I do a fair bit of macro photography in the studio, for both scientific and artistic purposes. I’ve used tripods, boom poles, and large copy stands to get the camera in close.
The setups were often complicated, and I sometimes felt I was concentrating more on the gear than the photograph.
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Each year, my photographic instrumentation students build very simple focus stacking systems. After several years, I decided to construct a more advanced version that could move a stepper-motor-driven stage to precise positions, automatically collect a series of images, and then manually use a stacking program for combination into a single high-depth-of-field image. [Read More] petapixel.com »
2025-09-18 21:01
This article is about how to make a time-lapse system that controls the lighting conditions and triggers the camera shutter for time-lapse plants. [Read More] petapixel.com »
2024-06-25 21:45
Darkroom printing has long been an increasingly forgotten part of film photography. Even with many new photographers picking up film in recent years, a lot of them seem to ignore the practice of darkroom printing. [Read More] petapixel.com »
2024-05-01 20:46
As a wildlife photographer, I'm always looking for ways to capture stunning images of animals in their natural habitats. One technique I've found to be incredibly effective is using a custom-made, DIY, DSLR camera trap, which is a camera setup that is triggered by the movement of an animal. [Read More] petapixel.com »
2023-03-14 21:33
If you ever find yourself stuck indoors and in need of a fun and educational project, try building yourself a camera obscura. Here’s a 7-minute video by Fotodiox showing how you can put together a small DIY one with ordinary craft store supplies. petapixel.com »
2021-08-28 21:06
Years ago, simply having a good website was enough for a photographer. Updating your site once every year was okay, and it basically existed as a digital version of your print portfolio. It was not the primary way that potential clients evaluated you. petapixel.com »
2021-07-28 19:24
Mutual trust forms the foundation of every great portrait session, whether it’s a candid documentary-style shoot or a formal headshot. The post How to build trust in portrait photography appeared first on 500px. iso.500px.com »
2021-07-20 14:30
Thermal cameras are expensive. They can cost anywhere between a few hundred to a few thousand dollars to buy and can cost $50 a day to rent. So why not just build one for around $100? As published on the Raspberry Pi blog, DIY-er Tom Shaffner wanted to check his house with an infrared camera […] petapixel.com »
2021-03-25 20:41
Want to shoot indoor “natural light” photos… at night? All you have to do is build yourself an artificial sun. That sounds wild, but it’s actually neither too difficult nor too expensive — this 24-minute tutorial by DIY Perks will teach you exactly how it can be done. petapixel.com »
2020-11-02 18:48
Cinematographer Shane Hurlbut of the Hurlbut Academy recently shared a great DIY tutorial in which he shows you how to build a giant soft box using just some foam core and a few lengths of 1×3-inch wood. petapixel.com »
2020-09-28 17:11
Photographer and YouTuber Duncan Dimanche has posted a quick tutorial that’ll show you how to create your own DIY wall charging station on the cheap. Depending on your needs this setup can cost as little as $60, and the results look almost as good and functional as some of the more serious builds we’ve featured. […] petapixel.com »
2020-07-06 21:10
You might have heard of the Pixelstick. “Nothing compares” is one of their tag lines. And this is true… at least price-wise. I have always wanted one to at least try out some light painting with it, but the original Pixelstick retails for 400 Euro here in Germany. The Pixelstick is a 188cm RGB lightstrip […] petapixel.com »
2020-03-19 21:31
For my latest project, “we are the dead,” I decided to build a room in which to shoot my pictures. I had absolutely no idea how to do this, but there were some facts I needed to consider. petapixel.com »
2019-12-07 19:41
In the fall of 2017, I had the opportunity to capture the transformation of an empty plot of land turning into a high-tech vehicle test track. The bulk of the construction would take place for about a year. petapixel.com »
2018-11-01 20:34
Do you enjoy making your own lighting gear instead of spending hefty fees for commercial products? Here’s a 10-minute tutorial by photography instructor Joe Edelman on how to build and use your own strip light modifier for under $25. petapixel.com »
2017-10-27 21:32
Ring lights are a great piece of kit for illuminating your subject evenly and creating a distinctive catch light in the eyes. Unfortunately, these lights are typically expensive, but this short tutorial by Instructables user gravityisweak will show you how to building your own for next to nothing. This project makes use of a 12v halo […] petapixel.com »
2017-05-18 23:36
In this 8-minute video by Macroscope Pictures, learn how to build a color changing wand light with your own two hands for only $30 in materials. For an extra 15 bucks, you can add a Wi-Fi controller and control the finished product with your phone. petapixel.com »
2017-05-13 17:06
Are you stressed? What better way to de-stress is there than to break things while making cool photographs at the same time? You can break anything, from spaghetti to fancy glassware, there is no limit. petapixel.com »
2017-05-10 21:31
I recently needed a way to trigger a flash from an Electron app, but there wasn’t anything out there that suited my needs… so I built my own. At first I thought there would be a flash with a simple bluetooth interface, and there is. petapixel.com »
2017-05-02 23:18
There are a ton of options out there for building your own product photography lightbox, but this is one of the simplest and most functional creations we’ve seen. For under $50, you can build it for yourself. petapixel.com »
2017-02-24 21:10
Portrait photographers looking to diversify your background options listen up. There’s an affordable background material you need to know about, and a great DIY portable background stand you can build for just $25. petapixel.com »
2016-09-24 02:19