DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

Search

Submit A Story

Add Hand Painted Backgrounds To Your Photos In Seconds With This Digital Trick

by Leave a Comment

Some of the iconic portrait photographers, like Annie Leibovitz have a very common look for their studio portraits, they are shot against a hand painted textured backdrop. You know what I am talking about. Those gorgeous backdrops with random soft patters. Those backdrops are hand painted on canvas (just like works of art), and show great details and spectacular color.

Sadly, they are also very expensive. This is why you may want to look at creating those digitally with a pre-shot backdrop.[Read More…]

6 Everyday Household Items You Can Use As Backdrops For Product Photography

by 5 Comments


Having a nice backdrop for your product shots really add interest to your product. I still prefer keeping it simple by using my trusty Granite Tile and my DIY Wood Table but I wanted to see what other everyday items I can use for backdrops in my photography.

[Read More…]

How To Make a DIY Handpainted Backdrop

by 25 Comments

With winters lasting for 6 months in Toronto, I find that outdoor shoots are put on hold for pretty much the entire time. Because of that, I try improving my studio work during the indoor hermitting season as much as possible. That way once spring kicks in I can go back to shooting outdoors at full power.

All of my previous studio work (which is limited) involved either a blank wall in my house or a blank wall in my house with a grey paper backdrop that I purchased at Henry’s for $40 CAD. This year, when I was asked to shoot an album cover, I knew it was time to figure out something a little more sophisticated. Cue in NEW BACKDROPS!

[Read More…]

How To Build A 2 Sided Background With Cheap Galvanized Iron Sheets

by 11 Comments

It’s always important to keep your eyes open for inspiration because you can’t tell when you’ll find one. I was driving on the expressway when I saw a billboard for a woman’s fashion wear, and I really loved the background they used, I think they shot it in one of those big cargo containers, so I was inspired to create the look DIY style.

[Read More…]

Using Cheap Wallpaper As Backgrounds For Professional Looking Product Shots

by 18 Comments

The backgrounds we use for our shots make a big difference in the final photo. I have covered quite a few options before, all are pretty accessible and today I want to share another quick and budget minded technique – using wall paper or colored paper for your background. (See these if you need some backdrop inspiration: illustration board, white background & gel & DIY wooden table).

I first saw this being done on flickr and wanted to give it a try. Here are a few ideas on using different paper backgrounds plus few tricks on lighting.[Read More…]

3 (+1) DIY Backdrops That You Find Right At Home

by 5 Comments

When I started photography I was very interested in learning everything I can about studio photography. Obviously, I didn’t have a studio back then, so I needed to work with what I had to create photographs that looked just as good as their studio-taken counterparts.

Here are three different backdrops I used to create a high-end feeling to my photos. You can find them all in your house. Plus an additional cool background you can use which is made out of tarpaulin.[Read More…]

Easy Infinite Blackdrop

by 3 Comments

Over time, we covered quite a lot of infinite white tutorials, but I think this is the first infinite black backdrop we are sharing. This one comes from UglyMcGregor and the smarts of it is that it scales down to small and cramped spaces like home studios.

The setup uses a black backdrop that covers the entire body of the singer. McGregor actually uses a bought background, but any other black fabric will work. The only thing you have to make sure is that it is perfectly smooth and creaseless. If you are using a seamless paper, you are probably good, but for fabric, you ay want to iron our any folds and really stretch out the material. The smarts for this setup lies in the lighting. [Read More…]

Using a Collapsible Backdrop On Location – Product Review

by 3 Comments

Some time ago, I was contacted by B&H to do a review on Impact’s Collapsible Background (Black and White 5′ X 7′).

I love using collapsible backdrops on location as they give me some freedom with regards to choosing a background. While I prefer working with existing walls / plants / fences to crate appealing backgrounds, this is not always possible. And this is where the collapsible comes in handy.[Read More…]

Fencing For Background

by Leave a Comment

As many of you know, I moved to a new place a few months back. (And took down a ten ton wall when doing so). Now remember that story about Thomas Sawyer and the fence?

It starts as Tom got a punishment to whitewash his fence on Saturday. Bummer. However, Tom finds a clever way to both avoid the task and profit from it. He pretends that this whitewashing is so much fun that his friends want to take part in the mission. But our clever Tom, he charges his friends to whitewash the fence. How cool is that?

Anyhow, my story is kinda similar. I got the task from my wife, which is similar. But in my story none of friends paid me to build the fence and there’s a very nice dinner involved.

While putting is fence up is definitely DIY, you must be asking yourself what it has to do with photography. Find out after the jump.[Read More…]

Infinite White

by Leave a Comment

Did anybody say obsessed?

OK, I’ll admit it. Over the last month or so, I’ve been obsessing with home studio tweaks – backgrounds and seamless whites in particular. No wonder too. I’m about to enter my own kids place space studio in about a month now.

This setup has been around for over a year on the web. I can’t believe it went under the radar. It’s cheap, quick to build and kill and best of all it is continuous, so it is also good for video A-LA matrix style.

[Read More…]

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts