I've got a rather large set of French Windows in my house that face South and I'd like to use them as part of a small studio set up for shooting still-life subjects. They measure up as roughly 2m² and on a nice overcast day it's the perfect place to work. However, on anything approaching a sunny day (when we get them) it's a nightmare.
So I'm after something I can rig up to cover the window space and act as a diffuser. Luckily the windows are just a mass expanse of glass with nothing in the way to stop the light from flooding in and I've got space to either mount some sort of frame or attach some form of support to hold this diffuser panel.
I've tried going down the DIY route and using net curtains as a diffuser but they don't seem to work as I've not been able to find material with a fine enough mesh for the pattern to not show up in the diffused light. I've also tried using Vilene lining material but that's got a strange weave in it which also shows up in the light. So I'm slightly reluctant to go straight for something that won't do the job.
What would be perfect is the sort of material that Lastolite use in their diffuser panels, but at their prices (£70 for a 1.8m x 1.2m collapsible and £80 for a 2m x 2m Skylite panel) I'm hoping for a cheaper alternative.
Now, I've used some of the 'eBay special' light tents before and not been happy with the quality of the light coming through. I've had a Lastolite one for a couple of years and it's never skipped a beat and has always been predictable and perfect in its diffusing of strong light.
So can anyone recommend me a material that is both relatively hard-wearing, uniform in texture and thickness and comes in at 2m x 2m without having to sew pieces together?
So I'm after something I can rig up to cover the window space and act as a diffuser. Luckily the windows are just a mass expanse of glass with nothing in the way to stop the light from flooding in and I've got space to either mount some sort of frame or attach some form of support to hold this diffuser panel.
I've tried going down the DIY route and using net curtains as a diffuser but they don't seem to work as I've not been able to find material with a fine enough mesh for the pattern to not show up in the diffused light. I've also tried using Vilene lining material but that's got a strange weave in it which also shows up in the light. So I'm slightly reluctant to go straight for something that won't do the job.
What would be perfect is the sort of material that Lastolite use in their diffuser panels, but at their prices (£70 for a 1.8m x 1.2m collapsible and £80 for a 2m x 2m Skylite panel) I'm hoping for a cheaper alternative.
Now, I've used some of the 'eBay special' light tents before and not been happy with the quality of the light coming through. I've had a Lastolite one for a couple of years and it's never skipped a beat and has always been predictable and perfect in its diffusing of strong light.
So can anyone recommend me a material that is both relatively hard-wearing, uniform in texture and thickness and comes in at 2m x 2m without having to sew pieces together?
