Build an affordable light box

If one if familiar with building a picture frame or wooden frame structure, it's not that difficult to add a small light source and an opaque or light defuser panel to this frame. A good size is approx 2' x 2' as anything larger may allow the center of the light defuser to sag or not offer support to the subject without added support brackets within the frame which could detracts from the final product. I doubt anyone would want to see the support frame within the light box thereafter. I happen to get lucky as the shop send me a very small light box which I use for taking pics of home made/shoe string facet gems.

Well AmpLighter after admiring your photography yesterday, I decided it was time for a light box; plenty of spare boxes and card here at work. Looked this up might be a help to others with the same aim.

https://youtu.be/T6fnHEvLyAE

Joe

Thanks for viewing my photographs, but that's odd I never used a lightbox in any of these images just a textured white piece of laminate as a back drop.

Didn't mean to imply you had AmpLighter; sorry for the misunderstanding. I complimented your photography because I didn't have time to reply on your thread yesterday, it was my clumsy way of including you in my reply to the OP and anyone else interested in a light box.

Viewing your work was a timely reminder that I have been lazy in the area of photography, especially with my modelling hobby and with a very simple solution I could do better; even if I continue to use my phone.

Keep safe

Joe

As I mentioned earlyer, I was given a small light box, but often this box doesn't offer enough light, So i would use it in conjunstion with natural light and a handheld mirror place off camera then used to redirect soem of the natural light. The light box measures 6'' x 6'' and sits flat on a table top so it is also portable. But I've never found any use for the light box other thna takign pictures of shoe sting facted gems stones.

Image of a home made/faceted (Shoe Sting Faceting) blue oval topaz. In order to hold the gem, I used a desktop/table mount adjustable lacross tweezer

My landlady does Stained Glass;

 She has a specific type of light box. Now I have created a frosted piece of acrylic for when I use it. I use it for studying plan details and transfering them via ink on onionskin.

I have used this "photo studio" from American Science and surplus

https://www.sciplus.com/portable-illuminated-large-photo-studio-64741-p

It is easy to set up and has an included LED strip  as well as a white and black background to chose from. The sides were a bit flimsy for me so I reenforced them with some foam board.

The company has a lot of things like containers and small tools that are a good bargin.

(I have no connection to the company)

These days light boxes are dirt cheap online. Orangemonkey does a nice folding light box called a foldio. You can get cheap knock offs for about 10 bucks which work almost as well. LED strips light so well and are so cheap there's no reason to put lamps in front of paper sidings any more. If I'm photographing a larger model I will use LED lamps and adjust the brightness on the lamp it's self.