47 Genius Camera Hacks That Will Greatly Improve Your Photography Skills In Less Than 3 Minutes
Professional photography gear costs thousands of dollars but you can take stunning pictures by spending only a fraction of the cost. If you have the time and the patience, and aren't afraid to get your hands dirty, then simple DIY hacks can achieve similar results to spending big bucks on advanced kits.
To make you a better photographer, Bored Panda has collected some of the best DIY camera solutions that were tested to work. From softening the pop-up flash to transforming a 50mm lens into a macro one, these genius tips and tricks will definitely take your pictures to another level. Remember, photography is a playground and there aren't any right or wrong ways to approach it. If it works, it works. Continue scrolling to learn the DIY hacks and vote for your favorite ones!
Cover image credits: Christina Key
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Use Tinfoil To Create A Wall Of Bokeh
Need to make sure the F-Stop is set correctly. . . for the depth of field size/length . . .
I'd use a cutter to gradate the background, probably from dark below to lighter above.
010011010110000101110010011001110110000101110011011011100111010000100000010000000010000001000001011011000110001001100101011100100111010001011111011010000110000101110010011100100110100101110011011011110110111000100000011100100110010101110110011001010111001001110011011001010010000001110100011010000110000101110100
He put it on the floor to reflect the tin foil on the wall.
Load More Replies...Use A Fishtank To Get That Underwater Shot
No, that's not how they do it. That's how you can try to do it, probably screw up, and ruin your moderately priced camera. They do it with an expensive camera that's meant to be used while actually submerged in water.
Load More Replies...Why do you have to be so negative? Save that for the film.
Load More Replies...Well, I don't doubt people try it this way, but no on in their right mind would risk wrecking their gear while trying to submerge a heavy fishtank just the right amount to get this - honestly, really mediocre - shot. Not to mention you could probably get an underwater bag for about the same money as even the fishtank :D
*waits for man to drop heavy fish tank in water* *waits for man to fall in the water*
And I thought I had to buy expensive waterproof camera for underwater shots!
Use A Piece Of Cloth And A Cardboard To Create A Portable And Inexpensive Seamless Background System
Small things never before used to make havoc change of quality in photography. nice.
Use A Plastic Bag For A Softbox Effect
u can use also a white paper (at that distance it works as lost light is ok _) btw, that's not the same color tone and lens or at least focal length )
Use A Towel As Video Slider
You can also use a towel underneath the tripod for a similair effect. When you have a carpet put the tripod in cups/plates with smooth bottom.
if it's a video tripod maybe , but most photo tripods move the legs independently
Load More Replies...The result shot is not the product of the how-to shot. The result shot camera elevation is too high, and you would see the towel.
Once used a coaster on a bar to slide dramatically toward a customer drowning his sorrows.
Don't Be Afraid To Add Lights With Regular Bulbs
why not try these hacks that no one talks about https://youtu.be/avidrUPaSXI
Manipulate Visual Perception Using Forced Perspectives
A good photographer usually has dirt on his or her knees.
Load More Replies...@muhammad Faathir, you should use a very small aperture here. I guess at least f/11 to have both the object and the women on the same level.
BUT... Small hole needs long exposure time. Shooting fast motions needs short exposure time. What does it mean? And what about aureolas behind the objects? Questions. So many questions. :)
Load More Replies...Doesn't work here. Foreground is out of focus and background is sharp.
Get That Perfect Top-Down Photo For Your Instagram
DON'T do this. DON'T take your pictures for Instagram. Seriously, nobody cares.
AMEN! it's so patethic and sad how people try hard to get attention of people they never met by making pictures that are not true. one of the biggest lies of "modern internet era"
Load More Replies...add a little salt and olive oil and avocados are a delish snack
Load More Replies...Remove Tourists From Your Pictures Using These Simple Steps
Remove tourists from your pictures in 1 simple step - Push them off the cliff
I tried that. Writing from HMP Strangeways I can tell you it's not a good idea.
Load More Replies...You can get a better result this way: 1. Open all the files in Photoshop. 2. Use Select All for each file one at a time and copy and paste the image to one of the files (or to a new one) so that you have multiple layers. 3. Go to each layer and use the Lasso Tool to select each person you want to eliminate. This does not need to be exact, just quickly make a rough outline around each person. After making each selection, press the Delete key. 4. After removing all the people, go to the layers palette and choose Flatten Image. Finished!
I developed this procedure when Photoshop Version 3.0 (the first version to have layers) became available. I guess that is my contribution to photography.
Load More Replies...Oh yes it is. Solves anything and the result is good to Facebook. And everybody that is the real life #sarcasm
Load More Replies...We used to send an assistant to pay them a few bucks to get out of the way for 10 minutes. Less hassle than pushing them off! This was before the days of sissy Photoshop!
Why remove tourists? It's good to include people to show scale, perspective and realism. In many landscape photos without people, the whole setup might look mounted on tabletop, or rocks in foreground might be suspected as only pebbles, etc. (That's actually a technique used by matte artists in Hollywood productions.)
well i think that tripod an very long exposure can do the work as well
Cut Out A Heart Shape In A Cardboard For A Heart-Shaped Bokeh
Whatever the shape is cut to, that is what the lights become the shape of.
Load More Replies...This is brilliant, what a great idea, I'm going to try this - Dorian https://abronec.com/street-photography/
What's the point? The second picture just looks like a blurry mess
I think it looks like a big blurry mess, the top photo is much nicer.
Easy Macro Lens Hack
but all those fibers from the tissue...inside the camera.. *cringe*
Load More Replies...Only it doesn't mention that you have to reverse the lens. Also, you have to be able to set everything manually, since there's no connection between the lens and the camera electronics. But if you consider that you can easily damage almost everything in your dslr with this, probably better to save for a half-decent macro lens.
This isn't true. The minimum focus distance for a 50mm is larger than the one shown in the pic. I fact the picture is completely out of focus. LOL.
Better yet, buy a damn macro extension tube set. They can be found pretty inexpensively second-hand.
NEVER use duct tape on your camera! Use proper gaffer tape, which does not leave a residue.
Use Your Sunglasses As A Filter
Or... email it to yourself and then use one of the many filters on the iPhone. Just sayin
Yeah, on the iPhone, because that's the only piece of technology where you can manipulate your pictures and add predefined effects. (a lens filter works quite differently than digitaly manipulating a picture)
Load More Replies...Then you realise without your sunglasses your blinded by the sun, and can't see your camera :)
And then you realize that without your grammar, you're becomes your...
Load More Replies...I did this when I realized the rose was not the same color in my pics as what I saw .
I took the film out of my eclipse glasses and stuck it to my lens with kids clay. Got great pictures!
Load More Replies...Instant Fake Macro Bokeh
that doesn't exactly improve your photography skills I would agree, but perfect for lazy shooters
Use A Plastic Bag Smeared With Vaseline For A Soft-Focus Lens Effect
While working at a newspaper, we had a photographer try this- only without the plastic bag. That lens never shot right after.
I suppose you can always smear the plastic bag with vaseline and not the lens xD
Load More Replies...I could dip myself in vaseline and wrap me in foil, I'd still be ugly.
I don't know about that, but you'd probably still be humorous.
Load More Replies...A super cheap filter works well too, and covering it in Vaseline improves it 😄
What if the vaseline gets on your camera lens and you can't get it off? You don't always want to have a soft-focus effect on all your photos.
Cut Different Shapes In A Cardboard For A Window Shadow
Really cool idea again - Dorian https://abronec.com/street-photography/
Use A CD To Create Lens Flares
reflection from cd inside lens and probably he has part of the cd in the lower frame but if gets blurred bc of the bokeh
Load More Replies...Except us pros spend 10's of 1000's on gear to eliminate flares and aberrations...
Cut Out Your Own Bokeh Shapes
You put the cardboard with the shape cutout on the lens and take an out-of-focus photo of the lights, the bokeh will have the shapes of the cutout.
Load More Replies...Add Steam With Regular Appliances
I'm glad someone asked. It ain't a regular appliance in my household!
Load More Replies...Misleading -- LOTS of Photoshop work in that finished shot -- taking the steam out from under & around the fork -- especially within the small slots between the fork's tongs. Would be way easier to just Photoshop IN some steam!
you can use burning incense also(may require 2-3 sticks depending on the thickness of the smoke wanted).
Now you know to never trust the photos hung up in restaurant windows xD
Create A Sparkling Ring Of Fire
If the model would've worn cool aviator glasses with an iridescent color on them, the sparklers would reflect really neatly off of them and MAYBE provided some protection for the eyes. Honestly though, even though the idea of it is neat, this "sparkler" idea really is kinda of stupid as far as the safety of the model goes.
Load More Replies...Let's not forget that hot magnesium sparks aren't healthy for pro-level cameras.
Create An Arty Filter With Colored Plastic Bags
Sometimes sacrifices must be made to get a good photo...
Load More Replies...all this does is make that guy look zooooooiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnkkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeed
Use A Sandwich Bag To Create Hazy Photos
Sorry to know that white one wouldn't reach the bar 😫 I like her more though
Load More Replies...Create A Different Self Portrait Using Lace
Blank CD Case Is The Perfect Rain Guard For Your Lens
Another really useful tip - Doria https://abronec.com/street-photography/
Use A Coffee Hood As Lens Cap
That's not functioning as a lens cap. If it did, there wouldn't be a picture.
I called them coffee sleeves. I have one foot in each world.
Load More Replies...That's not called a lens cap... it's called motljusskydd and I don't know how to translate it lol
motljusskydd = hood Google is your friend :D
Load More Replies...Swap out position of the words "Hood" and "Cap" in title... and voila :)
You Only Need A Few Simple Items To Capture Highspeed Drops
Looks like blood, not gonna like (quoting someone from a previous entry)
more pro"tips : forget to trigger the flash from the camera (shutter lag is a b***h for this ) use a long exposure (low iso and high f number) and just trigger the flash when u want to capture the photo ...
Reduce Camera Shake With A Bag Of Lentils
As a disabled photographer who can't walk or stand for long periods I really appreciate this one!!!!
That's definitely not a bag...anyone can see it is a pair of shorts turned inside out...🤣💝
Home made bean-bag, great idea, have you seen cost of these things on Amazon? best one here so far!!
Step 1. Cut off and see your last pair of jeans Step 2. Fill it with beans. Step 3. Realize you have no pants and you need to stay home and shoot from the window 😁
Create A Softbox Using A Shower Curtain
I made one for my honey, but spent a lot less money. Got some parachute silk- type polyester from the sale rack at the fabric store and made a 4' x 8' frame using PVC pipe, connectors & elbow joints. Total cost was about $25.00 (US). The cool thing is it breaks down, so it's lightweight and really easy to transport
Good luck with balancing those colours. No wonder the final image is a BW conversion.
Get A Black Tile For Product Photography
Get a black painted room and a black tile. You guys forgot about the room!
if u use flash, at that size, u can use even a white room
Load More Replies...The tile is for the reflection. Has nothing to do with the background.
Load More Replies...Or you could use a piece of glass painted on the back. Could do this for any color.
Cardboard boxes are a good hack for product shots. Get a large cardboard box, paint the insides white, cut large square holes in 3 sides (Left, Right, and top) and then tape sheets of tracing paper over the holes (to diffuse lights placed around it). Get a large sheet of white paper to drape between the floor and the back wall to cut out the 90 degree angle and Voila! you have a Lightbox for your products and models :) Also if you wanted Black room shots like this, you could do as 'Squiddosnazz' suggested and paint it black, The tile is a great idea to get that reflection and to bounce the light off of. Unfortunately the douchebag Anish Kapoor has got sole rights to use Vanta Black. However there is a viable substitute which might work and would be far better than regular black paint. - http://stuartsemple.com/projects/black-v1-0-beta-worlds-mattest-flattest-black-art-material/ Absorbs alot of light like Vanta black and should eliminate any corners or imperfections in the box.
Colorful Filter
Hi, i'm a full time physical therapist. This is a bad photograph
Load More Replies...Some people don't like to digitally alter photos. Imagine taking one of these, and being able to say it wasn't photoshopped in any way! Plus, in analogue photography, you can't "photoshop" ;) (only in the actual film or developed photo paper)
Load More Replies...Use Windows For A Softening Effect
imho it just looks what is it, just picture of someone behind a window...
That, and if you can afford an f/1.2 lens, you can afford a soft diffusion filter.
Load More Replies...They look great!!! Keep it up. You know what looks bad? What social media has done to humanity. This girl posted 47, good creative ideas. Combined you haven’t accomplished that in a week. The most creative thing you people have done is whipped up a weightless attempt at a condescending comment that has the depth of a kiddie pool while drowning in your double digit IQ. Oh and ill add. After taking the time to look through each and every post.
Lighting Trick
well, it doesn't help that the child looks so miserable int the first shot
Lighting from below is traditionally used to portray someone evil. Beware how you use this.
Use Plasctic Props To Create ‘Wildlife Photography’ At Home
Lol if he'd have used actual Frog and Snake plastic toys, this might have looked more realistic. However the badly cut curves of the paper snake and feet of the frog are really obvious in the shot lol XD
Use A Hair Dryer To Get A Stand Out Selfie
But it's a selfie so it's done when you're by yourself ^^
Load More Replies...gone with the wind, eat mushy peas and vinegar the night before!!
I thought she was Mazzy's mother (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDDbZQsc-iM7m9OEVKSWEAA)
in a studio or even outside you can use a huge fan , same effects less heat lol
Use Cloth To Achieve The Soft-Focus Lens Effect
This is not the "soft-focus lens" effect. This is a "shoot-through" effect. Soft focus lenses cover the whole lens. You can create a soft-focus lens effect by stretching very thin, gauzy fabric over the lens.
Use White Sheet As A Reflector Reflector
That's cool, you could also use one of those shiny car solar screens. Dorian https://abronec.com/street-photography/
Wide angle lenses are very unflattering for portraits. Pros uses teles, sometimes up to 200mm. (OK, some pros use wide angle, but they know how to use them.)
You just have to hold that goddamn foil PR paper for hour in rush for a better image
Create A Camera Filter For Funky And Colorful Photos
GOOD GRIEF!! Nearly every comment on all these posts is in some way negative or critical!
Use Glasses To Add 'Filters'
get super dupe camera, expensive glass, shoot thru a jar .... super pro, no joking around
Use A Short Triangular Prism To Reflect Background
Looks quite like a plastic Barbie doll with gold colour cloth on the head and round lower face 👰🏽 🤣
Lightpainted Background
just put blue lines on the tablet as it could of filled the same space ?
I think if you just use the tablet as is, it would be really bright and you'd get that moiré effect that appears whenever you photograph a computer screen. By moving the screen like that, you soften the appearance of the light and don't get the moiré effect.
Load More Replies...Create Your Own Color Lens Filters
Looks like an assassin from the roof of the opposite building is trying to kill her with a magnifying glass
Mimic Film Burn With A Matchstick
That's the only reason iin reading to.the end lol
Load More Replies...Turn Your Smartphone Into A Pinhole Using Cardboard
Yeah. Anyone can write messages on a smartphone but that does not mean that one does not learn how to write with a pen anymore, does it? It is just a tutorial. Giving easy tips. Go experiment a little, you may even like it.
Load More Replies...I think these tips are for real photographers who are not lazy as hell. I think that's its rad that I can learn how to make filters and manipulate effects of a camera.
Use Torches To Add Lens Flare
Turn your average coffee photo into a DRAMATIC (ic...ic...ic) coffee photo!
Thats no ordinary coffee photo, there isn't even any coffee in the filter...
Load More Replies..."Effects" that Years ago were considered mistakes are now "Cool" I should dig out out some of my mistakes and people would say "Oh cool how did you do that"
British people call flashlights torches, so yeah, totally safe
Load More Replies...Or use Photoshop. Probably easier than carrying empty jars and shower curtains around when you're taking photos.
There is a much larger sense of accomplishment by making a great image with the camera than shooting an average image and making it great in post processing. Thats why i call myself a photographer.
Load More Replies...THIS IS MY PICTURE AND MY LOW BUDGET TIPP! IT'S NOT OKAY THAT YOU USE IT WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!!!! THE FULL ARTICLE IS https://www.christinakey.com/low-budget-photo-tips/?lang=en low-budget...35a4d3.jpg
sorry, but I've seen this trick since the 70's. You didn't invent this...
Load More Replies...Many of these effects can be achieved using Photoshop or other software, and help to avoid damaging the equipment with some of the "hacks". And in any case, the photo's will be manipulated, so why not do it the easier, safer and quicker way, and instead use your time to capture the right moment?
Because it's fun and works for analog, for when you can't really use photoshop.
Load More Replies...The only actual useful thing I found in this was the fish tank and the rain protector. Majority of the rest can be achieved via Photoshop etc. Like Aahzmandus Pervect said - safer for the camera, easier... :)
Whatever happened to the ART of lighting and photography?
Load More Replies...Sorry but as a photographer, I wouldn't call these "genius" Seriously, take a class on photoshop and invest in the right gear! Not that hard
These are not HACKS. Most are old, old tips that have been around for decades.
Not all photographers have been around for decades.....
Load More Replies...I agree with most of the comments above - almost all of the effects mentioned in the article can be achieved in photoshop. Ok, some of the advices are helpfull but in genreal... sorry. I'm kinda tired of all those "i am the photographer' articles in bored panda (there were LOTS of them lately). It looks like the authors-phtographers need to... I don't know, prove to us they're pros and we're all lame amateurs since we use photoshop and effects in our smartphones to make our photos look better while them do that "WITH THEIR TALENT AND ANALOG tRICKS". What's wrong with you, guys? :/// you know, I'm insurance agent and the last thing I'd do is making the posts in social media proving that "my policies are better than yours because IM A PROO!" xDDDD
These are awesome tips Thank You so much. I am off to try them right now. Thanx again.
Or use Photoshop. Probably easier than carrying empty jars and shower curtains around when you're taking photos.
There is a much larger sense of accomplishment by making a great image with the camera than shooting an average image and making it great in post processing. Thats why i call myself a photographer.
Load More Replies...THIS IS MY PICTURE AND MY LOW BUDGET TIPP! IT'S NOT OKAY THAT YOU USE IT WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!!!! THE FULL ARTICLE IS https://www.christinakey.com/low-budget-photo-tips/?lang=en low-budget...35a4d3.jpg
sorry, but I've seen this trick since the 70's. You didn't invent this...
Load More Replies...Many of these effects can be achieved using Photoshop or other software, and help to avoid damaging the equipment with some of the "hacks". And in any case, the photo's will be manipulated, so why not do it the easier, safer and quicker way, and instead use your time to capture the right moment?
Because it's fun and works for analog, for when you can't really use photoshop.
Load More Replies...The only actual useful thing I found in this was the fish tank and the rain protector. Majority of the rest can be achieved via Photoshop etc. Like Aahzmandus Pervect said - safer for the camera, easier... :)
Whatever happened to the ART of lighting and photography?
Load More Replies...Sorry but as a photographer, I wouldn't call these "genius" Seriously, take a class on photoshop and invest in the right gear! Not that hard
These are not HACKS. Most are old, old tips that have been around for decades.
Not all photographers have been around for decades.....
Load More Replies...I agree with most of the comments above - almost all of the effects mentioned in the article can be achieved in photoshop. Ok, some of the advices are helpfull but in genreal... sorry. I'm kinda tired of all those "i am the photographer' articles in bored panda (there were LOTS of them lately). It looks like the authors-phtographers need to... I don't know, prove to us they're pros and we're all lame amateurs since we use photoshop and effects in our smartphones to make our photos look better while them do that "WITH THEIR TALENT AND ANALOG tRICKS". What's wrong with you, guys? :/// you know, I'm insurance agent and the last thing I'd do is making the posts in social media proving that "my policies are better than yours because IM A PROO!" xDDDD
These are awesome tips Thank You so much. I am off to try them right now. Thanx again.
