Cheap tricks

[saltface]

Have you ever invented a technique or tool of the unorthodox variety to improve your pictures?

For example, sonoran desert mornings rarely put any dew on plants or flowers, so I make my own. It's usually by spitting out a mouthful of water, but I've tried... ahem, other things...

Now that I've got that off my chest, what do you do?

 

[Aggressor]

ahem, other things...

Hmmm won't that put a yellow color cast on your dew drops?

You could also use a laundry spray bottle to achieve a similar effect.

 

[Rhys]

Hmmm won't that put a yellow color cast on your dew drops?

You could also use a laundry spray bottle to achieve a similar effect.

And you'd use the spray bottle for laundry after that?????

 

[saltface]

Actually, I do it when I'm out hiking. Seinfeld taught me the error of doing that in more urban areas.

 

[saltface]

Anybody? Anybody?

 

[Village Idiot]

You mean, like roofies when the models refuse to sleep with you?

Or like gelling a flash with liquor?

I shot through bottles o blue caracao for a blue tint before.

 

[Rhys]

I bought some green gel wrapping paper and am now thinking that at 99c a roll I could buy some more to give my flashes interesting colours.

 

[manaheim]

I once pointed a green LED keychain at a tombstone on a night graveyard shot. I invariably get "Um... Chris, why does that tombstone have a green glow?" I respond, "Huh? Oh wow, what the hell is up with that?"

I also ran behind a tombstone on a long exposure shot, stood behind it with no shirt on and shined the green led in my face for about 5 seconds. Left a just barely noticable eerie green face. I get some real interesting reactions to that shot too.

Other than that, no.

In fact, I think you're a cheating bastard for peeing on cacti!

Ok, I'm kidding, I just really wanted to say that. :lmao:

 

[Stranger]

lol manaheim, sounds fun...

im yet to try anything like "tricky"... eventually i supposed when needed

 

[table1349]

One I still use that I picked up thirty years ago for portraits was nose grease. If you want that soft effect take a cheap skylight filter, put it on the end of the lens, swab a bit of nose grease from the side of your nose and start rubbing softly in a circular pattern on the filter. You can leave the center clear with a circle, oval etc or you can work from the center out for a full soft effect.

Cheaper than buying a special lens or a single use filter and a little lens cleaner and tissue and the filter is ready for the next time, or a different look.

 

[Antithesis]

One I still use that I picked up thirty years ago for portraits was nose grease. If you want that soft effect take a cheap skylight filter, put it on the end of the lens, swab a bit of nose grease from the side of your nose and start rubbing softly in a circular pattern on the filter. You can leave the center clear with a circle, oval etc or you can work from the center out for a full soft effect.

Cheaper than buying a special lens or a single use filter and a little lens cleaner and tissue and the filter is ready for the next time, or a different look.

I've heard of doing that with chapstick.

I can't really think of anything that cool. I've built a softbox out of those wooden chicken skewers, duct tape and an old t-shirt before. I don't know if it was a trick but it was cheap (as in free).

 

[table1349]

I've heard of doing that with chapstick.

I can't really think of anything that cool. I've built a softbox out of those wooden chicken skewers, duct tape and an old t-shirt before. I don't know if it was a trick but it was cheap (as in free).

Never liked chapstick, not clear enough, but Petroleum Jelly works really nice. Just a little to easy to get too much on and then you have to clean and start over. If your nose grease comes in globs you really shouldn't be out in public anyway.

 

[saltface]

...I also ran behind a tombstone on a long exposure shot, stood behind it with no shirt on and shined the green led in my face for about 5 seconds. Left a just barely noticable eerie green face. I get some real interesting reactions to that shot too...

I've wanted to do one of those with a black shirt and hood.
That and fake some bigfoot photos.

I'll have to try the ol' nose grease trick.
I tried the pantyhose filter, but all that got me was a queer look from the cashier and some over-exposed shots.

 

[DSLR noob]

Reverse lens macro but that's a common one. ummmm........

film canister flash diffuser!

http://photojojo.com/content/diy/diy-film-container-flash-diffuser/

 

[SanctuS]

Reverse lens macro but that's a common one. ummmm........

film canister flash diffuser!

http://photojojo.com/content/diy/diy-film-container-flash-diffuser/

I made something like that...