Tip from a photographer friend

Build yourself a photo studio out of a box! Yeah, I know I had the same reaction. Actually it works pretty well at least I'm getting consistent lighting in my photos. Built this shadow box I call it because I can move the shadow by moving the light source around. What I need now is a good light like Moondoggy has been using or a halogen lamp on a tall enough stand to shine on the top of my box. I'm leaning toward the halogen because I can use it to highlight hairlines in my coins, but I get ahead of myself.

I used a 12"x12"x15" cardboard box, then I cut 11" panels from the center of three sides of the box the fourth side I cut the complete side of the box out ( you'll see why later), then I covered the 11" cutouts with tracing or rice paper and attached it with non-glare masking tape, I got two 12"x16" artist construction boards with snow white matte on the obverse and black matte on the reverse, for versatility, I then cut one board to fit the bottom of the box and used Velcro sticky tabs to hold it in place. I laid the box with the complete cutout side down on the other board and Viola...still photo studio in a box. I have mine open on one side so I can drop the box over a subject that is just a bit to big, like a vase and flowers or something like that. This contraption gives you control of your light & shadow and best of all, it's cheap....tissue paper, a cardboard box & some tape....sweet!

Here is a photo of the finished product with a photo of the coin in the box to follow...later coin folk!