When a professional pap photographer buys a new camera, the first thing they do is to replace the strap. Why? Because they carry their cameras around so much that the regular strap is a pain. More padding and wider strap means that it becomes at least a little more comfortable to lug around.

Although, of course, you don’t have to be a professional to want to replace your camera strap. In fact, it’s quite easy to make your own!

There are no rules for what a camera strap should look like. A length of your favourite leather belt that has become too small can be recycled into a camera strap. You can use a length of rope, if you want. In fact, there’s nothing to stop you from using a bungie-cord either, apart from the fact that it wouldn’t be very useful.

So get creative, and make your camera stand out from the masses, by making your own! To attach it to the camera, get creative: Many cameras have eyelets, so a simple keyring could hold the strap on to the camera. The cameras that need actual straps attached to the camera can be conquered by using… a short length of the strap that actually came with your camera!

Whatever you decide to make, make it creative, and make it stand out. Also, if your camera is expensive, you may want to make sure that your strap is strong enough – you don’t want to break it!

If you can’t be bothered to make your own straps, luckily there are a few people out there who will do it for you. Heyday Fashion do their Snazzy Camera Strap, the Epic store sell Hippie Camera Straps, and even high street shops have an array of replacement straps available.

What are you waiting for? You can be the coolest photographer on the block!

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