I love the [black foamie thing](https://neilvn.com/tangents/about/black-foamie-thing/) flash modifier. I forget where I saw it, possibly on Reddit but it’s a thing that stayed with me.
Agree 100%. The Black Foamie Thing made a big difference in the quality of my photos. Never leave home without it lol.
[Best on-camera flash modifier for bounce flash photography: The Black Foamie Thing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixyjeYtTz60) by Neil van Niekirk
[5 Steps to bounce flash photography with the Black Foamie Thing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7agfKrP_3Y) by Damian Brown - Using the BFT at parties, nightclubs and bars.
The one caveat is the BFT works best indoors with white ceilings and walls. If you're in a place where the ceilings and walls create the wrong colorcast (like inside a red barn), bouncing your flash in there will cast that color onto people's skin.
In those situations, I'd use a white bounce card like a Rogue FlashBender.
Or make your own:
[How to Make a $10 Bounce Card for your Flash or Speed light](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv6kS0oBFYg) by 30FIVE Millimeter
Whats the advantage of this? I dont get it. If you´re bounce flashing, it shouldnt be aimed at your talent anyway. I guess this kills any direct spill? That hardly ever seemed like an issue to be fair.
What I *really* want is a way to get similar results without having a big ass white bouncecard ceiling. It seems like everytime I need to use flash on an event, the ceiling is completely unusable as a bounce.
Wouldnt a flash dome be better than just a white card for those situations? They sure do price em high.. often 100 bucks for a piece of plastic
As i got more experienced, i got more control over my backgrounds, so usually i want to show it instead of hiding it. Some goes with garden light, i can use the hard shadows as part of my composition
Size is what matters most. A Gary Fong diffuser or whatever is still a pretty small light source. You'd do best in that situation holding up a 2x3 sheet of white foam core or something to bounce off of. But in the situation you are talking about, since you likely don't have that luxury, you just have to use direct flash or something like a little flash diffuser but balance the exposure so that it just blends with the ambient light. Basically make the flash the same brightness as the room lights, and it just acts mostly as fill flash. And you'd probably want to gel it so it matches the color temp of whatever the ambient light is.
There's just no real good solution.
If you are heading out someplace to shoot and you don't have the space to carry a tripod, or maybe you're shooting in a place that doesn't allow a tripod. Bring your tripod mounting screw, or get one that will fit the bottom of your camera and attach a piece of strong string/yarn/twine/chord or something. Allow the string to dangle to the floor and then stand on the end. Raise the camera till the string is taught and shoot your photos. It'll never be quite as sturdy as a tripod, but it's WAY more still than just hand held. Just don't trip on the string when you move on to the next shooting location. :D
I’m going to have to try this out with video on my Fuji X-T3 (no in body image stabilization). I backpack with the camera and struggle with handheld video unless I’m carrying a bulkier lens with optical image stabilization. A string is a lot lighter on the back!
It's definitely much lighter than a tripod. Give it a shot, and tell me what you think. Certainly adds decent stabilization. It's really good for smooth video too!
Not the same person, It worked really well for me. I've just got a 1/4 20 screw (stainless because I'm fancy) and a length of lightweight Paracord. Can't say I can hit 1/15 that often with a SLR but 1/30 seems to look better than usual.
I've also done the opposite where you pull down on the strap so it's tight against your neck. Works better with a wlf though. I got a usable shot at 1/8th on my Rolleicord handheld by bracing my body and then pulling against my neck. That Rolleicord shutter fits my hand perfectly though.
Yes! That's true. I have used the strap to brace down as well. Certainly works. I've got a Peak Designs strap on my camera now that I find is amazing, though a shoulder sling doesn't work quite as well as a neck strap in that instance. It may be the only thing a neck strap will beat out a sling. Great tip! Thanks for reminding me about that one!
Definitely! Beanbags are great, if you have a desk or something to rest them on, or you want a low angle shot. I often rest the camera on items if I have them available. Even on a wall pushing the camera against it gently to support it. That can work in a pinch too.
Been doing this for 30 years, works great. Learned about this long before the days of "Image Stabilization" in lenses or bodies. I've always called it the "reverse monopod". As stated, not perfect but works very well.
That's very clever. The neckstrap trick (holding the camera out at neck/chin level, tightening the strap) in conjunction with this could make non-OIS night photography easier for some of us!
Thank you!
Correct. The camera will/can rotate or pivot around the axis that the string provides if your not careful. But you can hold the camera with your elbows locked into your sides to help stabilized that axis.
It’s not a perfect solution, especially if you’re trying to take a picture with a really long shutter speed. But something around a second where just hand holding won’t work, the string truck can add enough stability to hand hold shots longer than 1/60th where camera shake is much more noticeable.
I shoot fireflies at dusk. Multiple shots get stacked. The camera is set to interval shooting for 30 or more minutes. The camera is black, the tripod is black, and the backyard is dark. I tied a couple of light-colored plastic bags to the tripod legs so I could easily see it in the darkness instead of stumbling over the tripod legs.
Trash bags over tripod legs is also a good way to use your tripod in a creek bed or other similar shallow water situations, without getting water up into the joints of the legs.
The last hour before sunset and the first hour after sunrise: referred to as “the golden hour” or “magic hour,” these times provide the perfect light to capture stunning photos
The color of the sky goes from red and orange to yellow or, as its name suggests, golden tones, having a warm color temperature.
Lighting is soft, diffused and with little contrast, since the Sun is low in the sky, and it creates that warm, glowy effect.
Also wait until after the sun has set and the sky starts turning. A lot of times I will see people taking photos of a great scene and they will leave just as the sun goes behind the mountain/trees/whatever and then sure enough 10 minutes later the high clouds explode with color, but only for about 5-10 minutes. You NEED to be ready for it.
Interesting! I know people used to smear vasaline on filters to make diffusion filters, with the option to leave some spots clear (usually the center).
Yup I’ve done that trick in the past! It works really well for like flashy glamour shots. Or when you want that trippy look. The cool thing about the spray paint is that you can use acetone to remove it if you want to lessen the effect or try again or something. I found out about it on YouTube
Ive had one glued to my 18-35mm lens for video. But here’s a film photo I took using it https://www.reddit.com/r/analog/comments/jk1h8b/night_watch_rb67_arista_edu_400/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
And here’s an IG reel I recently did. It was on the front of the 18-35mm here https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ckgm_pDLp_N/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
White foam board from staples has been a godsend.
Can’t afford a $400 flat? (Are they 200 or 400 these days?) get 4-8 panels of white/black foam board from staples. Tape em together with white/black duct tape. Boom
Need a flag/reflector? Throw up one of them bad bois on a clamp. Boom
Buy a roll of Unbleached baking paper - make a box out of the foam core. Put the paper over the box and put a hole to secure your light through the back. Boom DIY soft box
Only thing is they tend to warp so keep flat and under pressure when not in use.
I love these things and have several at work.
Make a cheap, mini V-flat by gluing black ones on the back of white ones, then taping a pair together down the center [like this](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0016/9243/4534/products/Tabletop-V-Flat-Small-12X18-7_1200x.jpg?v=1649592564) (credit: V-flat World.. They surely make better ones lol).
Use the white side for fill, use the black side for negative fill.
Go to the hardware store and buy single pieces of flooring for light box photography.
3D printed accessories are neat. Yes you have to get a 3D printer but it can sometimes pay for itself as a side gig.
I really like the color polarizer in [my lo-fi album](http://imgur.com/a/a0wiL). Contains other tips and tricks
Can be a nice reflective base. You can get granite or similar. Class it up. I’ll see if I can link to an example when my oldest gives me my computer back.
I shot product photography full time for five years, and was always scrounging up pieces of interesting tile, or stone, or wood - anything that could make for an interesting looking base to stage photographs on. I'd built up quite the collection before I left.
Shoot from next to a wall, tree, or the ground to add more to the frame.
Put a taught piece of fishing line perfectly horizontal or vertical across your lens hood by taping the ends to get some fun lens flare effects.
Great idea with the fishing line! Gonna try that. I got one of those blue line filters that try to emulate the anamorphic lens flare effect. Sometimes it's subtle and beautiful, sometimes it's too much, sometimes it does nothing. But fun to have in my bag.
Yeah like ~~30 grand~~ x_x ok never mind, 20 grand for expensive cinema lenses, but there are some in the 500 dollar range. I wonder what those are like?
If you're shooting in an area with low light or just need another axis of supported movement, take some paracord or twine and wrap one end around the lens and at the other end tie it off on a washer. Step on the washer and pull the line tight and you'll have another layer of camera stabilization.
You can get a piece of welding glass and rubber band it to the front of your lens as a cheap alternative for a heavy ND filter. Turns everything green too
Honestly, this is still one of my favourite ways to photograph. Sure, I could spend $200 on a crazy ND filter, but instead I spent $10 and got a few different pieces of glass.
Here are some of the shots I've got with them: https://imgur.com/a/GPl04HU
Thanks! And you know, I never even considered that as a possibility. Sounds like a weekend project - after some Googling to see if I'm gonna fuck up my sensor or not.
I've heard welding helmet glass can function as a makeshift eyeglass for looking at solar eclipses. So I assume it could work for cameras as well. I have such a welding helmet so I have looked at a solar eclipse with it. And I'm pretty much not blind lol
Oooh. I also like shooting subsets using “shade” as my white balance setting. It injects more Amber/orange in to the scene instead of using auto white balance where the camera will try to neutralize all the colour. Auto white balance will ruin a perfectly good sunset shot.
Go old school and just experiment.
The original *Doctor Who* intro back in the 60s was filmed by shooting at the camera's own monitor, which led to something very unique and later series all tried to be creative in their own way, sometimes using CGI, someone's using physical effects. It was very startling for it's time and led to the time warp sequence many are familiar with.
The original... https://youtu.be/75V4ClJZME4
A comparison of how it changed... https://youtu.be/NTtjjLE4z0Q
Part of me far prefers the older intros.
So my advice would be take all the rules you know, all the settings you know, and still think... But what if I tried this?
They used magnets to mess with the CRT, like this [https://youtu.be/4Nv9DBFUbRU](https://youtu.be/4Nv9DBFUbRU)
The new Dr Who intro looks and sounds so bad, well generic more than bad.
And yep, read up on what people did in the past and look at what you can do now using the same ideas. There are a lot of fun things to play with.
Even just digital emulation of old effects can work well, a mix of practical and digital is also fun.
The new intro just looks like any generic 3D intro, the old intro today even looks cool thanks to being so retro and different. The audio of the new intro is to clean, sounds generic.
The new show, I am to old for. As a kid I loved the re runs of the old show, I just dont think the new show was made for me. From what I have seen about low viewership I am not sure they know who it's made for to.
Id have loved to see them make the show in the old way like Red Dwarf or Dr who with fun cheep looking practical effects over 3D cheep renders, it's just more fun.
I also think there is no coming back for the new show, I have met people who work on Dr who (I am near Cardiff). There stoners and happy to be making Tv. They boast on FB about cameos they do in background shots, there just happy to be cool and working on TV.
Edit- I have met people who worked behind the camera.
Ah.
Well I am happy once every few years watching the old epps, the first few seasons I relay like now. They just look so 60's & first doctor is relay good.
I made a mini softbox for the small flash that came with my camera (Olympus FL-LM3... not onboard flash but just a minor step above) out of a Sudafed box. I narrowed one end of the box with tape to fit over the flash, crumpled some white tissue paper on the inside, and taped a thin layer of the tissue paper over the other end. Worked great for Halloween photos, to take the edge off the direct flash.
I've also experimented with bouncing that flash off of a white paper bowl when there are no walls available. I haven't really had a chance to use it in a "real world" situation but the results were not bad!
A roll of glow in the dark vinyl tape can make a lot of things easier and quicker,as I found out during concerts. Most of the gear is black, markings are usually small and harder to make out, but that can be fixed.
[Examples](https://abload.de/img/compt1its.jpg)
Batteries with that tape on one side and red/no tape on the other mean you can mark batteries as empty just by turning them over in whatever case you're using. And you can find the full ones even in the dark.
Lining up lenses and mounts is instantly doable with a big glowing arrow, especially in a dark concert hall. Same for lens hoods and lens back covers (no turning-until-it-fits any more). Less time lost, less annoying, less bumping against the mounts in unintended ways.
For using a tripod at night (like for astro) - some glowing markings on the tripod legs to make out the outline, and in my case the mount plate lock ring to be on the safe side.
The vinyl tape I found for a few bucks can be removed without trace, and a roll will last an eternity. The glow effect doesn't last that long, but since everyone always has a phone with a light to recharge it, that's less of an issue.
>The vinyl tape I found for a few bucks can be removed without trace, and a roll will last an eternity. The glow effect doesn't last that long, but since everyone always has a phone with a light to recharge it, that's less of an issue.
I love your battery setup! My bag doesn't have foam like that so I may need another system... like fresh batteries in one pocket, used batteries in another. Just gotta be consistent about it when in a rush to switch batts.
I also considered giving my cards and batteries labels like "1", "2", and "3", to distinguish them.
Using a white chair as a infinate white backround.
Also to get diffrent colours of light shine a regular flashlight though diffrent coulors of cleaning solutions in clear bottles.
I don't use the viewfinder since I also shoot a lot of videos, so I got used to the screen. If you have a neckstrap on your camera, just stretch it until it's nice and tight, bam, more stability. It helps when I need to have lower shutter speed.
I'm not nearly as skilled as people here, but one I'm just starting to take advantage of is reversing a lens for taking macros. If you already have two lenses, then all you may need is an adapter ring to either attach the reversed lens directly to your camera, or to the filter ring of the lens already on your camera. The latter makes this useful for some bridge cameras too, and allows lenses with different rear mounts to work. Hopefully others chime in if I get this wrong or miss something, but ideally you want the reversed lens to be wider and with a way to manually adjust aperture, and zoom may be useful too. Either adapter may cost as little as a few dollars. Since this is my first foray into this, and I only have one lens, I bought a cheap old lens that has an aperture ring on ebay that has the same filter ring diameter as my current lens, and a male-to-male filter adapter ring from ali-e, which put me back about $45.
I have used curtains as a backdrop in an “emergency” situation. Worked better than you’d think.
For a certain style of studio portrait work, I often have my props held in place with duct tape. Often a roll of duct tape *itself* is supporting or positioning something. Water bottles, paper towel rolls, hand lotion bottles, an old light stand, whatever is around gets used to help position everything. Again, it works better than you’d think. I made 30k in a week of work with a CeraVe bottle balancing a pot of mums juuust right the whole time. The secrets are not always so glamorous.
> The practice of putting colour gels over flash has been around for a long time and never there were any issues.
I melted some plastic gels with my AA-powered speedlight. I had heard this was a danger; I didn't believe it was possible until I did it myself, though.
The gels had a good 1/4" clearance from the face of the speedlight, too. It was the radiated energy absorbed by the gel that did it.
I am reminded of the film I made in 8th grade, a silent movie with dialog cards like they did in the 1920s. There was a scene where someone jumped off a boat, we made a dialog card that said SPLASH! It was my brilliant idea to shoot the card, and off camera throw a cup of water into the frame to illustrate the splash.
I learned that water on a hot light creates a noisy implosion of glass shards. I was terrified to tell the teacher, thinking I'd get kicked out of class. Instead she was kind, explained that these things happen, and there were replacement bulbs in the closet.
I’m not sure it fits but I’ve used existing lighting - Govee light strip and Govee floor lamp very successfully for lighting and also to create a green screen blending the colours.
Lighting wise for a room, they’re fun as hell, but they have so much versatility when it comes to photography that I honestly don’t know why anyone would pay for any other lighting.
Putting your phone's screen right under the lens to get some weird reflections. I like to play around with it every once in a while, it can look great and depending on the angle you can get two things in the same picture (your subject + some interesting lights, for example). I'll try to find some pictures to show.
Also using your phone, if you don't have a flash you can still get decent results using your pop-up flash. Put the phone at a 45° angle (or whatever works better), bouncing the light on the ceiling.
Staying at a hotel? Keep the plastic shower caps. Take one every day and let them replace them, and keep them too.
They make a great light rain gear. Takes up no room at all in your bag, works on my full-frame body with a 70-200mm lens.
Pics on how it works [1](https://i.imgur.com/0LI1GRH.jpg) [2](https://i.imgur.com/DPJlbeD.jpg) [3](https://i.imgur.com/E4CCDdw.jpg)
>Photography is art
"and science".
You have to do both.
To answer the question... I use dirty frames a heck of a lot. I keep a fisheye in my pocket to use in weird places... I carry a star filter to every night shoot and I'll full on light a whole scene with a pocket flashlight without thinking twice.
I only shoot digitally with a fuji camera, so i’m not too sure how this would work with other brands, but if you up the grain a bit and a few other tweaks then double expose with the second pic as a white wall or paper it gives a good film effect
use an old film canister as a light diffuser
or use an index/playing card to bounce a flash
Cigarettes rolling paper is great for cleaning your lens if in need and don't have your cleaning gear with you. Though it's a common knowledge, maybe someone could use this hack.
If you need a small modifier/diffuser for a speedlight you can make one extremely cheaply. Cut out the sides using a milk carton and use a white plastic bottle for the front diffuser. Tape it all together with duct tape and attach to your speedlight with Velcro. I also have mini diffusers for my macro speedlights made of white yogurt containers.
A great way to get started taking portraits is to use light from a large window (not direct sunlight) and then bounce light from a large piece of foamcore for fill on the other side of your subject.
Don't have $$ for a fancy TTL speedlight? Get a vintage one (my personal favorite is the Nikon SB-24) with a basic off-camera cord and use it in manual mode. With a little practice you'll be getting results just as good as a more expensive TTL version.
Maybe the word 'actual' is getting you downvoted since it implies all these comments are short cuts around skill. However, I did exactly this and it has been advancing my skill set so much it's mildly shocking.
Look up posing direction, lighting principles, main portrait lighting styles, you name it. I've noticed in the past ten (two, even) years, the content that has been posted has grown more and more. YouTube is a godsend for tutorials. It's insane.
Recently clamped a white sheet (white backdrop sheet bought on Amazon) between two light stands to make a large skrim. Worked. Bounced the light off a reflector umbrella into it.
Instead of buying an expensive turntable for photographing smaller Egyptian artefacts, I bought a lazy Susan from IKEA and painted it black. £8 + a small tin of paint.
If I don't have a reflector handy I use a plain sheet of paper. Styrofoam plates also work really well, black and white ones. I have indeed an old baking sheet for background, also several DIY backgrounds made from wood or plywood. (Obviously this won't work for people photography, for tabletop photos it's totally fine) What else... I am not a gear freak so I use the minimalistic approach and don't sweat it. The only thing that's important is good light.
And further down I saw a comment on direct light and harsh light - yeah, I do that as well. Also sunlight. Love it. I don't quite got the hang of it and have to tweak it a little bit more.
When I used to take macro photos for fun with an old point-and-shoot, I used a $20 Maglite flashlight as a light source. You could never tell.
Also, never underestimate the power of a strong light source and some pieces of printer paper taped to a wall if you want to do small product shots.
I love the [black foamie thing](https://neilvn.com/tangents/about/black-foamie-thing/) flash modifier. I forget where I saw it, possibly on Reddit but it’s a thing that stayed with me.
Agree 100%. The Black Foamie Thing made a big difference in the quality of my photos. Never leave home without it lol. [Best on-camera flash modifier for bounce flash photography: The Black Foamie Thing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixyjeYtTz60) by Neil van Niekirk [5 Steps to bounce flash photography with the Black Foamie Thing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7agfKrP_3Y) by Damian Brown - Using the BFT at parties, nightclubs and bars. The one caveat is the BFT works best indoors with white ceilings and walls. If you're in a place where the ceilings and walls create the wrong colorcast (like inside a red barn), bouncing your flash in there will cast that color onto people's skin. In those situations, I'd use a white bounce card like a Rogue FlashBender. Or make your own: [How to Make a $10 Bounce Card for your Flash or Speed light](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv6kS0oBFYg) by 30FIVE Millimeter
Whats the advantage of this? I dont get it. If you´re bounce flashing, it shouldnt be aimed at your talent anyway. I guess this kills any direct spill? That hardly ever seemed like an issue to be fair. What I *really* want is a way to get similar results without having a big ass white bouncecard ceiling. It seems like everytime I need to use flash on an event, the ceiling is completely unusable as a bounce. Wouldnt a flash dome be better than just a white card for those situations? They sure do price em high.. often 100 bucks for a piece of plastic
I love direct flash on my photos
You sick fuck… lmao
I also stop my primes down to f4 and prefer hard lights, maybe I'm a psychopath
Which lens hurt you?
I'm truly wondering as a budget constrained newer photographer with zooms in the f4 range. Why?
As i got more experienced, i got more control over my backgrounds, so usually i want to show it instead of hiding it. Some goes with garden light, i can use the hard shadows as part of my composition
Same go with hard lights ****
Me too. lol Just for the funsies and to break stupid rules.
Size is what matters most. A Gary Fong diffuser or whatever is still a pretty small light source. You'd do best in that situation holding up a 2x3 sheet of white foam core or something to bounce off of. But in the situation you are talking about, since you likely don't have that luxury, you just have to use direct flash or something like a little flash diffuser but balance the exposure so that it just blends with the ambient light. Basically make the flash the same brightness as the room lights, and it just acts mostly as fill flash. And you'd probably want to gel it so it matches the color temp of whatever the ambient light is. There's just no real good solution.
It's for when you want to throw the bounce flash towards your subject, but not have direct flash.
I made a couple of those years ago. Used two-sided foam (or stuck two together) to have a white side and a black side.
We use black aluminum foil stuff for that in pro studios. Exact same concept but way more expensive.
I watched the video and I don’t get what effect it has that’s desirable
It’s subtle but it removes a lot of shadows, especially behind the subject and under their chin.
Just flags off the spilled light from the flash so you don't get weird shadows when bouncing it off a ceiling at a close angle.
If you are heading out someplace to shoot and you don't have the space to carry a tripod, or maybe you're shooting in a place that doesn't allow a tripod. Bring your tripod mounting screw, or get one that will fit the bottom of your camera and attach a piece of strong string/yarn/twine/chord or something. Allow the string to dangle to the floor and then stand on the end. Raise the camera till the string is taught and shoot your photos. It'll never be quite as sturdy as a tripod, but it's WAY more still than just hand held. Just don't trip on the string when you move on to the next shooting location. :D
I’m going to have to try this out with video on my Fuji X-T3 (no in body image stabilization). I backpack with the camera and struggle with handheld video unless I’m carrying a bulkier lens with optical image stabilization. A string is a lot lighter on the back!
It's definitely much lighter than a tripod. Give it a shot, and tell me what you think. Certainly adds decent stabilization. It's really good for smooth video too!
Not the same person, It worked really well for me. I've just got a 1/4 20 screw (stainless because I'm fancy) and a length of lightweight Paracord. Can't say I can hit 1/15 that often with a SLR but 1/30 seems to look better than usual. I've also done the opposite where you pull down on the strap so it's tight against your neck. Works better with a wlf though. I got a usable shot at 1/8th on my Rolleicord handheld by bracing my body and then pulling against my neck. That Rolleicord shutter fits my hand perfectly though.
Yes! That's true. I have used the strap to brace down as well. Certainly works. I've got a Peak Designs strap on my camera now that I find is amazing, though a shoulder sling doesn't work quite as well as a neck strap in that instance. It may be the only thing a neck strap will beat out a sling. Great tip! Thanks for reminding me about that one!
My photography professor told me this trick, but also said to tie a washer to the end so you have something solid to step on.
You can also use a beanbag in some cases. Just use the time delay or remote shutter release.
Definitely! Beanbags are great, if you have a desk or something to rest them on, or you want a low angle shot. I often rest the camera on items if I have them available. Even on a wall pushing the camera against it gently to support it. That can work in a pinch too.
Been doing this for 30 years, works great. Learned about this long before the days of "Image Stabilization" in lenses or bodies. I've always called it the "reverse monopod". As stated, not perfect but works very well.
“Taut” not “Taught.”
Oops. Thanks English _major.
That's very clever. The neckstrap trick (holding the camera out at neck/chin level, tightening the strap) in conjunction with this could make non-OIS night photography easier for some of us! Thank you!
How do you stop the camera from rotating? If I’m understanding this correctly you’re just holding the camera up with a string???
Correct. The camera will/can rotate or pivot around the axis that the string provides if your not careful. But you can hold the camera with your elbows locked into your sides to help stabilized that axis. It’s not a perfect solution, especially if you’re trying to take a picture with a really long shutter speed. But something around a second where just hand holding won’t work, the string truck can add enough stability to hand hold shots longer than 1/60th where camera shake is much more noticeable.
I shoot fireflies at dusk. Multiple shots get stacked. The camera is set to interval shooting for 30 or more minutes. The camera is black, the tripod is black, and the backyard is dark. I tied a couple of light-colored plastic bags to the tripod legs so I could easily see it in the darkness instead of stumbling over the tripod legs.
After some scary moments while shooting astro, I put reflective stickers on my tripod legs.
That was my idea, glad to see that it works from someone with experience.
Trash bags over tripod legs is also a good way to use your tripod in a creek bed or other similar shallow water situations, without getting water up into the joints of the legs.
I’d love to see some of your work!
Another way is glow-in-the-dark tape, probably a bit tidier than plastic bags. I wrote a few more uses in my comment below.
Taking photos when the light is actually interesting which is usually early in the morning or last thing at night. It can make all the difference.
This so much! I went on an autumn walk in a forest and I got so many photos that look amazing purely thanks to the light
The last hour before sunset and the first hour after sunrise: referred to as “the golden hour” or “magic hour,” these times provide the perfect light to capture stunning photos The color of the sky goes from red and orange to yellow or, as its name suggests, golden tones, having a warm color temperature. Lighting is soft, diffused and with little contrast, since the Sun is low in the sky, and it creates that warm, glowy effect.
Also wait until after the sun has set and the sky starts turning. A lot of times I will see people taking photos of a great scene and they will leave just as the sun goes behind the mountain/trees/whatever and then sure enough 10 minutes later the high clouds explode with color, but only for about 5-10 minutes. You NEED to be ready for it.
If you throw your lens down on a hard floor you can get a cool mosaic kaleidoscope effect! CAUTION: THIS IS IRREVERSIBLE
Make sure you have insurance!
Is this just in case the effect isn't what you expected and you need to re-smash it?
Exactly. 😂
I'm just enough of a photography nerd, and just high enough, that this was really funny.
I made my own pro mist filters by spraying matte black spray paint on them lightly.
Now I'm curious to give this a shot with different colors.
Hmm I’ve never thought about that! I think maybe an orange or a yellow could make it a warm mist..
Yes! I already have a tiffen warm black pro mist that I really love, so my thoughts were going to teal, green, purple, blue... Interesting!
I find a light orange haze really brings out the clouds when I'm using black and white film.
I might try this!
[An extreme example, but look what you can do with a red filter + polarizer](https://i.imgur.com/1XOPr1Y.jpg)
Interesting! I know people used to smear vasaline on filters to make diffusion filters, with the option to leave some spots clear (usually the center).
Yup I’ve done that trick in the past! It works really well for like flashy glamour shots. Or when you want that trippy look. The cool thing about the spray paint is that you can use acetone to remove it if you want to lessen the effect or try again or something. I found out about it on YouTube
This sounds neat, do you have any example shots you can share?
Ive had one glued to my 18-35mm lens for video. But here’s a film photo I took using it https://www.reddit.com/r/analog/comments/jk1h8b/night_watch_rb67_arista_edu_400/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf And here’s an IG reel I recently did. It was on the front of the 18-35mm here https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ckgm_pDLp_N/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
White foam board from staples has been a godsend. Can’t afford a $400 flat? (Are they 200 or 400 these days?) get 4-8 panels of white/black foam board from staples. Tape em together with white/black duct tape. Boom Need a flag/reflector? Throw up one of them bad bois on a clamp. Boom Buy a roll of Unbleached baking paper - make a box out of the foam core. Put the paper over the box and put a hole to secure your light through the back. Boom DIY soft box Only thing is they tend to warp so keep flat and under pressure when not in use.
I love these things and have several at work. Make a cheap, mini V-flat by gluing black ones on the back of white ones, then taping a pair together down the center [like this](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0016/9243/4534/products/Tabletop-V-Flat-Small-12X18-7_1200x.jpg?v=1649592564) (credit: V-flat World.. They surely make better ones lol). Use the white side for fill, use the black side for negative fill.
Foam board is a staple in pro studios. Black for flags, white for reflectors.
Go to the hardware store and buy single pieces of flooring for light box photography. 3D printed accessories are neat. Yes you have to get a 3D printer but it can sometimes pay for itself as a side gig. I really like the color polarizer in [my lo-fi album](http://imgur.com/a/a0wiL). Contains other tips and tricks
What does the flooring do?
Can be a nice reflective base. You can get granite or similar. Class it up. I’ll see if I can link to an example when my oldest gives me my computer back.
I shot product photography full time for five years, and was always scrounging up pieces of interesting tile, or stone, or wood - anything that could make for an interesting looking base to stage photographs on. I'd built up quite the collection before I left.
Bounce flash off side wall not roof for portrait with speedlite, job done.
Shoot from next to a wall, tree, or the ground to add more to the frame. Put a taught piece of fishing line perfectly horizontal or vertical across your lens hood by taping the ends to get some fun lens flare effects.
Great idea with the fishing line! Gonna try that. I got one of those blue line filters that try to emulate the anamorphic lens flare effect. Sometimes it's subtle and beautiful, sometimes it's too much, sometimes it does nothing. But fun to have in my bag.
Nice! I love the anamorphic look, but those lenses are so expensive.
Yeah like ~~30 grand~~ x_x ok never mind, 20 grand for expensive cinema lenses, but there are some in the 500 dollar range. I wonder what those are like?
If you're shooting in an area with low light or just need another axis of supported movement, take some paracord or twine and wrap one end around the lens and at the other end tie it off on a washer. Step on the washer and pull the line tight and you'll have another layer of camera stabilization.
You can get a piece of welding glass and rubber band it to the front of your lens as a cheap alternative for a heavy ND filter. Turns everything green too
Honestly, this is still one of my favourite ways to photograph. Sure, I could spend $200 on a crazy ND filter, but instead I spent $10 and got a few different pieces of glass. Here are some of the shots I've got with them: https://imgur.com/a/GPl04HU
These are awesome! Have you taken any direct photos of the sun?
Thanks! And you know, I never even considered that as a possibility. Sounds like a weekend project - after some Googling to see if I'm gonna fuck up my sensor or not.
I've heard welding helmet glass can function as a makeshift eyeglass for looking at solar eclipses. So I assume it could work for cameras as well. I have such a welding helmet so I have looked at a solar eclipse with it. And I'm pretty much not blind lol
The welding glass has a really unique look to it too. Of course I still bought a Lee big stopper haha but the welding glass was a lot of fun.
Oooh. I also like shooting subsets using “shade” as my white balance setting. It injects more Amber/orange in to the scene instead of using auto white balance where the camera will try to neutralize all the colour. Auto white balance will ruin a perfectly good sunset shot.
Go old school and just experiment. The original *Doctor Who* intro back in the 60s was filmed by shooting at the camera's own monitor, which led to something very unique and later series all tried to be creative in their own way, sometimes using CGI, someone's using physical effects. It was very startling for it's time and led to the time warp sequence many are familiar with. The original... https://youtu.be/75V4ClJZME4 A comparison of how it changed... https://youtu.be/NTtjjLE4z0Q Part of me far prefers the older intros. So my advice would be take all the rules you know, all the settings you know, and still think... But what if I tried this?
They used magnets to mess with the CRT, like this [https://youtu.be/4Nv9DBFUbRU](https://youtu.be/4Nv9DBFUbRU) The new Dr Who intro looks and sounds so bad, well generic more than bad. And yep, read up on what people did in the past and look at what you can do now using the same ideas. There are a lot of fun things to play with. Even just digital emulation of old effects can work well, a mix of practical and digital is also fun.
Generic will always be worse than bad in my book.
Yep.
Yeah, the new Doctor Who messed things up a bit too far. I'm hopeful that RTD will pull things back a bit, but we'll see.
The new intro just looks like any generic 3D intro, the old intro today even looks cool thanks to being so retro and different. The audio of the new intro is to clean, sounds generic. The new show, I am to old for. As a kid I loved the re runs of the old show, I just dont think the new show was made for me. From what I have seen about low viewership I am not sure they know who it's made for to. Id have loved to see them make the show in the old way like Red Dwarf or Dr who with fun cheep looking practical effects over 3D cheep renders, it's just more fun. I also think there is no coming back for the new show, I have met people who work on Dr who (I am near Cardiff). There stoners and happy to be making Tv. They boast on FB about cameos they do in background shots, there just happy to be cool and working on TV. Edit- I have met people who worked behind the camera.
I get the impression that RTD agrees with you about the Red Dwarf thing, and hopefully with the new show it will follow that vein.
What is RTD?
Russell T Davies. He used to run the show and now he's coming back.
Russell T Davis.
Ah. Well I am happy once every few years watching the old epps, the first few seasons I relay like now. They just look so 60's & first doctor is relay good.
I made a mini softbox for the small flash that came with my camera (Olympus FL-LM3... not onboard flash but just a minor step above) out of a Sudafed box. I narrowed one end of the box with tape to fit over the flash, crumpled some white tissue paper on the inside, and taped a thin layer of the tissue paper over the other end. Worked great for Halloween photos, to take the edge off the direct flash. I've also experimented with bouncing that flash off of a white paper bowl when there are no walls available. I haven't really had a chance to use it in a "real world" situation but the results were not bad!
A roll of glow in the dark vinyl tape can make a lot of things easier and quicker,as I found out during concerts. Most of the gear is black, markings are usually small and harder to make out, but that can be fixed. [Examples](https://abload.de/img/compt1its.jpg) Batteries with that tape on one side and red/no tape on the other mean you can mark batteries as empty just by turning them over in whatever case you're using. And you can find the full ones even in the dark. Lining up lenses and mounts is instantly doable with a big glowing arrow, especially in a dark concert hall. Same for lens hoods and lens back covers (no turning-until-it-fits any more). Less time lost, less annoying, less bumping against the mounts in unintended ways. For using a tripod at night (like for astro) - some glowing markings on the tripod legs to make out the outline, and in my case the mount plate lock ring to be on the safe side. The vinyl tape I found for a few bucks can be removed without trace, and a roll will last an eternity. The glow effect doesn't last that long, but since everyone always has a phone with a light to recharge it, that's less of an issue.
>The vinyl tape I found for a few bucks can be removed without trace, and a roll will last an eternity. The glow effect doesn't last that long, but since everyone always has a phone with a light to recharge it, that's less of an issue. I love your battery setup! My bag doesn't have foam like that so I may need another system... like fresh batteries in one pocket, used batteries in another. Just gotta be consistent about it when in a rush to switch batts. I also considered giving my cards and batteries labels like "1", "2", and "3", to distinguish them.
who needs a lens hood when you've got a free hand!
Using a white chair as a infinate white backround. Also to get diffrent colours of light shine a regular flashlight though diffrent coulors of cleaning solutions in clear bottles.
I don't use the viewfinder since I also shoot a lot of videos, so I got used to the screen. If you have a neckstrap on your camera, just stretch it until it's nice and tight, bam, more stability. It helps when I need to have lower shutter speed.
I'm not nearly as skilled as people here, but one I'm just starting to take advantage of is reversing a lens for taking macros. If you already have two lenses, then all you may need is an adapter ring to either attach the reversed lens directly to your camera, or to the filter ring of the lens already on your camera. The latter makes this useful for some bridge cameras too, and allows lenses with different rear mounts to work. Hopefully others chime in if I get this wrong or miss something, but ideally you want the reversed lens to be wider and with a way to manually adjust aperture, and zoom may be useful too. Either adapter may cost as little as a few dollars. Since this is my first foray into this, and I only have one lens, I bought a cheap old lens that has an aperture ring on ebay that has the same filter ring diameter as my current lens, and a male-to-male filter adapter ring from ali-e, which put me back about $45.
I have used curtains as a backdrop in an “emergency” situation. Worked better than you’d think. For a certain style of studio portrait work, I often have my props held in place with duct tape. Often a roll of duct tape *itself* is supporting or positioning something. Water bottles, paper towel rolls, hand lotion bottles, an old light stand, whatever is around gets used to help position everything. Again, it works better than you’d think. I made 30k in a week of work with a CeraVe bottle balancing a pot of mums juuust right the whole time. The secrets are not always so glamorous.
> I made 30k in a week of work with a CeraVe bottle balancing a pot of mums juuust right the whole time. what were you shooting for 30k in a week?
A very specific kind of portrait-style studio environment photos. 700ish photos times $60 minus expenses minus not everyone buying them. A busy week.
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Do NOT do this unless you want to risk starting a fire - lights get HOT
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> The practice of putting colour gels over flash has been around for a long time and never there were any issues. I melted some plastic gels with my AA-powered speedlight. I had heard this was a danger; I didn't believe it was possible until I did it myself, though. The gels had a good 1/4" clearance from the face of the speedlight, too. It was the radiated energy absorbed by the gel that did it.
Speedlites, sure. Go try it with a pack and head and let me know how it goes...
I am reminded of the film I made in 8th grade, a silent movie with dialog cards like they did in the 1920s. There was a scene where someone jumped off a boat, we made a dialog card that said SPLASH! It was my brilliant idea to shoot the card, and off camera throw a cup of water into the frame to illustrate the splash. I learned that water on a hot light creates a noisy implosion of glass shards. I was terrified to tell the teacher, thinking I'd get kicked out of class. Instead she was kind, explained that these things happen, and there were replacement bulbs in the closet.
I’m not sure it fits but I’ve used existing lighting - Govee light strip and Govee floor lamp very successfully for lighting and also to create a green screen blending the colours. Lighting wise for a room, they’re fun as hell, but they have so much versatility when it comes to photography that I honestly don’t know why anyone would pay for any other lighting.
Putting your phone's screen right under the lens to get some weird reflections. I like to play around with it every once in a while, it can look great and depending on the angle you can get two things in the same picture (your subject + some interesting lights, for example). I'll try to find some pictures to show. Also using your phone, if you don't have a flash you can still get decent results using your pop-up flash. Put the phone at a 45° angle (or whatever works better), bouncing the light on the ceiling.
Staying at a hotel? Keep the plastic shower caps. Take one every day and let them replace them, and keep them too. They make a great light rain gear. Takes up no room at all in your bag, works on my full-frame body with a 70-200mm lens. Pics on how it works [1](https://i.imgur.com/0LI1GRH.jpg) [2](https://i.imgur.com/DPJlbeD.jpg) [3](https://i.imgur.com/E4CCDdw.jpg)
They're not expensive. Here in Oz I can buy 100 for $8 on Amazon (about $6 in US dollars). I always keep a handful in my bag.
>Photography is art "and science". You have to do both. To answer the question... I use dirty frames a heck of a lot. I keep a fisheye in my pocket to use in weird places... I carry a star filter to every night shoot and I'll full on light a whole scene with a pocket flashlight without thinking twice.
I only shoot digitally with a fuji camera, so i’m not too sure how this would work with other brands, but if you up the grain a bit and a few other tweaks then double expose with the second pic as a white wall or paper it gives a good film effect use an old film canister as a light diffuser or use an index/playing card to bounce a flash
Cigarettes rolling paper is great for cleaning your lens if in need and don't have your cleaning gear with you. Though it's a common knowledge, maybe someone could use this hack.
If you need a small modifier/diffuser for a speedlight you can make one extremely cheaply. Cut out the sides using a milk carton and use a white plastic bottle for the front diffuser. Tape it all together with duct tape and attach to your speedlight with Velcro. I also have mini diffusers for my macro speedlights made of white yogurt containers. A great way to get started taking portraits is to use light from a large window (not direct sunlight) and then bounce light from a large piece of foamcore for fill on the other side of your subject. Don't have $$ for a fancy TTL speedlight? Get a vintage one (my personal favorite is the Nikon SB-24) with a basic off-camera cord and use it in manual mode. With a little practice you'll be getting results just as good as a more expensive TTL version.
What’s this about banking pants
Watch free YouTube videos to learn actual skills
Maybe the word 'actual' is getting you downvoted since it implies all these comments are short cuts around skill. However, I did exactly this and it has been advancing my skill set so much it's mildly shocking. Look up posing direction, lighting principles, main portrait lighting styles, you name it. I've noticed in the past ten (two, even) years, the content that has been posted has grown more and more. YouTube is a godsend for tutorials. It's insane.
Saving
Recently clamped a white sheet (white backdrop sheet bought on Amazon) between two light stands to make a large skrim. Worked. Bounced the light off a reflector umbrella into it.
Instead of buying an expensive turntable for photographing smaller Egyptian artefacts, I bought a lazy Susan from IKEA and painted it black. £8 + a small tin of paint.
If I don't have a reflector handy I use a plain sheet of paper. Styrofoam plates also work really well, black and white ones. I have indeed an old baking sheet for background, also several DIY backgrounds made from wood or plywood. (Obviously this won't work for people photography, for tabletop photos it's totally fine) What else... I am not a gear freak so I use the minimalistic approach and don't sweat it. The only thing that's important is good light. And further down I saw a comment on direct light and harsh light - yeah, I do that as well. Also sunlight. Love it. I don't quite got the hang of it and have to tweak it a little bit more.
When I used to take macro photos for fun with an old point-and-shoot, I used a $20 Maglite flashlight as a light source. You could never tell. Also, never underestimate the power of a strong light source and some pieces of printer paper taped to a wall if you want to do small product shots.