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A DIY Boom Arm for Photography

Whether you are a professional photographer or a hobbyist, you will need a certain amount of gear to get the job done. Photography gear can be expensive, but costs can be reduced by building your own gear with simple materials. If you are looking to use a reflector to bounce light, an easy-to-transport collapsible boom arm will come in handy to hold the reflector in place while you get that perfect shot.

Things You'll Need

48"x1/2" PVC pipe
Electric drill
3/8-inch drill bit
Two 1/2" PVC end caps
Scissors
18-inch bungee cord
Two 1/2-inch PVC couplers
4-foot nylon cord
Light stand

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the 48-inch PVC pipe into three 16-inch sections.
- 2
  Drill a hole into each of the end caps using an electric drill and a 3/8-inch drill bit.
- 3
  Cut the ends off of the bungee cord and feed one end of the cord into one of the end caps. Tie a knot in the bungee cord inside of the end cap.
- 4
  Tie the 4-foot nylon cord to the knot on the bungee cord.
- 5
  Feed the nylon cord through the pieces of pipe and through the couplers stretching the bungee cord as you go. Tie a knot in the bungee cord inside of the second end cap to secure it. The boom arm should now be able to put together by stretching the pieces of pipe out and connecting the couplers.
- 6
  Attach the stretched and assembled arm to a light stand to utilize it.

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