How to create a DIY light tent for small product photography

A light tent gives small products a controlled, repeatable environment where reflections, shadows and background distractions are easier to manage. It is especially useful for photographing jewellery, cosmetics, electronics, accessories, packaged food and other objects that need clean images for an online shop or catalogue.

You do not need a commercial studio to get started. A sturdy cardboard box, a few sheets of tracing material and two affordable LED lights can form the basis of a practical tabletop studio. The aim is to soften the light and create a neutral space around the product, rather than to build complicated equipment.

For ideas on how a finished commercial image can look, browse this commercial photography portfolio before you begin. Studying the way products are placed, lit and framed will help you make useful decisions with simple materials.

Choose the right box and materials

Select a box that is large enough to keep the product away from the sides and background. For a perfume bottle or small electronic device, a box around 40 to 50 centimetres wide is usually workable. A larger box gives light more room to spread, although it also needs stronger illumination.

Remove the top flaps and cut away three sides, leaving a narrow frame around each opening for stability. Keep the back panel intact. Cover the cut-out sides and top with tracing paper, baking paper or white fabric that allows light through. Tracing paper is often the easiest option because it produces an even surface and does not add much colour.

Line the inside with white poster board, matte card or a sweep of white paper. Avoid glossy surfaces, as they create unwanted hotspots. A curved background, made by gently bending the card from the rear wall into the floor, prevents a hard horizon line behind the object.

Many Australian photographers can find suitable foam board, LED lamps, clamps and craft knives at Bunnings or a local art supplier. If you are working in a compact Melbourne or Sydney flat, choose a design that folds flat or can be stored under a bed between shoots.

Build a soft and stable enclosure

The light tent works because its translucent walls turn small, intense sources into broad, soft sources. Position the paper or fabric so it sits slightly away from the product. This distance helps distribute illumination and reduces bright patches caused by the lamps being too close.

Secure the diffusers with masking tape, bulldog clips or spring clamps. Make sure no loose paper can drift into a hot lamp, and place the whole structure on a stable table. A sheet of white foam board beneath the box can reflect light upwards while also protecting the table from scratches.

Leave the front open for the camera. If you want more control, add a removable front flap made from tracing paper, with a narrow slit for the lens. This can help when photographing reflective objects, although it may make camera positioning less convenient.

For dark products, a white enclosure can make the edges look weak or washed out. Keep a few pieces of black card nearby to create controlled reflections along bottles, screens and polished accessories. Product photography is often shaped by what the object reflects, not simply by how brightly it is lit.

Select lamps with matching colour

Use two or three LED lights with the same colour temperature. Daylight-balanced lamps around 5,000 to 5,600 kelvin are a useful starting point, but consistency matters more than a particular number. Mixing a warm household bulb with a cool LED can create uneven colour that is difficult to correct later.

Place one lamp on each side of the tent, aimed through the side diffusers rather than directly at the product. Start with both lights at the same height and distance. If the top of the object is too dark, add a third lamp above the tent or bounce light from a white card instead of increasing the brightness dramatically.

A small exposure meter is helpful, but it is not essential. Take a test frame and inspect the histogram and highlights. White packaging should retain texture, while metallic surfaces should show deliberate gradients rather than clipped white patches.

In Australia, bright window light can change quickly during a shoot, especially in Brisbane or Perth where strong sun may enter a room for much of the day. Close the curtains and use only your chosen lamps. This keeps the colour stable from the first frame to the last.

Position reflective and transparent products

Glossy products need more careful placement than matte objects. A black phone, watch or glass bottle reflects the entire environment, including the camera, room and photographer. The tent softens those reflections, but it does not eliminate them.

Rotate the product slowly while watching the screen or viewfinder. Small changes can move a highlight from the centre to the edge and give the object a more convincing shape. A narrow strip of black card can create a dark border on a pale bottle, while white card can brighten a shadowed side.

For transparent glass, keep the background clean and avoid placing a lamp directly behind the product unless you want a bright glow. Coloured liquids may need slightly less exposure than the surrounding white background. Check the edges at full magnification because pale glass can disappear against a light sweep.

A polarising filter can reduce some reflections, but it is not a universal fix. It can also remove attractive highlights and reduce the amount of light reaching the sensor. Shape the environment first with diffusers, flags and reflectors, then use filtration only when it supports the intended appearance.

Set up the camera and composition

Use a tripod so the camera remains fixed while you adjust the product. A low ISO, moderate aperture and delayed shutter release will usually produce a cleaner file than hand-holding. For small objects, an aperture around f/8 can provide useful detail without making the background excessively sharp.

Keep the camera level with the most important surface of the product. Shooting from above may be suitable for a flat lay, but it can distort packaging and make bottles look squat. Leave enough space around the object for cropping into website banners, square marketplaces or social media formats.

Manual focus is often more reliable than autofocus against a plain white background. Focus on the front label or another key detail, then check the corners and edges. Photograph a colour reference card at the beginning of the session if accurate colour matters, particularly for cosmetics, textiles and food packaging.

For a full product range, record the camera height, focal length, light positions and exposure. This is the practical foundation of consistent product lighting, especially when different items have varying heights, finishes and proportions.

Refine the image and work safely

Shoot several versions with small changes to the light direction, product angle and reflector position. Review the files on a larger monitor rather than relying only on the camera screen. Look for dust, fingerprints, bent labels, uneven horizons and reflections that reveal the room.

Retouching should clean up minor distractions while preserving the product’s real appearance. This matters for Australian online businesses covered by the Australian Consumer Law: images should represent the goods honestly and should not imply features, colours or inclusions that are not supplied.

Treat electrical safety seriously. Use undamaged lamps and power boards, keep cables away from walkways and never place paper or fabric against a hot light. Modern LED lights are preferable because they produce less heat, but they still require ventilation. For mains-powered equipment sold or used in Australia, look for the Regulatory Compliance Mark and buy from reputable suppliers rather than modifying plugs or wiring yourself.

When the shoot is finished, save the original files, a consistent edited set and a record of the lighting arrangement. A simple DIY light tent can then become a repeatable part of a home studio, not just a one-off craft project. With careful diffusion and controlled reflections, it can produce clean images suitable for a catalogue, online store or creative portfolio.

Build the tent, test it with a familiar object and make notes as you refine the setup. If your brand needs polished product images across a complete range, a photographer experienced in still life and commercial lighting can turn this controlled approach into a cohesive visual library.