I often receive comments and questions about low lighting in my self portrait shots. The Ghetto Lighting group over on Flickr defines ghetto lighting as:

If you use desklamps, your window, candles, whatever else I have not mentioned, then you my friend, use ghetto lighting.

I never really thought of this as “ghetto lighting” when I first picked up my Canon Digital Rebel XTi/400D back in November of last year, I was just using what I had on hand. Because of the season and the early sunset I really had no choice but to use what I could, and my favorite weapon of choice was, and still is, my IKEA Expressivo desk lamp. And it’s cheap!

Initially, the basic process I followed was to set up my shot, take a couple shots on the default setting to see what the camera “thought” I should be shooting at. Based on that, I’d crank up the shutter speed and/or the aperture setting until I received the desired level of dark/light that I was after. In other words, if the default settings took the shot at 1/8s at f/1.8, I’d adjust the shutter speed to 1/20s and go from there, increase to 1/30s if needed or decrease to 1/13s as desired.

Sure I could use Photoshop curves and levels, but I find more satisfaction in trying to do as much as I can in camera.

Over on Flickr, lslphoto has managed to feed 35mm film into an old Brownie Hawkeye box camera.

Yes it works! I have Walgreen’s process my film into negatives (no prints) for $2.29 and then I can scan the abnormal width and length of the entire filmed print with my new Epson Perfection V500 photo and negative scanner.

I think I’m going to have to try this out!

Running 35mm through a 50′s Kodak Brownie Hawkeye
Originally uploaded by lslphoto

…and here you have the TtV in action!

Gonna have to try this out!

Harsh, unflattering flash got you down? Grab an old roll of film and make it all better.

Follow Flickr user natuurplaat’s lead, and turn an old film canister into a flash diffuser! A few strategic cuts make it easy to slip the canister onto your pop-up flash, and voila! Soft, beautiful lighting.

Keep reading and we’ll show you how to make your very own little piece of genius.

Check out the DIY over at Photojojo!

Wow, gonna have to try this out for sure! This guy made an image stabilizer to reduce vertical and horizontal shake on his camera… a nut, a washer and a string.

Short video on how to create some lighting for under $40… gonna have to give this a go! Check out the video over at brightcove.com.