In this article we will show a very effective trick on how we can obtain this dreamy and hazy effect on shooting photos using a common transparent sandwich bag and some colored markers.

hazy-photo-trick

I've always enjoyed ethereal photography and I am also a big fan of the vintage style photography, and i'm always looking for new techniques to use to my pictures. Even if the fastest way nowadays to obtain these effects is to take a shoot with a digital camera and add some awesome effects afterwards using Photoshop. Photographer David McGrady has a super simple trick for adding a hazy and ethereal effect to your photographs: wrap a plastic sandwich bag on your camera, around your lens. I know its sounds silly, but the results are actually quite nice! This is smart and simple idea, and there is no need to spend money for expensive software or photography gear.

First thing, find yourself a common sandwich bag, a plastic bags that you carry sandwiches around in.

shoot-plastic-bag-photos

This is important, on the closed side of the bag, use your hands to tear a hole and don't use scissors, since you'll want the edges to be rough, uneven, and slightly random.

hazy-bag-trick

Take the open end of the bag and slide it over your camera lens, you shouldn't cover up the middle portion of the frame, we'll need a clear section to see the subject through. Make sure it can be seen in your viewfinder. And voila! You've got yourself an instant hazy, retro, light leak look for your awesome photos.

make-hazy-photo-effect

retro-look-trick

Let's see what the artist has been able to do using this “life hack”:

ethereal-effect

hazy-effect

Another important tip, if you want to customize the look you get on your photos, you can take a colored pen and draw over the plastic bag, adding color to certain parts of the bag.

In this example, the artist used a transparent bag that was marked with purple, on random places:

vintage-effect

dreamy-effect

Find more of artist’s photographs shots using this trick here and here. How about you, do you intend to use this simple technique?

Comments

  • Daniel Grigorov
    great idea!
  • Sue Dederman
    Wow this is so cool! I will try this sometime!
  • SPandey
    If this trick really works,then surely beginners photographers will be thankful for this sharing. I gonna check it out.
  • vino petra
    nice trick!!
  • Karen J. Pottruff
    In theory this is a fantastic idea. However, the photos taken with this method did not live up to what I consider a dreamy foggy quality.
  • chase
    This is such a simple, useful idea. How creative! Great job.
  • Kathleen Jestin
    What an excellent and easy idea! Thanks for sharing it.
  • steve cp kong
    T q for sharing.
  • heh
    Saw me some pantsu. 10/10
  • bowie YH
    awesome..
  • Nguyen Vu
    Wow this is so cool! Thank you for the tips
  • BQYeoh
    Cool! Thanks for sharing!
  • editha flores
    That is doable! Tnx for sharing..
  • How To Take Sexy Pictures with these useful photography tips | DIY Tag
    […] photography tip is so simple. You just need a transparent sandwich bad and some colored markers. Here is how to take sexy pictures with this […]
  • Asad
    Makes one wonder how large can be gained from clever use of things.
  • Francis Arinze
    Super great dreamy effect wowo