DIY Photography Gear

[Nicole]

I realized that the list of projects was starting to actually grow, so I've separated the projects out by category and put in the links. This list will be updated as DIY projects are added here and elsewhere in the forums:

Lighting:

• DIY Flash Diffuser (mdwsta4)
• Make Your Own Studio Lights (mikeboy)
• Build Your Own Free Standing Light Panel (Photodoto)
• Film Can Diffuser and Color Gel Holder (jhawksley)
• Putting together a Budget DIY Lighting System
• DIY Ring Light for Portrait Photography
• DIY Softbox
• How to Build a Food Photography Light Stand
• Using a Water Jug as a Flash Diffuser

Studio Equipment:

• Build Your Own Light Tent (Bail) (Other examples: 1, 2)
  • See the New and Improved Collapsible Light Tent by Bail
• Places to find large backdrops (smc1377, jiminyclickit, saralonde)
• Cheap DIY (Homemade) Muslin Photography Background
  (DIYPhotograpy.net)

Filters:

• Polarizing "Filters" for your P&S (Nicole)
• Macro Attachment for your P&S

Ways to Stabilize your Camera:

• Inexpensive Bean Bag Pods (alissasanderson)
• "Sand" Bag Pod (jiminyClickit)
• String "Tripod"

Miscellaneous:

• Protecting Your Camera in the Rain using Ziplock bags or Food Covers (Nicole, Merlyn)
• DIYPhotography.net (Saralonde)
• Reflectors and Alternatives (RandomConnections)
• Custom White Balance (Nicole)
• Free Printable Cardboard Lens Hoods
• DIY Shutter Release for your Canon DSLR
• The Bucket Method (JiminyClickit)

[Nicole]

An easy way to set the custom white balance on your camera is to use a lid from a Pringles Can or a SlimJim Can. Basically a semi-translucent white plastic disc.

From Wikipedia:

In digital photography, the translucent Pringles can lid can be used to "white balance" digital cameras. The lid is held over the lens and a photo is taken.The result is a whitish blur that is a diffuse image of the amibent light and its color temperature. The Pringles lid photo is then used to set the camera's manual white balance temperature, so that subsequent photos taken in the same light will have more accurate color reproduction. A search of photography lighting forums for "Pringles" will turn up numerous posts where the Pringles lids' color accuracy and usefulness is compared with other products such as dedicated white balance discs (the "ExpoDisc") costing in the USD $100 range. [3]

I've also heard of coffee filters being used.

While I was thinking about where I could get some Pringles, I realized that I possibly had something right in front of me that I could use. I don't know if Canon uses the same sort of white semi-translucent covers on the back of their lenses, but many of the Nikon lenses come with a kind of cheap looking rear cover that happens to be made out of white plastic:



I tried to use this to do my custom white balance, and it gave a "Good" reading every time. Here were my results (Auto WB on Left, Custom WB on Right)



Personally, I think that the custom WB is actually just a little bit warmer, so I think that it actually did make a difference. Not bad for something that came with my camera.

[Nicole]

Several other threads have addressed the question of how to find cheap portrait backgrounds, or even large portrait backgrounds without breaking the bank.

Places to find large backdrops (smc1377, jiminyclickit, saralonde)
Cheap DIY (Homemade) Muslin Photography Background (DIYPhotograpy.net)

[Nicole]

A few new links:

Free Printable Cardboard Lens Hoods
Putting together a Budget DIY Lighting System
DIY Shutter Release for your Canon DSLR
String Tripod

[yurik]

I love DIY! I surf Instructables.com and Lifehacker.com daily.
Here's a list of things I've gathered.

Ring Light for Portraits
http://www.jyoseph.com/blog/detail.cfm?content_id=19

DIY Softbox
http://www.instructables.com/id/EX8FILZ16MEQHO9PFQ

Food Photography Light Stand
http://www.instructables.com/id/E67LKWA477EWZMHVQL/

Macro Attachment for P&S
http://www.instructables.com/id/EREFVJIHC1EQHO9ZEU/

And a couple of light boxes
http://www.flickr.com/photos/idiotking/131169962/
http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

This one is made with a water pail!
http://www.jyoseph.com/blog/detail.cfm?content_id=37


Hope I'm not flooding and that this helps!

[Nicole]

Hey, no such thing as too many options for DIY Projects Thanks for those links, I'll add them into the "big list" a few posts up!

[Bail]

Well after posting up my Light box tent here, People we're messaging me in how it's bulky and in the way. So I gave it some thought and came up with another light tent for around the same price.

I wrote this article hoping it gets published in JPG Magazine.
http://www.jpgmag.com/stories/458

This tent will fold up so you can store it behind a desk/cabinet.

If your a member of JPGmag, Help out a fellow DPS member and vote on the article. Excuse the horrible grammar.

[Nicole]

*Bump*

For anyone who might be interested or want to share their own DIY tips

[Flippant]

an expansion of nicole's sunglasses idea:
you will need:
1. a lens from an inexpensive pair of polarized sunglasses
2. 2 rubber bands
3. scissors
4. your existing lens hood

You can make a slightly less awkward version of the 'hold a pair of sunglasses in front your camera' trick by using some rubber bands and the hood that you normally use to block the sun. Using rubber bands (1 has been cut, and tied on the polarized lens) as shown, attach the lens to the reverse end of the hood so that when you clip on the hood in 'stowed' (reversed) position, the rubber bands hold the polarized lens up against the camera lens. this way, you can unclip the hood/filter, adjust the zoom, and clip back on the hood/filter easily. just keep the filter/rubber bands in your camera bag and whip out when needed.

[Englishteacher]

Here's a background solution. Buy a "green screen" then Photo Shop any background you want into the picture.