Introduction:

This project was completely spur of the moment, and only took a few hours to complete, so if you are looking for something to do on a rainy afternoon that will improve the quality of the photographs and video that you take of small objects then you might want to take a look at it.

The problem with photographing and videoing things is, to get a really good clear shot that shows off the object properly you need a decent photographic stage.  Something that provides a level, stable surface, that is neutral and doesn’t distract from your subject.

The photographic and film industries often deal with this by using an infinity cyclorama.  Basically this means a stage who’s floor curves up seamlessly into the walls.  This technique originally came from the theater where it was used to create more realistic backdrops.

The effect of removing the hard corner between floor and wall is to create a background that just fades away, with minimal distraction.  It also makes lighting an object easier.  The end result is better photos and video.

So that seemed like an important piece of equipment for me to have when documenting things for this site.

I built a small photographic stage once many years ago, but it had a number of problems.  The biggest being that once constructed it was hard to store!  It ended up having to be hung up high on a wall to get it out of the way.  It also wasn’t wide enough (being only a right angle platform and back) so it was difficult to shoot anything but the smallest items on.

Requirements:

The stage shall:

• Be collapsible/foldable
• Be wide and tall to allow larger objects to be documented
• Be light enough to carry and store easily

Design:

• Two light weight frames hinged along one edge made from pine battens
• Front and top bars of frame are offset to create a lip to retain the plastic board
• Large removable plastic board to curve into the frame and form the surface
• Hinged flat steel bar struts to hold the frames at right angles

 

Materials & components:

• 13m approx. – 18mm x 36mm
• 32 x Button head screws – 30mm length or greater
• 3 x Butt hinges
• Countersunk wood screws for butt hinges
• 500mm Flat steel bar galvanised
• 4 x M4 x 30mm button head bolt (phillips head drive) with nut and washer
• 2 x 4mm flat head nails (to use as rivets)
• Core-flute plastic sheet – 1220mm x 2440mm x 2.5mm

Tools:

• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Hand or power saw to cut battens
• Drill
• Set of drill bits
• No. 2 phillips head screwdriver (or driver bit for drill)
• Hacksaw
• Metal jawed vice
• Centre punch
• Bench grinder, or metal file
• Ball-peen hammer
• Builder’s square
• 2 x clamps

Cutting list:

• Pine battens – 18mm x 36mm:
  • 4 x 1200mm (stringers for base)
  • 4 x 900mm (stringers for back)
  • 4 x 1000mm (ends for base and back)
• Flat steel bar – 12mm x 3mm:
  • 4 x 125mm

Instructions:

1. Measure and cut pine battens to size (see cutting list)
2. Measure and cut flat steel bar to size (see cutting list)
3. Mark the end battens for pilot-hole drilling
4. Drill pilot holes in end battens – two per join, four joins per batten (remember to offset the holes on two of the battens to allow them to be offset from the stringers to form the lip that will retain the board)
5. Start the screws in the pilot holes of all of the end battens – allow them to protrude a couple of millimeters to aid in assembly. Note: we use button head screws to reduce the likelihood of the battens splitting
6. Using the screws, join the side stringers of the base (1200mm long) flush and square to each end of one batten first, then the centre stringers
7. Join the other end batten to the other end of the stringers, but offset it by at least 8mm
8. Repeat steps 6. and 7. for the back frame
9. Attach the three butt hinges to the back edge of the base frame – ensure that the lip at the front is up
10. Attach the three butt hinges to the bottom edge of the back frame – ensure that lip at the top is forward
11. Centre punch the end of each of the four pieces of flat steel bar
12. Drill 4mm holes in the end of each of the four pieces of flat steel bar, guided by the punch marks
13. Grind each end of the four pieces of flat steel bar into semicircles and grind off any spurs
14. Using a vice and the ball-peen hammer, put a small “Z” bend in two of pieces of the steel
15. Use the nails to join the pairs of steel bars together, then trim the nails with the hacksaw so that approximately 4mm of their length protrudes from the joined bars
16. Place one of the joined pairs of steel bar on a solid surface (like an anvil, or vice) with the flat head of the nail down.  Using the ball side of the hammer, slowly work around the cut end of the nail, hammering it gently to flair the metal out.  Continue until the end of the nail is well spread and creates a robust join – the two pieces of steel bar should be able to turn around the rivet, so don’t peen it too far and hard
17. Repeat step 16. for the second pair of bars to complete the hinged struts
18. Stand the frame on its side and use a square to set its angle to 90 degrees
19. If your square has a 45 degree function (most do) then use that to align one of the hinged struts at 45 degrees in the corner of the frame.  Clamp the strut in place
20. Using the holes in the ends of the struts as guides, drill holes through the side stringers
21. Bolt the strut on using two of the M4 bolts.  Tighten with the screwdriver
22. Flip the frame over and repeat this process with the other strut
23. Stand the frame up on its base.  You should now be able to fold it down flat, then back up and the friction in the strut hinges will hold it up
24. Place the cor-flute board on the base, push it up tight against the lip at the front of the base, then push it down firmly into frame until the curve between base and back is close to the hinged struts.  Now mark the centre of the back of the core-flute where it meets the lip at the top of the back
25. Remove the cor-flute, lay it out flat and cut it straight and square across the sheet at the length that you marked
26. You should now be able to refit the cor-flute and have a flat surface on the base that curves smoothly up into the back

Notes:

• As timber is a natural variable product you may find that your frames are not perfectly square.  If so, you can add a diagonal brace, cut into each of each frame
• If the cor-flute is not rigid enough (it may well not be), you can add a piece of ply wood or similar on the base to create a more stable platform to work on
• The cor-flute is unlikely to be a high enough quality surface, so I recommend covering it with paper for a clean crease free surface

Finished product: