Do you need some inspiration to take interesting photos? Are you under the impression that you have to travel to a faraway place in order to photograph something intriguing or beautiful? Well, you don’t even need to leave your house! Here are some tips for taking stunning photos anywhere.
1. Look for light and shadow interactions. Photography, after all, is “light writing.” What does light look like coming through your window? Do any objects make interesting shadows? Try placing a glass of water by a window, and watch the reflection dance on the table.
2. If you think something is boring, start taking close-ups, or even abstract the object so it is unrecognizable. Distort the image by zooming in or changing the angle of the camera. Fish eye and macro lenses are fun if you have access to them. Flowers and fruit are particularly interesting to photograph up close, take the time to look closely.
3. Find patterns. Pattern is all around us, but generally overlooked. Don’t be afraid to photograph monotony if the color or texture is interesting.
4. Look at your surroundings from a different perspective. Get on the floor or stand on something tall.
5. Try different aperture and shutter speed settings. A small aperture will create a blurred background (shallow depth of field), and a big aperture will bring more of the background into focus (large depth of field). With a tripod, use slow shutter speeds in low lighting to create different effects. If you want to freeze motion, you will want to use a fast shutter speed.
6. Have fun with self-portraits. Think about what defines you. What do you want the viewer to know about you? Can you photograph your surroundings and possessions to get a point across without actually being in the photo?
You now have tips to go anywhere and photograph anything. If we take a moment, we realize that the world is fascinating. Take a look around because there is so much to see. Many of us take our surroundings for granted, when you can find beauty in anything.
