A reflector box for macrophotography
can be made easily from a photocopier paper box, a couple
sheets of white poster paper and about 20 minutes. Although
the result isn't particularly high-tech, it works well.
When finished, the box will serve to bounce light around a subject, and
will effectively disperse the light from one or more flash units.
One way of assembling the box is presented here, but variations may work
as well, as long as the angles of deflection are taken into account.
The first step is to take
the box apart, but avoid tearing it. The lid of the box is
removed and put aside as it will be used to provide a low
platform that will fit inside the finished reflector box.
To keep things clear, the panels that make up the box are identified by
letters. A is the bottom of the box, B are the long sides,
and C the short ends of the box and D the parts that were
the flaps glued at the ends of C.
Part A, originally the
bottom of the box, will become the back of the reflector
box when finished. Either of the B sections can become
the bottom or top.
To do this, the bottom of
the box is marked so that the C parts can have an
additional fold that will act as 45° sides near the back.
It will become the rear part of the reflector box.
The dotted lines indicate where the new fold will be. To free the new sections,
the A and B are cut on the creases, along the light blue
lines, from the ends to the dotted line to the outside.
At this point, one of the
long B sides of the box, becomes the bottom, and the
box's bottom, A, becomes the back of the reflector
box.
A fold is made on both ends of A, along the dotted lines, and the
ends are brought forward so that they form a 45° angle (now labelled E)
to A and C, which remains at a 90° angle to A.
Then, the ends are glued using
rubber cement and staples to maintain the glued sides together
(care must be taken to flatten the ends of the staples so
that they do not stick out).
The box needs to be rigid and the glue needs to dry completely before the
next step.
With the ends glued in place,
the box should look something like the one in the photo at
left.
What has now become the top of the box will serve to further reflect light
downwards, and is kept free to move so as to be adjustable.
To line the inside of the reflector box, 2 pieces of thick, card-like,
white poster paper are used, each measuring 55 x 71 cm (22 x 28 inches).
One piece is to line the inside, the other the top.
The piece lining the back
is cut to size and glued to the flat sides forming
the back of the reflector box. The card stock should not
be creased to follow the form precisely, but instead
glued so it arches smoothly along the back.
The cardboard top flap of the reflector box should also be folded as the
back was, forming 45° corners, then covered the same way with the white
poster paper. Again, the thick white poster paper should only be glued
on the flat surfaces, and not to the insides of the folds.
Adjusting the height and position
of the top can be done very simply, and maintained into various
positions, with simple clothespins. The very simplicity of
the system makes it flexible, allowing the upper cover to
be held at angles which can take into account the shape of
the subject to be photographed, and how the light should
be redirected.
Last, the original box top from the photocopier paper box is used to form
a "stage" or platform, which will also be covered with white
poster paper.
The box top is cut so it fits easily inside the reflector box. Using leftovers
from the box, two braces are attached underneath. These prevent the top
from sagging in the centre which would cause unwanted shadows. The braces
are glued and stapled. Finally, the platform is wrapped completely — front,
back, top and sides — with the same white card stock used inside the
box. The white stock is glued with rubber cement and can be held in place
until the glue has dried with clothespins.
Once completed the reflector
box is immediately usable. However, depending on what is
photographed in it and the angle at which the camera is used,
the edge of the platform can cause a shadow.
To prevent this, another piece of the white poster paper can be used. It
is important to note that the poster paper should be the same that is used
throughout, as its colour must be consistent to get an accurate white balance
setting.
To photograph a broad range of subjects, the simple little reflector box
is quite effective.
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