This blog is very picture-heavy and the problem with that is I’m not a photographer. I don’t have a creative bone in my body and I really am not good at taking pictures. Yet, I like to show you guys what we’re working on, and even though a word can really paint a picture, it just won’t do justice to actually seeing things with your own eyes.

That’s why you get pictures like this:

I’m doing my best, but it’s just not good enough.

I was thinking about it on my way to work the other day when I realized that if I had a light box I could stage the smaller items in there and use my tripod to hold the camera. Half of my problem is that I can’t get my hands to hold still. Just when I think they are motionless I go to press the shutter button and the camera moves.

As I was grumping around this past Sunday Jay asked me where my box was that I wanted to use for this project. I pointed it out and went back to sewing. The next thing I knew I had a box.

I covered the side windows with parchment paper for the light diffusers.

Then I used some fleece interfacing for the backdrop.

I couldn’t wait to test it out. I got it set up, my tripod in place and the lights turned on.

It was at this point I was informed that it had not been properly inspected for use. So I had to go through the inspection process before I was allowed to proceed.

“The ceiling is a little low and I don’t know how I’m going to nap in here with all of this light!”

Despite those flaws, the approval was given and I attempted to take good pictures.

First, let me show you what those hats look like using the light box.

Not too bad. I’m still playing around with camera settings.

Luckily Jay has been making a lot of pens lately, so I had no shortage of items to try photographing.

Icon Pens

These use regular Bic pen inserts and I love them. The black acrylic one is mine, plus Jay made me a wooden one with my name lasered on it that I use at work.

A maple and an oak bottle opener

Two bolt action pens; one wooden and one acrylic (in a tactical rifle case)

A golf pencil with a built-in sharpener

A comfort style pen made using an acrylic blank

And finally, I wanted to take at least one good picture of a cat pen.

I am more impressed with these pictures after seeing them on the computer screen versus the screen on the camera. I still need a bit more practice with the camera settings, but I’m already impressed with how well these turned out.

Oh, and does anybody want to buy a pen or bottle opener? 😉