DIY: Light Box

During my work week I sometimes feel motivated to make something yummy for a blog post.  I seriously dream (yes, dream) about the recipe, how I am going to plate the food and of course how it's going to taste.  Though, by the time I am done cooking I am usually starving and it's 9 PM and dark.  

I take the pictures anyways.  Grainy with unfocused hands because I am too hungry to spin my camera onto my tri-pod thats tucked away in the corner of my room.  I know what your thinking:  She spends all this time thinking, buying, and making the food and then rushes through the documentation process.  I'll get better, I swear.

I thought about purchasing a light box for the dark hour photo shoots.  But then I saw this post describing how to make your own light box.  The next day I rushed to my hardware store and started making my own light box.

Assemble your material:  

A cardboard box - 18" x 18" or bigger

Three Industrial Style Lights and Light Bulbs 

Duct Tape

Wax Paper (or some other type of see-through paper/fabric/etc.)

Extension Cord

Scissors 

Xacto Knife (or something like it)

Fabric or Paper for your background (for the white base I used the white sticky paper you put in your drawers)

Duct tape one side shut.  This will be your back.  Cut off the flaps from the opposite end.    Cut out three of the four other sides of the box.  The last side will be your bottom (where you place your food. 

I installed some permanent white paper (the stuff with the sticky back that you put in your drawers) to my back and bottom.  Now I can install any fabric on top of the white paper for different style photo shoots.

Next tape your see through paper/fabric to the three cut sides of the box.

I set up my lights on bookends (the cheapest lights I could find needed something to cling on to) and then shine the light through the open side of the box.  Add decoration as you please and begin your photo shoot!

An avocado that went in my salad...

My super interesting salad.  Insert sarcasm here.

Just a quick dessert:  Plain yogurt, honey, dried cranberries, and flax seeds.  For this picture I took off the back printed paper and the bottom placemat.

Oh and I ran the SF half marathon this past weekend!  I finished in 1:43 which correlates to 7:53 minute miles.  I was pretty excited that I beat 8 minute miles!  

Happy Friday/Weekend!