DIY Photography Hacks: make your own filter with a cheap pair of sunglasses

In our latest DIY Photography Hacks tutorial we show you how to use an old pair of sunglasses as a filter to create a variety of photo effects.

First, an apology: if you’re engaged in a constant pursuit of optical perfection, you need to look away now. But if you enjoy back-to-basics photography, this technique is a cheap, simple way to capture a lo-fi look.

We bought two pairs of bargain sunglasses and a pair of low-cost reading glasses for just £3 (around $4.50) and had no end of fun with them.

They’re ridiculously easy to use, you don’t need to learn any new techniques and yet cheap spectacle lenses can give you great effects in seconds.

The optical quality is perfect for a retro look, where edge softness, chromatic aberration and distortion are all part of the charm.

How to use sunglasses as a filter for your camera

01 Pop out the lenses
Cheap sunglasses are usually flexible, and the lenses will simply pop out of if you bend the frame enough. Grip the edges of the lens between the forefingers and thumbs of both hands, bend the frame in an arc and push out the lens with the tips of your thumbs.

02 Hold and shoot
To take a picture, just hold the lens over your camera lens. You should find the camera can still focus perfectly well and you shouldn’t need to make any exposure adjustments. Set the White Balance to Direct Sunlight to stop it trying to ‘correct’ the colours.

03 Crafty close-ups
We also bought these cheap +3.5 diopter reading glasses. The lenses need more careful positioning than the sunglasses lenses because they’re quite narrow, but they make perfect close-up lenses. The quality isn’t great, though that’s part of the charm!