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11 DIY Lighting Hacks for Digital Photographers

digital-photography-school.com — In this post I’ve found 10 DIY Flash and Lighting Hacks that put some of these lighting techniques within the grasp of the rest of us. Some are more involved than others but all are fun and will provide you with some new lighting gear to experiment with.

Who dugg this? Made popular Jan 27, 2009

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  • teethandeyes, on 01/27/2009, -4/+22I am not a word Nazi, but this abuse of the word 'hack' is really starting to piss me off!
  • jakash, on 01/27/2009, -0/+16http://i11.tinypic.com/4vs7uw7.jpg
  • lazyslacker, on 01/27/2009, -11/+24Old article. Also, it's really annoying that so many people use the word "hack" in places that it's really not necessary or applicable. Just because something is innovative or resourceful doesn't make it a hack. The closest thing to a hack in this article is using a disposable camera's flash as a slave, but even that really isn't a hack in my opinion. It's more like a modification.
  • assbeard, on 01/27/2009, -0/+76 speedlights is WAY more expensive than just buying a ring flash.
  • polaris23, on 01/27/2009, -1/+7Now this is useful information. Awesome link.
  • inactive, on 01/27/2009, -0/+6I used the tilted card one a few times when the flash is too much.
    The price and amount of effort are right :D

    by they way they are not "hacks"
  • WiretapStudios, on 01/27/2009, -0/+6The Strobist is a good lighting resource:

    http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/
  • algaeturd, on 01/27/2009, -0/+4NOT A ***** HACK.
  • oziii, on 01/27/2009, -2/+6cool tutorials - I've seen some of those mentioned in the post before but happy to be reminded of them and to see the new ones. This one will keep me busy all next weekend.
  • PeppermintPig, on 01/27/2009, -1/+5Some interesting ideas. I like the tilted card diffuser idea and the milk carton idea. Perhaps if you cut a shape out of the piece of carton (maybe a starburst), you could get some cool light reflections in eyes or other shiny surfaces.

    I built a DIY light diffuser a little while ago. Hopefully these images can inspire you. Used window screen frames, ripstop fabric, and half inch pipe and pipe clamps.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/10459273@N05/30734058 ...
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/10459273@N05/30742413 ...
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/10459273@N05/30734061 ...

    My next plan is to make an even lighter and mobile solution with fiberglass rods and ripstop fabric.
  • pathouston22, on 01/27/2009, -0/+3As a professional video/photographer, lighting skills are the difference that seperates the men from the boys. Anybody can buy a nice camera, a good lens, and take a picture or video - and it'll look somewhat decent (if they have those skills as well). But lighting takes it to the next level.
  • lazyslacker, on 01/27/2009, -0/+3I've never used them but I know some Sony Ericsson phones are designed to be pretty decent digital cameras. I think they're even branded with the Cybershot name.

    Edit: Yes I found one called the C905A that has 8 Megapixels.
  • ngmcs8203, on 01/27/2009, -1/+4Or do like the rest of us and read lighting tips from somebody that doesn't call them a hack. Strobist ftw.
  • callmeQ, on 01/27/2009, -0/+2Nice find! I will definatly be sharing this with my digital photo class.
  • spyd3rweb, on 01/27/2009, -1/+3Not bad, but real men use natural lighting.
  • rentdn, on 06/22/2009, -0/+2I've used this techniques on http://www.designerhandbagspro.com
    any comments ?
  • ahawks, on 01/27/2009, -0/+2These tips would work just as well for film photographers....

    but who are we kidding, who reads digg and blog posts and shoots film?
  • mrgono3, on 01/28/2009, -0/+2umm @lazyslacker looks like u dont know what ur talking about either. the newest canon is the 50D, the 60D if there is one hasnt been announced yet.you are prolly referring to the nikon D60
  • fuzed, on 01/29/2009, -0/+2@CallmeQ: ROWR
  • thatdouch, on 01/28/2009, -0/+2douchist.
  • Kheller66, on 01/27/2009, -0/+2Old or not, it's always good to expose these things to new audiences! Bravo!
  • JoeSpaceTime, on 01/27/2009, -0/+2I like it when language changes. It's shiny.
  • Meekrab, on 01/27/2009, -0/+2Ghetto.....

    But I'll probably use them..
  • callmeQ, on 01/27/2009, -0/+2Actually... its called film. Not manual. If you haven't noticed you have manual settings on both film and digital cameras. Amateur award winning is very subjective when it comes to accreditation. Entering a pic in an online contest that you found on a flashing banner when you googled 'photography' doesn't count for much. You are assuming that I mean point and shoot when I don't. I have taken several film classes and digital imaging classes in my past. I have a portfolio and people who want to pay me to take photographs for them. I get asked to do jobs all the time. I don't pursue photography to waive 'awards' in front of people's faces or to make $$, I take photographs because I have a view of the world that I would like to capture. If I must justify why I’m taking this class... I had a baby and had to dedicate all my time to her and my family. Just recently, I have found the time to dedicate back to my art and I found that if I took a photography class in digital SLR it would give me an excuse to get back into the swing of things again while brushing up on technique. I really hate that people like you try to discourage others pursuing something that they love even if that means starting out with a point and shoot camera. Its not the camera that makes the photo... its the person behind the lens. You should be ashamed of yourself. And next time, know who you are talking to before you try to burn them.
  • TheSuperunknown, on 01/27/2009, -0/+1It would still be hilarious.
  • nezza, on 01/27/2009, -0/+1I was just going to post this myself. Sod the article, just visit Strobist and learn some great tips & techniques.
  • L0NER, on 01/27/2009, -2/+3Will these help with cellphone camera?

    Does anyone have a recommendation for a good cellphone camera that can capture a lot of detail and take shots quickly?
  • Oobitsa, on 01/27/2009, -0/+1I was thinking the same thing. I mean, if you've got 6 speedlights and nothing to do with them, better to sell them on ebay and buy a real ring flash.
  • elf25, on 01/27/2009, -0/+1Don't blame the digger for using "hack", it's the term used in the article authored by Darren Rowse.
  • lcohen, on 01/28/2009, -0/+1Wasn't this the first, original usage of the word as it refers to technology (as opposed to butchering etc)?
  • WiretapStudios, on 01/27/2009, -0/+1I'm not a Nazi Nazi, but the abuse of the word 'Nazi' is really starting to Nazi me off.
  • judahhertz, on 01/27/2009, -0/+1Nice post, excited to give these a try.
  • Spor, on 01/27/2009, -2/+3Are you one of those people that thinks you are into photography because you can take pictures with your point and shoot Sony? Or even worse, one of those people who thinks you are into photography because you dropped $1200 on a DSLR and take all your pictures in auto mode.

    Because I hate those people.
  • CeeJayDK, on 01/27/2009, -1/+1Well it's old .. but last time I saw it , the Fring hadn't been added to the page.
    The Fring is number 11
  • WiretapStudios, on 01/27/2009, -1/+1Actually I am an (amateur) award winning manual and digital photographer. Which is why I think it's retarded to take a class for point and shoots. You made my point exactly. I know this, because my friend teaches the digital photography class at my college and I sit in on it and am baffled why people would pay money for that.
  • JKAL, on 01/27/2009, -1/+1Let me apologize for digging an article "you" have already seen. Forget the other thousands of users who don't live 24/7 in front of Digg or the Net for that matter.

    And thank you for pointing out that "hack" is a bad word and should not be used, the rest of us are not intelligent enough to decide on our own if it was used just to grab unwarranted attention for the article or not.

    BTW: since you are elite and are an authority on what articles are old or not, please let the rest of us know which articles you have seen thus far, so we are sure not to Digg any of those and report back to you to confirm it is not old or god forbid updated.
  • Technoidatx, on 01/27/2009, -1/+1These are great "Hacks"
  • PeppermintPig, on 01/27/2009, -4/+3Agree. The slave flash is sort of a hack, but most of these are simply DIY projects.
  • jakash, on 01/27/2009, -2/+1Over a spelling error?
  • inactive, on 01/27/2009, -4/+3buried for douche submitter & for probably being a dupe
  • lazyslacker, on 01/27/2009, -2/+1Agreed, they shouldn't even put an auto mode on cameras that cost over $1000. I cringe when I think about something like a 60D being used in auto mode.
  • snowcrazy, on 01/27/2009, -9/+5En.light.ening


    kill myself sometimes.
  • WiretapStudios, on 01/27/2009, -5/+1You took a class to use a digital camera?

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