PhotographyBanzai.com

In this article I'm going over videography setups I made out of LEGOs...back in 2017. At the time it was a pretty decent option I had on-hand to accomplish what I needed with my video work. The main focus here is a video slide because I have a corresponding video I had made back then. However, at the end of the article I show photos of two different mounts I had made.  The LEGO slider with a camera mounted on the cart and positioned on the track between four clamp lights. A camera slider is a piece of equipment that allows a camera to make a smooth sliding motion, usually horizontally, to create dynamic and professional-looking video shots. By moving the camera smoothly along a track, filmmakers can add a sense of depth and movement to what would otherwise be a static scene.* The Construction: Cart and Track Let's take a closer look at the build. The camera rests on a small cart, which is a simple bowl construction with plastic wheels. The set did come with rubber tires that fi...

I recently swapped my larger Godox 32x32 inch softbox for the smaller 24x24 inch model to better fit my workspace. The smaller size should be more manageable in this small space.  The Weeylite Ninja 400 light I'm using is very bright even at 1 percent power. This led me to a DIY project to create an additional diffusion layer for better light control. This article covers my review of the Godox 24x24 softbox, its assembly, and a basic guide on how I created a custom diffusion panel. The main piece of the Godox Softbox (my face realizing this didn't come with the mount) Reviewing the Godox 24x24 Softbox The softbox arrived in a compact carry bag. The product label lists the model as SFUV with a size of 60x60cm, which is approximately 24x24 inches. The kit includes the main foldable softbox, an inner diffusion panel, an outer diffusion panel, and the small carry bag. What the inside of the softbox looks like. This particular kit does not include the metal Bowens mount adapter. Thi...

I've been working a bit on my hands-on video recording setup again. It's a simple mod, but every little change helps refine how well it works in practice. Let's take a look in this article! The packaging for three USB extension cables. The package included five hook-and-loop straps, which is always handy for cable management. There are three cables in total. You'd think 3 or 6 ties would make more sense than 5, but whatever. The hook-and-loop straps. I've been using a shorter USB extension cable to power a AA to USB battery power adapter for a microphone that I use with my camera setup.  My camera setup with a microphone, monitor, and various accessories. The connector on my old cable wasn't super long, so I was looking for something a bit longer. My Old USB 3.0 extension is much shorter than the new USB 2.0 cables. These new cables should do the trick. This will allow me to rotate the camera more freely without being restricted by the cable length. The side vie...

I’ve been branching out into creating review videos of various products to see if it makes my overall work viable. Right now the videos are focused on Amazon’s video creator hub ( my storefront ) but I also upload to YouTube. Links are potentially affiliated, I earn from qualifying purchases!  Taking product photos. The company Vera Forma sent me a men’s belt to make a video on. In turn I wanted to produce decent quality product photographs to use for video thumbnails. While out with friends I started looking for something to spice up the photos. I had made a video about the belt itself with my usual cutting board surface. The Vera Forma Navigator belt video:  https://youtu.be/NoCBnvS26Ns Or check it out directly on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JeoJOk While at Lowe’s I had noticed 18 inch square vinyl flooring tiles. They were only around $1 to $3.50 per tile and you are able to purchase single tiles. The vinyl tile area of Lowe’s. Here are the specific tiles I purchased. In the store yo...

Using a computer screen or TV as a backdrop is a fun way to spice up your indoor photography and videography work. In the related video I experiment with using a 19″ IPS LCD screen as the background in a few situations like miniature diorama photography with Legos, as a backdrop for a book, and adding interest to photos of  Karuta playing cards . I also filmed a few quick video sequences using a “Lazy Susan” to spin around a product for b-roll clips.  Links are potentially affiliated in this article, I earn from qualifying purchases!  Even a small 19" screen can work alright. For equipment I was using a Canon EOS M5 with a Sigma 56mm f1.4 DC DN lens. That focal length gave me enough of a narrow field-of-view that I could work with such a small computer monitor. If you try this out and use a larger screen you should have more flexibility in focal lengths. Here are a few examples of what can be achieved… If you want your own set of Karuta cards you can find them here. Thumbnail f...