Abstract Flower Silhouette

Silhouetted artificial flowers photographed with a macro attachment and a homemade DIY blur filter.

September Fire

This shot uses my homemade DIY blur filter (made from plastic wrap...)

September Memories of Summer Sunflowers

A couple more photos of the sunflowers in my backyard garden - probably the last of them for this year. Although I've said that before. I was surprised by these blooms after the rest of them had died and dried away.

These photos were taken with a homemade DIY filter made from clear plastic wrap.

Background Images for Everyone - 2016 - Week 11

Here it is again, this week's free weekly background image for you to download and use as your very own. Use it at home, at work, at school, at church, wherever. I only ask that you share it freely and that you tell others that you found it here.

(for those who like to know such things - I took this photograph with a homemade filter made from a plastic soda bottle that was cut in half.)

Christmas Sparkle Spiral 2

Christmas ornaments shot with a macro lens and a homemade DIY filter.

Trees of Fire

I used a simple, homemade bubble-wrap filter and a bit of motion to set an oak tree on fire this afternoon.

Whorled Yellow Loosestrife

Whorled Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia - part of the Primrose family) found in my neighbor's yard.  Photographed with a homemade, DIY bokeh filter, cut from heavy paper - much like the one used in these two earlier photographs.)

I shall the effect of this good lesson keep,

As watchman to my heart. But, good my brother,

Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,

Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven;

Whiles, like a puff'd and reckless libertine,

Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads,

And recks not his own rede.

Ophelia - in Hamlet  -

White Clover (with Triangles)

White Clover by Jeff Carter on 500px

White Clover (also known as Dutch Clover,  Trifolium repens) growing in the backyard is just about as summer as summer can be.  I took this photo using a homemade DIY bokeh filter cut from heavy paper, which I affixed to the lens with that indispensable tool: duct tape.

After the Rain

After the rain, when the sun comes back through the clouds, water droplets will sparkle on the tall grass.   I used one of my homemade filters in these shots

after the rain by Jeff Carter on 500px

after the rain by Jeff Carter on 500px

Crab Apple Blossoms in the Rain

My neighbor's crab apple tree blossoms in the rain - I used my homemade DIY filter.

Crab Apple Blossoms in the Rain by Jeff Carter on 500px

DIY Camera Hack - Bubble Wrap Filter

In the past I've shared with you my DIY macro lens, my home made flash diffuser,  and my DIY filter made from a sink trap.  Tonight, I have another photographic hack for you:  a bubble wrap filter.

I took an empty filter ring and used it to hold a piece of torn bubble wrap.  This creates a nice blur in the photographs.  I've used it a couple of times recently. Here's one example and there are two here.

Last of the Summer Daisies

Good grief, where did the summer go?

This photo was taken at a roadside rest-area along the way to Omaha, Nebraska.  The blur was created with another of my DIY filters-  basically it's a piece of shredded bubble wrap in front of the camera lens.

Buckeye Blooms

The other day I posted some of the details of how I made my DIY macro lens.  I used it yesterday afternoon in the backyard to photograph the blooms of my neighbor's buckeye tree.

Maybe you like these pictures.  Maybe you'd like to have a copy of them hanging on your wall.  Maybe you need a gift for an upcoming birthday, wedding, anniversary...  Well, you're in luck.  You can get them here.  Choose the size, material, and frame that you like.  And all the money I receive from these sales goes to support and continue the work of the Salvation Army in Newton, Iowa.

DIY Camera Stunts - Macro Lens

A short while back I found this Rokinon 80 - 200mm Zoom Macro lens in our thrift store.  My first clue that something was wrong was that it was packed in the box for an old point and shoot pentax camera....  The Rokinon lens was broken but I paid the 3 dollars for it anyway,  figuring that I could play around with it; take it apart and use it for something.







And something I have.  Today I disassembled the lens, and discovered that without the zoomy bit - the lens itself fits snugly over one of my other lenses.  And makes a decent little macro lens for extreme close up photography.

DIY Flash Diffuser

I've been experimenting with my camera - trying out new tricks, doing new things with it.  I especially enjoy DIY tricks.  I saw this one online some time ago (and subsequently forgot where).

The pop-up flash built into many cameras is a nice feature - but sometimes it's too much. All that light concentrated into one area of the picture frame can cause the photo to look flat, or to have weird, unflattering shadows.  Flash diffusers spread out the light.

I took an old plastic film canister - a not quite opaque white one - cut out a notch large enough to fit it over the pop-up flash on my camera and ... voila.  A simple DIY flash diffuser.

Here's a sample of the difference it can make.  It's subtle, but significant.

This is without the diffuser.
















And this is with the diffuser.

And for another of my DIY experiments - here is a filter made from a drain trap.

DIY Camera Hack

I've been playing around with a DIY camera filter that I made.  I bought a bunch of skylight filters on ebay (very cheap) - removed the glass - and replaced it with a circle cut from from a bathtub drain guard.

The filter in normal use limits the amount of light coming into the camera and provides a bit of graying to the picture - creating a sort of vintage look.

When used on out of focus light sources it creates and interesting bokeh effect.

This was my second attempt.  I tried to do this a couple of nights ago, but I cut the drain guard too small and it wouldn't fit into the filter frame. But tonight I corrected my error and it worked out pretty well.  So well, in fact that I made two, one of which I'll give to my brother. (But don't tell him.  It's part of his Christmas present.)