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I Turned A Kiddie Pool Into A Professional Studio Spending Just $30, And The Photos Turned Out Better Than I Expected
I Turned A Kiddie Pool Into A Professional Studio Spending Just $30, And The Photos Turned Out Better Than I Expected
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I Turned A Kiddie Pool Into A Professional Studio Spending Just $30, And The Photos Turned Out Better Than I Expected

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I recently did a photo shoot using only a cheap kiddie pool, black backdrop and fake flowers. All and all this shoot cost me under $30 and provided a unique addition to my portfolio. Included are also some behind the scenes photos taken from an iphone to give extra insight.

Shot on a Nikon D750 w/ 50mm 1.4g lens also used a cheap $7 prism from ebay to manipulate some photos.

More info: Facebook

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    I recently did a photo shoot using only a cheap kiddie pool

    All and all this shoot cost me under $30

    Here’s the result

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    Kyle Braun

    Kyle Braun

    Author, Community member

    Read more »

    This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

    Read less »
    Kyle Braun

    Kyle Braun

    Author, Community member

    This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

    What do you think ?
    Melody Lanzatella
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It really seems to me that the technology is having an unexpected effect on young people. It seems to me like it is getting their creative juices flowing and they are coming up with incredibly genius art forms! I love it!!

    Miss Cris
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I read that the 30$ budget includes the swimming pool, backdrop and flowers but I also see a model, she's wearing make up and at least a bathsuit, all of this was for free?

    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The model was my sister so that's how I got them free!

    Load More Replies...
    Miss Cris
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I like the pictures but for next time I'd used natural flowers. There aren't many, you could buy a bouquet for 5€? Or even less, or take then if you have a garden. We see to much that they are fake and that makes the pic cheap and glamourless :(

    stellermatt
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    reminds me of the famous painting 'Ophelia' and the fact about the model that was used for the painting - Ophelia was modelled by artist and muse Elizabeth Siddal, then 19 years old. Millais had Siddal lie fully clothed in a full bathtub in his studio at 7 Gower Street in London. As it was now winter, he placed oil lamps under the tub to warm the water, but was so intent on his work that he allowed them to go out. As a result, Siddal caught a severe cold, and her father later sent Millais a letter demanding £50 for medical expenses. According to Millais' son, he eventually accepted a lower sum.

    Echo
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This wasn't a Bored Panda staff post. Someone took the time to post something they thought might be helpful to others, or that others my find interesting. Why not ignore it or be constructive if you don't like it. But don't just be a blatant a*s. You must fall in to the category of senseless.

    Load More Replies...
    We'llSee
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Great work and you have a beautiful sister, I'd play around with shading and filters for added drama to the pictures, not all but some, I love the clean looking originals but man the sky's the limit on things you could use. Great job!

    Caridina Japonica
    Community Member
    7 years ago

    This comment has been deleted.

    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The prism causes reflections in different directions. There was no copying in post.

    Load More Replies...
    Full Name
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No better way to spend a summer day than with a fun photo project. Not sure if you were intending on water reflections or not. If not, next time go for a dark blanket "ceiling" over the shoot. If you were intending on them, then it came out as you planned and that means success!

    Ron Tencati
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I did this three years ago in my back yard also. A little photoshop and she's in a pond with a waterfall! Backyard-S...2aa860.jpg Backyard-Setup-Example-5b6a7962aa860.jpg

    Risa Lovee
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The model is really pretty, like, really, really pretty XD Also, the pictures does turn out great ^^

    Kaari Uus
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's nice and amazing how you got the photos, but these would have been much more great with real flowers...

    Cookie
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So she has two heads and hair sprouting out of her shoulder.

    Magpie
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You could have warmed the water. :(((

    Miss Cris
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nice pictures. Thank you for share with us the result and the process.

    Phil Vaive
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This isn't new or innovative...photographers have been doing stuff like this since the camera was invented

    Aleksandar Senčuk
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Who said it was new or innovative? They just shared an idea

    Load More Replies...
    Alberto
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Very well done, although I'm not very fond of the prism effect :)

    Craig Adams
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wow! Some people are so negative/ I think it looks great! Great idea for a background as well! No need for Ai!

    Lawson Horner
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Does anyone know what settings were used to achieve these lit pics?

    Kim Lorton
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Amazing! Professional looking doesn’t always mean expensive!

    Beastie Fox
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm not sure how many of the commentors are photographers, or actually know how to take a decent photo... But what is all this jazz about "yeah but you never told us how much the camera was" b******t? Kyle is a PHOTOGRAPHER, which means they own a CAMERA. I'm not going to include how much my camera was every time I show someone how I took a shot. This post is just to show people what can be done behind the scenes of a shoot. I LOVE when people show stuff like this, because as a photographer, it gives me inspiration and ideas on how I can do mine. I've often looked at photos and thought "how did they do this?". If I just saw these photos in a magazine or an article or something, I would have never guessed it was done in a kiddie pool in someones backyard. TL;DR: These shots are gorgeous, photographers don't include the price of their camera in each shoot, thanks for showing us behind the scenes.

    Nguyên Huỳnh Trần Khánh
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Some people will find a way to complain/criticize anything, but this is simply beautiful, why cant we just agree on that?

    NWB
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Proof once again! You can use almost anything to get the shot you want, it is your skills and eye to achieve it. Well done!

    Doug Barry-Martin
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Very nice. A little dark but maybe that is what you want. The double faces are interesting.

    Peak25500
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Really nice result on a budge! (excluding the not-cheap-at-all camera gear ;-))

    A B C
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "professional" "studio". Yeah. Whatevs. You think you're the first one to "invent" that? Bummer, it's just that nobody else posted it on BP like they invented electricity or something. For your interest, milk in water to make it opaque has been done before, nothing new there. Sorry.

    Peggy Faulkner
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wow...pretty brutal comments. I would be really interested to see what your hobbies or accomplishments are. I'm gonna bet it is nothing better than criticizing productive folks on bored panda. I liked the post.

    Load More Replies...
    Captain Planet
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "I turned a kiddie pool into a proffesional studio" You got weird definitions for "studio" let alone proffesional lol. Maybe change it to. "I used a kiddie pool for 1 photo" Why do we have to excgaggerate everything on boredpanda? Why isn't "I used a kiddie pool for a nice picture" not good enough?

    Minh Maru
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Photoshop did all the work

    Aleksandra Nasković
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    xaxa 30$ budget, well, for nice shoot the expensive thing it's a CAMERA, You didn't mention how much that cost, it's not the place Christe, You can shoot in the river too even better, it's a 0$ to use, and photos would be better for sure.

    Don Flynn
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Great photos and beautiful model even if she is your sister!

    Vonskippy
    Community Member
    7 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    Finished Photo the model is thinking "I'm actually getting paid for this right?", in the Top View she's thinking "what a perv, I have to change in his back yard with spy cameras in the house window, Up Close photo "my agent is a dead man", Finished photo "what a genius, he rotated the camera 90 degrees", "why does this pool water smell", "my pay check better clear", "whew, how long does it take to snap a few photo's".

    John Smith
    Community Member
    7 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    armpit stubble -- ugh

    Melody Lanzatella
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It really seems to me that the technology is having an unexpected effect on young people. It seems to me like it is getting their creative juices flowing and they are coming up with incredibly genius art forms! I love it!!

    Miss Cris
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I read that the 30$ budget includes the swimming pool, backdrop and flowers but I also see a model, she's wearing make up and at least a bathsuit, all of this was for free?

    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The model was my sister so that's how I got them free!

    Load More Replies...
    Miss Cris
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I like the pictures but for next time I'd used natural flowers. There aren't many, you could buy a bouquet for 5€? Or even less, or take then if you have a garden. We see to much that they are fake and that makes the pic cheap and glamourless :(

    stellermatt
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    reminds me of the famous painting 'Ophelia' and the fact about the model that was used for the painting - Ophelia was modelled by artist and muse Elizabeth Siddal, then 19 years old. Millais had Siddal lie fully clothed in a full bathtub in his studio at 7 Gower Street in London. As it was now winter, he placed oil lamps under the tub to warm the water, but was so intent on his work that he allowed them to go out. As a result, Siddal caught a severe cold, and her father later sent Millais a letter demanding £50 for medical expenses. According to Millais' son, he eventually accepted a lower sum.

    Echo
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This wasn't a Bored Panda staff post. Someone took the time to post something they thought might be helpful to others, or that others my find interesting. Why not ignore it or be constructive if you don't like it. But don't just be a blatant a*s. You must fall in to the category of senseless.

    Load More Replies...
    We'llSee
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Great work and you have a beautiful sister, I'd play around with shading and filters for added drama to the pictures, not all but some, I love the clean looking originals but man the sky's the limit on things you could use. Great job!

    Caridina Japonica
    Community Member
    7 years ago

    This comment has been deleted.

    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The prism causes reflections in different directions. There was no copying in post.

    Load More Replies...
    Full Name
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No better way to spend a summer day than with a fun photo project. Not sure if you were intending on water reflections or not. If not, next time go for a dark blanket "ceiling" over the shoot. If you were intending on them, then it came out as you planned and that means success!

    Ron Tencati
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I did this three years ago in my back yard also. A little photoshop and she's in a pond with a waterfall! Backyard-S...2aa860.jpg Backyard-Setup-Example-5b6a7962aa860.jpg

    Risa Lovee
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The model is really pretty, like, really, really pretty XD Also, the pictures does turn out great ^^

    Kaari Uus
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's nice and amazing how you got the photos, but these would have been much more great with real flowers...

    Cookie
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So she has two heads and hair sprouting out of her shoulder.

    Magpie
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You could have warmed the water. :(((

    Miss Cris
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nice pictures. Thank you for share with us the result and the process.

    Phil Vaive
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This isn't new or innovative...photographers have been doing stuff like this since the camera was invented

    Aleksandar Senčuk
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Who said it was new or innovative? They just shared an idea

    Load More Replies...
    Alberto
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Very well done, although I'm not very fond of the prism effect :)

    Craig Adams
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wow! Some people are so negative/ I think it looks great! Great idea for a background as well! No need for Ai!

    Lawson Horner
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Does anyone know what settings were used to achieve these lit pics?

    Kim Lorton
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Amazing! Professional looking doesn’t always mean expensive!

    Beastie Fox
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm not sure how many of the commentors are photographers, or actually know how to take a decent photo... But what is all this jazz about "yeah but you never told us how much the camera was" b******t? Kyle is a PHOTOGRAPHER, which means they own a CAMERA. I'm not going to include how much my camera was every time I show someone how I took a shot. This post is just to show people what can be done behind the scenes of a shoot. I LOVE when people show stuff like this, because as a photographer, it gives me inspiration and ideas on how I can do mine. I've often looked at photos and thought "how did they do this?". If I just saw these photos in a magazine or an article or something, I would have never guessed it was done in a kiddie pool in someones backyard. TL;DR: These shots are gorgeous, photographers don't include the price of their camera in each shoot, thanks for showing us behind the scenes.

    Nguyên Huỳnh Trần Khánh
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Some people will find a way to complain/criticize anything, but this is simply beautiful, why cant we just agree on that?

    NWB
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Proof once again! You can use almost anything to get the shot you want, it is your skills and eye to achieve it. Well done!

    Doug Barry-Martin
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Very nice. A little dark but maybe that is what you want. The double faces are interesting.

    Peak25500
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Really nice result on a budge! (excluding the not-cheap-at-all camera gear ;-))

    A B C
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "professional" "studio". Yeah. Whatevs. You think you're the first one to "invent" that? Bummer, it's just that nobody else posted it on BP like they invented electricity or something. For your interest, milk in water to make it opaque has been done before, nothing new there. Sorry.

    Peggy Faulkner
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wow...pretty brutal comments. I would be really interested to see what your hobbies or accomplishments are. I'm gonna bet it is nothing better than criticizing productive folks on bored panda. I liked the post.

    Load More Replies...
    Captain Planet
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "I turned a kiddie pool into a proffesional studio" You got weird definitions for "studio" let alone proffesional lol. Maybe change it to. "I used a kiddie pool for 1 photo" Why do we have to excgaggerate everything on boredpanda? Why isn't "I used a kiddie pool for a nice picture" not good enough?

    Minh Maru
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Photoshop did all the work

    Aleksandra Nasković
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    xaxa 30$ budget, well, for nice shoot the expensive thing it's a CAMERA, You didn't mention how much that cost, it's not the place Christe, You can shoot in the river too even better, it's a 0$ to use, and photos would be better for sure.

    Don Flynn
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Great photos and beautiful model even if she is your sister!

    Vonskippy
    Community Member
    7 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    Finished Photo the model is thinking "I'm actually getting paid for this right?", in the Top View she's thinking "what a perv, I have to change in his back yard with spy cameras in the house window, Up Close photo "my agent is a dead man", Finished photo "what a genius, he rotated the camera 90 degrees", "why does this pool water smell", "my pay check better clear", "whew, how long does it take to snap a few photo's".

    John Smith
    Community Member
    7 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    armpit stubble -- ugh

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