BlindMike wrote:

I'm building a cyc. Muwahaha.









Got the last of the panels in last weekend. If all goes well, we might be able to paint and wrap it up this week.

I can understand why you would need a roll of paper towels on a project like this...  but whats with the roll of T.P. on the right???

slave to the lens wrote:
So, a bit of a repeat on one of my earlier posts...I never really broke down the steps of making my beauty dish, so as I made another yesterday I thought I'd remedy that:

This is so GREAT!  Thanks for sharing such in-depth info!  (Have solder, will weld.)

jCveraC wrote:
Here is my Homemade Ringflash

well done!


love the coffee can and bracket.

jCveraC wrote:

The design looks pretty decent but I think it would need another light installed.  The light is off-center.  The second light would balance it out.

Cardillo Photography wrote:

The design looks pretty decent but I think it would need another light installed.  The light is off-center.  The second light would balance it out.

can anyone show an example pic of how this would work?

April Sims wrote:
This is an awesome thread.  Thanks for starting this.

My pleasure, I'm glad you found it useful. Thanks for bumping it.

moonshots wrote:
most useful thread on MM that i've found thus far. thanks.



for this ^^^^ piece in the middle, i like to use empty CD container lids [50 ct seems about right...] with a CD glued in mirror side facing the opening & that glued down.

so much good work here.

Thanks! I have tried the mirror inside, and actually velcro one in from time to time ( a concave one that curves the light back out) but the light is much harder and tends to mess with my "sweet spot" positioning for head and shoulder work (around 4 feet max)

I use the mirror whan lighting backgrounds or for a harder,broader throw.

slave to the lens wrote:
Sorry it's been forever and a day since I posted here.

I've been BIZZZZZY!


Here's my latest, a DIY Garage built set...But first, the backstory:


So there's a certain redhead I've been dying to shoot since joining, and we've talked over the last few months about scheduling something. As the date we had booked crept closer, I was gettingf nervous as I wanted to try something new and different..step up what little game I have (it ain't much).

Here's the space in which I shoot, about 10' wide, 15 feet deep. My garage  (that's...um "french" for studio..yeah, sure)



Kinda small..  good enough for 3/4 portraits, but it gets tight.


Then, I saw the couch.

It was lonely at Goodwill..and the mustard  tweed fabric had subtle rust hints that would pick up a redhead well...Hmmm...


30 dollars and a truck ride later:




Now, shooting just a couch alone just seemed cheesy. There are  some great photographers that could pull it off..I'm not one of them..

Driving down an alley (yeah, I know..gross) I saw these:

old luan wood panels, 5 of them..left over from either a remodel or...eh, I didn't ask.




I built basic 1x4 frames and pieced them together..and I noticed they were very light, and the couch was going to fall out, tonewise.. against them. I didn't have much money, and painting them would take away the cheesy 70's appeal.. staining shiny paperboard NEVER works, so darkening them was going to be a headache.

Okay, confession:

After a few tests, I found a solution (don't do this at home, it's messy and dumb...)

Oxblood shoe polish, when mixed with black shoe polish (how to mix it? here's the dumb/messy part: light it on fire and melt it..stir it together with car wax as a thinner) makes a well adhering darkening coat of stain.

I repeat, I'm not suggesting you try that..It was a dumb idea.

But, Jeebus!

It worked:



Sconces were in the clearance bin for 5 apiece at Home Depot.

Chairs were borrowed from the house.


Panels were made from a table cloth:



stapled around cheap "art" from Target's clearance aisle:





Coffee table from the house, a vintage Playboy to accent..an old projector that didn't run (but had a good bulb)



Thrift store purchases, borrowed lamps/rugs from my Mom...

a 6 pack of tab..

total cost? about  the price of a massage. Not a crappy one, the kind from Burke Williams.

But still very cheap.


Ok...done. Light tests...





and finally, the redhead:






Thanks, Trish!

without someone rocking to shoot, why build anything?

Hopefully, if you get anything out of this thread it's this:

You really don't have to spend much to get alot of value..you can make/borrow/beg/hack your way into alot of decent equipment, sets and everything else.



If anyone is interested, the full (more or less) shoot is here:


                                  18+     18+      18+

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38291732@N … 1172/show/

I know this posting is a little old, but I jut saw it and I wanted to say how impressed I am. I think about building this sort of set, but can never execute like this.

Your work kicks butt and the final images are really fabulous.  :-)

Bradley Laurent wrote:
I know this posting is a little old, but I jut saw it and I wanted to say how impressed I am. I think about building this sort of set, but can never execute like this.

Your work kicks butt and the final images are really fabulous.  :-)

Hey, I'm close...just sayin.


I'd be happy to go halvsies with you on the next thing.


P.S.-  your work saddles up my work and rides it like a pony.

Julian Marsalis wrote:
Damn if only I had a diy bone in my entire body lol great work......

You have one... everyone does.

Just start doing this stuff and your bone will get bigger.. and stronger.. faster...
pretty soon you'll be comming up with stuff of your own!!

remerrill wrote:

You have one... everyone does.

Just start doing this stuff and your bone will get bigger... and stronger...
pretty soon you'll be comming up with stuff of your own!!

I agree. I pick through swap meets or rummage sales, thrift stores and see things that could be given new life. Every project here was a first try, except the 2nd ringlight. I  only did them because I had less to lose (small monetary cost, and little time) and much to gain from figuring it out and not dropping the dough.

I have since bought an ABR800, and love it..but when I'm in a place where power won't go (no battery packs yet, but wait till y'all  see the rig I'm sketching out) the DIY ringflash rocks.

AJW Photo wrote:
Wow, try to give a little insight into the upside down economics of SOME of the ideas on this thread, and I get shat on?  Nose in the air??? No, just trying to point out that there are better ways to spend your time...  Sorry for interrupting; continue with your salad bowl drilling...  I'm going back to editing my $4k wedding...
OUT!

Please do son...I did 4K weddings 20+ years ago...so what are you trying to proove here?

This thread rocks...people that don't get it evidentally need to edit...

Just my $0.02

Nick

Two Tone Studios wrote:
I love treads like these.  I love building modifiers ( among other things) not only because I am Scottish and Cheap , but I like the process and figuring out problems.    I could easily go out fork over a couple hundred dollars plus on Scrims or I can go to a hardware store get some tubing make my own frames - get some nylon fabric and make scrims - a fun Sunday Project.  When I get more time I am for sure going to be building more objects for the studio.  Keep the ideas a coming.

Kurt

Take pictures of your progress and post them... That's what keeps the ideas coming!

Jason Herring Photograp wrote:
Nice work -2 .
All the best,
+2

Hey, nice avatar!

I know you have something to add, you clever fella