121 Camera and Photography Tricks to Wow Your Friends in 2023

What do duct tape, pantyhose, beer helmets and alphabet noodles have in common? They can all be used to hack your photography for some awesome creative effects!

If you’re the kind the photographer who likes to leave others scratching their heads and wondering how your super-inventive shot was created, this list is packed full of tricks and ideas.

Other camera hacks are more geared towards solving common photography problems, expanding your camera’s capabilities, or simply taking your photography to the next level.

Want to know the best part? Almost all of these camera tricks can be done with cheap, easy-to-find objects and materials around your home.

Check it out for some photoshoot ideas and inspiration for your next creative photography project.

Don’t forget to share this post with any photographer friends who might benefit from some cool new ideas as well.

You should also learn how to make props for photography using household items.

121 Photography & Camera Tricks Wow your Friends

1. Use a Tea Strainer For Dramatic Lighting or Bokeh

2. Use Pantyhose to Create a Soft Focus Filter 

3. Use Reflective Paper For Product Photography

4. Create Your Own Lightbox

5. Use a Laptop Or Computer Monitor to Create Stunning Backdrops

High-definition laptop screens are great for making awesome backgrounds cheaply. This makes it one of the essential photo hacks especially for beginners.

6. Create a Bokeh Effect With Tin Foil

7. Use A Glass Coffee Table To Create A Interesting Frame

8. Use Tinsel or Metallic Streamers to Frame a Headshot

9. Use a Shop Window And a Couple Of Friends To Create Unique Look

10. Fill An Umbrella With Autumn Leaves

11. Drop Pages Of Text Or Sheet Music In The Foreground

12. Use Convenience Store Refrigerators For Dramatic Lighting

13. Find A Garden To Use As A Natural Backdrop

14. Create Dynamic Backdrops With Household Items

15. Use A Treadmill, Model Car & Spray Bottle For This Awesome Effect

With a bit of creativity and composition, one can make pretty compelling photo tricks.

16. Create Your Own Simple Lightbox With a Window and Sheet of Paper

17. Cut A Hole In A Cardboard Box And Fill It With Fruit

18. Use A Backyard Pool To Simulate A Country Pond

19. Turn A Beer Helmut Into A Reflector Rig

20. Hold Long Strands Of Hair Up Behind The Camera

21. If The Weather Won’t Cooperate, Create Your Own

22. Shoot Through A Dirty Garden Pot For A Fun Look

23. Plant A Mirror On The Beach For A Reflection Portrait

24. Shoot Through A Burning Newspaper

25. Create A Dramatic Image With A Broken Window And A Rock

Making objects appear floating is by far one of the oldest trick photography ideas known to man.

26. Turn A Tasty Treat Into A Fun Prop

27. Drop Garden Leaves To Add Interest To Your Image

28. Turn Milk, Cookies And A Sheet Of Glass Into A Dramatic Photo

29. Bury Picture Frames In The Sand To Frame A Beach Portrait

30. Make Your Own Simple Flash Diffuser

31. Turn Ordinary Candy Into A Work Of Art

32. Create This DIY Camera Raincoat

33. Use A Light Boom Or Long Pole To Get A Great Top-Down Shot

34. Shoot A Gorgeous Sunset Portrait In The Tall Grass

35. Hold Up A Fake Rope Swing And Use Photoshop To Make It Real

36. Dangle Over A Ledge To Capture A Dramatic Angle

37. Shoot A Gorgeous Wedding Portrait Under The Bride’s Veil

38. Capture A Stunning Image Of Your Child In The Backyard

39. Get Down Low For A Stunning Pregnancy Shot

40. Get Some Friends To Throw Leaves Onto A Garden Path

41. Climb A Tree To Replicate That Iconic ‘American Beauty’ Moment

42. Hide A Light Behind Your Subjects To Illuminate Water Droplets

43. Use Photoshop To Create A Fun Wedding Image

44. Shoot A Portrait In The Reflection Of A Car Mirror

45. Call On That One Friend Who’ll Always Be Your Ladder

46. Turn A Roadside Ditch Into A Dream Family Portrait Location

47. Capture Gorgeous Pregnancy Photos In The Roadside Weeds

48. Capture A Stunning Portrait With A Dirt Path And Some Fairy Lights

49. Use Photoshop To Add Drama To A Couples Shoot

50. Place Your Subject In A Shallow Pond For Amazing Results

51. Use Photoshop To Create A Stunning Baby Photo

52. Create Your Own Filters By Shooting Through Flower Petals

53. Turn A Puddle Into A Lakeside Photo Shoot

54. Add Some Bubbles To A Roadside Baby Shoot

55. Use A Blanket As A Sling For Your Next Baby Shoot

56. Hold A Curved Leaf To Build An Incredible Portrait Composition

57. Use A Water Bottle And A Chair To Create Dramatic Images

58. Turn A Bamboo Basket Into A Strong Photo Element

59. Tie Shoelaces Behind The Camera For Dramatic Leading Lines

60. Create A Cool Look With A Spinning Wet Tennis Ball

61. Carefully Set A Newspaper On Fire For Intense Images

62. Use A Chain To Create Dramatic Lines In Your Moody Images

63. Use A Plastic Toy Slinky To Turn A Simple Portrait Into A Masterpiece

64. Turn A Book And Some Alphabet Pasta Into A Story Of Its Own

65. Add Drama To A Moody Image With Vape Smoke

66. Call On Friends To Hold Props And Lighting

67. Shoot Through A Cuttlery Drainer For Amazing Outcomes

68. Cut The Ends Off A Plastic Bottle To Amplify A Sunset Shot

69. Roll Up The Page Out Of A Book For A Cool Frame

70. Head To Your Local Craft Store For Simple Filter Solutions

71. Take A Mirror Off The Wall And Use It In Your Next Portrait Shot

72. Create An Old-School Pinhole Camera Kit

73. Use Vaseline To Achieve Fun Vignette Effects

74. Add Flare Effects To Brighten Your Images With A Torch

75. Turn Your Smartphone Into A Pinhole Camera In Seconds

76. Create Dramatic Flare Effects With A Single Match

77. Raid Your Stationary Drawer To Make Your Own Lens Filters

78. Create Dynamic Lighting Backgrounds With A Tablet

79. Hold Up A Glass Prism To Achieve Incredible Images

80. Turn A Glass Jar Into A Simple Filter For Creamy Effects

81. Soften Your Images With A Few Items From Your Granny’s Knitting Basket

82. Use A Piece Of Paper Or Material To Enhance The Lighting In Your Portraits

83. Attach Some Frayed Fabric To Your Lens For A Unique Look

84. Create A DIY Windblown Look With A Hairdryer On Your Next Model Shoot

85. Raid Your Kid’s Toy Box For Some Fun DIY Photo Props

86. Elevate Your Portrait Game With A Simple Piece Of Card or Board

87. Shoot Thorugh A Glass Window For Amazing Portraits

88. Add Interest To Your Images With Two Simple Stationary Items

89. Grab A Black Tile From The Hardware Store To Make A Perfect Prop

90. Build a DIY Lighting Softbox Out Of Household Objects

91. Turn Discarded Clothes Into An Anti-Shake Camera Support

92. Raid The Pantry To Produce Stunning DIY Droplet Photos

93. Grab A Take-Away Coffee And Make An Instant Lens Hood

94. Use A CD Bulk Storage Case To Create A Rain Guard

95. Add Some Drama To Your Next Selfie With A Cut Of Lace

96. Use An Everyday Sandwich Bag For A Quick And Easy DIY Filter Effect

97. Recycle Your Coloured Plastic Bags Into Coloured Filters

98. Turn Birthday Sparklers Into A Seriously Powerful Look

99. Heat Up Your Food Photography With The Help Of A Steam Iron

100. Boost Your Bokeh Game With Hand-Cut Templates

101. Hold Up A CD For Instant Lens Flares In Your Photos

102. Elevate Your Portraits With Cardboard Shadow Filters

103. Use Clear Plastic And Vaseline For Incredible Images

104. Use A Laptop Or Desktop Monitor As An Endless Source Of Cool Backdrops

105. Enhance Your Smartphone Photography With Sunglasses For A Filtered Effect

106. Learn How to Transfer a Photo to Wood

107. Create Whimsical Images With A Cutout Bokeh Filter

108. Use Photoshop To Remove Unwanted Tourists From Your Best Images

109. Achieve Fun Top-Down Shots By Taping Your Phone To The Ceiling

110. Create Fun Visual Effects With Forced Perspective

111. Boost Your Night Portraits With a String of Fairy Lights

112. Slide Your Camera With A Towel For Steady Shots And Video

113, Re-use Your Shopping Bags To Make A Simple Diffuser

114. Enhance Your Food Photography With A Cloth Placemat

115. Submerge Your Camera In A Fishtank For Incredible Water Shots

116. Make a DIY Projector to Enhance your Portraits

117. Use a Crystal Ball to Flip your World Upside-Down

118. Light and Spin some Steel Wool for some Incredible Slow Shutter Shots

119. Make a Kirilian Photography Machine for some Ethereal Effects

120. Don’t Discard Your Toiler Paper Rolls – Use Them For Amazing Macro Shots

121. Use Photoshop to create dream-like landscape images

The Orton Effect in Photoshop is a popular and simple way to give landscape images that dreamy ‘Lord of the Rings’ look. It can also give portrait images a painterly effect.

Final Words

Ready to go forth and create some awesome images using everyday objects and a little bit of inventiveness?

Whether you let people in on the secret of how you got your effects or not, the shots you take will surely light up your social media with positive reactions.

Got any other genius photography hacks to add to the list? Let us know in the comments!