DIY Photography gear!

[SabrinaO]

Everyone knows being a pro photographer or a hobbyist photographer is an expensive field to get into because the gear is NOT cheap.
I use wrapping paper and fabric from Joann's for some of my backdrops, and I just made "The Best Beauty Dish" a few months ago and it's awesome! Right now i'm making a snoot for my speedlight out of black straws
Anyways... post your DIY gear, tips or info! I would love to see and hear about all the creative concoctions you all come up with!
ETA... do you feel weird or uncomfortable using your DIY's on your clients?

 

[D-B-J]

when im done eating i will explain the best diffuser in the world!

 

[SabrinaO]

when im done eating i will explain the best diffuser in the world!

Can't wait!

 

[John Mc]

Its a Bottom From a Plastic Milk Carton. Isnt IT? Please be it,but yeah,that's what ive used

 

[SabrinaO]

Its a Bottom From a Plastic Milk Carton. Isnt IT? Please be it,but yeah,that's what ive used

Im looking at the bottom of a milk container now... (1 gallon). How do you use it? What are you attaching it to?

 

[John Mc]

Its a Bottom From a Plastic Milk Carton. Isnt IT? Please be it,but yeah,that's what ive used

Im looking at the bottom of a milk container now... (1 gallon). How do you use it? What are you attaching it to?

Cut the Bottom out and make it into a Flash Diffuser,use abit of tape to keep it on the flashgun!magic!

It also work's with Pop up flash really well too.

 

[D-B-J]

Take a shoebox, then cut off one of the ends. About 1/3 of the way in, put a piece, with a hole for your flash. cover that enclosed area with tin foil, and on the front of it, place some semi translucent paper, and for this, i used the wrapping they wrapped my shoes in. Here are some pics of it. Cost me zero dollars, and it worked great when i didnt have the money for real diffusers.

Some shots of it:

With diffuser:

With no diffuser:

As you can see, it diffuses well, and you dont get hard shadows or bright spots.

 

[John Mc]

Cost me zero dollars, and it worked great when i didnt have the money for real diffusers.

That's Clearly a lie,you bought a pair of shoes

 

[Destin]

I came up with an idea for a DIY foursquare made out of an electrical box. Click here for the article. Total project ended up costing me under $15. The article says $7, but that was before some JB weld, and black spray paint.

 

[Marc-Etienne]

As a diffuser, I personally use one of those flexible cutting board for cooking. I cut a little strip and fix it to the flash head with sticking velcro. I also used it to cover my DIY ring flash or my DIY softbox made out of a shoe box (coincidence, but it's good cardboard) It works great, because it can't really get damage like paper and it's easy to attach with velcro or hot glue.

 

[sobolik]

Quick cheap ring flash - Hack a Day

Quick cheap ring flash

 

[D-B-J]

Cost me zero dollars, and it worked great when i didnt have the money for real diffusers.

That's Clearly a lie,you bought a pair of shoes

Parents paid for themmm

 

[gsgary]

I made a 300mmF2.8 a few years ago work at treat

 

[Derrel]

I made a 300mmF2.8 a few years ago work at treat

Was that the one that used an old 2-litre soda pop bottle for the lens barrel, and the Edmund Scientific Hobbyist Lens Experiment Kit ($69.95 US) for the lens elements?? And then all the tape and black spray can paint? Cause that DIY design kicks ass!

 

[mjhoward]

Cut off the bottom of a plastic bottle of rubbing alcohol... its almost the exact same size.