. Before you begin experimenting with your lightbox, make sure it's clean, and free from debris, which will only be accentuated when the light is turned on and you begin shooting, especially if you're using a macro lens. It's also a good idea to clear enough room around the lightbox so you can move freely to obtain the images you want.

Glass renders itself well with this particular technique, since it refracts light so easily. I have experimented with a number of glass objects with very favorable results. This particular shot is of an old champagne glass from the 50's. Experiment with a variety of objects, and you'll be surprised at the results!

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