No matter what type of photography you’re into, it’s important to know how to make something out of nothing. This skill will make you more imaginative and let you have more fun in any photoshoot location.
10. DIY Photography Props: Turning Light Bulbs into Flower Pots to Enhance Your Backgrounds
If you have a few old light bulbs you don’t need, you can turn them into delicate works of art. These light bulb terrariums are perfect for house decorations and photoshoots. Even when you’re done taking photos, you can hang them in your home. First, empty a light bulb. Make sure you wear gloves to avoid harmful chemicals or shards of glass. After that, glue a few strings to the base of the light bulbs and pour some water into them. Place a few flowers into your new vases and hang them from a ceiling or a high platform. These are perfect for portrait and family photos. For the best results, hang them in front of a white wall. This will create a bright and dreamy atmosphere.
9. Decorate Simple Balloons with Fabric to Make Your Compositions Look More Interesting
We’ve all seen thousands of balloon photos by now. To make your photoshoot as unique as possible, cover the balloons in colored fabric. To make everything stay in place, tape the fabric to the base of the balloon. You can also use string if the tape stands out too much. This will work best on black or white balloons. (Other balloon decorations might clash with the fabric’s colors.)
8. Make Your Own Custom Headbands Using Flower Clips
Some flower crowns are very expensive, don’t look that great, or fall apart easily. You can prevent this and save lots of money by investing in flower clips. The best thing about separate flower clips is that they can be rearranged according to your preferences and the theme of the photoshoot.
7. Enhance Your Newborn Photos Using Hand-Drawn Rainbows and Fluffy Blankets
This is an easy way to take creative photos of babies and children. Using non-toxic paint, paint a rainbow on cardboard or any other material that’s appropriate for the photoshoot. A post shared by Laurels and Stars Photography (@laurelsandstars) on Aug 15, 2017 at 1:26pm PDT You can use a fluffy blanket that resembles a cloud. Or you can fill a large basket with cotton. Gently place your subject on the cotton cloud at either side of the rainbow. You can take this further by painting birds, clouds, and landscapes on the cardboard to create a more wholesome composition.
6. Create Custom Backgrounds Using Tape and Colored Paper
Are the walls in your home too boring for simple portraits? Invest in different sheets of colored paper and tape them to a wall. You can then light your subject using artificial or natural light. A post shared by Berkshire Photographer (@roses_and_poses_photography) on Apr 12, 2019 at 4:47am PDT Make sure the colored paper is large enough to let you take wide photos and close-ups. You can use washi tape instead of regular tape to avoid damaging the wall. If you want your background to look even more striking, use sheets of wallpaper.
5. Create Fluffy DIY Clouds to Take Surreal Portrait Photos
Fluffy clouds are one of the best DIY photography props that you can make in minutes. They’re perfect for fun children and family photography. All you need is pillow stuffing and glue. A post shared by Wendy J Photography (@wendyjphotography) on Nov 24, 2018 at 10:12pm PST Using the pillow stuffing, create realistic-looking clouds of different shapes and sizes. You can glue them to a round base, like a balloon, if you want them to stay in place. Glue the pieces together. Once everything is ready, hang the clouds from a ceiling, stick them to a blue backdrop, or have your models hold them.
4. Create Perfect Framed Photo Booths Using A Foam Board
This DIY idea comes with a lot of creative freedom. It’s great for weddings, baby showers, and other parties that require lots of group photos. All your models will have to do is hold the frame while you take photos of them! A post shared by Rebecca Santin, LAC, ATR-BC (@myartliveshere) on Jun 9, 2019 at 3:11pm PDT All you need is a large foam board, scissors, glue, a ruler, and decorations. Cut a rectangle in the center of the foam board, making sure you leave extra space at the bottom for words like Bridal Shower or Happy Birthday. You can then paint the board or leave it white to create a Polaroid effect. You can also cover the board with glitter, glue flowers to it, or draw on it. If you want to enhance the frame with photo booth props like mustaches and hats, you can use free printable props.
3. Use Paper Bunting to Decorate Simple Backgrounds and Foregrounds
Bunting is the perfect photography decoration. You can use it as a creative foreground or background to enhance simple photos. The easiest way to make bunting is to use colored paper, glue/tape, scissors, and string. Cut out triangles similar to the ones above and attach them to a long line of string using glue or tape. And you’re done! If you want something that looks more delicate, use fabric.
2. Let Your Illustrations Come to Life Using Chalk
Another creative way to enhance a background is to use chalk. You can use this on a chalkboard, a black wall, or the ground. Chalk illustrations are versatile, so they can be used in a variety of photoshoots. If you want something conceptual, you can draw on a chalkboard yourself or even hire an artist. If you want something personal and fun, you can ask your subject to draw a few things on their own. The second option is ideal for children photography. It will help prevent boredom and make your subject feel as important as they really are.
1. Turn a Simple Bath into a Milky Floral Photoshoot
For this step, you’ll need a bathtub, access to natural light, lots of water, milk, and flowers. The closer the bathtub is to a large window, the better your photos will look. To prevent wasting a lot of milk, you can simply use milk powder. Make sure the water is hot so that the powder can dissolve and not form chunks in the bathtub. The less you use, the more translucent the effect will be. Once everything is ready, put a few flowers into the bath to intensify the dreamy effect. Milk baths are an easy way to take unique photos of children, pregnant women, and couples.
Conclusion
Using simple items in your home, you can transform portraits into creative masterpieces. These DIY skills will help you find potential for photo props in simple places and get creative no matter where you are. Looking for more great DIY ideas? Check out our new post How to Make a DIY Wood Backdrop for Photos next!
