Photography ideas, for the beginner?

airrunner

airrunner

airrunner

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26 Nov 2009
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509
Location
Wales
As the title says all, do you have any ideas to suggest? To instigate me to use my camera more frequently. As I take my camera almost every where with me but losing the spark for fresh ideas. Cheers
 
It's not about "fresh ideas" so much as good photographs. Find some that you like from other photographers and try to copy them, but limit your exposures (to say, oh... i don't know, 36? ;)). That will help you to understand what makes them work, and often leads to developing a lot of your own ideas.
 
You've identified the first requirement - have your camera with you.

Inspiration - now that is the difficult part. I think we all go through phases where we think, agh what can I take a photograph of?

Some ideas

1) Project 365 - one shot a day - difficult for some to keep up. Some people burn themselves out on this one.

2) Project 52 - one shot a week - a little easier than the above but still can fall behind.

3) Pick a well known landmark in your area and photograph it, but don't take the usual touristy shot, document the construction / details / shadows etc.

4) Photowalk - There is an excellent post on these forums called the Stratford Road Project. Pick a Street and walk down it taking pictures of things you encounter / people you see, have a chat with them. If they've got an email address offer to email their picture to them.

5) Strangers. Normally entitled 100 Strangers but you can do any number you like - a bit like a photowalk, everyone has a story.

6) Take a load of paper and write down different colours. Put them into a bucket and pull out a slip of paper. Whatever colour comes out you have to photograph things of that colour for a week.

7) Enter the Monthly Overclocks Photograph competition.

8) Alphabet. Take a shot that has something to do with each letter of the Alphabet

9) Shutter speed - take shots at different speeds

10) Aperture - take shots at different Apertures

11) Mono - Black and white objects.

Lots of different ideas out there, but as Permabanned says, better to take good photographs rather than lots of them.
 
I took pictures on the street. I didn't set any targets other than take some pictures. Street is accessible to everyone :)
 
Andy90 said:
You've identified the first requirement - have your camera with you.

Inspiration - now that is the difficult part. I think we all go through phases where we think, agh what can I take a photograph of?

Some ideas

1) Project 365 - one shot a day - difficult for some to keep up. Some people burn themselves out on this one.

2) Project 52 - one shot a week - a little easier than the above but still can fall behind.

3) Pick a well known landmark in your area and photograph it, but don't take the usual touristy shot, document the construction / details / shadows etc.

4) Photowalk - There is an excellent post on these forums called the Stratford Road Project. Pick a Street and walk down it taking pictures of things you encounter / people you see, have a chat with them. If they've got an email address offer to email their picture to them.

5) Strangers. Normally entitled 100 Strangers but you can do any number you like - a bit like a photowalk, everyone has a story.

6) Take a load of paper and write down different colours. Put them into a bucket and pull out a slip of paper. Whatever colour comes out you have to photograph things of that colour for a week.

7) Enter the Monthly Overclocks Photograph competition.

8) Alphabet. Take a shot that has something to do with each letter of the Alphabet

9) Shutter speed - take shots at different speeds

10) Aperture - take shots at different Apertures

11) Mono - Black and white objects.

Lots of different ideas out there, but as Permabanned says, better to take good photographs rather than lots of them.
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So many good ideas here! I may have to try a few :p
 
I get ideas from books, so I would suggest identifying some books you'd might like to read.

Failing that, buy some extension tubes!
 
Clown said:
I took pictures on the street. I didn't set any targets other than take some pictures. Street is accessible to everyone :)
Click to expand...

Every time I go into London for work I'm immensely jealous of the street photo opportunities! If I go into Gloucester the only interesting thing I will see is the type of knife they use when trying to mug me... :D
 
airrunner said:
As the title says all, do you have any ideas to suggest? To instigate me to use my camera more frequently. As I take my camera almost every where with me but losing the spark for fresh ideas. Cheers
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You could look at the geo tagged pictures on Flickr, see what other people are shooting in the area that you live? You might find something that you'd like to try.

I tend to only take photos of places I got to, rather than go to places to photograph them. I just don't have time for that so I'm very limited in the photography I do nowadays. I want to get out more but I just don't know where all the time goes?!?!! :(
 
Rojin said:
Every time I go into London for work I'm immensely jealous of the street photo opportunities! If I go into Gloucester the only interesting thing I will see is the type of knife they use when trying to mug me... :D
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depends what part of london. in the part im in, i need to walk a fair distance to find some decent ohoto opprtunities.

Where i live there is plenty of opprtunities but im too damm lazy to do it and i blame the missus always draging me to shopping during the weekend!
 
At the moment, I'm working with clients who have offices on Embankment and Regent street. Quite nice busy areas.
 
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