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DIY Photography Tips & Tools
Here’s a list I’ve gathered of DIY photography tips and tools as well as two different resources for taking eBay photos (they’re good for blog shots too). These were previously published on Tipnut and have been gathered here in one handy place.
Tips: Guide To eBay Auction Photography
Here’s a free online resource from CameraJim with Guide To eBay Auction Photography, this is very useful if you want to sell something on eBay, but the tips are also helpful for taking pictures for your blog and anything else you like.
While anyone can take a snapshot of a person or an item with an automatic camera, special care is required to make a static object look its best.
This doesn’t mean the average person can’t do a good job. It just means you need to understand the available tools and a few simple techniques.
The basic tools are your camera (and its support), your lighting, your background and your subject. How well you use and combine these tools is what makes a good product photo.
The different tip sections include:
- Selecting a Camera for eBay Photos
- Cameras, Controls & Settings
- Basic Lighting Techniques
- Jewelry Photography
- Flatware/Silver Photography
- Glassware Photography
- Clothing/Fashion Photography
- Artwork Photography
- Coin Photography
If you aren’t particularly interested in photographing coins or artwork (for example), still check out the sections because there are good lighting tips and techniques that you can learn to use on other projects.
I also picked up a book awhile back that gives tips for taking product shots: eBay Photos That Sell: Taking Great Product Shots for eBay and Beyond. From the review on Amazon:
Inside, you’ll learn how to:
- Follow the basic rules for taking crisp, well-lit shots that outshine the competition
- Set up shots quickly in your home or office
- Create props and accessories from inexpensive items found at home or the local hardware store
- Know how and when to use your camera’s features, bells, and whistles to your advantage
- Take the time to set up your photograph properly so you don’t have to fix things later
- Use photo-editing software to make final adjustments
- Learn to size and format your photos effectively for the Web
- Know when a simple black background is the best way to make your image pop
- Build a safe and organized place to store your pictures so you can easily find them
DIY Photography Tools
- DIY Lightbox For Product Photography
- DIY Ghetto Gel Light
- How To: DIY $10 Macro Photo Studio
- DIY Foam Flash Bouncer
- Photocritic DIY Archive
- Studio Lighting – Really cheap homemade diy studio – no lighting needed
- DIY eBay Photo Studio – $0
- How to Make A Inexpensive Light Tent
- Water Jug As Photo Tool
- The DIY Fisheye Lens — Using Nothin’ But a Pair of Old Glasses and Some Tape
- DIY Photobooth
- DIY Softbox
- Muslin Photography Background
- How to Make and Use a Pinhole Camera
*Originally published March 2007, updated links and combined posts
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My husband made us a large projection screen similar to the project listed under More Tips You May Like: Quick n’ Easy DIY Projection Screen.
He was told to use blackout cloth. It’s a kind of plasticy-coated fabric that is used for window treatments. There are lots of instructions online for using blackout cloth instead of the paper mentioned in the above article.