Photography Ideas

PHOTOGRAPHY INSPIRATION / IDEAS

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         GO TO THE MOVIES

Movies are great inspiration. Before you go, prepare yourself mentally. You can find inspiration in the story of the movie, in the photography, in the morals, in one of the characters and in the dialogs.

·         TRY TO LEARN A NEW LIGHTING TECHNIQUE

Sometimes you can get inspiration not by focusing on the what (the subject), but by focusing on the how. even if you shoot a boring neutral subject in an interesting way, you can get a great picture.

·         LOOK AT POPULAR PHOTOBLOGS AND GET INSPIRED

Getting ideas from other photographers can be very inspirational. When you look at a fellow photographer blog or gallery you expose yourself to new ideas, photography styles and techniques. You can later employ those ideas on your photography. If you see anything you like, ask: how I would have taken this image, or how can I use this technique to make a say of my own.

·         TAKE ON A PHOTO-A-DAY PROJECT

Sometimes what you need to get your inspiration going is a little push. A great push is a photo-a-day project. In such project you commit to take one picture each day. Such projects has various themes and lengths. Some of the projects are portrait oriented (or self portrait); some are generic; some have a general theme. Some are a month long, some are a year long and some are a picture a week. No matter which one you choose, the need to create something new on a deadline can give your creativity that little push it needs.

·         READ AN (ART) MAGAZINE

Actually you can read n Art / Fashion / Fun magazine. Magazines like wired can trigger new ideas just cuz they are so packed and full of inspirational stuff. Fashion magazines like Elle or Vogue often has lots of great photos that one can try and analyze both for technique and composition.

·         SHOOT A SPORTING EVENT

Sporting events are everywhere. At your local school, College or down at the park where your little (or big) brother is playing football. It is a great opportunity to take action shots as well as portraits. It is also a great opportunity to practice action shooting if you ever want to make a career at sports shooting.

·         LOOK 360

When you walk, you are always looking forward, right? As a photographer you should get used to looking sideways, up and down. You’ll be amazed at the amount of photo opportunities you can find on ceilings, second floors, looking down the escalator. Reflections in puddles, car windows, shopping windows. Shadows on the floor, walls.

·         REPRODUCE ART BY THE OLD MASTERS

All the old masters are not called masters for nothing. They had it when it came to lighting, composition and posing. Trying to make an image like the old masters did it, is not an easy task. You can learn allot by trying to produce a very similar image. You can also learn a lot from trying to homage art made by one of the great ones.

·         SHOOT A GORGEOUS MODEL

There is nothing more inspiring then shooting a gorgeous model. Whatever your definition of gorgeous model may be. The effort to bring one’s beauty to the final picture is demanding and challenging.

·         TAKE ON A PHOTO ASSIGNMENT OR CHALLENGE

Sometimes all you need to get inspired is a little positive pressure. Taking on an assignment is a great way to put yourself in a spot that will make you feel committed for inspiration. It will also narrow down your choices – sometimes it is a good thing.

·         SHOOT YOUR FAMILY

This is the ultimate there-is-no-way-out decision you can take to jump start your photographer block. Your family is always there, no need to get out, to schedule anything.

·         SHOOT YOUR FAVORITE FOOD

Taking a photograph of food in an appetizing way is challenging.

·         SHOOT IN THE DARK

How can one shoot in the dark? This again is a project that needs no special setup. Just a tripod and a flash light.

·         SHOOT A FAMILY EVENT

This is another great opportunity for you to take photos. The setting is there, everybody want in on the fun.

·         TELL A STORY IN 5 PICTURES

Telling a story is a difficult task. It is difficult when you are unlimited with words and images. It is even harder to try and tell a story in five pictures. You need to know what you want to tell; make up an interesting way to tell it; find a beginning, a middle and an end and sum it up in five pictures.

·         SHOOT AN ORDINARY ITEM SEVEN TIMES, BUT MAKE EACH ONE UNIQUE

This has to be a nice trick to get some inspiration going. Get an (ordinary) object and shoot it. Got the shot? The lighting is OK? The focus? Great! Now start playing with all the parameters of the image. Focus, Angle, Depth of field, Background, Movement. OK, you get the point. try to make seven of those pictures.

·         TAKE A SELF PORTRAIT

This is another challenge that is always available. Shooting yourself requires nothing but a camera and some creativity. Step one – shoot yourself. Step two – shoot yourself in an interesting way. Find an unusual pose; unusual angle; multiple exposures; hold something. Anything to make it interesting. How do you get it focused?