If you read this blog long enough, you know I am a big fan of small strobes. They are portable, relatively cheap, can squeeze some intense light and great for on the go. Key words for this post are relatively cheap.
While you can buy used SBs on eBay for a bit over $100 or a LumoPro for a similar price, you are still in for more than a $100 for lights.
Just saw photog Andy Game setup which has a great answer to the money issue. Click to continue ›
Mechanical Mashup is a site to my taste. It is a new and fresh pod/video cast thing with great DIY tutorials. Lots of Photography, but also other fun hacks and ideas for the DIY lovers. And to top sugar with chocolate, you got to love those guys attitude.
One of their latest creations is a video describing how to build a PVC and coroplast continuous light system. (Videos, yup plurals, after the jump). Click to continue ›
The following idea kinda reminds me of what do you get when you cross kinda jokes. You know, like: What do you get if you cross an octopus with a cow? An animal that can milk itself. Or what do you get if you cross a sheep with a kangaroo? A woolly jumper.
Ok, so what do you get when you cross a GPS flash mount with a Mount it anywhere camera tripod? (Answer after the jump). Click to continue ›
The following guest post was written by Ron Horner, a Photographer and a DIYer extraordiner.
This morning my employer came into work and wanted my help in doing a portraiture shoot of his daughter and her family this afternoon. Of course I agreed as he is a rank amateur and needs all the help that he can get with his Nikon D80 and SB600 flash.
I thought that it would be a simple one light bounce flash shoot but when he showed up three hours before the shoot with a new umbrella and wanted lessons on studio photography at the same time, things got interesting. He had only bought the umbrella, no umbrella holder or stand and had no idea about what was involved. The stand was no problem, I just had to make a short drive across the city to get my tripod but the holder was a different proposition. Click to continue ›
One of the comments I got when I started the Studio @ Home series was about flooring. I mean not *all* of our pictures are seamless white. Some pictures are taken with the floor and background as part of the picture.
We covered spaces and backgrounds quite a bit but never gave enough attention to that thing under our feet called floor. Here is a neat little way to create instant flooring that looks like hardwood floor, checkers, or almost any other cool pattern.
Most hardware stores in the US hold something called Vinyl Flooring Sheets. Donno how to describe those other that rollable floor.
Wouldn't be nice if you could setup a small studio on every table? Around every plate?
Martin Kimeldorf did just this, and was kind enough to share. You know Martin. He is the master mind behind gadgets like the Light Stand Portable Backdrop Mount and the Kimel Bouncer.
The next invention by martin is kinda like the diffusion panel that we featured way, way back on the early days of DIYP, only it is way more portable, and has a build in flash mount.
It's all Martin after the jump.
In this post you will find a collection of really (and I mean really) cheap alternatives to pro lighting.
Will you get the same crisp results that you get with pro gear? Probably just an approximation. On the other hand none of those mods cost more than a nickel and a dime, so it is well worth the try.
I'm gonna talk about Plexi in a moment, but first, Happy Halloween everyone.
OK, Plexi.
It is very common for a product shot to be built from two symmetrical halves, the product on top and a reflection on the bottom.
I tried taking shoe images like this using a mirror and some glass, but with both I got two reflection - one from the upper surface of the glass and one from the lower surface on the glass. I then tried using durable nylon to get the same effect which was nice, however the reflection image was not sharp.
Then. Came. Plexi.
As part of the ongoing Studio @ Home series, I asked DIYP readers, what is your favorite photographic light.
By that question I meant what is the light source you love most when you are taking pictures. Strobists you can cheer, but it was a close match. Again, thanks for all who voted and commented, it helps us learn about the trends, and makes a great community feeling.
Results and some thought after the jump.
While I've done some considerable efforts to disconnect the Gordian knot between bodily functions and lighting, my efforts are futile once and again.
Visit Tony's excellent picture tutorial for the quickest toilet gridspot ever.
Click image for larger version on flickr
Of course, you can always make your snoot in a more conventional way - with a cooling grid or coroplast (or heavens forbid, buy one).
