Affordable Photography Equipment: The Calumet Shooting Table

Whether it be for selling microstock imagery or selling something on eBay, obtaining a perfect white background can be difficult to do. The equipment that you'll need will vary depending on the size of your subject matter. If the objects that you're going to shoot are really large (like people), then you may want to buy a background stand and some white paper. However, if you're going to shoot smaller objects then you could just purchase a simple light tent. Or better yet, you could buy the Calumet shooting table.

What is it?

The Calumet shooting table does the same thing that a light tent does. It simply allows you to shoot small to mid-size objects over a white background. Since you can light this shooting table from below, shadows are virtually eliminated. As for what it's comprised of, the Calumet shooting table is basically made of aluminum and flexible plastic. This shooting table also has an adjustable sweep, which allows you to adjust this device in any fashion that you choose. So you can either make it lie flat, or have it at an eighty degree angle.

How Does it Work?

Again, shooting tables work by making it easier for you to obtain a white background. After you've lit the table from underneath, you'll then need some foreground lights to light your subject with. You can use umbrella lights (cheaper) to light your foreground, or you can use softboxes (expensive).

You then simply adjust the angle of the shooting table to wherever you want it to be, and light it up. You should probably at least have three lights to use with this shooting table. One light for the background and two for the foreground. Though, you may find that you need another light for the background sometimes. It will simply depend on the subject that you're shooting, and on how powerful your lights are.

Advantages & Disadvantages -

Some of the advantages to the Calumet shooting table are that it is portable (it comes with a carrying case usually), and that it's a fairly cheap piece of photography equipment. You also have the advantage of shooting from a few different angles with a shooting table; on the other hand, a light tent is actually somewhat more limiting in this respect.

The only disadvantages to using this shooting table are that it is fairly large (50" X 24" X 25"), and that it is a little time consuming to put together. Fortunately, this shooting table comes with some easy to understand instructions. Just be sure that you don't ever lose them because it can be somewhat confusing to assemble without them.

Cost -

The cost of the Calumet shooting table really isn't that bad. Including shipping, you will usually pay around a hundred and ten dollars or so. And given the variety of things that you can do with it, it's well worth the money.

As you can see, the Calumet shooting table is an affordable piece of photography equipment. It basically does everything that a light tent does and then some. So if you need to shoot some small to mid-size objects over a white background, then check out the Calumet shooting table. For the price, it can't be beat.