Let there be Light! Semi-Lightbox Tutorial & Drugstore Blushes Galore

Hello friends! Hope you're all having a fantastic weekend. Christmas shopping anyone? I've been shopping here and there for gifts so it's going by pretty smoothly. I'm more excited that stores have extended hours than anything else! Who doesn't love shopping til' 11pm?!

Anyway, I've been trying to find ways to take better pictures, especially macro shots but sufficient lighting is the most important factor aside from the object you're photographing. A lot of bloggers use a macro lightbox for their photos, which is just basically a box lined with white paper at the platform with holes on the side so you can cover with tissue paper or cellophane as a filter which lets you control the lighting.

For example:

Source

I decided to do my take on it with what little material I had at home. Of course it's not as cool looking as this person's but I made a sufficient one I needed for now. I'm planning to make a bigger one in the near future.

Here's what you need:

1. Cardboard Box 

2. Scissors or Box Cutter

3. Transparent Tape

4. White Paper

I used a rectangular 18x18x5.5 box, but ideally the dimensions should be the same (12x12x12, etc).

I cut off the bottom and side flaps. 

Use a large 11x7 white paper (mine is a textured gift box topper LOL) 

You can flip the box around and use it either way as a backdrop for your photos.

That's it! So easy and cost little to nothing if you already have everything at home. I realize this is not really a lightbox but merely a backdrop than anything else. For the light, I don't actually photograph with this office lamp because of its intensity (lol). I'd suggest using natural light as much as possible, but below is probably the best alternative:

source

So... yeah. I plan to make a better box, but as of right now, my not-quite lightbox backdrop has improved my photos immensely. Alternatively, you can invest in a super white table and put it against a white wall (I think this is how Temptalia photographs her things.. read it somewhere on her blog awhile ago) and it should give you the same (probably better) effect.

So here is the photography debut of my backdrop using the blushes and bronzers that I recently won from Makeup By Joyce recently!!!!!!!!!! She sent me a slew of 15 drugstore items from blushes to bronzers to eyeshadows!! I got the package yesterday and I was freaking out at how gorgeous everything is *happy sigh* :)

Here are the blushes and bronzers only. Eyeshadow palettes will be in another entry!

Hard Candy Fox in a Box Blushes

Spicy & Sweet is a shimmery multi-tone mixture of pinks and a ginger bronze.

Smooth Talker is has 4 natural earth toned pinky beige shades that accent the cheeks

Hard Candy Baked Blushes

Honeymoon is a frosty pink highlighter. Similar to Mac's Porcelain Pink!

Hard Candy So Baked Bronzers

Tiki is a light colored bronzer that doubles as a shimmery gold highlighter. There isn't much bronze color in it, but enough warmth to make you look awake :)

Tropics is darker than Tiki and is true bronzer! It has a golden undertone

Milani Baked Blushes are one of the most raved about blushes in the blogosphere! They're comparable to MAC MSFs for way way less. Each of these range from $7-10 at drugstores and often have discounts regularly from CVS or Walgreens.

Rose D'Oro is a gorgeous shimmery coral with a gold flecks running through the blush. It is said to be a dupe for MAC's Stereo Rose ;) I don't own Stereo Rose but I can see the similarities.

Fantastico Mauve is rose toned berry shade with frosty veins that runt through the blush that highlights your cheeks. It's also said to be a dupe for Nars Dolce Vita. I don't own Dolce Vita but if you look at the comparisons, they're quite close. This is probably the best dupe I've seen!

Luminoso is bright peachy coral blush that has a beautiful sheen. It's really luminescent and flattering for every kind of skintone. For fairer ladies, this is a gorgeous peachy blush whereas for medium and darker skin tones, this gives a subtle glow that brings out the cheeks. Seriously one of the most versatile blushes from Milani! :)

Milani Baked Bronzers

Glow is a golden peachy-mauve toned bronzer with gold shimmers. It is the lightest of the 3 (Glow, Soleil and Golden).

Soleil is a warm, shimmery golden bronze that's a tad darker than Glow, but still light and pretty (and very shimmery).

...that's it for now :) I have some Loreal eyeshadow palettes I still need to photograph next time. Do you guys like these blushes and bronzers? What's your favorite?

How do you guys photograph small items? Do you have a lightbox or another neat idea that I should be aware of? Do share!