For the last couple months I've been trying to improve my photos and the one major thing I've done has been to build a photo booth.

Not only is it a lot better lighting but the all my photos have a blank background.






The booth is about 40"W x 60"L x 28"H. Since I have a drop ceiling in my basement I was able to hang it rather than build a self supporting frame. Essentially the top is a square made with bamboo garden stakes about a yard long. Since it doesn't need to support any real weight it could be made with anything and I had a bag of them in the garage. My next choice would have been those wooden yardsticks from the hardware store. They're the same size and are under a buck a piece. Over that I've thrown a white plastic table cloth from the dollar store. Its long enough to do both the sides and the top. And where it meets the table I've simply used another stake on each side to keep it in place. The back drop is a piece of felt. The backdrop and table cloth are simply held on with clothes pins.

For lighting I've got a clamp-on work light for each side, a desk lamp and some small florescent lights on the top, and a stand floor lamp for the front when I need it. The front light has a dimmer switch but the others I just move to get the desired brightness.

Now I already had the lights, stakes, and clothes pins, so all I paid for was $1 for the table cloth and $4.50 for the felt, I also got white felt for another $4.50

That's a nice set-up, LD. Cool idea to suspend it from the drop ceiling. Does the plastic tablecloth work as well as cheesecloth?

Luckyjoe

LD2062, an excellent execution of a great idea.
Your set-up is a great way of having a photo cell at home without taking up a great deal of space full-time.
The surrounding white cloth does an excellent job of diffusing the light to avoid shadows in your pics.
Simply, done quite well with a good dose of know-how..
My compliments.

Great simple diffuser, that's a terrific idea!

I have two big 500w work lights, I aim them at the ceiling or wall for bounce light. If I need more I hold a sheet of foamcore in the light beam. Mayhem Mega Mall was shot in my 'sunroom' which is lined with glass walls and roof, no problems with light in there.