Mylar paper is also known as metalized polyester film. You may have seen it used on balloons, packaging, and insulation and, lately, taking over the photography scene. Its unique reflective properties and versatility offer countless possibilities for photographers looking to add a touch of creativity and magic to their images. In this article, I’ll give you some ideas and examples of using Mylar, hoping you’ll try this interesting material yourself.
How to make a gorgeous DIY hand-painted backdrop
There is more than one way to make a custom backdrop for your photography. There is also more than one way to do it: it’s usually cheap, you can make it exactly as you imagine, and as many as you want.
In this video, Luke Cleland shares his method of making a DIY canvas backdrop. You don’t need any fancy ingredients or tons of money, you can make it at home and customize it to pretty much any shooting need you have.
Make this simple DIY food photography background for under $50
If you shoot food photography, a good backdrop is a must. And if you enjoy making your own props and backdrops, you’re going to love this project. In this video, Amie Prescott shows you how to make your own DIY background from a few simple ingredients and on a budget. You can give it your favorite colors, and paint it on both sides to get two looks in one.
How to get three different looks with a single $5 gold background
There are plenty of cheap and easily available items that you can add to your shots and raise them to a whole new level. In this video from Adorama, photographer Gavin Hoey takes you to his studio to show you how to get three different portrait looks with a single gold background. He uses a $5 gold emergency blanket, so this is a pretty cheap, yet versatile trick to add some sparkle to your portraits.
DIY backdrops for home shoots and lighting setup
Bored of being stuck indoors yet? Shooting against the same white background all the time can get tiresome, so why not switch it up with some creative DIY alternatives.
Early on in my photographic career, I spent literally thousands of hours photographing subjects in front of white walls. This was an incredibly popular look in the 90’s as we moved away from the grey and brown cloudy backdrops of the 1980’s, but times are changing once again as we tire of the stark and clinical look of a pure white backdrop.
How to make your own DIY mottled backdrops for a fraction of the cost of buying them
For those of us born in the 1970s and ’80s, this new phenomenon of mottled, cloudy backdrops appearing in modern portraits is an odd one. You see, back when we were kids, we had horrendously cheesy family and school portraits taken in front of these bizarrely arranged patterns, so to us, it’s pretty weird to see these painted, cloudy backdrops now grace the covers of Vogue and Tatler.
How to create a DIY circus setup in your tiny home studio
I believe that all of us would connect circus with a giant tent. However, with some imagination and DIY magic you can turn even the smallest home studio into a circus. In this video from Adorama, Gavin Hoey will show you how to bring circus into your studio space, no matter how small it may be.
Two DIY backdrops that will save you both money and space
If you have a limited space for a backdrop in your apartment, Rachel and Daniel from Mango Street have just the thing for you. In this video, they show you two DIY backdrops they made and attached to a beam in their flat. They’re both easy to make and quick to set up whenever you need a backdrop. They don’t take too much space, and on top of it all – they’re budget-friendly, too. The first one will cost you around $116, and the other is as cheap as $16.
A cheap and simple way to paint your own DIY canvas backdrop
You want a backdrop that perfectly matches your vision and that is easy on your budget? Photographer Lui Cardenas shares a simple method for painting your own canvas backdrop. You will need an idea, a couple of Home Depot items and some free time, and you can paint your own canvas backdrop just as you want.
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