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I have a soft spot for using projectors in photography. Aside from the art it produces I think that there is something magnificent in using the light in the opposite way while taking a picture, kinda like having a light-dialog.
This is why I love John Lang’s Blind Spot series. John used a projector to throw people’s own faces at them and then take a picture of the (real) composite.
I recently saw a post about using zip ties as a makeshift wrench for removing filters from lenses and from each other (for those of you who stack them). Even the author recognized the dangers of the method when he pointed out that if not done properly the filter(s) in question could accidentally fly across the room like Japanese throwing stars (my analogy, not his). Obviously, any method that puts your lenses, filters, or pets in harm’s way if not done precisely right should have you asking, “Isn’t there a better way?”
Update: the giveaway is now over, thanks for playing. And a huge thanks for ThinkTank for providing the prize.
Nothing like a brand new photography bag to brighten up your day. The awesome folks at Think Tank are giving away a super cool Retrospective 7 (value $154.75).
It is an awesome bag if you don’t want to be shouting “I carry a dSLR” but still want to, you know… carry a dSRL. It can pack a DSLR and 2-3 lenses or strobes. (And it has a rain cover. nice!)
To enter the giveaway all you need to do is answer one simple question:
UPDATE: for some still image and a note from the creator, scroll to the bottom
You know how everything looks better on the wide screen? I attribute it all to the aspect ratio. Everything looks nice on widescreen.
The thing is that our DSLRs take images with 2:3 ratio and if we crop them we lose quality. This is where anamorphic lenses come into play, anamorphic lenses stretch the image to capture widescreen images/footage on 2:3 sensors. Just like an anamorphic pinhole captures wide screen images on a 35mm film.
Here is the problem, anamorphic lenses are kinda rare and expensive. Used anamorphic projection lenses on the other hand are bearable.
You know what you get when you cross programming and photography? Kick bottoms light painting. A year ago today we featured Michael Ross’s (a.k.a. TxPilot) Digital Light Wand. It is a wonderful Arduino based tool that creates pictures in mid air.
Well, Michael is at it again. Yesterday Michael released his tutorial for a programmable Orb. (click here if you need an orb primer).
Similarly to the wand, the Programmable LED Orb Tool (o.k. you are PLOT from now on)… so similarly to the wand, the PLOT takes any bitmap or jpg image and converts it to a pattern that Arduino can understand.
While there are plenty of wireless triggers around, the most fail-safe way of triggering a strobe is still by using a sync cord. Alas, not all strobes come equipped with a sync jack (pc, or 1/8).
Marcell, A.K.A Fiberstrobe came up with a way to add a sync chord to any strobe that has an optical slave. In his case it was everybody’s lovable hackable strobe – the YN-460II. It synched wonderfully indoors but failed to fire under strong sun.
The YN460 does not have a PC or a 1/8 jack so actually an optical sync is the only solution if you are unwilling to add an external hot-shoe.
But, they don’t call him fiberstrobe for nothing. Using Velcro, cardboard and foamies, Marcell created an optical sync wire that works on light rather than closing an electrical circuit.
About a week ago we shared a sweet little video by Tristan Shea Penner showing the flattering results made with a DIY setup similar to Peter Hurley‘s Kino Flo setup.
While the video showed the awesome photographs that resulted from using the setup, you needed a sharp eye to hunt the different build parts and schematics scattered around the video. We asked for it and here it is. Tristan shared the build diagram.
If you’ve been reading the DIYP for any length of time, you know that we love jibs. We love them because they provide an easy way to get high production value. Our last few jibs were the kind of jibs you make by going to home depot and spending an afternoon of screwing, bolting and hacking at pieces of metal.
On the other hand we never show the really high end jibs as those can be really expensive.
A few weeks back we featured a crazy video where bokeh golblins took over New York. Our Bokeh Masters Kit has been around, but nothing to that extent – I loved how much detail the bokeh goblins had and how their eyes moved so I asked the director Bradonio if he could explain how it was done. Following is his account.
The following is a quick description of the “bokeh silhouettes” in the Gramatik music video “Solidified”, if you don’t recall the video, here is a quick reminder.
Venus’s transit over the sun occurs when planet Venus positions itself between the Sun and the Earth, kinda like the solar eclipse we had a few weeks back.
The timing of this astrological phenomena is kinda weird, a couple of transits 8-years-apart occurs every 105 (or 121) years. So the next transit of Venus across the Sun won’t take place until 2117. This is plenty of notice – about a centery worth – but if you get to the last minute and still find yourself unprepared here is a neat fast trick from Jeff Finkelstein to get you back on your feet.
Here is the image of the Venus Transit, with my DIY $2.00 rig
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe
Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.
John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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