Portable photography booth and improved light reflector assembly

• US 5,383,099 A
• Filed: 12/14/1992
• Issued: 01/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Larry D. Peters
• Original Assignee: Larry D. Peters
• Inventors: Peters, Larry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cariaso, Alan B.
• Application Number:
  US07/990,032
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 362/3, 362/8, 362/11, 362/12, 362/16, 362/17, 362/18, 362/129, 362/141, 362/347, 362/382, 362/277, 362/285, 362/296, 362/319, 362/413, 362/418, 354/290, 354/291, 354/292
• US Class Current: 362/18
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/06 Special arrangements of screening, diffusing, or reflecting devices, e.g. in studio

Abstract

A portable and demountable photography booth including a plurality of vertical and horizontal frame elements releasably fixed to one another to form an open, generally rectangular frame structure having a frontal light source and a forwardly disposed light reflecting surface detachably mounted to the frame elements in a predetermined position selected to provide appropriate facial and upper torso photographs. The reflecting surface is a single continuously curved surface in which the radius of curvature is approximately equal to the distance from the reflecting surface to a designated position of the face of the person to be photographed to align its reflected image adjacent to the curved outer boundary of the iris of the person being photographed.

Claims

1. A photography lighting assembly for taking photographs of the upper torso and face of a human or animal subject comprising in combination;

a) a light reflecting surface defining a cylindrical segment having an arc length greater than its height, said cylindrical segment generated about a selected radius approximately equal to a distance measured between the midpoint of said curved reflecting surface and a predetermined position for locating the face of the subject to be photographed, said reflecting surface being inclined toward the predetermined position of said subject'"'"'s face at a selected angle relative to the horizontal;

b) a light source disposed in vertically spaced relationship to said reflecting surface at a distance approximately equal to the selected radius of curvature of said reflecting surface and at approximately the same distance from the face of the subject to be photographed.

2. The lighting assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said light reflecting surface comprises a sheet of resilient material normally in a planar condition and including a reflector support, said reflecting surface being releasably mounted to said reflector support in a continuously curved configuration along its length to form said cylindrical segment.

3. The lighting assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said curved reflected surface is inclined relative to the horizontal at a selected angle between about 10 to 15 degrees.

4. The lighting assembly defined in claim 2 wherein said reflecting surface comprises a planar substrate having at least one side coated with a light reflective material.

11. The lighting assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said arc length of said cylindrical segment is about two times said radius of curvation and said height of said cylindrical segment is about one third of said arc length.

5. A portable photography booth comprising, in combination;

a) a plurality of vertical frame elements, each releasably fixed to a portable base to define four corners of an open frame;

b) a plurality of horizontal frame elements, at least a different one being releasably connected between opposing pairs of said vertical frame elements to define an upper portion of said open frame;

c) a pair of light source support elements releasably fixed across opposing horizontal frame elements and including a forwardly extending light source attachment disposed outwardly of said open frame;

d) a reflector assembly disposed adjacent to and between an opposing pair of said vertical frame elements and including a support member and a concave light reflecting surface mounted to said support member and tilted toward the rear of said open frame at a preselected angle, said reflecting surface defining a generally cylindrical segment having an arc length dimension greater than its height dimension and disposed with its length dimension extending in a horizontal direction, said cylindrical segment having a radius of curvature selected to be approximately equal to a distance measured from the midpoint of said reflecting surface to a selected point within said open frame designated for the position of the face of a subject to be photographed; and

e) a conventional light source releasably connected to said light source attachment and directed toward said open frame in vertically opposing relationship to the position of said reflecting surface.

6. The portable photography booth defined in claim 5 wherein said reflecting surface comprises a resilient material normally having a planar configuration which is releasably fixed to said support member in a curved configuration defining said cylindrical segment.

7. A light reflector for providing indirect photography lighting from a light source to the upper torso and face of a human or animal subject and a unique reflected image in the eyes of the subject comprising a continuously curved concave reflecting surface defining a cylindrical segment having a radius of curvature selected to be approximately equal to a distance measured between the midpoint of said reflective surface and a designated position for the subject to be photographed;

said cylindrical segment having an arcuate length dimension extending in a horizontal direction relative to said subject greater than its height dimension for forming an arcuate reflected image in a preselected position in the eyes of said subject.

8. The light reflector defined in claim 7 wherein said reflecting surface comprises a resilient substrate provided with a coating of a light reflective material, said substrate having a normally planar configuration and releasably mounted in a supporting holder in a curved configuration defining said cylindrical segment.

10. The light reflector defined in claim 7 wherein said arcuate length dimension is equal to about two times said radius of curvature and said height dimension is equal to about two-thirds of said radius of curvature.

9. An improved method for arranging lighting for taking facial and upper torso photographs of a human or animal subject to provide a unique highlight reflection adjacent to the iris of the subject'"'"'s eyes comprising the steps of:

a) providing a conventional primary light source disposed at a predetermined distance in front and above the subject to be photographed;

b) disposing a concave curved light reflecting surface, defining a cylindrical segment having an arcuate length greater than its height, below said primary light source to direct reflected light upwardly upon the subject to be photographed with its arcuate length dimension extended in a horizontal direction relative to said subject, and at a distance from the subject measured from the midpoint between the subject'"'"'s eyes to the midpoint of said curved reflecting surface approximately equal to the radius of curvature of said cylindrical segment to align a curved reflected image of said reflecting surface closely adjacent and generally conforming to a portion of the circumference of the iris of the subject'"'"'s eyes.