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Yes, But Is It Ready?

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UPDATE: I’ve been taking quite a bash in the comments for not checking the card prior to formatting. Of course you should always check your card. but the idea here is to know which card is empty (or formatted) before putting it in the camera.

Is this CF card filled yet? I remember using a CF card and then placing it backwards in my pocket. but I am not sure it was this card…. I’ll just format it and hope it did not have the engagement session pics…

OK, this is probably not the way you want to tell your used cards from your empty ones. There are many ways to remember if a CF card or a battery are used. You can use different pockets for empty and full; You can place them in different cases; You can put the batteries in different orientation if they are empty; you can use rubber bands, or…..

Creating a Simple Shutter Release Cable From An Old PC Case

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Boy! Is this the most efficient way to do this? Heck no. But we know that you killed your computer for the DVD lens, so here is a good use for its leftovers.

If you have any camera that uses the 3 pin N3 shutter release socket, then here is a step by step guide to creating a cheap (if not free) basic shutter release for camera’s like the 30D, 5D, 7D, etc.

Technically, nothing bad can happen from accidentally shorting out the wrong pins in the N3 socket, but still, I take no responsibility for any damage that may occur from anyone making use of this information.

Light Stencils Video Tutorial (And A Pacman Bonus)

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One of the more interesting methods used in lightpainting is Light Stencils. We featured a written tutorial for light stencils a while back, and thought a video tut will help to better understand how to make the stencils “box”.

“Surprisingly”, the design is very similar to a DIY softbox, after all both are used to make the light come out from a front screen.

Lighting painting artist group fiz-iks just released their video tut on how to make those boxes, and an eighties inspired movie which demonstrates the power of those boxes. Both after the jump.

Create A Shaped Bokeh Lens Cap

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DIYP has covered shaped bokeh from any possible angle, this is why I was surprised to see that we actually never did a tutorial on converting a lens cap into a bokeh holder. To rectify this, Nadine Spires shares how to easily make a holder like this.

The idea came from Pompo, where the author used a lens cap to make a rectangular Bokeh shape.

I wanted something that was easy to set up and didn’t interfere with the zoom mechanism of my lens, the natural choice was a lens cap.

Video Light Painting – The Easy Way

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One of the most repeated questions we get on our light painting tuts is: “Yes, but how about video? Can you light paint in video?“

Well, the short answer is yes you can, you would need to take roughly 24 pictures per second, drawing and re-drawing your light for every single frame. EVERY.SINGLE.FRAME. There are two great examples for that method embedded at the end of this post.

There is an easier way, though less purist made by kdenlive developer Simon Eugster. You would need some Linux skills (and I know many of you are Linux Ninjas) and the usual light painting tools of the trade. Sample and more info after the jump.

Create An Automated Macro Rail For Image Stacking

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Do you find that producing sharp macro photographs is hard due to the super limited depth of field? The way to get around this is to take multiple images with different focus points and stack them together. A tidies work, no doubt.

Macro photographer Domjan Svilkovic was kind enough to share a setup that needs nothing more than a camera, a micro controller, a bunch of cables, a computer, an old DVD an old floppy drive and some basic electronics. OK, that’s a lot of stuff, but considering that the alternative for an automated rails are in the high $100s range, it may very well be worth the extra effort.

Now, just before I hand the floor over to Domjan, beware, this is going to get geeky. And by geeky I mean that you need to have some previous electronics know-how (or better yet, ask a friend).

Light Works Film Features Some Dope Type Bokeh Techniques

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Just in case you did not notice, DIYP has a slight obsession with shaped bokeh. While we covered almost any “regular” aspect of this technique, I am pleased to learn that there are always new applications for some good old shaped bokeh.

This one made by Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher (Supernormals) is a short movie that uses type bokeh. i.e. shaped bokeh with words. The movie, some tips on type bokeh and a short BTS after the jump

High Speed Air-Gap Flash Will Freeze A Bullet In Mid Air

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How would you go about freezing a bullet in mid air?

There is the high enthusiast version, using a cameraAxe and a precise gate similar mechanisms; There is the cheapo version that uses the Hiviz kit and there the Air-Gap Flash.

All the strobes, flashes, monoblocks and heads the use on regular basis are built around a pushing energy into a xenon tube. It is fast. 1/40,000th of a second fast. But from a bullet point of view this is actually kind of slow. Think Matrix-bullet-time kinda thing. Only the bullet is their fast one.

iPad + iPhone Picture in Picture In 8 Easy Steps

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Lying in bed one night reading a Photography eMag on my iPad I was drawn to a photography competition for a Picture in Picture. Instantly and idea shot into my head to use the iPad for a Picture in Picture photo where it appears as if the iPad screen is transparent. I decided that a shot of an apple on the kitchen table would keep the scene easy but also add a bit of reason.

The photo turned out well and after sharing it on Facebook one of my friends presented me with another challenge, to also include an iPhone in the photo giving it a third level. The iPad iPhone Picture in Picture was born.

I decided to make a self-portrait using the iPhone to display my eyes and the iPad to display the majority of my face (or as much of my big head as would fit).

Photographic Walkabout In The Shady Parts Of Tel-Aviv

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Tomer Jacobson is a rising star in Israel’s photographic scene. He is the sole Hebrew translator of the Strobist Lighting 101 booklet and if you can read Hebrew you should definitely check out his blog.

In the following post he shares his experience with walking about with a camera in the shady parts of Tel-Aviv.

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