craft

Nicole Bedard

How to Make a DIY Portable V-Flat

Having a portable V-Flat in your photography kit can provide a unique tool when creating images for your clients. A V-Flat can be used as a background or a tool to bounce or absorb light on your subject.

Martin Pitonak

Make DIY Diffusion Panels for Still Life Photography

Light diffusion panels can cost $80 to $100 or more when purchased retailed, but very little when you make them yourself, and to do so is very simple. I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked about my diffusion panels and where I get them from. The ones I use in my studio have all been custom-made to fit my needs, and I’ll show you just how to make your own.

Michael Zhang

How to Transfer Your Photos Onto Wax Candles

Here's an idea for a fun weekend project and/or personalized gift: make some custom candles that feature your photographs. It's actually incredibly easy, and you may already have the necessary materials lying around at home.

DL Cade

Viddy: The ‘World’s Cutest’ Medium Format and 35mm DIY Pinhole Camera

DIY paper pinhole cameras aren't a new idea, but a new creation called Viddy thinks it can stand head and shoulders above the crowd by sheer 'cuteness.' Seriously, the camera has dubbed itself the 'world's cutest' medium format and 35mm pinhole camera, and it's so easy to put together, it might even entice some newbies to give pinhole photography a shot.

Michael Zhang

Use Beach Glass as an Awesome Medium for Photo Transfers

One of our popular posts back in 2011 was a quick video tutorial on how you can use Mod Podge to transfer photographs onto blocks of wood (we also shared a text-based tutorial earlier this year).

If you thought that was cool, get this: you can also do the same type of photo transfer onto pieces of beach glass!

Sara Allegra

Creating a Dryad Costume for a Fantasy Photo Shoot on a Shoestring Budget

When I started planning a series titled DreamWorld, one of the first characters that came to me was a dryad: a nature spirit representing our connection with nature. I saw her as a strong, benevolent queen, keeping watch over the woodland creatures and protecting them. The first concept I came up with that made my heart pitter-patter with excitement was the idea of building a huge crown for her from sticks and branches. I had no idea how I was going to accomplish this, but I had a vision. And I have learned over the years that having a vision will pave the way to making it a reality, regardless of if I know how that will come about.

Michael Zhang

Paper-Kit Helps You Turn Portrait Photos Into 3D Paper Heads

If you're looking for a fun and cheap gag gift that's somewhat photography related, check out Paper-Kit. It's a simple, and easy-to-use web app that lets you turn your portrait photos (probably better described as mug shots) into nifty 3D heads that you print, cut, and assemble yourself.

Derek Shapton

Art vs. Craft: The Nature of Professional Assignment Photography

A brief exchange during a passing conversation a few days ago got me thinking. Someone said something about how lucky I was to make a living as an artist. I immediately corrected them; while immensely thankful for my career, a job where I get to wake up every day and make images, I felt obligated to point out that most of the time I am not, in fact, an artist at all.

At best, assignment photographers are craftsmen, not artists, solving other people’s problems and putting other people’s ideas into effect in the most timely and cost-effective way possible; to think otherwise is delusional.

Jessica Lum

Dirkon: The Vintage DIY Pinhole Camera Made of Paper

The Dirkon pinhole 35mm camera is made entirely from paper cut from a template by designers Martin Pilný, Mirek Kolář and Richard Vyškovský. The three published the template in a 1979 issue of Czechoslovakian magazine ABC mladých techniků a přírodovědců (translated as An ABC of Young Technicians and Natural Scientists). While original prints of the magazine are rare, the Dirkon gained cult popularity in Chzechoslovakia.

Jessica Lum

Repurpose Empty Film Roll Canisters as Invitation Holders

If you've got spent, empty film cassettes lying around collecting dust, Photojojo has a crafty idea for the mindful re-user: make them into rolled invitation or stationery holders.

It's quite simple: cut and decorate 1.375″ x 11″ strip of paper, pop the top off the film cassette (you can use a bottle opener) and tape the inside end of the strip to the film spool. Wind the paper into the cassette and leave a tab for the recipient to unfurl the message.

Michael Zhang

Geeky Film Canister Christmas Lights

Have a bunch of film canisters lying around and not sure what to do with them? You could use them to geekify your Christmas lights by punching a hole in the caps and sticking the lights in.

Michael Zhang

Build Your Own Working Cardboard Hasselblad Pinhole Camera

You can now build you own version of the cardboard Hasselblad pinhole camera that we featured a couple days ago. Kelly Angood has released a PDF with the template and detailed instructions for putting the pieces together. The finished product is a working pinhole camera that takes 120 35mm film.

Crafty Staci

How to Make a Camera Lens Cap Pouch

For Christmas, I received a Canon 60D. I’m definitely still learning how to use it, but I’m excited to have it. The first big problem I encountered, besides the need for more regular exercise so I can lift the beast, is that I am going to lose the camera lens cap. I take this cover off the lens and leave it everywhere. I had the camera for about 4 days before I was considering checking the price on replacing it. Lucky for me, I came up with a better idea while I still knew where it was. Instead of waiting until I lost it, I made it a little pouch that slides onto my camera strap.