Photographic light box

I have been wanting to get a light box for my card and atc photography for ages. I did a search on the internet a while back and came across a site which said you could make a perfectly adequate light box for under £5. I'd seen light boxes on ebay for between £40 and £100 so I thought - what the hey I may as well give it a go.

Well to say the box is basic is an understatement but I'll try anything once! Well I spent a bit of time gathering up all the bits and pieces I needed and then set to work. The light box is basically just a cardboard box with sections cut out and tissue paper stuck over.

Once I had made the box I experimented with different lighting angles and different lights until I got the result I wanted. Here's my extremely high-tech light box:

I would have previously taken a photograph of a card or atc with it laying down on my cutting mat which is never a great angle and not the nicest background. I was also reliant on either a desk light or the sun to light the picture. As we've not had that much sun this year it was mostly the job of the desk light which often meant changing the colours and white balance of the picture. I've not modified the following pictures in any way, not even tweaked them a bit!

Here's a new card I've made taken in my light box, (I wouldn't normally take a white card on a white background):

The background is interchangeable and I've made white, black, gold and blue so I think I have most eventualities covered! Here's the same photo with a black background - what a difference it makes.

I am so chuffed I now have a fantastic light box which cost me absolutely nothing as I had all the bits I needed.

If anyone would be interested in detailed instructions on how to make a lightbox for absolutely nothing please leave a comment and I'll add a tutorial to my blog.

Claire