DIY Tripod Leg Padding

Photodoto reader Doug shared a neat tip recently in the Photodoto discussion group:

As you’ve doubtless noticed, all the sexy new tripods come with foam wrappings on each leg, padding them while resting on your shoulder. Adding foam wraps after the fact is difficult, since it means somehow wrapping tape of some sort over balky pieces of foam, plus the finished product lacks a certain aesthetic appeal.

Cork padded bicycle handlebar tape is both inexpensive and works well as a substitute. It’s easy to apply, and way softer than bare metal.

Simply wrap the uppermost portion of each tripod leg using an entire roll of the handlebar tape. Take care to overlap the tape on each turn, and then wrap the butt end with the adhesive strip included with the handlebar tape or a little gaffer’s tape.

You get two rolls of tape per package, so with three legs on a tripod and one roll needed per leg, you have an extra roll left to wrap your monopod leg too.

Wish I could claim credit for this idea, but I found it works well,

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Create your own light box

A light box is basically a miniature photography studio. Lit from the sides, front, top or any combination, a light box provides even illumination of any subject which can fit inside of it. Boxes like this are perfect for product photos (think eBay) and general macro and closeup photography. There are a lot of tutorials out there for making light boxes. There’s a good one for making one out of a cardboard box over on Strobist. I’ve had an idea for making one of my own kicking around for a few weeks and decided to build it this week. Here’s what I came up with. And it’ll only cost you about $5 (assuming you’ve got some scissors and glue) and 30 minutes of your time.

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DIY digital photo frame

Photojojo.com this week points to a great idea for converting an old laptop computer into a digital photo frame (Popular Science). I happen to have a working late 90s vintage laptop sitting around gathering dust that I am going to convert. I’ll be sure to carefully document the entire process so that I can provide a bit more instruction than the Popular Science article did. Look for it in the coming weeks.

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Quick photography hack: Softening your built-in flash

An external flash unit with an adjustable head is a great addition to any photography kit. With it you can bounce the light off the ceiling or a wall nearby or even use it off the camera to soften and change the light and reduce red eye. But compact camera owners are usually stuck with the built-in flash which is fixed in position next to the lens. Here’s a quick tip to help soften that built-in flash: try holding a piece of semi-transparent paper or white plastic (like from a milk jug) in front of the flash. It will act as a makeshift diffuser and help soften the light hitting your subject.

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