Table-top photo-studio suggestions

Thank you, gentlemen, for your advice. I decided to go with a somewhat-more-expensive table-top set-up from Amazon. I think it will do trick.

I thought about building my own, but that would require at least two and possibly 3 trips on city buses to Staples and Home Hardware, something I do only when it seems necessary. It seemed easier to just order something that would be ready to go when it arrives rather than deal with the threat of covid.

@Bish, keavdog, and scottrc: Nice models. I especially like the boats & ships. 

Bob

keavdog

I'm terrible about taking good pics - 90% are on my cutting mat covered in clutter.  But I'm trying to do a bit better.  I've used this elmers trifold display board with limited success.  Better than my cutting matt.

vs

No where near as nice as some of the folks here do, but incrementally better :/

 

 

That is what I have been doing, picking up the model and putting a piece of white board underneath and behind it.  My only fear is the back half one day collapsing onto the model. I use my two work bench lamps for lighting. 

I have a photo box, but am too lazy to set it up. 

You look at the pic, you can see a hint of the fold line.

But I guess it beats the actual work in process background.

\\

Works good for a small sailing ship.

But not so much on a 1/96 scale ship

I'm terrible about taking good pics - 90% are on my cutting mat covered in clutter.  But I'm trying to do a bit better.  I've used this elmers trifold display board with limited success.  Better than my cutting matt.

vs

No where near as nice as some of the folks here do, but incrementally better :/

If you're wanting to photograph small models, up to say 1/24 / 1/25 scale cars size, then this approach should get you the results you desire.   When I used to collect diecast cars {hw, johnny lightning, etc}, I came across this method.  Get yourself a new white 5 gallon bucket with lid. Cut a small window area {4" high x 6" long} out of the side of it down by the bottom. This window is what you look thru with your camera. Also get one of those garaga shop lights, the kind with the aluminum cone and the grip clamp. You'll need to try different light bulbs to get the brightness to where you like it. I also put a small spin table in the bottom so I could spin the item being photographed easily while taking pics.

Simple to make. Pick up a 2 x4 ft piece of partical board half inch thick. saw in half, giving two 2 x 2 pieces. Trim smaller if desired.  Hinge together with two hinges.  Screw a block on the back of one piece so it limits angle to just over 90 degrees when you open it and set it on a table.  Buy two pieces of poster board about 3 x 4 feet or so, and a large binder clip.  Clip desired piece of poster board to top of back panel.  Bring a tall floor lamp to light model from above, and a small desk lamp on each.  That is all you need.

I got one similar to that a couple of years ago from e-bay. Mine has 2 standalone LED spotlights, and white, red, blue and black backgrounds. I think its a bit smaller that yours, 30cm all round maybe. It is flimsy, held up with velcro, but it works a treat. A bit tricky for some of my larger builds, and i know i have a few that will not fit at all, but perfect for the vast majority. Only complaint i have is that if useing any background other than white, it can be hard not to get teh white side in the shot, like this.

So for most subjects i use white, but a white boat would not have looked good against a white background.