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How to make a simple $10 DIY disco prism for Profoto A1

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Controlling and modifying light is a lot of what photography with studio lights and battery powered strobes are about. Especially when it comes to portraits, I like to work with my lighting setups so they add something that is not perfect or flat.

Twisting and turning your lights to make use of the edges is one very effective way of doing that. Breaking up the light with a scrim, gobo or something else is also very rewarding.

This DIY project is all about a cheap prism from a LED Disco Party Bulb that I found for under 10 EUR/USD.

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Make a DIY low-angle quadpod under $20

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I love low angle photography! It brings fresh and unusual angles that makes your pictures  stand out. You can buy Platypod for this purpose but I didn’t want to spend $100 on a chunky piece of metal. This site have many  suggestions for do-it-yourself low angle stands including a frying pan.  Good luck taking it on your trip. Here is a super low angle solution under $20. In addition, in my opinion, it is more stable, probably lighter and more compact then Platypod.

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Turn any camera into underwater camera with this $10 DIY periscope

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If you want to take some underwater shots and buying a professional housing would exceed your budget, is Alex of I did a thing has some good news for you. He has built a simple periscope that not only costs around $10 to make, but it also requires almost no time. So if you’re looking for a simple, quick and super-cheap DIY project, take a look at this one.

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Here are some ideas for photos you can take with a $6 shiny purse and your smartphone flashlight

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Mainly, I do photography for fun, and I like experimenting with random stuff to get unusual effects in my photos. For my birthday last year, a got a brilliant shiny cosmetic purse from a friend. It instantly became my favorite traveling companion, but I also immediately saw the potential for using it in my photos.

There have been a few occasions this year that I have used this little purse for photography, combining it with the LED flashlight on my smartphone. And I must say: I’m surprised by the funky lighting effects you can achieve with just two everyday items!

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How to turn your external hard drive’s packaging into a $0 DIY “protective case”

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If Murphy’s Law has taught us anything, it’s that when you forget something, that’s when you will need it most. If you need to protect your external hard drive and you have forgotten the protective case, Zach Ramelan has a solution for a quick fix. He’ll show you how to turn the hard drive’s packaging into an emergency protective case.

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These are some items you can use for filmmaking that you may already have at home

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I know many people who keep a hold of all sorts of bits and pieces thinking “I’m gonna need this someday.” I admit, I can get like that from time to time. If you’re a filmmaker/photographer and have this tendency, all those knick-knacks that you keep stored in your garage or basement might actually come in handy. In this video, Michael Lohrum a.k.a. DIYCameraGuy goes through his garage and gives you plenty of ideas on how to turn household items you already have into filmmaking gear.

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How to make a DIY Scrim Jim for less than $80

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Scrim jims, butterflies, overheads, 4×4 frames, whatever you want to call them, are a staple on most film sets – and for good reason. They can be used to turn almost any light into a large soft light source; they can be used to even out the light during outdoor shoots; and you can use them, with a dark fabric, as large flags. They’re versatile, they’re sturdy, they’re portable, and by building them ourselves, they’re certainly worth having one or two in your kit. Matthews and Westcott, among others, make these that you can pick up for $150 – 200, but today we’re going to make our own for around $80.

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How to make DIY 2-in-1 food photography backgrounds for $30

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If you are into food photography, here is a creative and affordable project you might want to try. Food photographer Joanie Simon shares an idea for making your own backgrounds for food shots. They’re affordable, lightweight, but also versatile: you can use them either as surfaces or backgrounds. Also, making these requires only a few components, yet you can be as creative as you like with colors and textures.

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