Styrofoam Cup Fly Photography

[silver creek]

Here's portable "quick and dirty" photography method I learned from Bruce Norikane. I got his permission to publish it in our TU newsletter.

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Cut a hole in the side of a styrofoam cup for an electrical clip or a clip hackle plier as a fly holder.

Cut a hole in the base of the cup to fit around the lens (cup on the left) or just cut out the enter base of the cup (cup on the left). Put the cup and camera on a table and shine a frosted fluorescent light on the cup.

The styrofoam cup acts as a light tent to diffuse the light for even illumination. I cut a few more holes to let in more light which bounces off of the curved opposite inside surface for more illumination.

The photo below is taken using the macro zoom mode of my Panasonic Lumix waterproof camera. It has a Leica lens and can take amazing photos for a pocket camera.

If your camera has macro zoom ability, I suggest using it to frame the fly to your liking. I use a back or white craft foam for a background depending on the fly I am shooting.

I can take or even make a cup quickly to take photos of flies at fly tying events. I use the tiers own lamp and they are generally amazed at the photo quality. It is a wonderful way to capture a fly you want to tie later.

 

[bluedaksi]

That's pretty slick! I will definitely put that to the test in the future.

 

[mcnerney]

Silver: Cool technique to setup a quick light box to photograph flies from!

 

[fire instructor]

Can't wait to try it! Thank you for sharing!!!

 

[Pocono]

Nice photo effect!

Pocono

 

[s fontinalis]

i've read about this technique on a couple blogs and forums. Anther way to increase light inside the cup is to put a small mirror in it. This will help illuminate the fly from below as well and give better definition of bottom details. A mirror from a makeup compact works great. I know we all have at least one of those lying in our tackle bags so get can get all pretty for the fish when we're at the river!!:clap:

 

[mudbug]

The only problem is that the white is not white. There are some very complicated and good ways to fix this using expensive software, but if you just download the best free image program on the internet, Irfanview (when installing pay attention so you don't install the optional program), then use the "auto adjust colors" function and you get this.

 

[silver creek]

Unfortunately it doesn't work on a Mac.

I wish I had an easy way to do it. The photo sure looks better, but now you can see my tying mistakes.

 

[mudbug]

Unfortunately it doesn't work on a Mac.

I wish I had an easy way to do it. The photo sure looks better, but now you can see my tying mistakes.

We make choices, we live with the consequences.

You chose to use software with limited options... I'm sorry.

 

[silver creek]

Now I have white correction with the free Mac Preview program.

 

[flytire]

its still a little gray to my eyes

 

[ia_trouter]

Thanks Silver, I think most of us would be quite pleased with a fly PIC of anywhere near that quality. The irregularities in the hooks finish are even discernible.