122 Photography Tricks & Camera Special Effects to Try Today
This curated selection of cool and creative photography tricks and camera special effects are simple to perform and guaranteed to amaze your friends.
Learn | By Tania Braukamper | Last Updated: December 13, 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.
122 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
If you want to dip your hands into a bit of DIY photography, have a go at this one.
5. Use a Laptop Or Computer Monitor to Create Stunning Backdrops
Want some cool photography effects but on a budget? Check this one out.
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
Here’s a neat way to take some cool pictures on the cheap.
8. Use Tinsel or Metallic Streamers to Frame a Headshot
9. Use a Shop Window And a Couple Of Friends To Create Unique Look
Cool photography tricks only need a bit of creativity and imagination to pull off!
10. Fill An Umbrella With Autumn Leaves
This is one of the many cool photo tricks to try rain or shine!
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
Creative photography tricks like this let you use your surroundings to make eye-catching backgrounds for your shoots.
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
Sometimes, cool camera tricks are just creative ways to use perspective to make interesting photos.
Or you might get lucky with a perfectly timed photo.
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
Playimg with reflections can produce some amazing photography.
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.
One of the most must try cam tricks in the book.
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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.
122. Create a picture within a picture ‘Droste Effect’
Create the Droste effect in images or design, which is an effect that displays parts of the image in a smaller version with a spiraling effect, creating what seems like an infinite loop.
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!
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