fbpx

DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

Search

 

Submit A Story

How to make a quality DIY video light using LED strips and a cake pan for only $40

by 3 Comments

There are many continuous light options out there these days for video that produce a fantastic quality of light. One such light that’s become very popular is the Aputure Light Storm COB 120D. But at $500, it’s not really an option for many newer filmmakers.

In this video, filmmaker Daniel Shiffer looks at making a $40 DIY alternative. For this project, Daniel wanted something large, circular and reflective, so he used  a 14″ cake pan along with some flexible LED strips, and a piece of diffusion material to produce some great results.

[Read More…]

LED lights could be included with the pop-up flash on Canon DSLRs, new patent reveals

by 1 Comment

An integrated flash can come in handy for photographers, but it’s useless for vloggers and video makers. However, a new Canon patent could resolve this. It shows a set of LED lights integrated with the pop-up flash to provide DLSR video makers with a continuous light source.

[Read More…]

Continuous LED lights vs Strobes – what’s best for your photography?

by 1 Comment

The whole “continuous vs strobes” choice is pretty easy if you shoot video. But for photographers, it can be a little more challenging. New lights of both types are coming out all the time, and a lot of photographers wonder which type of light they should go with. In this video, Jay P Morgan looks at the advantages and disadvantages of both types of lights to see what tasks they’re better suited to.

[Read More…]

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

by Leave a Comment

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!

[Read More…]

Rosco’s new MIX LED panels eliminate casts and can be any colour you want

by Leave a Comment

Last year, lighting gel company, Rosco acquired LED lighting specialists DMG Lumière. Although only founded in 2014, DMG Lumière was quickly recognised for its innovative products for film, television and broadcast. We all knew at the time that this would be an interesting mix of companies and talent that would probably go on to produce something quite special. Now, it seems, they have.

The Rosco MIX, is a new colour changing LED panel based on DMG Lumière’s previous form factors. What makes these special though, is that unlike traditional bicolour, RGB or RGBW LED panels, these contain six differently coloured LEDs to produce a wide array of colours. Famous for their high-quality lighting gels, Rosco’s new light won’t even need them.

[Read More…]

Westcott’s new portable LED makes using modifiers easy

by Leave a Comment

The development of LED lights over the last couple of years has been quite interesting to follow. 10 years ago, LEDs were the last type of light I’d use for any kind of serious video work, but since then they’ve come a very long way. They’ve become more consistent and colour accurate with high CRI & TLCI, more powerful, and more versatile.

Westcott’s new Solix LED light, though, has a particularly unique feature. An integrated speedring for connecting directly into softboxes. It’s an interesting design that allows the light to keep a small form factor while still offering the use of modifiers.

[Read More…]

Everything you ever needed to know about lights in under 30 minutes

by Leave a Comment

Choosing continuous lights has become such a struggle for new filmmakers and photographers. Not too many years ago, your options were simple. Either you get some great big super hot tungstens, or you use that big ball of fire in the sky. Easy. These days, there are so many more options. We’ve still got those old tungstens, but we’ve also got fluorescents and leds.

And all this new tech comes with confusing terminology. Lux vs Lumens. CRI vs TLCI, and it all feels a bit like TMI. Information overload. So, here’s a video from Kevin, The Basic Filmmaker to simplify things, with a look at the state of lighting today. He covers all the different types of lights, the terminology used, what’s actually important to know, and what’s not worth wasting your time with.

[Read More…]

Hardware Store LED Strip Lights for Photography and Video

by 2 Comments

I have been using hardware store LED bulbs for both photography and video in the studio for a while (click here for a DIY three light studio setup) – but every time I pass the lighting aisle in my local big box hardware store I always take a look to see what’s new and improved.

Well on a recent trip to Lowes I found some really cool LED strip lights that work quite well for both photography and video – continue reading for details…

[Read More…]

Aputure’s Light Storm 300D is a monster 2K LED Light for $1,100

by 3 Comments

Earlier this year, Aputure announced their upcoming monster LED light: the Light Storm 300D. And now, it’s officially launched. With impressive 142,000 lux @0.5m , it’s brighter than any light in the Aputure’s arsenal, and it’s comparable to a 2,000W tungsten.

But it isn’t just the brightness that makes this light so powerful. The 300D is precise, easy to shape, and it guarantees impeccable color quality. And all of its features are fit into a lightweight, portable light weighing less than 5 pounds.

[Read More…]

Recent Posts