Posts by Author: David Prochnow

David Prochnow
Our resident “how-to” project editor, David Prochnow, lives on the Gulf Coast of the United States in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He brings his expertise at making our photography projects accessible to everyone, from a lengthy stint acting as the Contributing How-To Editor with Popular Science magazine. While you don’t have to actually build each of his projects, reading about these adventures will contribute to your continued overall appreciation of do-it-yourself photography. A collection of David’s best Popular Science projects can be found in the book, “The Big Book of Hacks,” Edited by Doug Cantor.

    Essential PDA for EVERY photographer!
    Jan 10, 2025 David Prochnow

    Oops, oh, it’s not that kind of Public Display of Affection–“PDA.” It’s, Personal Digital Assistant–PDA. And in this case, this is a sweet handheld device…

    ID your friends with a palm-sized DIY AI camera
    Jan 7, 2025 David Prochnow

    Welcome to the brave new world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) photography. What’s all of the hubbub about AI photography? Is it just another tool resting…

    A new innovation in the history of the camera strap: the finger cuff
    Dec 22, 2024 David Prochnow

    All of the cool kids are doin’ it, and you can too; just flip your finger! But first… let’s take a trip down memory lane…

    Build a pint-sized Santa snooper camera from just 2 simple components
    Dec 19, 2024 David Prochnow

    Now you can stay comfortably nestled snuggly in your bed, while visions of Santa’s visit dance on your smartphone, instead. Building a full-featured “Santa Snooper”…

    Here is a thermal camera that connects to your phone for under $80
    Dec 15, 2024 David Prochnow

    So, you have a fever of a hundred and three? You could just dance over to a thermometer and check your temperature. But that’s not…

    ‘Twas the camera before Christmas (a poem with profound apologies to Clement Moore)
    Dec 9, 2024 David Prochnow

    ‘Twas the camera before Christmas, when all through the storeNot a feature was stirring, not even a CMOS sensor;The neck-straps were hung by the film…

    The $2,000 Light L16 Camera Rises from the Dead for $170, but There’s a Catch
    Dec 3, 2024 David Prochnow

    Savvy, veteran DIYP readers will, no doubt, remember the “glory days” when Light Labs, Inc. released the L16 camera in 2017. This was the 16-lens…

    Build a portable, touchscreen camera with just three parts
    Nov 26, 2024 David Prochnow

    Let’s set the scene: you’re sitting in a shack on a frozen lake in northern Wisconsin when, suddenly, in the distant ice fog, you see…

    Exclusive DIYP report: phone fakes a Hasselblad lens
    Nov 13, 2024 David Prochnow

    If you are in the market for a Hasselblad phone, you’ll probably end up with a OnePlus unit, as they have a long collaboration with Hassy. The…

    A model shootout challenge: make a model believable
    Nov 10, 2024 David Prochnow

    Whoa; stop right here. You were probably expecting a photographic gallery of beautiful people, right? Please don’t leave, there really is information about photographing models….