Controlling ‘light wrap’ in a light tent – Blackwrap - is it possible ?

[lostsoulal2]

I have when photographing various products been using a light tent / flashguns setup to achieve a white background – and whilst they achieve ‘fairly good’ results, I have noticed that when looking a bit more closely, I am experiencing light wrap around the edges which means that edge detail is being lost.

For example this photo of an old lens was taken within a light tent placed on top of a piece of acrylic which was illuminated from beneath by a flashgun:



You can see the edge detail that is being lost more on the bottom half.

As the light tent is supposed to distribute light all around, I guess it’s not really surprising…………..

I have never used Blackwrap or anything similar before, and wondered if it would be possible to control the light wrap in a light tent or would I be better off without a light tent and perhaps using a studio light table (diffused plexiglass top) with a couple of flashguns/softboxes or a completely different arrangement?

Thanks

 

[Garry Edwards]

I have when photographing various products been using a light tent / flashguns setup to achieve a white background – and whilst they achieve ‘fairly good’ results, I have noticed that when looking a bit more closely, I am experiencing light wrap around the edges which means that edge detail is being lost.

For example this photo of an old lens was taken within a light tent placed on top of a piece of acrylic which was illuminated from beneath by a flashgun:



You can see the edge detail that is being lost more on the bottom half.

As the light tent is supposed to distribute light all around, I guess it’s not really surprising…………..

I have never used Blackwrap or anything similar before, and wondered if it would be possible to control the light wrap in a light tent or would I be better off without a light tent and perhaps using a studio light table (diffused plexiglass top) with a couple of flashguns/softboxes or a completely different arrangement?

Thanks

Blackwrap will help - a lot.
But shooting on an acrylic background and controlling the light properly is the way to go, light tents are basically ideal for people who just want quick results and don't see or don't care about the problems you're seeing.

Once you understand the principles of light you also understand how to control it, so a light tent becomes pretty irrelevant IMO

 

[bass_junkie83]

Blackwrap will help - a lot.
But shooting on an acrylic background and controlling the light properly is the way to go, light tents are basically ideal for people who just want quick results and don't see or don't care about the problems you're seeing.

Once you understand the principles of light you also understand how to control it, so a light tent becomes pretty irrelevant IMO

Sorry to jump in on this thread. But i have been wanting to have a play with this sort of thing myself and was looking at the lencarta light tents (i was actually about to start a thread or drop you a pm). But are you suggesting that a light tent may not be the way to go.
Do you have any suggested reading for getting to grips with the basics?

 

[Garry Edwards]

Err...
As you know, Lencarta make light tents and I'm involved with Lencarta...
But I stick with my view that light tents are often used as a substitute for skill, knowledge, care and equipment; people who want the best are better off using their knowledge than using any 'solution' is just designed to produce 'acceptable' results.

As for suggested reading, where do you start? The internet is full of tutorials and videos on how to do this, that or the other and the quality of it all varies A LOT.
The book Light: Science & Magic (3rd edition) is excellent, written by real experts, and I also recommend my own Still Life tutorial

And there's a pretty comprehensive series of Lighting Themes here, some of them better than others, and some are pretty out of date now - but none of the ones on lighting techniques will ever date. They were written by Brooks Short, a highly skilled commercial photographer, and me.

 

[lostsoulal2]

Garry, thanks for the reply.

I will try some Blackwrap first, but sort of half knew the answer that a light tent is not the best answer, I can imagine that it will difficult to locate the Blackwrap correctly to totally eradicate the light wrap effect. As you say its easy to set up a light tent and get quick results, which are acceptable for personal use or say as back up to listing items on auctions sites etc.

I will look further into to getting a studio product table with an Acrylic background.......... but I am not sure if I have understood it correctly as to the background material.

- some of the studio product tables appear to have a plexiglass top which I thought was a rigid material and then others have a semi-transparent vinyl or diffusion sheet, which would be easy to store as you can roll it up.

Is there any benefit to either product or have I misunderstood?

Thanks

ps Anyone got any recommendations for a reasonably (its only my hobby!) priced product table?

 

[Garry Edwards]

The only ones I've used have a solid acrylic surface, which will bend enough for the job - but it certainly won't roll up.

The advantages of this material are
1. Good diffusion qualities when underlighting/backlighting
2. Can create a reflection of the product if required - and a smooth surface is needed for that