mirror box
I was asked to provide a picture of my mirror box set-up, so here it is.... such as it is. I did try to take some pics of the inside of the box, without the lid on, but being a mirror box, there were so many reflections that the images really weren't very illuminating (hehe..... ) Here is the link to the site where I originally got the idea:
www.flickr.com/photos/ronbrinkmann/sets/72157628242004349...
However, after playing with it a few times, I've developed some of my own preferred techniques, which are slightly different than those he recommends.
Mirror tiles conveniently come in boxes of 6, 12"x12" tiles at most building supply/home improvement stores. I bought mine at Rona, and they were under $20. When you assemble the box, offset the tiles relative to one another (and mirror side in, of course) to make sure that the dimensions remain a consistent 12" along each side, or the bottom and top won't fit. This is a job best accomplished with two pairs of hands. Also make sure to completely seal each seam (I used aluminum duct tape) or light will leak in and create 'hot spots'. Tape a handle to the lid for ease of handling.
A small compact camera (preferably one that has Manual settings for exposure control- I have a Canon SX230) is required; a DSLR would be too big for a mirror box of this size. I made a screen for the camera out of poster board, and cut a hole for the lens to fit through.
I didn't like the effect of using the flash for illumination; too many hot spots. I prefer to use a long exposure (8-15 seconds, depending on the subject and the desired effect) and stroke a beam of light along the gap between the lid and and the box; you can experiment with different kinds of light for different effects.
And that's it! Experiment and Enjoy!
mirror box
I was asked to provide a picture of my mirror box set-up, so here it is.... such as it is. I did try to take some pics of the inside of the box, without the lid on, but being a mirror box, there were so many reflections that the images really weren't very illuminating (hehe..... ) Here is the link to the site where I originally got the idea:
www.flickr.com/photos/ronbrinkmann/sets/72157628242004349...
However, after playing with it a few times, I've developed some of my own preferred techniques, which are slightly different than those he recommends.
Mirror tiles conveniently come in boxes of 6, 12"x12" tiles at most building supply/home improvement stores. I bought mine at Rona, and they were under $20. When you assemble the box, offset the tiles relative to one another (and mirror side in, of course) to make sure that the dimensions remain a consistent 12" along each side, or the bottom and top won't fit. This is a job best accomplished with two pairs of hands. Also make sure to completely seal each seam (I used aluminum duct tape) or light will leak in and create 'hot spots'. Tape a handle to the lid for ease of handling.
A small compact camera (preferably one that has Manual settings for exposure control- I have a Canon SX230) is required; a DSLR would be too big for a mirror box of this size. I made a screen for the camera out of poster board, and cut a hole for the lens to fit through.
I didn't like the effect of using the flash for illumination; too many hot spots. I prefer to use a long exposure (8-15 seconds, depending on the subject and the desired effect) and stroke a beam of light along the gap between the lid and and the box; you can experiment with different kinds of light for different effects.
And that's it! Experiment and Enjoy!