DIY Photography

One of the hardest parts of wildlife and bird photography is simply finding and waiting for your subjects.

How can you turn a corner of your home into a pleasant video background? Here are the basics of creating a better background and lighting setup for your videos, vlogs, and calls.

This affordable DIY rig is perfect for sweeping food or product videography and while nothing can quite replicate the probe lens, this is a good alternative and arguably more widely usable. 

You don't have to spend a fortune to have great-looking lighting in your images and videos, you just need to know what sort of light you want and how to create it. In this video, learn how to put together a DIY overhead light, perfect for dramatic scenes. 

The additional steps and costs involved with shooting on film often put many photographers off. What if you could have the best of both worlds and use digital in your older film cameras? 

If you want to buy some items for your photography, prices are often high. It feels like the manufacturer has increased the price just because it is for photography. Sometimes, it is possible to make that item yourself. But is the DIY solution just as good? 

Look at any photography discussion board or Facebook page, and you’ll quickly run into members obsessed with bokeh, or the quality of out-of-focus elements in a photograph. If you are in the bokeh-obsessed stage of photography, then large format wet plate photography is absolutely for you. 

Is having old or entry-level gear a limitation to taking good quality images? Just how good can you make portraits with basic gear and what does it prohibit? 

Food and product photography backgrounds can be incredibly difficult to come by in certain parts of the world. There are lots of tutorials out there about how to create your own textured backgrounds and wood backgrounds. But vinyl backgrounds are the bomb when it comes to portability and saving space. Creating them isn’t too difficult either. 

A photographer has built his own DIY ultra-large format digital camera from scratch. The rig uses a 600mm f/9 lens and has a projection area of one meter, making for some crazy images. 

Hand-painted canvas backdrops are a thing of beauty, it is another form of art in itself. With that, there are many canvas backdrops out there that are not very budget-friendly. If you have the time and space, here's how you can make your own. 

A great way to add variety to the poses during a session is to add a prop. Having an assortment of props can be very beneficial, and some good ones to have are apple boxes. They seem to be a very popular choice in portraits, especially more editorial-styled ones. These are a must-have for any photography studio, at least in my opinion. 

With the rise in photographers choosing film over digital, large format film cameras are becoming more sought after. But can this look be recreated with a digital camera? Here’s how one photographer did it.  

Without a power supply, most modern-day photographers will run into problems pretty quickly. If you regularly shoot on location or find yourself off-grid for long periods, this video is for you. 

Cyanotypes are a type of printmaking process invented in the 1800s by Sir John Frederick William Herschel, 1st Baronet KH FRS. What a name! 

Thrift stores aside, this is probably the cheapest way to dip a toe into the world of film photography: a build-your-own camera for $35. What could possibly go wrong? 

Marc Klaus is one artist who has a voice uniquely his own. He has used visuals and storytelling to create a meta-narrative; the video has no words but acts as a deeply insightful look into Klaus's process through clever camera work, in-camera collage, and performance art.

Photography can sometimes become a bit of a gear measuring contest. Who’s got the biggest lens? Which body has the most megapixels?

The show Stranger Things created a stunning way of representing the inner mind of the character Eleven, showing her in an endless black void and standing upon a reflective layer of water. How is this achieved, and how do you avoid electrocuting your cast in the process? 

Clean up clutter backdrops in macro photographs by recycling the trash into a beautiful close-up DIY backdrop. 

Are we sometimes a little too obsessed with the quality of bokeh in our photography? Yes. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't have a little fun with it.

There are lots of great options from pre-made to digitally printed backdrops available, but a lot of them are not cheap, and if you want to have a wide variety, it adds up quickly. That is why I supplement my collection with my own homemade DIY backdrops.  

Can't afford those beautiful but expensive textured backdrops for your food and beverage photography or maybe you just like the idea of making your own unique version? Check out this video for a fun and affordable way to create your own. 

Sometimes you need to ensure that you set your shots apart from the norm, which is easier said than done. Well, this is one example that really achieved what it set out to do! 

Drones and 360 cameras are some of the most unique photographic devices out there, and so, it is only natural to want to combine them. Unfortunately, there are not any 360-capable drones out there, but that did not stop this photographer from coming up with a DIY solution of his own to put his 360 camera on top of his drone.

There are lots of film cameras you can try, but if you're feeling adventurous, why not make your own pinhole camera? It's not as hard as you may think, and you may have what you need lying around. 

It's easy to get stuck in a rut in photography but don't worry, here are 9 surefire ways to supercharge your motivation. 

Imagine being able to film unlimited 8K video, or capturing images of deep-sky objects all night with almost zero noise.

I'm a gadget guy. I always appreciate anything that can make my life easier, safer, or more enjoyable. When I recently acquired a Kywoo3D Tycoon 3D printer, I thought it would be an excellent time to make my photography life easier. 

How many times have you had to buy a tool while on the road or borrow one from a building manager during a photoshoot? Over the years, I have built this small, lightweight kit so this wouldn't happen anymore.  

If you want to practice portraits at home, but don't want to spend a fortune on peripherals for a home studio, this is for you. 

Each Halloween brings another battle to see who can carve the most intricate image into the side of a pumpkin. Engineer and hardcore geek Shane Wighton of Stuff Made Here designed and built his own robot to see how close he could get to the perfect pumpkin photo of his wife. It's about as crazy as it sounds. 

Have you ever wanted one of those really expensive studio camera stands that are popular in large commercial studios? Well, now you can build your own with 3D printed parts and DIY patience.  In a lot of industries and hobbies, 3D printing has really started to expand the possibilities for both businesses and consumers.

As the economic slowdown continues, many of us may not have as much work as we'd like. Personally, I've had very few contracts come through the door in the last couple of months, and the worst thing about it as has been the lack of things to do. 

With just a few simple ingredients and a couple of camera hacks, you can make these otherworldly photos at home on a budget. From the comfort of your own living room, you'll be able to capture images reminiscent of those famous iPhone wallpapers. 

Lighting equipment can be really pricey, but if you are interested in macro photography, you might be surprised by the kind of shots you can get from using a potato chip can for a diffuser.  

Digital pinhole photography is a great way to get creative with your images for little to no money. With the help of some Lego and a few other items, you can easily make the ultimate DIY lens and start making work in a complelty diffrent way. 

Camera trickery has been around since cameras were first invented. By using a technique to create a forced perspective, you can make everyday objects appear like they're part of the much larger world. 

In an age of ultra sharpness and perfect optical balance, our technically brilliant images can often lack charm. So in this tutorial, I'll show you how to use retro lenses on your modern digital camera for photographs that have a lot of character and harken back to the days of film. 

Storing seamless paper rolls in your home or studio is always a bit of a task, especially once the collection has grown over the years. Although there are off-the-shelf options, I found that this simple $20 build does a great job. 

Let's face it: photography is expensive. So, it's always good when you can do it yourself and make something at home for free. Save $100 and learn how to make this simple light hack from the comfort of your own home. 

For most creators, a smartphone is more than enough for creating content. If you’re stuck at home without your gear, you can still make your own rigs and start shooting.  

In trying times, inspiration for the arts can be elusive. If that's the case for you, perhaps this video might help. 

A photographer has put together this behind-the-scenes video to show how we created a realistic “punch portrait.” Mike Smith has managed to pull off an image of himself seemingly being punched, except there’s one catch – no direct contact was made at all.

 Posting to his YouTube channel, Smith said:

While most of us are sitting at home as non-essential personnel, many have come up with ways to keep the creativity flowing. Some are learning how to photograph wildlife, some leaning on their new love for macro, and some even testing out product photography for the first time.

When it comes to DIY hacks, there are some absolute beauties out there that demonstrate the wonderfully creative imaginations that people have. It’s no different when it comes to photography, and these hacks I’m going to share with you today might be some of the most outrageous you’ve ever heard. 

Raspberry Pi has just announced a high quality camera for just $50. Is this product about to revolutionize the world of photography? 

Fighting off cabin fever while stuck indoors is hard to do. Trying to be creative can also be a real challenge. Check out this video full of tips to break you out of your isolation woes. 

With most of us stuck at home at the moment, it can be a bit frustrating trying to exercise your creativity and keep your skills sharp. If you are looking for something to do with your camera during this downtime, this fantastic video will give you 10 great ideas for fun photos you can set up and try at home. 

Did you think that having just one flash unit is not enough to create bright high-key portraits? 

Straight from Manila-based wedding and portrait photographer Jiggie Alejandrino, this live demonstration and tutorial on shooting a model against a plain background to produce high-key portraits might be perfect for your practice shoots while stuck at home.