There are many cool little tricks of the trade in photography, This video looks at some extremely useful and perhaps lesser-known photography hacks that pro photographers use.
Professional photography is still a bit of a secretive club. Although there are videos out there showing you insights into the world, a lot of it is still hidden away from the public and those wanting to enter the club. After over a decade of professional photography work, I have made pretty much every mistake. The slowest possible way to erect a backdrop, ruining tether ports, and pretty much every other faux pas. Hopefully, the hacks in this video will help you avoid some of the time and money-costing mistakes that I have made.
In this video, I look at five pro photography hacks that I use every single day. Most of these hacks are there to make life easier, rather than create a visual effect. But with the time that you gain from these, you will certainly have more brain space and physical time to get creative. Hopefully, these tricks will help you free up some time and also save some money.
From never-ending rolls of tape through to modifying light stands, this video goes over some of the most practical hacks for any pro or budding pro photographer. What are your go-to hacks?
Hey Scott. These are great mate. Loved the bike rack! One hack I use and never seen anyone else do is I have a washer on all my camera straps. I use these as a screwdriver to undo the tripod plates on all of my cameras. Nice to know that I'm not the only one that thinks gaff tape is expensive!
Thats a good idea. I have a screwdriver on the studio stand for the same reason, but when out on location I am always hunting for a penny!
Thats a good idea. I have a screwdriver on the studio stand for the same reason, but when out on location I am always hunting for a penny!
Hey Scott. Great tips. As always.
I also dabbled with stands for polyboards. And I bought one similiar to yours. But the problem was that I regularly work with polyboards that have a different thickness. In fact I use 3 different kind of boards regularly.
I sold the metal bike holders and bought those (which can also be found in many photo studios in Germany):
https://www.amazon.de/Cyclus-Tools-Fahrradst%C3%A4nder-Schwarz-Kunststof...
Their advantage is that you can use them with different polyboards. You can adjust them with an allen wrench.
They are lighter (if you transport them) and if you clip them strong enought on the board you can turn the board from black to white WITH the stand which is good if you are on location and don't want to ruin the floor of the owner of the location.
Those are cool! Will be looking into that too!
I love those stands. I immediately resold the metal ones (to a guy who actually used them for a bike).
I proposed them to gaffer from a movie and he never heard of them before but wanted to get them immediately as well. ;)
And in the last location there was expensive parquet floor which was we protected by lifting them up together with the polyboard.
When did 'hack' replace the word 'tip'?
A few years ago. Same as dough meaning money and not just what you make bread from.
Let's not list all the words that have taken on secondary meanings, otherwise we'll have ourselves a gay old time. I just thought that 'hack' was used by the popular press. I hadn't realised it had crept into the professional arena.
I use the word hack all the time at work.
1- Tennis balls -
2- flat spots on Light stand 'arms'
Many thanks
Excellent tips! I've been using the battery numbering for a long while. Another advantage to it is that I can easily rotate my five batteries to prolong their life. I open the camera... remove the spent battery #5... next one in battery #1.. then #2 and so on.
P.S. I also do the same with my five drone batteries.
Yup. Been doing that since my video days in 1990.
I wish I was that organised. Mine sadly have really haphazard usage. Although for the last few years I have predominantly been mains powering my cameras.