About a week ago, James Burger shared a fantastic video where he showed his bedroom transformed into a 100% class A photography studio. In no more than 108 seconds the transformation was completed shots were taken and the studio collapsed into nothing leaving the bedroom completely intact.
Connecting to the theme of Studio @ Home, James explains how (and why) he did it: Click to continue ›
In this installment of Studio @ Home we will deal with the most fundamental aspect of having a home based studio - space.
When dealing with studio space can be easily overlooked while taking care of all the musts: camera, lighting, backdrops, props and more. But the fact of the thing is, you cannot have a studio if there is no studio space. So, how much space do you need?
The “A.I.R” = Affordable Inflatable Reflector
There are already a lot of DIY reflector designs out there, which are built of PVC tubes and are definitely great: cheap, easy to build, effective and often collapsible. But there is a drawback: the length of the tubes limits the minimal size of the disassembled reflector.
Tobi Troendle created the A.I.R reflector. Aside from having a cool name it also folds to nothing.
Photographer James Burger walks us through a 108 seconds journey of converting his bedroom into a studio and back. And he does that stop motion, no less. (If you are reading this via RSS, you may want to click the post to see the full vid).
More after the jump.
Welcome to Studio @ Home.
After three years and some change that this site is running I am getting a lot of feedback that makes me think that some order is needed.
True, over the last few years we've covered almost any aspect of home photography on a budget going through backdrops, light modifiers, and camera tweaks that will make your life easier when going on this long journey of getting a home studio. However, all the info was scattered all over wisely spread across the time line.
It is not a secret that I am a big fan of using 1/4" bolts on just about anything to create ad-hoc tripods.
However, this one by Brian Green tops them all.
Brian is the type of guy that hikes, bikes and generally enjoys the good life (I mean the really good life, not the ones that you enjoy on the couch watching Lost). Click to continue ›
OK, So if you look at the title and say ??@?#?$%%$@, it's time for a little umbrella-holder intro.
Umbrella holder AKA umbrella swivel is a piece of equipment that is meant to attach a small strobe to a light stand. They come in verity of prices and flavors, but one thing is common to all. They have a hole on the bottom to connect to the light stand on one end and a metal stud / hot shoe / cold shoe that attaches to a small flash on the other end.
Wait - didn't you say they are called umbrella holders? Well, yes - this is because they also have a dedicated shaft to insert an umbrella, either reflective or shoot through.
Our friend Mason over at photogels.com is giving a 15% discount for gel packs for DIYP readers.
If you wonder what Gels are good for, and what the heck you can do with those awesome combo packs, read on. There are many great uses for them gel sheets. Here are my favorite four:
There are times when setting up for a shot is not an option. Take the annual family gathering picnic for example. 8 adults, 6 kids and a dog. Everyone is food-focused and no one is photo-op oriented. Also (as you can see on the left) no one is willing to stand still, even for a second.
This is why setting up for a shot is nearly impossible. Well, not impossible - strobes can be tied up (or gaffertaped, or spiderred) to trees. However this solution will provide harsh light. I was looking for something softer.
The obvious option is to shoot with no - trust good old available light. This is a good option and many great moments can be captured using available light. Yet, there is another option, such that will allow you to use off camera flash even in the toughest situations.
Well, actually, the right title for this one should be "Endeavors Of A New Home", since I am building a whole home and not just a studio, but hey! This is a photography blog, so focus is on lighting and studio. Of course the new place will be packed with tricks, but now, it is in the building process. Click to continue ›
