84 Things to Photograph When You Need Creative Inspiration!
Whether you’re currently in the process of learning photography or not, sometimes it can be hard to find things around you that seem “interesting enough” to photograph. Therefore, how can you possibly practice if you have no subjects?
In this post I’m going to give you 84 things to photograph (with some inspiring examples, too!) for when you’re left scratching your head at just what the heck to practice on.
Consider this my little reminder to pick up your camera and practice!
Still Life & Objects
Lego Figures & Toys: Capture these small subjects in creative, human-like scenarios.
Dolls & Figurines: Explore light and shadow to elevate these everyday objects.
Ornaments: Showcase their details and textures, perhaps in a narrative setting.
Single Piece of Fruit: Focus on its shape, color, and texture under interesting lighting.
Bowl of Fruit: Create a still life composition with varying colors and textures.
Vegetables: Highlight their textures and colors, perhaps with contrasting backgrounds.
Marbles: Photograph their patterns, reflections, and how they interact with light.
Shells: Capture their textures and forms, individually or grouped together.
Jewellery: Showcase the sparkle and details of these precious items.
Kitchen Utensils: Explore their shapes and how they interact with light (macro or wider shots).
Glass Bottles & Jars: Play with light passing through the glass and creating interesting effects.
Candles: Capture the warm glow and the play of light and shadow they create.
Sweets: Focus on their vibrant colors, textures, and shapes.
Your Morning Coffee/Evening Hot Chocolate: Capture the cozy atmosphere and the steam rising.
Shoes: Photograph interesting footwear, focusing on design, texture, or context.
Your Lenses: Showcase your photography tools as subjects themselves.
The Humble Egg: Explore its simple form in different lighting and settings (try the "10 photos of 1 subject" challenge).
Pencils: Photograph them individually, grouped, or in creative arrangements.
Water & Oil: Capture the abstract patterns and colors created by these immiscible liquids.
Nature & Outdoors
Sunrise/Sunset Sky: Capture the dramatic colors and cloud formations.
Clouds: Focus on their shapes, textures, and how they change the light.
Shadows: Look for interesting shapes and patterns created by shadows.
Leaves (Indoor Plants): Capture the details and textures of indoor foliage.
Leaves (Trees): Showcase the beauty and variety of leaves, especially during autumn.
Tall Grass/Reeds: Capture their texture and movement, especially in golden hour light.
Flowers (Florist): Focus on the vibrant colors and intricate details.
Flowers (Nature): Capture wildflowers in their natural environment.
Birds: Photograph them in flight, perched, or interacting with their surroundings.
Pets: Capture their personality and expressions.
Wildlife (Squirrels, Frogs, Spiders): Document the local wildlife.
Farm Animals: Capture the character of farm animals.
Sea/Ocean: Photograph the waves, the coastline, or marine life.
Waterfalls: Use slow shutter speeds to create a blurred, silky effect.
Puddles: Capture reflections of the sky or surrounding objects.
Snow: Photograph the winter landscape or the details of snowflakes.
Ice: Capture its textures and patterns, especially with macro photography.
Rocks/Stones: Focus on their textures, colors, and the environment they're in.
People & Portraits
Hands: Capture the details and expressions conveyed by hands.
Self-Portrait: Experiment with different poses, lighting, and expressions.
Portraits (Friends/Family): Capture the personality of your loved ones.
Other People's Feet: Explore a unique perspective and tell a story through feet.
Home & Everyday Life
Your Daily Chores: Document the everyday routines of life.
Everyday Scenes: Find beauty in the ordinary moments.
Front Door: Capture its details and any decorations.
Outdoor Steps: Focus on the leading lines and the journey they represent.
Your Home (Interior/Exterior): Capture your living space from different angles.
Mealtimes: Document the preparation and enjoyment of food.
Bathtime: Capture the playful moments of bath time.
Kitchen at Night: Capture the quiet ambiance and the play of light.
Light from the Refrigerator: Use this unique light source for creative photos.
Your Oven: Photograph the cooking process or the final result.
Creative & Abstract
Christmas Lights: Create bokeh or capture their festive glow.
Street Lights: Photograph them at night, capturing their light and the surrounding city.
Reflections: Find interesting reflections in glass, water, or other surfaces.
Mirrors: Experiment with self-portraits or capturing the environment.
Smoke: Capture the abstract patterns and textures of smoke.
Steam: Photograph the rising steam from a hot beverage or food.
Bubbles: Capture their iridescent colors and fragile forms.
Light Bokeh: Create beautiful blurred circles of light in the background.
Intentionally Out of Focus: Explore the abstract world of blurred images.
Tablet Light: Use the light from a tablet as a unique light source.
Places & Locations
Street Photography: Capture candid moments in urban environments.
Marina: Photograph the boats, the water, and the atmosphere.
Boat: Focus on the details of a single boat.
Abandoned Buildings: Capture the beauty of decay (with caution).
Cafe/Eating Out: Document the atmosphere and details of a cafe or restaurant.
Cityscape: Capture the urban landscape from a high vantage point.
Techniques & Projects
Outdoors Shooting In: Photograph a room from outside, looking in.
Indoors Shooting Out: Photograph the view from a window, including the frame.
Silhouette: Capture a subject against a bright background, creating a dark outline.
Windows: Photograph interesting windows, their details, and the view they frame.
Footprints: Use them as leading lines or to tell a story.
Roads: Capture their leading lines and the landscape they traverse.
Indoor Staircases: Photograph their architecture and design.
Archways: Use them as framing elements in your compositions.
Panning: Capture motion blur by moving your camera with a moving subject.
Family Heirlooms: Photograph these treasured objects with care.
Clothing: Capture the texture, design, and details of clothing.
Photos (Old Photos): Photograph old photos to preserve and share memories.
Signs: Capture interesting signs and their messages.
Statues: Photograph them from different angles and perspectives.
The Sun (Carefully!): Capture sun flares and starbursts (with extreme caution to protect your eyes).
Find the Alphabet: A fun project to find letter shapes in your environment.
Car Trails: Use slow shutter speeds to capture light trails from cars at night.
Whew!~ I’m exhausted! But, I hope this is helpful!
Just remember, the subject isn’t what makes a great photo. You can take the ordinary and turn it into something special with photography.
Most important, dive in to Mastering Manual Mode - this step-by-step course gives you the comprehensive knowledge you need to master your camera, light and composition, focus techniques, and so much more so that you can get those photos you dream of creating!
See ya next time,
Nancy
