Even the most seasoned photographer wants to continue to stretch their creativity. I know I do!
One simple activity you can do in your spare time is to find new ways to photograph everyday, plain things. Yup, the things you see or use every day; no models, no glamorous set-ups, no breathtaking locations. You don’t even need to do this with a fancy DSLR camera or have a significant amount of time. The lesson you learn can be achieved in 10 minutes once a week, using a $100 camera or a smart phone.
Your goal is to make something very plain look more interesting through your lens.
Tips:
1. Pay attention to the shadows
If there is a lot of light, then there are probably shadows. Figure out if the shadows are helping the image or hurting it. If the shadows take away from the image, then make a change so that they don’t. The change could be a significant one, like moving your object altogether, or it could be a subtle one, like changing the angle you are shooting.
2. Look for natural patterns and shapes
If you can locate natural patterns in your shot or interesting shapes within the object or everyday scene, then you can shoot it in a way that highlights this.
3. Know where there is good light
If you can move the object, then place it in the light you want. That could be near a window if you are indoors, or in the shade, if you are outside when the sun is too bright. If you can’t move what you are shooting, then re-position yourself or angle of your camera.
4. Take a close-up shot of one of the key details
You don’t always have to photograph the full object or the entire scene. Figure out what are the key details and consider photographing just that.
5. If it opens, open it – if it moves, move it
Is it a chest? A book? A cookie jar? Photographing it opened will show the content and make the image more dynamic.
Example: Photographing plain things to create images with more pizzazz
I gave myself 10 minutes to walk around my house and find natural hearts. This lesson was easy and fun. More importantly, it let me see these plain, everyday objects differently (see three images above for more of the hearts I found).
So, now what?
Doing this activity from time to time can help you discover new ways to photograph people, landscapes, or whatever makes your heart sing. You can give yourself a specific goal, like finding a particular shape, as I did in the example above, or give yourself a general goal of shooting an object with pizzazz in 10 minutes.
Over time, your eyes will be trained to do this on their own, and the results may surprise you.
How this activity translates into lifestyle shoots
Here are a few examples from my recent photoshoots:
How do YOU stretch your creativity? Share with us in the comments below, so we can all help each other grow.
