hack

Quick Tip: Three Ways to ‘Hack’ Your Crappy Kit Lens

The kit lens that comes with most consumer-grade and entry-level DSLRs—the infamous 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6—isn't exactly anybody's "go-to" lens. It's far from useless though—here are three simple "hacks" that'll help you squeeze a bit more performance out of your kit lens.

9 Simple DIY Hacks and Tricks for Photographers

DIY photography tricks... need we say more? Whether you're stuck in a creative rut or just want to break out of your photography comfort zone a bit, this video is the perfect way to start the week.

Your Phone Isn’t Uploading HD Photos to Facebook by Default

After upgrading my phone and switching over to iOS, I began uploading videos and photos to Facebook using the app itself... only to find out that it was not uploading my files in high-definition quality at all.

Pro Watch Photos Shot with an iPhone and a Jeweler’s Loupe

"It's not the camera, it's the photographer." We (and probably you) hear this particular phrase ad nauseam, but once in a while we run across a set of photos that say the same thing without having to utter a word. These gorgeous watch photos definitely qualify.

Use Welder’s Glass as a $1 ND Filter for Long Exposures in Daylight

Want to shoot long exposure photos in bright daylight without having to shell out big bucks on a neutral density (ND) filter? Try using a piece of welder's glass -- the kind that protects your eyes while welding. The 13-minute video above by photographer Mathieu Stern provides a nice overview of this photo hack.

Hate Instagram’s New Logo? This Hack Will Give You the Old One Back

The Internet has not been kind to Instagram's redesigned logo. Adweek called it "baffling" and "a travesty," and some went so far as to call it "an abomination." But if you hate the logo as much as these folks do, you're in luck: there's a hack to get the old one back... sort of.

Tip: Smell Your Film Rolls to Figure Out Their Relative Age

Suppose you come home from a trip in which you shot many rolls of film. You want to develop your film chronologically, but found that you forgot to label them with their order. What do you do? I have a solution... a chemical solution (photography joke): smell your film.

Turn a Pelican Case Into a Tether Station with a $2 Bicycle Quick Release Bolt

I like to keep the amount of kit I have to carry with me to a minimum. Every single pound counts when you're scrambling up the side of a snowy mountain, and if you've ever had to pay excess baggage charges at the airport you will probably appreciate my 'less is more' mentality!

Hack Your Reflector By Cutting a Hole in the Middle

This is the cheapest yet most effective photography hack I can think of. Step one: get disc reflector. Step two: cut lens-sized hole in said reflector. Step three: profit.

Tip: Use a Snowboard Rack for Tripod Organization

If you're a casual photographer, you probably don't have so many tripods that you have a hard time storing and organizing them. But if that is a problem that you or your studio struggle with, here's a clever solution: you can use a snowboard rack as a tripod storage solution.

The New York-based Lixi Studios shares this finding in the 3-minute video above.

These Pro Product Photos Were Shot in a Bathtub

Polish photographer Rafał Krasa recently launched Eupidere, a new brand of high-end leather camera straps. He wanted some product photos with a seamless white background but didn't have the proper studio setup, so he decided to go with what he did have: his bathtub.

Use This ‘Hold Your Sub’ Trick for Slimmer Portraits

New York portrait photographer Peter Hurley is back again with yet another pro portrait trick he uses for shooting better headshots of people. This one is called "Hold Your Sub," and it lets you shave 10 pounds off your subject with a super simple move of their arms.

How to Make DIY Anti-Fog Inserts for Your GoPro with Paper Towel

If you want to prevent your GoPro lens from fogging up when you're in cold and humid environments, GoPro sells Anti-Fog Inserts that you can stick into your camera case. If you'd rather not pay $15 for 4-use inserts, you can actually make some makeshift anti-fog inserts for yourself using some paper towel strips.

A Look at Using Your Tripod as a Makeshift Steadicam

YouTube woodworking guru Matthias Wandel just posted this video about how he recently discovered that he can use his tripod as a simple DIY camera stabilizer for some casual filming. After doing some experiments with a DIY glidecam system, Wandel found that he actually got the smoothest shots by simply pointing the legs of his big and heavy Manfrotto tripod out and running around with his camera attached to it.

CVSPhoto Offline After Possible Breach of Customer Credit Card Info

CVSPhoto is offline. The popular photo printing business of the nation's second largest pharmacy chain has revealed that customer credit card information may have been compromised. As a precautionary measure, both the website and the mobile photo services have been shut down while the possible breach is being investigated.