“Describe in a separate post how you set up your DIY photo studio. Cover any great solutions you discover as well as any challenges that you face. Include a photograph of your DIY photo studio. (300 words min.)”

The table I used was a small, 2-foot by 2-foot end table. I put a cloth over it and positioned it in front of the backdrop I am using, which is the dark blue curtain to my closet. For my own personal stick in a can, I just used a 6-foot adjustable mic-stand that I have and tied my key light to it. The key light I used was simply a good flashlight I had lying around. The mic stand turned out to be perfect because it is height adjustable with no assembly required! To clamp the flashlight onto the mic stand was a little difficult but once I found string to tie it securely to the stand, it was a piece of cake. For my light diffuser, I simply removed the cork from a cork board so that all I was left with was a wooden frame that was about 1-foot by 1-foot. I took a piece of tracing paper and taped it to the frame and voila! I seem to have very sheer tracing paper so when it comes time to actually shoot, I might need two pieces of it, which i can always do later. Lastly, for my reflective surface, I took my other cork board (no removal of the cork required), and I took some aluminum foil and covered one side of the cork board with it and it seems to be working fantastically. I still have not gotten a chance to get my clamps yet, but I fully intend to pick up some clamps from the hardware store so that I can secure the diffuser/fill light to the table, because at this point they do stand up on their own but they fall over easily. The best part about my whole setup is that luckily, my closet is right near the window so if I shoot in the daytime I will have both natural light and my key light if I choose so.