If you’re a creative professional, chances are that you use a webcam for business. Whether it’s a client video conference, screen capture tutorial or your vlog, how you look on your webcam reflects how your business is presented to the world. So, have you noticed that almost everyone looks terrible on their webcam? Well, in this article I will give you a few tips to look good on a webcam or vlog....
If you are into light painting, you know that light tubes can create plenty of stunning effects. There are a few ways to make your own light tubes, and in this video, you’ll see a really cheap, yet effective one. Eric Paré and Kim Henry bring their passion for food and light painting together and create a glowing tube out of cake collar. It’s cheap, super-easy to make, and all the materials are available pretty much everywhere....
Photography Dustin Dolby is a great source of information for creating small product photography. Especially with minimal kit. He often uses just one or two speedlights to create multiple lighting setups, and then composites them in post. In this video, Dustin goes into a lot more detail about the actual shooting process and how he uses the light to build shape and form. Dustin doesn’t delve into the compositing and retouching side of things in this video....
We all know that some YouTubers are a little bit… “extra”. And Alexandre Chappel is no exception. I’ve been following Alexandre for a while now. He’s a maker, and often incorporates 3D printing into his creations. He also films all his videos in a permanent studio space within his workshop. This time, he’s turned his hand to something to help him shoot his videos. Frustrated with his shooting workflow using standard video tripods, he wanted something a bit more versatile that would allow him more shooting options....
Interviews are one of the most common video subjects that most people will shoot. Even if it’s not a regular thing for you, an interview is pretty much a certainty at some point. They’re pretty easy to shoot, but there are pitfalls that can catch you out if you’ve not done it before. In this video from Wolfcrow, filmmaker Sareesh Sudhakaran walks us through the process of how he sets up for interviews....
To take amazing photographs of the night sky you need massively expensive specialist equipment that costs thousands of dollars, am I right? No, I am totally wrong, and this video from Trevor Jones at AstroBackyard shows you exactly what gear you need to get started taking spectacular night sky images. Gear: Trevor says that he can take these images using a basic entry-level DSLR like a Canon Rebel T7, plus an 18-55 mm kit lens....
It’s funny how things go around in circles. The Warp Stabiliser was added to After Effects and Premiere to eliminate the need for techniques like the one shown in this video from Matti Haapoja. Introduced with Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 in 2011, it was supposed to make our lives easier and our footage perfect. But, as more and more people take to shooting video, the more and more its failures become apparent....
Sometimes, the scene before you that you want to shoot just doesn’t line up with the sky that you want. Maybe it’s cloudy every night or perhaps the Milky Way just rises and falls on the wrong part of the sky. But what you can you do about it? Well, after watching this video from astrophotographer Milky Way Mike, you’ll be able to shoot and composite your scene exactly the way you want it....
If you’re into retro instant photos or macro photography, you’re gonna like this video. And if you’re into both, plus you have a limited budget, then you’re gonna love it! Dave Knop aka Knoptop has discovered a $35 instant camera that lets you take photos only a few inches away from your subject. He even upgraded it with some DIY tricks and took some cute instant macro prints. Dave was inspired by a video from Sweet Lou Photography in which he reviewed a KiiPix smartphone picture printer....
Photography is all about light. But just as much as that, it’s also about a lack of it. Shadows are just as important to your scene as the well lit areas, and they can really help to sell your story and add a lot of drama. In this video, the guys of Aputure’s A Team walk us through using negative fill to help create that contrast and drama in your scene....
I’m Dave Williams, a writer here at DIYP and a travel photographer, writer, and educator from the UK. For many years, just like a lot of other photographers, I worked a full-time job and shot on the side as a way to fund new gear. I progressed from funding gear to fund my life, with clients and partners forming throughout my journey. That hit a bit of a roadblock during the COVID pandemic and my travels ground to a halt – I suddenly went from around 20 trips a year to zero....
Corrine at Corrine West Photography booked a wet plate workshop with me before the pandemic started. Two years later we were finally able to do it. The main subject was to get comfortable with the wet collodion process and to create images similar to the ones of spirit photographer William H. Mumler. Mr. Mumler created images (probably double exposures) where his clients could take a picture with their deceased relatives....
Japan, the home of Nikon, is seeing some pretty massive delays on the Nikon Z9 right now. As spotted by the folks at Nikon Rumors, if you order a Nikon Z9 today from Yodobashi Camera in Japan, you won’t see it until at least January 2023. It may actually take longer if they pre-sell more of the shipment than the number of bodies they have coming in at that time....
I think that if someone did a survey, Usain Bolt would be one of the most loved athletes in the world (actually, I am pretty sure there is such a poll somewhere). You just have to love this man, and here is another reason why. Usain Bolt insists that anyone who wants to shoot him for an ad will do so in Jamaica. And there is some reason behind it....
Despite all the new, high-end digital cameras, film photography has been regaining popularity in recent years. So, perhaps you’d also like to grab an old film camera and shoot a roll of black and white film. If this is the case, Ilford Photo has a great crash course for you. In this video, they’ll teach you how to develop your very first black and white film at home. There are several techniques to develop black and white film, and you can even do it with beer....
By now you’ve probably heard of Pratik Naik’s Infinite Tools selection. The series was co-created by Naik and his team to streamline some of the gaps they found in Photoshop and make the retouching process fast and fun. The latest addition is Infinite Skin Panel, a plug-in that works with Photoshop CC2021 and later, and is apparently “perfect for any photographer dealing with the need to soften skin”. What it is versus what it’s not The Infinite Skin Panel is exactly what it says on the tin....
Making a video of cinematic quality doesn’t only depend on the quality of the camera. You can even shoot with your phone if you’re on the budget. But, you may want to add movement to your footage to make it look more professional. InMotion is an automated slider aimed particularly at those filming with smartphones. Additionally, it can support action and mirrorless cameras if that’s your preferred gear. In either case, it promises to provide you with “Hollywood quality content” without breaking the bank....
It’s no secret that Instagram has been … inspired by Snapchat and some of its popular features. After Stories, Instagram is now experimenting with another well-known Snapchat feature: disappearing messages. Back in 2016, Instagram already added disappearing videos and photos to Direct messages. But now it appears that the text will be allowed to disappear too. Reverse-engineering expert Jane Manchun Wong first figured out the new features, buried in the code of the Android Instagram app....
Most of us have been stuck at home for weeks and most of our lives have moved online. And as expected, I’ve never seen as many live streams on Instagram as I have over the past two months. But you can now do more with your live stream – Instagram now lets you host a fundraiser and directly donate to a cause you care about. “Many people are facing challenges at this time,” Instagram writes, “and we want to do our part to support nonprofits and communities who need it the most....
If you are an Instagram user, then you know that you can link multiple accounts to a single user name. This is a handy option, but Instagram is now making it easier to post to all the accounts you have. From now on, it’s possible to post the same image across all your accounts at once. When you select a photo or video you want to post, everything looks almost the same....
