Taking pictures on the workbench is an exercise in frustration. For starters, there is usually not enough light, and when I get more light on the subject, then there are shadows and the coloring is just wrong. A few things can be down to get better results. First, the lighting used was standard CFL bulbs, secondly the background is usually the blue anti-static work surface of my bench and last is the positioning of the light fixtures.
I purchased daylight 100 watt equivalent bulbs from Walmart (4 bulbs for about $6). Here’s the difference between standard bulbs and the daylight type:
Light Tent – Soft White Bulbs
Light Tent – Daylight Bulbs
Next item to address is the shadowing… for this a light tent is used. There are many, many ways to assemble one, Google search Light Tent to see all the variations. I decided to make my own instead of purchasing one, that way I can tailor it exactly to my needs. For that flexibility, I chose 1/2″ PVC pipe and some white bed sheets. All the supplies cost $15.
All the pieces are friction-fit together, so later if I want to make it taller, or wider, it’ll be a simple matter of disassembling and re-assembling. Also, note the two “handles” on either side of the tent that allows the lamps to be clipped on.
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