Elizabeth Giorgi of Being Geek Chic made this step-by-step video tutorial teaching how to make a stylish DIY camera wristlet using some fabric and iron-on fusible.

DIY Weekend: Camera wristlet (via DIYP via Make)

If you have an old mount for attaching a GPS or cell phone to your windshield, you can upcycle it into a suction cup tripod for your camera (just make sure it’s not the flimsy kind that falls off on its own). What you’ll need to do is flatten the mount surface and then install a tripod screw. Nano_Burger has a step-by-step tutorial on how he did this conversion over on Instructables. The resulting tripod allows you to fix your camera in locations that aren’t accessible to tripods that don’t suck (hah, get it?).

Turn Your GPS Suction Cup Support Into A Camera Tripod (via Lifehacker)

Perhaps inspired by the vintage camera nightlights we shared last year, photographer Laura Merz decided to upcycle her old Kodak digital camera by turning it into a nightlight for her house. She writes,

I took out all the tiny screws and gutted the camera very carefully as to not crack the exterior case. Be careful — some of the parts are pretty sharp. Removing the lens is the last step, and allows you to insert a small round night light through the opening. I had to crack off the exterior casing on the night light, but with a little force, it snapped right off.

It’s a creative way to breathe new life into an outdated or broken digital camera.

Industrial design student Hunter Frerich came up with a simple and cheap DIY beauty dish that’s created using fabric, foil, velcro, and glue. To make your own, simply download and print out the template and follow the step-by-step instructions.

DIY Speedlight Diffuser [Hunter Frerich]

The Impossible Project and Polaroid have teamed up to launch the Polaroid Classic line. Every year the two companies will be collaborating on 6-10 Polaroid Classic branded products. Guess what the first product is? A DIY paper camera kit!

Build your own Polaroid camera classics! This Do It Yourself craft set makes you the proud owner of six legendary, analog instant camera replicas (see the Specs tab for the included camera models). The paper models of classic Polaroid cameras are fun to create and perfect in every detail, including mini faux Polaroid photos that develop when rubbed.

Tiny Polaroid pictures that develop when you rub them? That’s certainly fancier than Matthew Nicholson’s papercraft Polaroid camera (on the other hand, Nicholson’s can take actual pinhole photos).

Polaroid Classic (via Photojojo)

P.S. They’re also teaming up to sell off the last batch of Polaroid film ever produced.

You can make yourself a quick and simple snoot by cutting off the upper portion of a soda bottle and covering it with gaffer tape. While it’s definitely not the most elegant solution, it’s a cheap way to isolate your subject when shooting with a flash unit.

How To Make A Snoot From A Coca-Cola Bottle [DIYPhotography]

Image credits: Photographs by Lior Kraisler

Accidentally expose an entire roll of film to light? Instead of throwing it away, you can turn it into a geeky greeting card! Lomographer brilliantgreen made a Christmas-themed one using small illustrations and letters cut out of a magazine, but you could do it for any occasion.

Film Roll Christmas Letters [Lomography]

After damaging the pellicle mirror in his Sony A55 with cleaning fluid, a guy named Dario decided to look for a makeshift replacement while waiting for a real replacement mirror to arrive. He then discovered that food wrap (AKA Saran wrap) works nearly as well as a real pellicle mirror. The only downsides are occasionally degraded autofocus and a soft-focus effect when facing bright lights.

(via sonyalpharumors)

Image credits: Photographs by Dario/sonyalpharumors

Want to go beyond using ordinary wrapping paper for your Christmas gifts? You can make some DIY wrapping paper out of photographs. Print out your favorite photos at home onto ordinary copy paper for smaller presents, and tape multiple sheets together for larger packages.

DIY Photo Wrapping Paper [Photojojo]

Beauty dishes are pricey, and so are dedicated cases for carrying them around. If you want a cheap and simple way to protect your dish, LA-based photographer Mariusz Jeglinski suggests buying a Christmas wreath bag for less than $10. The shape works nicely for dishes, and you can add some extra padding to the case if you want added protection.

(via Strobist)

Image credits: Photographs by Mariusz Jeglinski/Strobist and M. Nguyen