Top 10 Ideas for Great Photos
1. Surf around the Web. Look at images at magazines, papers, on-line galleries and you’ll find a wealth of ideas. Try the Gallery at shotaddict.com. Want more - go to flickr.com and look through tones of creative shots. Another useful source is VFXY, it displays recent posts from various photoblogs.
2. Learn the ‘visual language’. Visit Art Museums, Galleries and Exhibitions that have photography shows. Learn art history from Antiquity to the Present and discover how highly creative people developed methods for expressing light and color.
3. Plan a trip to your local botanical garden. Plants are great for experimenting with light and tone. If you can’t find a botanical garden, go to a garden shop and snap away. There are some really beautiful flowers to take photos of.
4. Frame your photo with thought. Think about the composition of your photo. Shooting the same thing from a different angle will produce an entirely different photograph.
5. Learn about art history. Visit art exhibitions featuring photography and discover how different people have portrayed the world. Reading about photography will put your work in context.
6. Watch movies. Movies can be extremely innovative in experimenting with lighting and concepts. So learn from them. After all, movies are just lots of photographs shown in quick succession.
7. Shoot in different conditions. E.g. iff you shoot in early morning, late in the afternoon or in sunset, the available light will add more depth, create interesting shadows and color changes for your convenience. Try to photograph places in fog - it will hide distracting background elements.
8. Carry your camera everywhere. Take at least one photo a day so you can keep a record of your life in a whole new way.
9. Join a photo community and interest groups. It is cheap, informative, and fun. You can post your photos, participate in critique and discussions at forums. Some very good and interesting stuff to be found there!
10. Shoot at different times of day to achieve different types of atmosphere. Experiment with dusk, noon, night and see what fits with your subject matter best.
