I find it amazing that so many “everyday objects” can be used to create fantastic photos. If you’re at home these days, Ben from Adaptalux has a perfect photo idea for you. All you need is some paper and some lights, and you can create an infinite number of abstract macro photos.
For his setup, you will need a couple of sheets of regular white paper, nothing fancy. I suppose all of us have some printer paper at home. As I mentioned, you also need some lights, and it’s best to use continuous lighting so you can see how it interacts with the paper as you move it around. It can be white light, but even better – you can use gels or RGB lights. Finally, you need some paper clips, tape, or even bobby pins, but these are all optional.
If you have a glass top table, it’s perfect for creating this type of images. You don’t have it? Don’t give up, you can always improvise. A sheet of glass or Plexiglas, a clear plastic container, a glass baking tray – they will do the trick just fine and you can use them instead. So, how to set everything up? Start by placing a sheet of paper on top of the glass and add the light underneath. This way you get a backlit surface on which you’ll add other sheets of paper folded in different ways. You should shoot top-down, and Ben uses a tripod so he doesn’t need to refocus every time. Make sure to watch Ben’s video to see how he does it and how he folds the paper, so you get a better idea. You can move the lights around and change their color. Similarly, you can fold papers in all sorts of different ways. Combining these changes, you can end up with a whole bunch of interesting images. And what’s even more important right now – you can keep yourself busy and creative for hours. [How to shoot beautiful abstract photography using paper! via Reddit]
