DIY Stuff

How To Build The Smallest Intervalometer In The World

Mon, 07/26/2010 - 04:26

If you are into time lapse you must have checked the option of getting an Intervalometer. as you can see from the Canon and Nikon links an Intervalometer is not cheap. Not really expensive either, but definitely not cheap. So As usual I ask: what can you DIY about it?

Some cameras already have the time lapse feature built in, and Canon photographers can turn to CHDK for adding a time lapse feature. But there is a third, cooler version if you are into electronics (which I know lots of site readers are not afraid of).

Achim Sack - a super electronics engineer - has a project for building an intervalometer the size of a finger nail. It needs no power and learns the interval between shots as you go. If you are into embedded programming, this is a project for you, if not, "move along nothing to see..." [Image credit: tonyVC]

Surf Photography Primer

Sun, 07/04/2010 - 01:41

This Wave photography Primer was written by Dane Grady.

Below, you will find an introductory guide to the beautiful art of Wave Photography, covering all the key components, from choosing a camera to finding the right kind of waves. Enjoy the ride!

Before I can cover what kind of gear you need for Wave Photography, Safety is EXTREMELY important! You should have knowledge of the ocean and ocean currents, and have experience in and be more than comfortable in the surf. Know the area you want to shoot, study the conditions… “know before you go”

Surf Photography Primer

Sun, 07/04/2010 - 01:41

This Wave photography Primer was written by Dane Grady.

Below, you will find an introductory guide to the beautiful art of Wave Photography, covering all the key components, from choosing a camera to finding the right kind of waves. Enjoy the ride!

Before I can cover what kind of gear you need for Wave Photography, Safety is EXTREMELY important! You should have knowledge of the ocean and ocean currents, and have experience in and be more than comfortable in the surf. Know the area you want to shoot, study the conditions… “know before you go”

Almost Free DIY Paper Diffuser

Wed, 05/26/2010 - 23:00

You want cheap? I'll give you cheap.

As you probably know, California Sunbounce is a cool, high-end light mod manufacturer based in Germany. Not sure where the California part came from.

Probably weather envy. (UPDATE: Nope, but I was close!)

And I say cool not just because they like to tickle the NSFW line under the chin by running ads with nekkid mannequins in the sidebar, but because they also publish the Lighting Academy website.

[UPDATE: New mannequin -- but this time she's clothed.]

Lighting Academy is the uber-cheap cousin to CSB, where almost everything is DIY-free -- or darn near it.

This quickie DIY "Budget Flash Diffuser" is so easy to make you can whip one up on the spot as needed. It is also essentially free, if you can scrounge the hair band thingie on which the mount depends. (A ball bungee would work nicely, too.)

Efficient? Nope. But perfect to turn a bare flash into a sweet little close-up portrait light. And if you were stuck with an on-camera-only flash, it would make a pretty big difference in your tight portraits, too.

It'll hold you until you can swing a Lumiquest SB-III, but you will get some light spill out of the sides unless you get all budget crazy and spring for another sheet of dark paper to cut into gobo/wings.

If you have more time than money, take a moment to look at some of the nifty ideas on their DIY site.

:: Lighting Academy: Budget Flash Diffuser ::
:: Homepage: Lots of other DIY Goodness ::

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