10 DIY Projects To Help You Shoot Pictures and Videos Like a Pro

Believe it or not, many professional photographers and filmmakers don't have complicated set-ups. These projects can help you emulate them.

Videography and photography have come quite a long way. We now have simplified access to high-tech equipment, and you can even capture photos and videos directly from your smartphone.

However, not everyone wants to take pictures through their smartphone, and not everyone can afford the high costs of professional photography equipment. If you’re in either category but want to create polished visual projects, here are 10 DIY projects that could help you shoot pictures and videos like a pro.

1. LED Camera Lights

Adding LED camera lights to your photography or videography setups is the secret ingredient to creating high-quality, pro-looking photos and videos. This is because good lighting affects an image’s or video’s brightness and sets the tone and mood, enabling you to achieve the best texture, color, vibrancy, and luminosity in your projects.

Although there are plenty of cheap LED camera lights online, users often have to give up quality or function. But by following the steps in this Instructable, you can make your quality DIY LED camera lights, for which you don’t have to sacrifice quality or function, and you’ll simultaneously cut costs.

2. Build a Camera Cage With LEDs

If you’re always on the move or capturing pictures and videos of products and people close up, a camera cage with LEDs will make all the difference in the resulting quality. It’ll illuminate your subjects better, allowing you to create vibrant, HD images and videos you’ll love.

Check out this Instructable for a list of supplies and steps to take. To take your filming to the next level, you can check out these audio recording tips for DIY filmmakers.

3. Portable GoPro Slider

A tripod with a flexible head is the key equipment for videographers and photographers, but a quality slider is a must-have if you want to achieve silky smooth shots of moving subjects.

While there are plenty in the market, this DIY, portable GoPro slider made on Instructables lets you skip the costs and is easy to make. The best part? Unlike commercial models, it’s a multi-axis slider with electronic motion control, meaning you can seamlessly capture images and videos at horizontal, vertical, and even 360-degree angles.

4. DIY LED Ring Light

Whether you’re a YouTuber, TikToker, or just another creative who loves taking quality photos and videos, a ring light can do wonders to your setup. It does a good job of eliminating shadows and provides a continuous, soft light that flatters the subject creating the perfect texture, vibrancy, and mood in the resulting visual media.

As with most modern accessories, ring lights come in various forms and shapes, but if you’ve got the time, a DIY option like this on Instructables is the best bet since you can customize it whichever way you want, and the costs of making one cannot be compared to buying.

5. Automated Turntable for 360-Degree Product Photography

360° Product photography is fast catching on, and for all the right reasons, it produces more polished, detailed, and professional-looking product images. Want to stand out from your competition? Invest in a 360° turntable or DIY one using this detailed Instructable guide.

It’s driven by an Arduino-controlled stepper motor and features an automated camera shutter to create high-quality, interactive 360° product photos and animations.

6. Build a Photo Light Box

Quality lighting is a key element for quality photography or videography, and with a lightbox, you get to enhance it even further. A lightbox often softens lighting and provides the perfect background for quality product pictures. And while there are commercial models, a photo light box is so easy to make that you don’t have to spend your hard-earned money on one.

Moreover, as shown in this Instructable, you can build it from pretty much any material, including cardboard, if you’re looking for a temporary fix or wood.

7. Make a Night Vision Camera

A night vision camera won’t improve your photography or videography, but it’ll certainly enhance your home’s security. But these cameras come at quite the price tag, which is why making yours is a great idea. As shown in this easy-to-follow Instructable, you don’t need any special technical expertise to make one.

If you can properly handle a soldering iron and a hot glue gun, all you need is:

• That old digital camera sitting in your box of unused stuff
• An IR LED ring from a CCTV camera
• A toggle switch,
• Some wires,
• A screwdriver
• Forceps

8. Smartphone Camera Foot Switch Trigger

Can’t afford professional photography or videography equipment? Fret not because a smartphone can also capture quality visual content. Throw in a few accessories such as a tripod or a foot switch trigger, and you can shoot pictures and videos like a pro.

The Footswitch trigger will significantly improve your shooting effort and experiences since you can capture pictures and videos hands-free. Check out this Instructable for tips and steps on how to make one.

9. Remote Control Camera Dolly

Looking to achieve more depth in your shots? Make a camera dolly. It creates silky smooth camera movements and can help you achieve cinematic effects on a whole new level for all your videos and animations. Camera dollies are typically moved around manually, but with this DIY remote-controlled option, you’ll eliminate all the hard work and save money since it costs just about $50 to build.

Check out how to build it on Instructables. By completing this project, you are now ready to learn how to make a movie.

10. Portable Plywood Six-Foot Selfie Stick

You don’t need to ask strangers for a picture or carry a DSLR camera around to take quality photos with friends because this portable six-foot selfie stick does that and more. It’s made from wood for utmost durability and is also collapsible, meaning you can pack and go wherever with it. The best part? It’s not as expensive as commercial models! You can easily make it, as shown in this Instructables guide.

You can add this project to your list of DIY ideas to amuse your TikTok and Instagram followers.

Improve Your Photography and Videography Today

There’s no formula for taking professional shots, but you’ll undoubtedly improve your photos and videos with the above DIYs. Maximize the ideas above, or feel free to use them for inspiration to create a DIY project that’ll help you shoot your photos or videos like a pro.