Create The Things You Wish Existed...
One of the greatest hacks I like to give to new photographers is to look for ways in which you can save money. Photography is unfortunately a very expensive career or hobby to begin. A nice camera, editing software, lighting, props, and so on can really begin to add up. On top of that, if you ever would like to have a space in a studio where you take photos you have to account for the rent you may eventually be paying. While you can find cheaper versions of all the equipment and software you need, there are other ways to save money. A beloved strategy used by myself and many other photographers can be your saving grace when you begin your own photography journey; Do It Yourself also known as DIY.
DIYing has been around for many years and has grown in popularity with the rise of the internet. People are constantly posting hacks and ‘DIY’ projects. DIY, in simple terms, is your ability to take something you could buy and instead make it yourself. Often times, these skills needed to make the item could be attained simply and the material cost is cheaper than what it would be to purchase the item flat out. Here are some things to keep in mind before starting your DIY journey!
1. Is it truly cheaper to make it yourself?
If the answer is no, and you cannot find the materials for less than it would cost to buy the item you want… reconsider making it! Some materials can only be bought in larger quantities, so it’s more worth it for a seller who makes many of them at a time to sell to multiple people.
2. Is the time commitment attainable and worth it?
If this project will take you many hours where you could spend working or spending with family, truly weigh if it is worth the time! Would it relieve more stress to avoid making it and is the convenience better? Or could this be a fun project for yourself and those around you to help with? All things to consider!
3. Do you have the skills to create what you would like to?
Is making this thing going to require you to learn an abundance of things you don’t have the necessary abilities to? If you have to learn a bunch of techniques, or the techniques are potentially dangerous (like wiring, sawing, using power tools, etc.), perhaps it would be safer to find a professional to make this for you!
4. Is there resources online available to help you?
If there isn’t a tutorial and you instead have to make it up as you go based on just a picture or idea, there may be some failed attempts and you need to accept that! It helps if there is already a tutorial of someone who has done this project. If not, try to find something similar! I recommend looking at Pinterest, YouTube, social media, etc. to find your ideas! Pinterest especially can be helpful as you can create boards and gather multiple ideas for the same project. I absolutely love creating Pinterest boards as I find it very peaceful!
Long story short, DIY projects can be both fun and cost effective. This is a way for you to more actively engage with the things you are producing. A way for you to have hands-on input on how you’d like things to work. Will these projects be perfect? No! That’s the charm of DIY and the nature of making something mostly from scratch!
If you’d ever like to know about things I’ve made for my business, or you have any questions in general, please reach out!
Until next time!
