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Sophie Z'OursGrrrrr....
Not long ago I bought a light tent like many of you. That is a big one (80 cm square), as I like to make big bears.
The first time i used it, all went perfectly well when i first tried to fold it. I had the instructions from a website and as soon I tried it it worked!!! :dance:
Yesterday I used again my light tent but had not instructions near me so kept it for today to fold it.
Well, I have no idea why, but even when following instructions, I just could not twist it properly to fold it, so I gave up until.... hummmm... next try???
I cannot believe it was so easy the first time and now just looks impossible!!!!
Did you have such problems with yours????
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Back Road Bears:crackup: :crackup: :crackup: Those things will eat you up if you aren't careful!!!!
I quit using mine because every time I reached in to fix a hair or bow etc. on a bear I'd get stuck in it!! Everything would move and I'd have to set the bear up all over again!
Trying to fold it up......... UGH!!! It takes me many tries. Last time I had it out I spent a week trying to fold it. Now its folded, in it's little case and it's STAYING there! 
Good luck, Sophie! :hug:
Posts: 1,836I just got a whole lighting set up last month. When I took the tent out of the bag the first time it flew into the air and almost killed a dog 
But overall I love the whole thing...no more waiting for the perfect cloudy day for outside shots!!! :dance:
Just in case I need them I printed out these instructions out and taped to the table I use the tent on. http://www.stevesphotoshop.co.uk/foldin … tions.html
I'm using the same table all the time for the tent, it's a set up that won't change for me so I just put velcro on the bottom of the tent and the top of the table....no moving or sliding around!! :)
:hug:
~Chrissi
Dolls N Dreamshahahahahaha I have set mine up in a closet so it stays open, I would be lost if I had to open and close it!
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsWhen I took the tent out of the bag the first time it flew into the air and almost killed a dog
But overall I love the whole thing...no more waiting for the perfect cloudy day for outside shots!!! :dance::hug:
~Chrissi
Chrissi :crackup: I know what you mean. Luckily, there were no pets near by, but it did smack me in the lip when I opened mine for the first time. Ouch!
Sophie, I don't fold mine all the way. I just push one of the front edges into one of the back edges so it folds flat and I slide it behind a love book case in my work room.
:crackup: :crackup: :crackup: Those things will eat you up if you aren't careful!!!!
I quit using mine because every time I reached in to fix a hair or bow etc. on a bear I'd get stuck in it!! Everything would move and I'd have to set the bear up all over again!
Trying to fold it up......... UGH!!! It takes me many tries. Last time I had it out I spent a week trying to fold it. Now its folded, in it's little case and it's STAYING there!
Good luck, Sophie! :hug:
I've got one of these, too, and I hate it for all the same reasons, so I bought a new set=up on ebay a few weeks ago, and I love it! it's actually a folding 4-sided box with an open front & bottom, and it folds flat into a cordura nylon case that holds the lights too. the lights pretty much suck, daylight is better, but ok in a pinch if you color-correct in photo-shop. it sets up in a breeze, the open front & bottom make access easy and allows the backdrop to drape gracefully. it's 24" square, so it can hold a good-sized bear. this is the link if you're interested. not a bad price with buy-it-now, and like I said, very easy to use and quite stable.
Mine stays up because I can't be bothered to work out how to fold it. I have good grumble every time I use the big round reflector I have had for about 20 years and I STILL can't get it back in it's round case without some serious swearing..
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsKelly, I know you do a lot of big bear like I do too. How do you photograph those guys so beautifully?
Luxembears:crackup: :crackup: Yeah, those things are really something. When I opened mine it was in the shape of a frisbee...then POOF...like a magic trick , it opened. :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
I really don't like mine. It's too small and it feels liKe I am climbing inot a cave to change the back drop. I ended up making my own from pvc pipe and fabric. I love it now.
Kelley, yours sounds pretty nifty too. If I get another one it will be like you described.
I've tried everything. . . I bought a pro set-up with a 3-backdrop, 10ft stand and 12' black velvet drape and 3-light slaved flash/umbrella light units that was so much work to set up and use that I sold the lights on ebay and I shot all my pics outdoors on bright, overcast days. a lick of wind brought down the backdrop, and it's freakin cold in the winter, so. . .
then I bought a HUGE digital lighting setup - 3 lights on mega-tripods with huge softboxes, and a 8x8 blue foam digital backdrop. the lights are a horror to setup, and I hated my work against the electric blue, so I bought a spring-folding lightbox like ya'll did. it was a so frustrating to use that I started just clipping one of the bacdrops that came with it to the shelving above my workbench and shooting there. it's a crazy setup between the hot glue guns and the computer, but the window has an eastern exposure and the natural daylight, mid-afternoon is just about right. I prop a folding silver reflector against my monitor screen and hold in place on top with a swing arm halogen worklight and shoot away.
this new box is white on all sides, and reflects enough light on it's own, so I can stop using the reflector. it came with 4 backdrops, but I prefer the white. for years I only shot against black, but there is really to much contrast when using black, and the lighting is pretty tricky.
never, ever, under any circumstances do I use a flash with a digital camera indoors
the don & company were 5ft x 5ft, and I had to take them across the street to an art gallery, where they let me set up my lights and shoot against a blank white wall
Sophie Z'OursYou all make me feel better now... 
I guess I will more likemy keep it flat untill next time I use it.
So far, I only use it outside when the light looks okay. I do not have good lamps inside to use with such a big light tent.
i still prefer to take photos in the garden but the problem is that sometimes we are aked shots taken with a uniform background so now i try to do both.
Concerning background colours, i try to figure out what colour fits the best to the colours of the bear i need to photograph. For example, a black background is definately not the best one for a navy blue bear : I tried it with my bear Candide and I was not happy with the result.
I guess you all do the same, hehehehehe! nothing to teach you there: you tried it before me! 
Oh, i forgot to tell you that the first time I removed my folded light tent from its plastic bag it almost broke my nose as I was far to guess it would blast open that fast!!!!! 
i should have guessed it though, as we have a Quechua tent opening with the same system( we used it only once and it was a nightmare to fold it :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: )!
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
You mean to tell me those things actually fold back up? Who knew?!! ha! 
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Concerning background colours, .....
I use plain fleece fabric for my background (no wrinkles!) I used to use either white or black... but I am also on the Bear Path's email list and had been noticing how ALL the bears looked great against that royal blue.
So I kept my eyes open for that color in fleece fabric and found it! It took some looking as many were "electric" bright like Kelly mentioned I like to use just one color if possible to keep it simple!
Back Road BearsLike Kelley, I've used many different set ups over the years and they were all a PITA or didn't produce results I was happy with. I still like the results of photos taken outside... but yeah, it's mighty cold up here in January!
I just purchased the lightbox you linked to Kelley.............. it looks super and easy and I've got plenty of other lights I could use with it. Can't wait to get it. Very reasonably priced too.
I've started using wool fabric for my backgrounds. Like fleece it doesn't wrinkle. Little hairs don't stick to it either. And I'm finding browns seem to be working for me. Might be the lack of a strong contrast between bear and backing so the correct exposure and coloring is easier to achieve. It's a bit more pricey but I live near a woolen mill and come across some really good deals.
Hi Sophie
I just leave mine set up all the time as I knew I would never be able to get it folded up again
Hugs
Gail :hug: :hug: :hug:
Jellybelly Bears:crackup: :crackup: :crackup: I thought my light tent was evil or something hehe :twisted: suppose its all of them 
I nearly lost a hand when I opened mine, wow thats some force, and I have the biiiig one too lol. Yeah, mine stays folded in half, coz thats as small as i could make it, with my mums help too hahahaha
Teenytinyteddybearsyou all sound so professional. I use a diningroom chair, on its side, with white fabric draped over it and bedside lights on either side :crackup:
Matilda Huggington-beareMy tent when pulled out of the bag exploded into my face. Talk about a fright
I'm finding mine not stable enough because of the fabric bottom. I have been thinking of cutting it out and the backdrops are driving me crazy because of the creases I can't fully remove and the fluff collecting velvet on it's reverse side. BUT... since it has been constant torrential rain for the last couple of weeks, it has been a god send.
Sophie I was only ever able to fold it in half. I leave it and all the works open and set up now.
I found through trial and error that I was best able to photograph with a blue backing. The other year I bought a heap of coloured cardboard and took test shots. The blue I found to be more consistent for me. Since photography is NOT my forte.
Now I shall head off to check out Mr Deans setup.
Wendy 
