Taking Control of a Cheap Macro Ring Flash
Warning: this project requires opening the body of a strobe/flash unit containing a capacitor that holds enough charge at a high enough voltage to stop your heart if you discharge […]
Read moreHow to Build a Cheap, Flexible DIY Strobe Trigger
Where can you get hold of a flexible optical trigger unit for a portable strobe? I’ve got a few of these type of units, but the trouble with them is […]
Read moreMake Yourself a DIY Safe Sync Unit
Flash Sync Voltages You may have heard that old flash guns and heads shouldn’t be used with modern DSLRs, because their sync voltage (i.e. the voltage across the hot shoe […]
Read moreMake a Photogate Camera-Flash Trigger
If you’ve ever tried to capture splash shots of objects dropping into a glass tank of water you’ll know that catching the action at the right moment is very hit-or-miss […]
Read moreHow to Make a DIY Arduino Drop Controller
I did a 365 photo project a few years ago in a bid to improve my photography by forcing me to take more pictures. The first and last quarters of […]
Read moreArduino Basics: How To Get Started
Several of my photography project builds are based on the Arduino boards. These provide a very versatile and low-cost platform that mostly avoids having to design discrete electronics for basic […]
Read moreDIY PIR Camera Trigger Unit
If you want to capture pictures of wildlife, one of the big challenges is getting close enough to your subject. This is likely to involve getting into position, camouflaging yourself […]
Read moreThe Thorny Problem of Speedlight Gels
If you have ever read the Strobist blog, amongst other sources, you’re likely to be aware of the power of using gels on portable strobes. Having been an avid reader […]
Read moreMake Bokeh Masks for Square Filter Systems
Bokeh isn’t something I use every day, and certainly not artificially shaped bokeh. However, from time to time being able to create custom bokeh shapes can add a bit of […]
Read moreMake a Concrete Background Support
The motivation for this project came from a portrait session in the living room that hit all too familiar space problems. I needed a backdrop and rim lighting. By the […]
Read more