Photo Box

Abstract

This article begins a series of articles, a regular feature of the Watchbird really, dealing with avian photography. In the coming months I will answer your questions and hopefully help you solve any problems you may be having with your photography. I hope that you will feel free to drop me a line c/o Watchbird and ask any questions dealing with photographing birds or regarding types of equipment you may need or are thinking of buying. No question is stupid or embarrassing.

Because there was so much interest in the photo box at the AFA convention in Dallas (I gave workshops dealing with avian photography) I decided to open a series of articles with the Photo Box.

The idea of the photo box developed out of a need to control the subject as much as possible, and to have precise control over the lighting of the subject. Also, the photo box, allows for a greater variety of background color and composition.

The box that I made is completely portable so as to allow me to go into small aviaries as well as permitting me to take it on an airplane (my box went from California to Dallas, Texas, for the 1978 AF A convention). This photo box folds down to a flat package about 6" thick and 2' x 3'. When deciding what size and type of box you will need be sure to carefully consider just what you will use your box for and where it will have to go. My feelings are that a good photo box should not be larger than 2' high x 2' wide x 3' long. The top should be removable and a small door in one of the sides will allow for placing the removing the subject. One end of the box should have an 8" diameter hole for camera lens access. This hole should be draped with black cloth so that when the camera is not inserted the cloth will drop over the hole and close it off. The top of the box should have an opening large enough to allow for either natural or artificial light to illuminate the insides of the box. Naturally, wire (\l,ixYz welded wire) should cover this opening. The photo box should be painted outside and inside with flat white paint and the camera end of the box should be painted a flat black on the inside only. The black will allow for the camera lens and strobe to blend in and reduce any distraction they might otherwise cause.

Now that you have your box you must decide on what type of flash you will need and just where it should be placed within your photo box. Placement of the strobe is very important since it can make or break any picture. For two strobe systems, placement should be at the camera end in each corner at a 45 degree angle and level with the subject. That is, each light vector from the flash will intersect at a point near the middle of the box. For the single flash system (mine) the strobe is placed directly over the camera lens with the light vector angling toward the roof of the box bouncing and then vectoring directly towards the subject. Actually with bounce flash there are several simultaneous light vectors which actually fill the box with an even light, thus eliminating shadows.

Subject control is the most difficult problem the avian photographer has to face. Although subject control is easier in the box. it is still rather difficult. Most of the time the bird will choose to be where you do not want it to be. Each photographer will have to develop his or her technique. My techniques for subject control are simple: make the area that I want the bird to be in as comfortable as possible for the bird, and make all other areas of the box as uncomfortable as possible. A moveable perch is always in order as well as portable foliage and backgrounds.

On the subject of backgrounds I would like to state that creativity, improvisation and ingenuity are the key ingredients to interesting and often spectacular avian photographs.

Finally, I would like to discuss the technicalities of taking the picture, that is, what f stop and shutter speed your camera should be set on.

In determining the a perature opening and shutter speed, one has to do much experimentation. The photo box does not allow for us to use standard photographic rules.

The results of my experimentation are as follows (remember, my box is 2'w x 2'h x 3'1); when the subject is very close to my lens ( 6 inches I will use an f stop of 5 .6 and a shutter speed of I OOth of a second since this is the proper strobe synchronization for my camera. When the distance increases another 6 inches (now my subject is 12 inches from the front of my lens) I will increase my aperature opening by one f stop. My shutter speed remains the same as long as I use a strobe for my light source.

As a final note, a word of caution. Be aware of the fact that different colors wiol absorb light at different rates, thereby causing changes in the light contrast of your pictures. There is no help for this and only experience will insure good quality pictures.

 

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