Photography Features
How To: Light a portrait for photography
Portraits come in all shapes and sizes, but follow a few basic guidelines and you'll set the scene for a beautiful and professional shot.
News: Video Games vs. Real Life
Alex Lewis imagines what the world would look like infiltrated by video game characters in his digital montage series “Video Games vs. Real Life”. (P.S. If you like what you see, check out Lewis' t-shirt designs at Threadless).
News: Microsoft Kinect Has Never Been So Alluring
Think beautiful bokeh photography + just a hint of TRON sensuality and you have photographer Audrey Penven's lovely series entitled "Dancing with Invisible Light: A series of interactions with Kinect's infrared structured light".
How To: Photograph a nude woman
Learn how to photograph the beauty of the female form. We will show some of the things you will need to know to take great, tasteful shots of the female nude…from finding models, to posing, composition, and lighting. Photograph a nude woman.
News: Star Trails Captured in Time Lapse
YouTube user Nachtwolke captures beautiful star trails with 1262 photos taken at 30-second exposures.
News: Gadgets Exploded in Mid-Air
Ever wonder what's inside those old vintage typewriters and analog phones? Canadian photographer Todd McLellan dissects old electronics and then captures their innards— some assembled in a painstakingly orderly array, others caught in a mid-air explosion. More images and process video here (under "New Work").
How To: Take photographs by the wet plate Collodian process
Quinn shows the entire 19th Century wet plate Collodion process step by step, including a brief history of the process. He talks about taking wet plate "on the road" (mobile photography). Learn how to take pictures using the Collodian method by watching this video photography tutorial.
How To: Make a pinhole camera and darkroom
Learn how to take photographs without a lens and develop film in your bathroom. Taken from the masters of the "weekend project", Bre Pettis and Make Magazine, you are sure to get some entertainment out of creating a camera and darkroom. Make sure to download the PDF to get all the details.
How To: Make a cheap 35mm style pinhole camera
This is one of my favorite projects, a wide format pinhole camera that uses 35mm film and is made from $10 in crafts store items.
How To: Convert a juice box into a pinhole camera
Make your own pinhole camera from a juice box! A juice box, yes, that's right. Guaranteed to outlast any digital camera! Unless you sit on it, of course.
News: Iowa Fireman Hacks Camera to Snap Photographs from Outerspace
Iowa firefighter Pete Lilja has modded the software of a Canon powershot to record images of Earth, from as high as 85,000 feet!
How To: Light tabletop glass in studio photography
This video presents tips for basic studio photography lighting for glass objects.
How To: Take professional-quality photos using natural light
Interested in taking professional-caliber portraits but haven't time (or money) for a bulky light rig? Great results can be had by taking advantage of the available light from windows. This photographer's guide offers a number of pointers for you shooters out there. For more information, and to get started taking your own beautifully lit photos, take a look.
How To: Create your own light art with camera and lights
Light art is a cool way to express yourself… or just make some pretty cool light images. Starting out with light art can be tricky, but as long as you have the right equipment and the determination, you'll be making a light art masterpiece in no time.
How To: Use an Olympus OM-1 manual SLR camera
Watch this video for a basic outline of loading film for an SLR camera, also shows some other features specific to the Olympus OM-1. Most of these things are quite similar for all non autofocus film SLR cameras.
How To: Choose an umbrella or a softbox in the photo studio
Do you have a preference for using an umbrella or a softbox with studio strobes? This instructional photography video demonstrates the strengths of each. The umbrella can spread light over a wider area and creates a softer light. The soft box creates a soft light with a defined edge to it.
How To: Make a kite aerial photography rig
Learn how to explore the world of photography from a kite's point of view with this aerial photography rig (also known as KAP). Bre Pettis and the accomplished guys at Make Magazine decide to use a VEX robotics kit to do the job.
How To: Take multiplicity or sequence photographs
Multiplicity photography is a type of photography where you take multiple images of the same subject in different parts of the same frame, then combine them digitally to create a photo with multiple different images of the same person, animal, or object in the same setting. This is also called sequence photography when it's used in sports. This video will show you how to do it with a digital camera and Photoshop, creating amazingly cool-looking results.
How To: Load a roll of 120 film into a Holga camera
This photography tutorial demonstrates how to load a roll of 120 film in a Holga camera. You can use different masks for different shapes of negatives. This vintage camera is difficult to get used to, but once mastered, the Holga is an incredibly versatile film camera.
How To: Take outdoor photo portraits
Here's how to take a well lit outdoor portrait. It's best to shoot outdoor photographs in the morning or late afternoon to catch the best light. Use light reflectors to deflect light coming from below. This instructional photography video will show you how to make subtle lighting adjustments to take a stunning photo portrait.
How To: Take a timelapse picture with a compact digital camera
Digital cameras are the best way to take a quality timelapse pictures. While there are a variety of great cameras out there, you don't have to spend a lot of money. Watch this video photography tutorial and learn how to take a timelapse picture with a compact digital camera and how to choose a digital camera to meet your photography needs.
News: "Photo Grandpa" Makes Ultra High Speed Photography Rig
"Photo Grandpa" aka Fotoopa (that's photograndpa in Dutch) has created an amazing laser rig for ultra-high speed photography.
HowTo: DIY Home Photo Booth
We love the photo booth. Inevitably the best pictures from any wedding come from, not the professional photographer, but the photo booth stationed in the far corner where tipsy guests act very very silly. Brett Ratner, director of Rush Hour and X-men, has a photo booth installed in his house. After several years of parties...he decided to publish a book of all the candids. Jay-Z, Paris Hilton, Justin Timberlake and many others mug for the camera without the aid of fancy lighting or make up ar...
How To: Convert a halogen lamp into a makeshift ring light
In this tutorial, we learn how to convert a halogen lamp into a makeshift ring light. Instead of pointing this light straight at the person you are photographing, you can use a ring light to make the halogen light less harsh. The prices for ring lights are very expensive, so making this yourself can save you a lot of money. First, go out and buy a round metal mesh object wherever you can find one. You will also need tin foil, a plastic cup, and wire cutters. First, set the metal bowl on top o...
How To: Set up basic lights for photography
This sequence of videos provides a tutorial on how to set up basic studio lighting in many settings. With these photography techniques, you will be able to create a variety of wonderful portraits with various lighting techniques.
How To: Load 120 film into a Paterson plastic reel
Many people have trouble loading 120 film into developing reels when they are first starting. In the darkroom, it's tricky business to wind film and load it into a developing tank. Find out what works for you and repeat the process until it becomes second nature. If you are interested in developing your own photographs, you will need to know this process backwards and forwards, using all types of film, reels and developing tanks.
How To: Create make shift tripods when you don't have one
Ok, shutterbug, you need to keep your camera from shaking, but there’s no tripod in sight. Relax--you can still get the perfect shot. Here a couple easy tricks to help you get a steady shot without a tripod.
News: Blind Photographer "Sees" With Sound
A couple weeks ago, I attended Photo LA with my mother, a photographer. On our way out, we came across a blind man with a seeing eye dog. It begged the obvious question-- "blind photographer" is about as oxymoronic as it gets-- but, then coincidentally, this morning I came across a video of the same man. Pete Eckert is indeed a blind visual artist, a sculptor and industrial designer in his former life, before being diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye condition that results in p...
How To: Take Great New Years Pictures This New Year's Eve (7 Tips for a Wild Night)
New Year's Eve. It will be one hell of a chaotic night. Trust me. The overcrowded streets. Long lines for the urinal. Maxing out your credit card on that shot of Cuervo. You'll be lucky to make it out alive.
News: Hacking Photography With Chrono-Cubism
Brazilian photographer Diego Kuffer says he's "hacked" the idea of photography with his chrono-cubism method of compositing photos into collages, resulting in a vibrant tracking of time, space and movement:
HowTo: Play With Fire on Camera
Here at WonderHowTo, we appreciate the fine art of photography (including its extensively vast bag of mind boggling tricks). We also enjoy playing with fire. Sorry, most of us are little boys at heart, and we can't get enough tutorials that fall within the playing-with-matches realm.
HowTo: Photograph a Speeding Bullet
In light of our recent post, Art Borne From the Barrel of a Gun, here's a thorough guide to building your own bullet capture system via robotics site Glacial Wanderer.
HowTo: Make a 50¢ Macro Lens
Forget splurging on a fancy digital camera. All you need to do is attach a lens from a pair of dollar store reading glasses, and you'll get your macro shot. From Sean Lee, how to make a fifty cent macro lens.
How To: Understand the basics of a Nikon SB-800 photo strobe
This instructional photography video guides you in a step-by-step process with the most basic information on Nikon's flagship speedlight of the SB-800 photo camera. Watch this photography demonstration to better utilize your camera's settings and control your results. This video is great for photography enthusiasts.
News: 5 Free Groovy Pinhole Camera Downloads
This past week's Cameratruck might be slightly difficult to do-it-yourself, so here's something a little simpler: 5 free pinhole camera downloads, courtesy of Corbis Readymech Cameras.
How To: Shoot close-up shots with a macro lens
In this lesson, learn how to shoot compelling close-up shots using a macro lens. Tips on composition, lighting and controlling depth of field are discussed in detail. Watch this video photography tutorial and learn how to shoot close-up pictures with a macro lens.
How To: Take a nude portrait
The human body is art, and a nude portrait is a great way to capture its details and nuances.
How To: Shoot high speed photographs
Learn how to do high speed photography with Bre Pettis. To do high speed photography correctly, you need to link a strobe to your camera as shown by Mr. Pettis of Make Magazine. Then you can create cool pictures just like him.
How To: Make an aerial photo rig with a disposable camera
Get creative with an old disposable camera by setting up an aerial photography rig using akite! Get a new perspective by taking pictures from a bird's eye view.
How To: Take evenly lit professional high definition photos
You can take high resolution photos with just about any digital SLR, but whether these high resolution photos turn out impressive depends on setting, lighting, and the compliance of your subjects to pose. While photographing your friends and family in everyday life has these aforementioned conditions already set for you, if you take photos in the studio many factors can be adjusted to your liking.