By: ER.Somesh Bhardwaj
Finding inspiration for your photography can sometimes be a challenge. We've already taken a look at five places you can go online to find inspiration for your photography, but there are also a few offline methods that can easily kickstart your photo-taking - with just a little bit of dedication on your part. There's no better way to keep yourself shooting on a regular basis than committing to taking one photo a day.
That said, it can also be extremely challenging, and you'll probably find yourself falling off the wagon a few more times than you'd prefer. We've put together a list of 10 projects that you can use to keep yourself shooting through your Project 365, or that you can simply use to shoot on a regular basis.
Go to the Same Place Every Day for Photography Ideas
Is there a place you go every day? On your commute, you take a specific metro, get off at a specific station, pass by the same park every day? Pick one spot and document how it changes day by day. By the end of the year you'll have a fascinating study in how one specific place has changed over time. Or if you live in a busy, dynamic city, you can show just how much one specific place can change from one day to the next.
Pick a Lens
Rather than find a specific theme or subject to focus on, why not pick a specific lens? Pick a fixed lens if you really want to challenge yourself. When you're limited to using a fixed lens, like the 50mm for example, you'll find yourself pushing yourself to find creative images around you. If you want to get really creative, opt instead for a lens that creates interesting effects like one of the Lensbaby products, or PhotoJojo's Diana Lens.
Songs, poems, book titles, or even stories can be a source of inspiration for photographers. Pick a writer, a poet, or a musician, and use their words as a springboard for your photography. If you'd rather bridge this idea with a daily project, then don't limit yourself to just one writer or singer - but rather choose a different title, phrase or story as your daily source of inspiration. You can even choose a random word on a daily basis and use that as your point of inspiration.
Take a Daily Self Portrait
We've seen several fascinating examples of taking a daily self-portrait in the same place and eventually using it to create a timelapse video. Even if you choose to keep the photos private, it becomes a great way to document your own appearance over the years (if you choose to do it longer than one year). This is also a great concept for parents to document their children's growth, whether for one year or even longer, as we've seen done in the past.
Pick a Theme
Picking a specific theme is another way to make sure that you always keep your eye out for interesting images no matter where you are. Windows and doors are a popular theme that you can find no matter where you are. Another interesting theme that you can opt for is to play with the concept of shadows and light or silhouettes. Come up with a concept that speaks to you, or that is commonly found in your surroundings, and set out to document it as best you can.
Pick a photography style
Picking a specific photography style is another good way to find a little bit of photographic inspiration. Opt for taking macro photos only. If you live in a city, focus on street photography or architecture. If you live in a more rural area, go for landscape shots. Even if you don't want to lug a heavy DSLR around you can still opt for using specific styles with your iPhone - all you need is a lens adapter like the Olloclip 3-in-1 iPhone lens.
Go for Bokeh
Bokeh is another interesting way to create a photo series that is tied together by a specific thread. Bokeh can be a challenge to get right at first, but setting the challenge for yourself is one way to perfect the technique. Using a 50mm lens can often help matters, making it slightly easier to achieve that bokeh effect with less effort on your part.
Pick a prop
Picking a small prop that you can take with you everywhere you go can be a cute way to document all the different places you find yourself. It goes one step beyond documenting the places that you go, by bringing a bit of your own personality into the photo. Choosing your prop will probably be the most challenging part of the project - finding something small, portable, and that reflects your own personality is no easy feat - but once you have it, you can get to taking photos of it around your city, country, or even on your travels abroad.
Pick A Colour
One way to create a striking and cohesive collection of photos regardless of their content is with the simple use of colour. Choose one colour and set out to take your photos with the content predominantly one colour. You could even opt for several different series, each one dominated by a specific colour, and then you'll end up with a striking collection of colourful photos that will look great on your wall.
Go on Photo Walks
Dedicate one day a month, or more often if you have the time, to going on photowalks. Finding friends to do this with can be a great motivator and a way to make the experience even more enjoyable. It's not only a good way to keep yourself shooting, it can also be a great way to get to know your own city better. Pick neighbourhoods you dont't normally go to, go to a botanical garden, or a museum, or simply wander the streets downtown.
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