Simple DIY ideas to enhance your photos

So here’s the situation: you’re planning to have an elaborate photo shoot, but you have limited resources at your disposal. What do you do? In this article, we share about simple DIY ideas to enhance your photos.

You’d be surprised at what you can do with simple things lying around your home. Whether it’s a plastic bag or a piece of cardboard, you’d be able to turn your amateur photos look like they were taken by a professional.

In this edition of Photography Hacks 101, we will take a look at a few DIY hacks you can try to enhance your photos.

Build your camera holder from scratch

A top-down or flat lay photo is always an artistic option to take, but the challenge lies on how to capture that angle in the best possible way. Some use a tripod, while others rely on a selfie stick from up top.

If you want a more genius and handcrafted effect to it, try using something like a piece of a cardboard box and taping it onto the ceiling. It’s effortless to do, and most importantly, it works like a charm.

This technique is best suited for those who are on a tight budget. Feel free to use other stuff other than cardboard and let that creativity flow a little bit more.

Create that hazy effect using a plastic bag

Plastic bags aren’t really that environment-friendly, so instead of throwing them out, make good use of them. One way to do so is by latching it onto your camera to create a hazy photo effect.

The process here is pretty straightforward: take a small plastic bag (a sandwich bag, preferably), poke a hole onto its bottom, and attach it onto the lens of your camera. Make sure that it is blocking your lenses just a tad bit.

You’ll see that hazy, artsy effect on the final photos, and it was all done using a non-biodegradable yet very reliable sandwich bag.

The instant pinhole camera

A pinhole camera is a nice luxury to have, but if you don’t have the resources, fret not. All you’ll need to create that pinhole effect is a piece of paper or cardboard, and a needle or pen.

To do this, simply pick your surface of choice and price a pin-sized hole onto it using the needle or pen. After which, place it onto your camera lens and shoot away.

Use this strategy to take portraits, landscapes, or any image of your choice. It is a straightforward hack that you can complete in five seconds or less, so give it a go and enjoy.

Produce shadow effects with mesh materials

Knowing how to play around with shadows can add a whole new dramatic effect to your photos. All it takes is a strainer, a tea sifter or any mesh material, and some creativity.

By simply placing the filter between your subject and light source, you can get various shadow effects to augment your photos. No special effects needed, just some good old ingenuity.

Ideally, you would want to use some natural light from a window for best results.

Photography does not always need to be an expensive venture. Using these simple hacks, you can turn ordinary photos into artistic images you can very much be proud of. If you have any other simple DIY ideas to enhance photos, share them down below.