creative photography ideas tricks

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  • Photographing Into The Light Ebook

21 Photography Tips and Tricks For You To Get Creative Today

minutes read

I know what you’re thinking:

How do you learn to use your camera creatively besides pointing at things and press the shutter release?

Today I’m going to share these 21 insanely awesome photography tips and tricks with you. All you need is your camera (some requires a tripod) and 10 minutes to execute one of these techniques.

Let’s check it out!

** Download the PDF version to read later **

1. Use Freelensing To Create Tilt-Shift Effect

Tilt-shift is a technique that utilizes a specialized lens to create selective focus or simulating a miniature scene. A tilt-shift lens is often expensive, but you can create the effect with your non-tilt-shift lens in an unconventional way.

Freelensing works by you holding a detached lens in front of your camera and tilting it at different angles to create selective focusing. This is the same principle as a tilt-shift lens but without the specialized mount to the camera body.

To begin with, you need a lens that has a focal length of 50mm or more, anything less than that creates fuzzy images that may not be usable.

In aperture priority mode, select the widest aperture available. Any other aperture will not work unless your lens has a manual aperture ring (often in old lenses only). You should also switch your lens to manual focus and turn the focusing ring to infinity (with the ∞ sign).

Now, detach your lens while the camera is still switched on (don’t cringe!). Hold your lens and tilt it to one side while maintaining contact with the camera body on the opposite side.

Look in the viewfinder or the LCD screen, you’ll see part of the image is in focus and part is not. Tilt the lens at different direction and angle to change the plane of focus.

For example, when you tilt the lens to the right, the left side of the lens mount is lifted off the camera body while the right side remains in contact.

You’ll soon find that the side of the image in focus is the side where the lens is lifted off the mount. The focused plane shifts to the center of the image with a greater angle of tilt.

You may get many blurry images at first, but I promise you’ll eventually get the image you want with A LOT of practice!

2. Create Star Trails With Time Stack

Sounds pretty cool, right? Star trails images often have the power to mesmerize because of its phenomenal visual effect.

To your surprise, you can create the same effect with your camera too!

Normally, a tutorial on star trails with time stack is a long post. But I’m going to give you a super duper crash course here.

Essentially, you need to be at the right place at the right time with the right camera settings. I’ll explain.

Place: You need a location with minimum or no light pollution. This means away from the big cities and major highways. Luckily, you can find these places on the internet easily these days. Start with the International Dark-Sky Association .

Time: Moonlight and weather affect how much you can see in the sky. The presence of moonlight makes the stars appear dimmer. So, ideally, you want to have no moon in the sky (a.k.a. new moon). You can plan with this moon phases calendar . Weather is pretty self-explanatory, you want a clear sky instead of clouds obscuring the stars.

Camera settings: Use a fast lens. In my opinion, widest aperture of at least f/2.8. However, I’ve come across images with f/3.5 or even f/4. In manual mode, set the ISO between 800 to 1600 (experiment to get the best result). Use the 600 rule to get a rough estimation of your shutter speed. Focusing in the dark is tricky. You can manually focus on the brightest star, on an object in the foreground, or use the hyperfocal distance (if there is enough foreground to do so).

The 600 rule: This is to give you an estimation of what your maximum shutter speed should be before star streaks appear. All you need to do is divide 600 by your focal length. For example, if your focal length is 18mm, 600/18=33 seconds (maximum shutter speed). This formula is for full frame cameras, remember to add the crop factor to the focal length if you use a cropped sensor.

Tips: Use a tripod (must) and a remote release (optional). Find the North Pole (for Northern Hemisphere) or the South Pole (for Southern Hemisphere) if you want the stars to circle around a center point. To avoid motion blur, enable mirror lockup in a DSLR. Take at least 50 images to get long, beautiful star trails. The more images you get, the longer the trails. You can get an intervalometer to trigger the shutter release for you. Apply the same technique to clouds during daylight and be surprised by the results! Thanks to Matt Molloy’s tutorial on 500px ISO.

Post-processing: I use Lightroom and Photoshop, so I’m going to explain post-processing with these. In Lightroom, select all the images, right-click and choose Edit In > Open as Layers in Photoshop. Once in Photoshop, go to Edit > Auto-Align Layers to fix any minor inconsistency. Now, make all layers invisible except the first two. Change the blend more of the second layer to lighten (you’ll see the trails starting to build up). Next, make the third layer visible and change the blend mode to lighten. Repeat this step for all layers and fix any light trails from airplane or shooting star as you go along (unless you want to include them). This can be tedious, but you can automate the process with a plugin like this . Have fun!

3. Use Long Exposure For Light Trails, Smoothen Water, Create Light Painting and Ghosting Effect

These are just a few examples of what long exposure can achieve. You can also use this technique to remove people when shooting at a touristy spot. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination!

You need a tripod to stabilize your camera as any long exposure without it results in motion blur. How slow should the shutter speed be? It depends on how much light is available and what effect you want.

If you want to take an image of traffic light trails, simply compose and shoot like you normally do in aperture priority mode. Because of the limited light available, the shutter speed will be slow anyway. You can also step up the aperture to slow down the shutter speed more.

If you want an even slower shutter speed (e.g. 1 minute), you need a neutral density (ND) filter. It’s basically a transparent, dark glass that limits the amount of light passing through it. Place it in front of your lens in a filter holder to slow down the shutter speed considerably. Use this to smoothen water flow, create light painting or ghosting effect .

4. Bracketing Exposure Manually In Extreme Dynamic Range

Yes, we all know what automatic exposure bracketing (AEB) does. Why do we need to do it manually?

Sometimes, the contrast of the scene is so extreme that AEB is not capable of capturing the whole dynamic range. This is when manual bracketing saves the day!

When to bracket exposure manually?

Once you have bracketed with AEB, check the histogram of the brightest and the darkest image. If the graph touches the far right in the brightest image or the far left in the darkest image, then you should re-bracket your exposures manually.

First, take a shot like you would do normally in aperture priority mode. Make a note of the aperture, ISO and shutter speed. Switch your camera to manual mode and dial in the settings (keep your lens in AF). Now, step up the shutter speed by half or one stop (e.g. one stop up from 1/250 second is 1/500 second – just double it) and take another shot. Check the

Now, step up the shutter speed by half or one stop (e.g. one stop up from 1/250 second is 1/500 second – just double it) and take another shot. Check the histogram, repeat this step until there is no highlight clipping (i.e. the graph of the histogram doesn’t touch the vertical line on the right).

Next, set the shutter speed back to the initial value and step down using the same method (but in reverse) until there is no shadow clipping on the histogram (e.g. one stop down from 1/250 second is 1/125 second). Congratulations, you have just shot with your camera in manual mode!

Congratulations, you have just shot with your camera in manual mode!

5. Horizontal Panning For Panorama

There are times when your camera just couldn’t fit the entire composition you want into an image.

Fear not, create a panorama to fit all in 🙂 To shoot for a panorama, you need to use a technique called horizontal panning.

Stand still (don’t ever move while panning!) and hold your camera steadily by supporting the bottom of the camera with one hand while the other on the shutter release.

Use your body as the long axis, twist on your waist to the right (or the left first, either way) and take an image. This would be the scene on the far right of your panorama.

Next, twist slightly back to the left and take another image so that the second image overlaps the first image by at least ⅓. Repeat this step until you have captured the whole scene.

To keep focus and exposure consistent in all the images, focus in AF and shoot in aperture priority mode. Take note of the aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Now switch your camera to manual mode and dial in the settings.

Lastly, switch your lens to manual focus to keep the AF setting.

For the grand finale, stitch the images in software like Photoshop to create an awesome panorama!

6. Create Out of The World Perspective With Vertorama

Vertorama = vertical + panorama. Make sense now?

You can create awesome images with a jaw-dropping perspective, a little bit like using a fisheye lens.

Instead of panning horizontally, you now pan vertically, using the horizon as the axis. Vertorama works well in indoors and places with intricate details on the floor and the ceiling, e.g. in a church!

To begin with, tilt your camera to point at the ground to include the foreground objects. Then, tilt it a bit higher making sure there is at least ⅓ overlapping with the last image. Do this until you have included the ceiling.

Keep your focus and exposure consistent with the method mentioned above in panorama. Stitch the images in post-processing (e.g. Photoshop) to create mind-blowing vertorama!

7. Be Creative With Intentional Camera Movement (ICM)

Photography is a creative art. As photographers, we should embrace motion blur as much as we worship sharpness.

With ICM, you intentionally introduce motion blur in your image by moving your camera while the shutter is open.

Sounds weird, right?

The results are often unpredictable yet artistic. To take an image with ICM, move your camera as you press the trigger.

You can move it up and down, left and right, twist it clockwise and anti-clockwise. There is no rule to it!

Try this out: find a scene with plenty of vertical objects or structures (e.g. trees, buildings, etc), take an image the way you normally do. Except this time press the shutter release while moving your camera up and down repeatedly.

Looks cool? Now try moving it at a different speed!

8. Go Time Warp With A Zoom Lens

Have you ever seen Star Trek where the spacecraft was traveling at warp speed? Did you notice the light trails that made you subconsciously know it was moving at ultra-fast speed?

You can create a similar kind of effect with your camera and you don’t need any special equipment. The secret to this is a zoom lens!

There are three steps to this technique:

First, find a moving subject. Second, be either in front or back of the moving subject. This means the subject is either moving away or towards you.

Lastly, hold your camera still and take a shot while zooming in or out with your lens.

There are normally two rings on a zoom lens, one is for focusing and one is for zooming. Make sure you know which is which beforehand.

9. Use Panning To Capture Moving Subject

Want to capture the majestic image of a swan in flight? Or maybe a joyful candid of your son riding his bicycle?

If you just point and shoot, you’re going to have your subject blurred. This is because your subject is moving but your camera is still.

Panning is a technique where you move your camera along with your subject. This result in your subject being in focus with a blurred background. Pretty cool, right?

The key is to switch your camera’s focusing mode to auto continuous focusing. This means your camera will track the subject and auto adjust to keep it in focus as it moves. It’s also known as AI Servo for Canon or AF-C for Nikon (check your camera manual).

Hold your camera by supporting the bottom with one hand and the other on the side with the index finger on the shutter release. Compose your image, half-press on the shutter release to focus on your subject. You should hear a beep or a flash on the AF point telling you your subject is now in focus.

Continue to half-press the shutter release and don’t let go. As your subject moves, pan by moving in a steady and fluid motion with your subject, keeping it in the frame. Press in full on the shutter release when the moment is right!

10. Shoot Macro By Reversing Your Lens

If you haven’t heard of this technique before, you are in for a big treat!

Traditionally, you need a macro lens which can cost quite a bit. Investing in a macro lens is often not practical for photographers who shoot macro occasionally or just want to try it out.

Now all you need is a camera with a detachable lens. It works in both DSLR and mirrorless, prime or zoom lens.

Reverse mount your lens with the front of the lens to your camera’s body with a reversing ring, which normally costs just under $20. The only limitation is your reversed lens can only shoot at the widest aperture, which can have a shallow depth of field to keep your subject sharp throughout.

This happens with most modern lenses as there is no manual aperture ring. But if your lens does have a manual aperture ring, you can step it down to increase the depth of field as you get closer to your macro subject.

As with conventional macro photography, you do need a tripod and a flash or a reflective board to light up your tiny subject :))

11. Use Burst Mode To Capture The Perfect Moment

You can’t always predict when a moment is going to happen. Lucky for us, most modern cameras have burst mode so you can capture multiple images in seconds and choose the best one that you like.

Set your camera from single frame to continuous frame, check your camera’s manual if you are not sure how to do so.

When you think something awesome is going to happen, compose, focus and shoot. The only difference is you don’t let go of the shutter release button. You will hear the shutter curtains going off continuously like a machine gun (sometimes it is fun just to do that!).

After 15 to 20 continuous image (depending on your camera), your camera will slow down because of multiple image processing. Stop to let your camera to catch up and shoot again if needed.

12. Focus At The Hyperfocal Distance To Optimize Sharpness

While focus stacking may seem like the solution for front-to-back sharpness, there is another way.

Don’t be deceived by the big words, hyperfocal distance essentially means the focusing distance that gives your image the greatest depth-of-field, which in return maximize the area of sharpness in your image.

This technique works well if you do not have a subject very close to you in the foreground (if you do, focus stacking may work better).

How to find the focusing distance for hyperfocal focusing?

There is a reference chart ! Use the focal length and the aperture you are shooting to determine the distance you need to focus. This chart is also available as a smartphone app.

The tricky part is to locate the distance that you are going to focus. You can estimate it or use the focusing scale on the lens (mainly on older lenses).

Once you have focused on the hyperfocal distance and taken the image, everything from half the distance of the hyperfocal length to infinity will be within the depth-of-field.

13. Use Custom Shaped Bokeh To Create Memorable Photos

Bokeh doesn’t always have to be round (or technically, near round). It can be any shape you like and this is how to do it.

Get a piece of card, cut out a shape in the middle of it. It can be any shape you want, be creative! Now trim the card to the size of your lens.

Here’s another idea:

Use a cleaned ice cream tub cover (e.g. Ben & Jerry’s) that can simply fit in front of your lens 🙂 You want to cut the shape just enough to fit within the largest aperture of your lens.

How to check the size?

Set the aperture to the widest and look right into your lens!

Now, place the card in front of your lens, hold it in place with your hand or with a tape and you are good to go. Typically, this works well when there are plenty of lights.

Take an image like you normally do and check it out. The bokeh have now taken the shape you cut out on the card!

You can use this technique to create beautiful images or awesome personalized greeting cards that your friends and family will cherish.

14. Get Bokehlicious By Unfocusing Your Lens

If you are into abstract and bokeh, then you have to try this technique. You can create images filled with soft and beautiful bokeh that you can even use it as a background for your desktop or smartphone.

Shooting for bokeh is dead easy, the technical part (not so difficult at all) is finding the right scene. I will explain.

To shoot bokeh, switch your lens to manual focus and use the widest aperture in aperture priority mode. Now, find a scene with lots (the more the better!) of lights. The bigger the light source, the bigger the bokeh is going to be.

Frame your image, manually turn the focusing ring until everything is blurred and take the shot. You can get different kinds of effect by experimenting with different lights and aperture.

15. Master The Art of Illusion With Forced Perspective

You must have seen photos of tourists trying to balance the Leaning Tower of Pisa with their hands :))

The truth is, they were just holding their hands up in the air with the Tower of Pisa far away in the background. It is an optical illusion that makes your brain thinks otherwise.

Forced perspective is an old camera trick that manipulates the human perception with optical illusion. For example, it makes objects appear larger or smaller, closer or farther than they actually are.

There are really no rules with forced perspective photography. A useful tip is to ask your subject to move closer or farther to alter the perceived size and distance. You can also move your position and tilt your camera to look up or down to change the perspective.

A useful tip is to ask your subject to move closer or farther to alter the perceived size and distance. You can also move your position and tilt your camera to look up or down to change the perspective.

Be creative, think outside the box! I promise you’ll come out with trick photography ideas of your own!

16. Level Up Portraits With Levitation Photography

Getting bored with your portrait routine? Spice it up with levitation, it could be your next big thing!

It is often used in creative self-portraits, although you can also work with models to create this effect. The concept is simple, you create an image of people that appears to be floating in the air :))

The easiest way to achieve this is to get the person to jump up from the ground, or jump down from a height while you snap an image when they are in mid-air (or use burst mode). This can be time-consuming and the possibilities are quite limited.

A better idea is to mount your camera on a tripod and take an image after getting your model (or you) into position by lying or sitting on a stool, a chair or something that supports the weight. Take another image, but this time without the model.

Now open up both images in Photoshop with the second image on top of the first one. Apply a black layer mask on the second layer and use a white paint brush to mask out the stool. Without it, your model looks like he is floating in mid-air.

Wingardium Leviosa !

17. Leverage The Golden Hour To Create Cool Silhouette

Silhouettes are among the coolest and easiest image you can take. There is something magical about the combination of a vibrant sky and the outline of the subject in shadow.

It’s the perfect image at the end of a day. The best time to get a nice silhouette image is during sunrise or sunset when the sky is colorful.

The key to capture a nice, strong silhouette is to get the light metering right.

Set the light metering mode to spot metering (check your camera’s manual if you’re unsure). Your camera now calculates the exposure based on the light intensity in the circle at the center of the frame.

This is in contrast with matrix metering (most of us set this as default) where your camera calculates the shutter speed based on the average exposure of the frame.

Now, point the circle at the sky and lock the exposure. All you need to do now is recompose your image and press the shutter release.

18. Revive Retro Effect With A Pinhole Camera

I mean a homemade pinhole camera. You need a camera body cap (costs a few dollars on eBay) and a few things you can easily get from a tool box.

Your mission is to make a hole in the middle of the body cap.

First, use a ruler to measure and locate the center of the cap . This step is extremely important as you’re essentially creating the aperture, which MUST be in the middle.

Then, drill a hole through the center, the size is not important at this stage. You just need a hole.

Now comes the crucial part: cut out a small piece of tinfoil (about 1cm x 3cm) and use a needle to prick a hole in the middle. The smaller the needle, the smaller the aperture.

Position the tinfoil so that the pinhole is in the middle of the hole on the body cap and tape it down with gaffer tape.

Before you attach the cap to your camera, check the inside of the cap to see if it’s shiny. Light reflects on shiny surfaces which will affect the exposure. If it is, cover all up with gaffer tape.

Now you’re ready for some action!

You’ll have to shoot in manual mode. You’ll have to experiment with the ISO and shutter speed to find a setting that gives you the best result. It’s a bit of trial and error really.

Credit to Salvatore Cincotta from Behind The Shutter for the awesome tutorial.

19. Go Abstract With Kinetic Photography

Are you running out of creative ideas? Why not set yourself free by tossing your camera in the air?

You read it right, TOSS your camera in the air!

Kinetic photography may sound risky for you and your camera. It’s certainly not fun getting hit by a DSLR weight almost 1kg in the face, or worse, dropped on the ground!

It’s definitely not for the fainthearted 🙂

What you do is to set your camera on a longer exposure, toss it in the air and let the motion do the work for you.

To try out this technique, start with a small and lightweight lens such as a 50mm lens or a compact camera. Do it in a low light setting, use any artificial light around you to your advantage.

Whatever you do, make sure safety comes first.

You can focus the scene in aperture priority mode first, note the settings and dial it in manual mode.

Because you’re tossing your camera up in the air, you want the shutter speed to be long enough for it to take off and land back in your hands. Experiment with the exposure to get the results that you like.

20. Emulate Motion Blur With Time Lapse

Want to smoothen the water/clouds or remove people from your image?

You would normally need an ND filter to create the long exposure effect. But what if you don’t have one (an ND filter can be quite pricey)?

Use time-lapse technique! Essentially, you take multiple images of the same frame at short intervals and stack them together in Photoshop to emulate the long exposure effect.

Essentially, you take multiple images of the same frame at short intervals and stack them together in Photoshop.

First, find a suitable scene where the elements you want to smoothen are moving. Clouds, water, people, cars, you name it.

Next, mount your camera on a tripod and set your camera to continuous shooting in aperture priority mode.

Start taking multiple images with the moving element in it. The key to time lapse photography is the interval between each image.

It can be as short as one second in a fast moving element like water or clouds on a windy day. You may need to extend to three or four seconds if you want to remove people.

You should take at least 20 images or more to achieve a smooth motion blur effect.

Once you’re done, upload the images to your computer. Open up Photoshop, go to File > Scripts > Statistics. Browse and select all the images, change the “Stack Mode” to Median and check the box for “Attempt to Automatically Align Source Images”.

Hit OK and watch the magic happens!

21. Absolute Front-To-Back Sharpness With Focus Stacking

A common challenge in images with depth (commonly in landscape images) is the impossibility to get good sharpness throughout.

This is more obvious if you focus on an object in the near foreground. The background will always be slightly out of focus even if you use the smallest aperture.

A genius way to tackle this is to manually focus each distance of the scene separately and blend them together in post-processing (hence the name focus stacking).

A tripod (or something to immobilize your camera) is required to keep the frames consistent.

Starting with the foreground, turn the focusing ring on your lens until the foreground elements become sharp, take a shot. I recommend zoom in on your LCD screen while focusing because it’s easier to ensure the focus is sharp.

Review the image on the LCD screen by zooming in the foreground.

Gradually move upwards (into the distance) until you notice the image starts to lose focus. Take a note where this is in your image composition, refocus on this part with your lens and take another shot.

Repeat this step until you finish with the image.

Blend the images in post-processing. Boom! Sharpness throughout!

Share These Photography Tips and Tricks

Now that you are fuelled with ideas and adrenaline, it’s time to try one of these yourself. Pick ONE and spend 10 to 15 minutes on it. I promise the result will be rewarding!

For more tutorials on image editing technique, please check out  the editing technique resource page !

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Color analysis for photographers: the essential guide, focus stacking: how to create front-to-back sharpness in your image, how to add image depth with saturation and lightness.

Author Image

Great article! Easy to read and straight to the point on each item. Gave me some ideas I can do some more research on as an amateur photographer.

Hope you get some awesome images with these techniques! 🙂

You are truly a genius. I loved all the tips you have given. For a photographer like me, the tips mean a lot.

Hi Shane, thanks a lot! I’m very glad you find the tips useful! 🙂

These are some great photography tips. Thanks for the share

Thanks Sam!

All these photography tips are just very useful. Thanks a lot.

Thanks Steve!

very very good.

Thanks! I’m glad you like it 🙂

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25+ Creative Photography Ideas and Techniques to try

Ankush Tripathi - Author

2020 has been a year like no other. Never before has the world been so connected–connected by the same crisis, sharing the same problems, and fighting the same demons. But at the same time, all of us as individuals have had to disconnect. The coronavirus pandemic has forced many of us to be stuck at home, self quarantined and isolated from our friends and family.

Photographers have been just as isolated as everyone else. Significant events are cancelled, socially distanced get-togethers are harder to shoot. Photographers used to work with new people and models may be feeling like they're stuck in a bit of a rut, unable to continue with their normal workflow.

So much time alone can be used in a few ways. Many creative individuals might spend their time looking for ways to be, well, more creative!

What is Creative Photography?

There's no tidy and agreed-upon definition of what constitutes creativity in photography. Unlike other forms of art, a creative photo is one that has some original artistic touch added to it. Creative photography is not, however, an excuse for bad photography. For a photo to be considered creative, there must be an intent to say something. All photographs should tell the viewer a story. The creative part should only help to do that.

The cool thing about adding some creativity into your images is that you can do it to any genre or type of photography . The absolute best images are the ones that are calculated and creative. So wherever you are and whatever you are shooting, putting yourself into a creative mindset helps you up your photographic game.

How to Be More Creative in Photography

Being creative in photography requires coming up with new creative photo ideas and inspiration. But don't limit yourself to only photography–creativity takes many shapes and forms. One of the best ways to get more creative is to try something new. Try drawing, sketching, or painting for a change. Get creative with a pen and paper first, and start storyboarding what you'd like to shoot.

You can also spur creativity by changing things up. Maybe there's an old camera body in the bottom of your equipment bag you seldom use or an old prime lens that's getting dusty. The point is that you need to mix up your routine and see where it takes you.

Getting inspiration from other photographers through their online photography portfolios or social media posts only goes so far. Because it's a passive process that your creative mind is disconnected from, it's hard to make the leap from admiring other people's work to actively making your own. It's a starting point, but you've got to make the biggest leap from there.

Pixpa  is a portfolio website builder platform that is trusted by creative pros around the world. Have a look at some outstanding  portfolio website examples . Pixpa offers an easy yet powerful drag-and-drop website builder and includes Client galleries, eCommerce, and blogging tools to enable you to manage your complete online presence through one seamless platform. Explore all  features  that make Pixpa the perfect choice for creative professionals.

Create your professional portfolio website with Pixpa.  Sign up for a 15 days free trial.

Children are, by far, the most creative individuals among us. Spending some time with kids is a great way to relearn what it means to be creative. Physical activity and play can also help you harness a little creativity, but in the end, it is a mindset. All too often, adults get themselves firmly planted into a way of thinking or a way of life. Shaking it up a little and forcing your brain to problem solve more is the only way to recapture that child-like mindset.

25+ Creative Photography Ideas and Techniques

Diy filters.

Putting something on the end of your lens and shooting through it is a fun way to mix up your photos and see what you get. There is no cost to snapping some trial and error shots in the age of digital photography and trashing them. Create your own artistic filters with cellophane wrap, also called cling film, from your kitchen drawer. That will add a blurred or foggy effect. You can warp or shape the plastic to reduce or increase the look. Search around the house and find other types of clear or translucent materials that you could shoot through. Many different plastics can make star-light effects and even colored blurs.

Off-Lens Add-Ons

You can also hold items out and away from the camera, and include the item as part of the composition. Glass globes or photographic glass spheres have become popular in recent years because the sphere creates a distorted image of the world around it. You can also pick up other types of lenses that can be held out. You can also shoot through your glasses or sunglasses, which add a cool framing effect. If your glasses are colored or polarized, all the better.

Off-Lens Add-Ons

Creative Lighting

Playing with the lighting in a scene is a fundamental way for a photographer to learn to become better. Photography is, after all, painting with light. You can do it a few ways. You can move lights around and play with the types of lighting your use. Everything from everyday candles and flashlights to photography-specific mini LEDs and speedlights can be used.

You can also modify those lights. Lighting gels are colored filters that fit over the lights to create different effects. You can make gels with clear or colored pieces of translucent plastic.

Creative Photography Lighting

Play With Your Still Lifes

Let's go ahead and admit it. Many of us haven't done a real still life shoot since art class in high school or college. Giving the artists control over all elements, from the subject matter, arrangement of subjects, composition, and lighting, still lifes are an excellent way to spur creativity.

So do you take a bowl of fruit and start shooting? You can, but try to get creative! What kind of story can you tell? Is there any way that you can make your still life into an entire dramatic scene?

Get a New Perspective

Playing with perspective is a quick and easy trick many photographers like to use when they want to up their unique creative photography ideas. You can change your perspective as you take the picture or change what the viewer sees.

To change your perspective, you need to move around. Getting down low and shooting while looking up are great ways to see the world from different points of view. Or, consider shooting straight down from above. If you've got a drone, now's the perfect time to go flying.

Forced perspective is the manipulation of visual cues in the composition in an attempt to fool your viewers. Have you ever seen a picture where a huge person appears to be holding the moon in their hands? That's an example of forced perspective. Using a telephoto lens and zooming in on the person from a distance, you can frame the photo to make small things look large against big things made to look small. Read this article for some great tips on forced perspective in photography .

New Perspective of Photography

Fantasy Worlds

There's a whole genre of photography that revolves around creating fantasy worlds in your image frame. Small action figures or other toys are excellent subject matter. Legos are really popular.

Fun Photography Ideas

Macro Landscapes

Another fun and creative thing to try is making an entire landscape out of something else. Many photographers have found food works great with this, but it could also include toys or the subjects mentioned above. Broccoli trees sprouting from lettuce fields, with fruit rainbows in the sky. Go wild!

Focus Your Lens on Your Kids or Pets

Many people are seeing more of their kids, pets, and other family members, which is one positive outcome of 2020 for some. Why not turn your camera to subjects at home? Look for inspiration in their daily lives, and shoot from their points of view.

Go Monotone

One creative exercise from art class is to pick a color for a day and focus entirely on that one element. Include compositions in monotone or limited color palettes . Look up the complementary colors and use them. Hunt around for design ideas. Just for the day, think about your photography in terms of design rather than the camera and the tools you use.

Creative Photography Techniques

Built Your Own Background

Shooting still lifes and portraits of your family around the house is bound to creatively run dry sooner or later. Spice things up by creating backgrounds that can be fun and dynamic. Many photographers use large chalkboards. Draw out the scene you want your subject to star in. Plan it out, and then incorporate your living subject into the drawn-out scene. Have your subjects help make their own backgrounds.

Of course, that's only one example. If you're doing macros or still lifes, you could use a cardboard box and create a lightbox and background. You could paint a background on an old board or a piece of artist's canvas. Use old fabric and sew up something unique. The possibilities are endless!

Built Your Own Background

If static still lifes are getting you down and your family has returned to their devices, try your hand at splash photography. You'll need a fast shutter speed and your camera up on a tripod in burst mode. You can spill things, drop things into water or other fluids, or dribble water out of bottles. Get creative with the background, as above, or combine into one of those fantasy worlds you created.

Sit Down and Learn Something

If there's one thing we can agree on, it's that it's easier to learn new skills than ever before. YouTube and online education websites are chockablock full of excellent tutorials in post-production techniques. Some of them are beyond creative–they're nothing short of genius. It doesn't have to be anything far out and artistic, either. You could spend the afternoon learning how to do focus stacking or texture overlays. How are your HDR skills? Or maybe you'd like to learn how to simulate the look of tilt-shift lenses for that distinctive tiny world effect.

Ideas for Photographs

You’ve Got the Time

Long exposure photography is one thing that many people know how to do, but few dedicate the time to doing it. Now is a great time to play with long exposure photos, both indoors and outdoors.

If you've never used an ND (neutral density) filter for long daytime exposures, it's an excellent tool for creative photography images. They add a moody and dramatic feeling that really can't be achieved in any other way.

Manual Panoramas

Panorama stitching is easy to do in any photo editing software, but many photographers rely on using their phones' built-in automatic functions for the purpose. Next time you're out admiring a fantastic vista, grab your tripod and take a real panorama. How many megapixels can you squeeze in?

Reflections

Reflections are incredible tools in photography. They create symmetry and force the viewer to alter their perspective. You might want to read this article on symmetry in photography . The best thing about reflections is that photos make us admire them more. In real life, we're so used to seeing them that we put them out of our minds. But when they're used well in photographic composition, they make the whole image pop.

Unique Picture Ideas

Try Free Lensing

Free lensing is the technique of holding your lens off-camera and shooting through it. To get the aperture to work, many photographers purchase broken lenses off of eBay and use them. Why go to all of this effort? Free lensing creates some unique images right out of the camera. The extra light entering the sensor from the opening creates neat washouts and softens the focus. As you get better, you can control the angle like a tilt-shift lens.

Embrace the Blur

Blurry photos don’t have to be bad. In the efforts to be creative and perform some trial and error, work on emphasizing blur. Look for moving objects that you can capture motion blur on, or try some whip pans with the shutter open. Zoom blur is fun, too, when you move the lens zoom in or out during the exposure.

Blurry photos

Incorporate Shadows

Use shadows in your composition to help tell your story. Here are a few great photography composition tips and techniques to help you get started. Have a model interact with their shadow, or tell an entire story using nothing but shadows.

Blow Some Bubbles

Play with bubbles. They reflect and refract light in unique ways, often with colorful oily films.

Take a Dive

Are you near the beach or even just a neighbourhood pool? Experiment with underwater photos . You don't have to have your best camera in expensive housing. You can pick up underwater cases for point and shoot cameras on Amazon or eBay reasonably cheaply. Your subjects can range from kids at the local community pool to exotic coral reefs in the South Pacific. It's fun and challenging, and there's a lot to learn.

Underwater Photos

Picture-in-Picture

Try using printed photos as elements in your picture for a picture-in-picture effect. You can modify the picture with paint or materials to create a mixed media artwork.

It's also an excellent time to look at all the ways you can have your work reproduced. Check out the latest laser-etched metal photos or classy canvas art wraps available from online printers.

Blow Off the Dust

Spend a day with a piece of equipment you never use. What is in the very bottom of your camera bag that is collecting dust? A fisheye lens, super-telephoto, or an old point-and-shoot? What about those speedlights that haven't gone off in a few years? You could also scour eBay and your local used camera shop for bargains. Find a $20 old-school vintage lens and buy an adapter tube for your camera.

Paint with Light

Light painting is the act of moving some illuminated object around in a long exposure photograph. Sparklers are common, but some people make their own with steel wool and wire whisks. Flashlights and lanterns work. Even remote controls work since the infrared light they use is visible to the camera's sensor.

Light It Up!

While you're thinking about light, think up some creative off-camera lighting positions. Put your flash inside objects or backlight your subjects.

Bonus Creative Idea–Use What You Hate

Do you have a pet peeve? What gets your goat, photographically speaking? Take some time to ponder what bothers you about it, and learn to embrace it. You don't have to have a change of heart, but why not perform an artistic experiment and embrace things you usually hate. Lens flare is a classic example that many photographers loath. How about over-the-top HDR images? Soft focus or out of focus images can be used well in the right context. Whatever bothers you the most, think about why that is and ask yourself, if I worked out a way to use this, what would it look like, and what kind of story would it tell?

Do Checkout These Articles

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Getting creative with photography isn't a challenging task as long as you have the time to have fun with it. If it's always a chore or part of your job, it's sometimes difficult to relax and enjoy the process. But only by stepping out of your comfort zone and making some playtime will you rekindle that creative spark that made you love photography in the first place.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do you get creative photography ideas? Being constantly aware and observant of the world around you is key in getting creative photography ideas. The idea behind photography is to capture unique and interesting moments and objects and for that you need to constantly be in search of such things. It is also a good idea to play around with your camera settings,  experiment with various camera angles and lighting to see if you can create some interesting results. 
  • What are some ideas for photography? An easy and creative photography idea is to create interesting macro landscapes using items you have lying around at home. You can also use forced perspective to create some compelling and fun visual stories. Clever use of mirrors and reflections can also create unique and interesting photographs that do not require a lot of specialized equipment. 
  • How can I do creative photography at home? If you want to try creative photography at home, you can use forced perspective, DIY filters, creative lighting etc. to take fairly mundane photography ideas and take them to the next level. With clever camera techniques and hacks, you can make your photography more creative and interesting without having to travel too far spending too much on fancy equipment.

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12 DIY Photography Tricks for Cool Photos (That Really Work)

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Photography has no shortage of accessories . But you don’t need to break the bank to try something new with your images. DIY photography tricks can add just the right level of interest to your photos.

Some of them create interesting visuals. Others replace pricey gear with something that’s simple to do yourself. 

Ready to have some fun with your camera, without a big budget ? Try these 12 DIY photography tricks.

A&M Glass Photography Prism

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Photography Tricks: Read This Before You Start – Or You Might Ruin Your Gear

You can create fun image effects without lightroom or photoshop . Most of the items needed for these tricks can be picked up for a few dollars at a grocery or hardware store, like a magnifying glass for macro photography .

If you’re a Lifehacker, you will find these photography tips quite handy. But, its time for a disclaimer.

The best photography tricks use inexpensive items to create neat effects. But the worst will ruin your Nikon, Sony, GoPro, or any of your priced gear. To avoid that, proceed with caution before modifying your gear.

There’s an alarming number of potentially harmful photography tips out there. Some suggest you apply lipstick, a glue stick, petroleum jelly, water, you name it, to the front of your camera lens .

Camera lenses have all kinds of specialty coatings. Applying something to the front of that lens can ruin those coatings and wreck your lens .

If you’re tempted by these (we don’t include any here), at least put it on a cheap UV filter. That way all you ruin is a $20 filter, not a pricey lens.

Also, avoid trying to support your camera gear with a DIY rig. You may drop your gear.  Use common sense. Keep items off the front (and rear) of your lens, always make sure your camera is secure, and avoid any “hacks” that may void your warranty.

That said, there are plenty of easy, inexpensive photography tricks out there. Most don’t even come near the delicate parts of your digital camera or lens. Here are our favorite photography ideas and tricks.

12. Create a Dreamy Effect With a Sandwich Bag

Head to the kitchen and grab a sandwich bag. That’s all you need for photos with a sharp center but hazy, dreamlike edges. This trick comes from photographer Jesse David McGrady . He places the baggie around a lens to create a surreal edge to the images. Make a hole in the closed end to fit your lens through. And make sure the opposite side is covering some of the edges of the lens glass. The plastic is close enough to the lens to blur, which will create a sort of haze to the image. Another variation is to color the baggie with permanent markers first. This will give the haze a colored tint.

A dreamy still life shot using a sandwich bag for DIY photography tricks

11. Create Cool Photography Tricks With a Prism

Objects close to the lens can blur into neat photo effects , beyond a plastic bag. A prism held close to the lens will obscure distractions in the photo. It can also catch a reflection of something else in the scene. Or it can add a rainbow like light to the edge of the image. You can buy a prism for about $20 online. Place the prism up close to the lens. Now experiment with different positions to obscure parts of the images. Try different angles of the prism itself too and you may catch a neat reflection. This DIY photography trick isn’t limited to sandwich baggies and prisms. Placing any number of objects up close to the camera lens can introduce neat, unusual effects into the image. Anything close to the lens will blur. So this trick is open to any number of objects. Translucent items work well, and even something as simple as a glass of water can create neat effects. Solid items aren’t out of the question. But they create a colored blur effect blocking off some of the image instead of a hazy or reflective effect.

A cool still life shot using a prism for DIY photography tricks

10. Shaped Bokeh Filters

The bokeh in an image takes the shape of the lens aperture . Change the shape, and you can change the bokeh. Bokeh filters do the same, and while you can buy them, they are also simple to make. This neat camera trick requires a piece of paper, scissors and something to secure the paper to the lens. A hair tie works great. Cut out the shape that you want in the bokeh and place the paper over the lens. It helps if you leave some tabs of paper at the sides to help hold the paper in place with a rubber band or tape. The paper changes the shape of the hole in the lens which changes the bokeh. Be aware, though, that you are limiting the light that’s coming into the camera. So if you are in a low light environment, you may need to adjust your exposure .

9. Anamorphic Lens Flare

Lens companies work hard to reduce flare . But sometimes, photographers want that artistic lens flare especially when shooting sunsets in landscape photography . Anamorphic flare is a horizontal flare that most associate with anamorphic, cinema lenses .

You can actually create this effect with some fishing line or translucent string.

Clear fishing line will create that horizontal lens flare. And it’s placed close enough to the lens not to interfere with image quality.

To try it out, place a piece of fishing line over the front of your lens. The flare will go in the opposite direction of the line. If you want horizontal flare, place the line vertically across the middle of the lens and vice versa.

Secure it in place with tape or rubber bands. If you point the modified lens into the sunlight,  you’ll get that long anamorphic flaring.

8. Modify the Light With Household Objects

The right light (whther it’s artificial or natural light) can make all the difference — and so can unusual light. Instead of camera tricks, this DIY photography hack places something in front of the flash. This is to create an unusual lighting effect.

Placing a kitchen strainer over the flash will create spotted light. Any household object with a unique shape and, in particular, holes or openings will work. You can do this to create beautiful light effects for close-up shots in portrait photography. You can also use a set of window blinds to create stripped light. Or use patterned lace to repeat the pattern in your light. And if you have that prism from that earlier photography trick, place it between the light source and the subject. This will create a small rainbow in the image. Or, as photographer Joe Edelman suggests, create your own gobo patterns. Cut up your own patterns out of foam board and place them over the light. That allows you to create unique lighting patterns .

7. Use Shiny Surfaces to Split the Frame

Translucent items like the fishing line and sandwich bag are great items for DIY photo tricks. But another excellent category are reflective surfaces. And as one viral post shows , you don’t have to look any further than your pocket.

The screen of an iPhone, smartphone or tablet is a nice, black reflective surface . Hold it underneath or a bit over the bottom of your lens. Then angle the screen to reflect the top half of the image in the bottom.

This trick isn’t restricted to a smartphone either. Look for any reflective surface that you can hold up to your lens.

a wristwatch placed on a smartphone screen

6. Make It Rain With a Squirt Bottle or Yard Sprayer

Love the look of rainy day photos , but don’t want to actually get wet? There are a number of effects you can re-create. All while keeping your photo subject dry and umbrella free.  Water droplets can make an excellent background. Have an assistant spray water behind the subject using a spray bottle. For a less tired hand, use a sprayer like the ones found in hardware stores to spray fertilizer or weed killer on your lawn.

The key though is to place a light behind the spray. This will make those water droplets sparkle. You can also use a flash gel to give the water color. Many photographers use this trick for portraits, from Joe Edelman to Pyre Jirsa.

The wet look isn’t just good for the background. If you want that shot-through-a-rainy-window look without actual rain or an actual window, use that spray bottle on a piece of glass . You can find a piece of glass just by taking one out of a large picture frame.

a hand holding a squirt bottle against a teal background

5. Make a DIY Flash Bounce Card

Lighting modifiers make up a big chunk of the DIY photography tricks floating out there on the web. From using a business card to bounce your flash to a milk jug diffuser.

This tutorial from 30Five Millimeter doesn’t look like some random household object. But it’s still cheap. By shaping a bounce card out of foam and velcro, you get the same benefits, without the tacky look.

Creating the foam bounce card softens the direct light of the flash for more flattering light. But be forewarned, the light doesn’t reach quite so far once softened.

4. DIY Reflector

Reflectors are among the most inexpensive lighting equipment . But you can make your own for even less. DIY reflectors aren’t portable like the ones designed as photography accessories. You might also look a bit silly using one.

But, a DIY reflector works in a pinch and it only takes a few minutes to put together with items you already have.

For this DIY photography trick, wrap a piece of cardboard in tinfoil. The larger the cardboard, the larger the reflector and the softer the light. Use tape as needed to keep the tinfoil in place.

Once the cardboard is covered, place the DIY reflector across from a light source. This will bounce some light back into the scene.

a hand holding a DIY reflector

3. Tinfoil Bokeh Photography Tricks

Tinfoil is good for more than a makeshift reflector. If you rumple that tinfoil up first, the tinfoil will scatter the light. This creates excellent bokeh.

Crumple up a piece of tinfoil, then stretch it back out and arrange over a piece of cardboard. Then, use that cardboard as a photo background . Make sure you have a light source in front of the tinfoil.

You should also keep the tinfoil at least a few inches behind the subject. Using a wide aperture will also help.

2. DIY a Backdrop at a Craft Store or Hardware Store

A cute portrait of a young baby with DIY photo background

My favorite places for DIY photo inspiration are hardware stores and craft stores. They’re great when you’re looking for props or creating your own backdrops. For large, sturdy backdrops, I pick up panelling from the hardware store. The kind that’s used to decorate your walls. While panelling can be an outdated style, today there are several options. These look like an actual floor and don’t cost too much. The downside is that they aren’t as portable as rollable floor-drops, but there’s a definite cost saving. For smaller backgrounds, try the craft store. A simple piece of scrapbook paper can work for tiny setups. And quilting fabric can easily serve as a background without the three-digit price tag.

1. Encourage Kids to Actually Look at the Camera With a PEZ Dispenser

This is a trick I picked up early on, and while I don’t use it quite the same way, I still bring out the handy PEZ at times. The PEZ candy dispensers will almost fit into the hot shoe slot at the top of the camera.

If you take a sharp pair of scissors and trim the plastic at the bottom, the candy dispenser will slide right on top.

With a colorful guy that hands out candy on top of your camera, it’s easier to get little kids to look at your otherwise uninteresting camera. The only problem? You can’t use a flash while your hot shoe is busy with the candy dispenser.

I usually use flash to at least create catchlights. When the Pez dispenser comes with me, I hold him in my hand near the camera. (Make sure to check with the parents before offering a child candy!)

Portrait photographers use bubble machines, favorite toys, and puppets to help get little kids to look towards the camera. And it can help keep create real smiles.

A close up of colorful kids toys and sweets displayed in a shop

The tricks in this list have been used countless times. But mixing your vision with a photography trick can help create unique images. Learning a new photography trick is excellent if you are stuck in a creative rut. Or if you want something different without investing in different gear. Remember to stay away from the glass of the lens and the sensor or mirror area inside the camera body. A $2 photo trick isn’t worth ruining hundreds of dollars of photo gear. Try these 12 photography tricks — and if you have more to add, leave them in the comments below. Looking for more tricks? Check out our new post about photography hacks next!

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Creative Photography Ideas - Techniques To Get You Inspired - StudioBinder

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Creative Photography Ideas & Techniques To Get You Inspired

E very artist, photographer or otherwise, comes to a point in their creative process where they must look elsewhere for inspiration. As such, we felt it would be a great idea to compile a list of creative photography ideas. We’re going to touch on some creative and technical strategies that might stimulate your photographic eye – so without further ado, here’s our list of creative photography ideas to get inspired by.

Cool Photo Ideas Using Lenses

Adjust focal length and positioning.

Self-Portrait Photography Ideas - Portraits by Dan Vojtech

Self-Portrait Photography Ideas  •  Portraits by Dan Vojtech

As photographers, we often say “this picture would look best with this lens.” And although that’s a valid strategy, sometimes it begs the question: what if we took a picture with what we consider the wrong lens?

For example, why not experiment with taking portraits with a wide-angle lens ? It will look distorted – but if realism isn’t the main intention, there’s nothing wrong with adjusting the focal length .

Cool Photography Ideas

Play with light and shadow.

Creative Photography in Film - The Chiaroscuro Effect in Citizen Kane

Creative Photography in Film  •  The Chiaroscuro Effect in Citizen Kane

Chiaroscuro is the technique of using light and shadow in a visual image, often by way of stark contrast. We’ve seen chiaroscuro used expertly in wood carvings, Caravaggio paintings, and Orson Welles’ best movie , Citizen Kane . In photography, chiaroscuro often works best when there’s clear contrast between a lighted element and a shadowed element.

Cool Photography Project Ideas

Make a shadow play.

Creative Photography Ideas - Shadow Play by Javier Téllez

Creative Photography Ideas  •  Shadow Play by Javier Téllez

The shadow play is one of the oldest types of visual storytelling – and it makes an enticing picture idea for struggling creatives. We often obsess over the appearance of visual depth. As such, it can be refreshing to go back and start with silhouettes. But whatever you do, make the shadow play your own.

Creative Picture Ideas

Try double exposure.

Creative Photography in Television - Double Exposure in True Detective

Creative Photography in Television  •  Double Exposure in True Detective

Double exposure is actually a rather old photographing technique but it’s only become prevalent in recent years due to how easy it is to achieve with digital cameras . It’s so popular in fact that it’s become a cliche in movie/tv opening credits . Some cameras have a built-in double exposure setting. If your camera doesn’t have a double exposure preset, you can always achieve the effect in Photoshop or most other editing programs.

Good Photo Ideas

Experiment with false color.

Creative Photography Ideas - False Color Techniques

Creative Photography Ideas  •  False Color Techniques

False color programs may be most frequently used on film sets to achieve perfect exposure , but they’re also incredibly useful for taking photographs. False color is essentially the process of seeing degrees of exposure represented by different colors.

Photography Project Ideas

Master the art of overexposure.

Creative Picture Ideas - Artful Overexposure in Sunshine

Creative Picture Ideas  •  Artful Overexposure in Sunshine

We’re taught that overexposure – or when an image appears brighter than usual – is a bad thing. And it is… most of the time. There are times when overexposure can be used for an artistic purpose – like it is in the image above from Danny Boyle’s Sunshine . Play around with ISO , aperture , and shutter speed to get a similar effect. Just be mindful that it likely won’t come out like Boyle’s image did on your first try.

Creative Photography Ideas

Capture your pet in a new light.

Creative Photography Ideas - Photo by Anne Geier

Creative Photography Ideas  •  Photo by Anne Geier

Amateur photographers and professional photographers alike love taking photos of animals. Why? Because everybody loves pets. Well, mostly everybody. But the more important question is: how can we get creative with pet photography? One way is by using different lenses.

By using different camera lenses , we can capture animal subjects at different angles in different depths of field .

Still Life Photography Ideas

Change your orientation.

Creative Picture Ideas - Landscape Picture by Brian Matiash

Creative Picture Ideas  •  Landscape Picture by Brian Matiash

One way you can change the visual composition of an image is by changing its orientation. Landscape orientation is when an image is wider than it is taller. Portrait orientation is when an image is taller than it is wider.

Portrait Photography Ideas - Photo by Christopher Rosario

Portrait Photography Ideas  •  Photo by Christopher Rosario

By changing the orientation of an image, we can alter its visual composition. Consider stuffing a landscape photograph with vertical lines like the first photograph – or stuffing a portrait photograph with horizontal lines like the second photograph. These strategies create a satisfying geometrical contrast.

Cool Photo Ideas With Color

Combine color with framing.

Creative Photography Inspiration - Color Still From Birdman

Creative Photography Inspiration  •  Color Still From Birdman

This still from Alejandro Iñárritu’s Birdman is often cited as one of the most “perfect” shots from contemporary cinema. Why? Two reasons: color and framing. The color of the pepper-lights make the image pop; and they frame our primary subject at the center of the frame.

Kudos to the great cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki for his work on the film. Consider framing a picture of your own with Christmas lights and a central subject to get a similar effect.

Photography Theme Ideas

Take to the skies.

Creative Photography Ideas - Drone Photo by Dirk Dallas

Creative Photography Ideas  •  Drone Photo by Dirk Dallas

Aerial photography offers a perspective we rarely see in our everyday lives. As such, aerial photography serves as the perfect basis for picture ideas that we can take from new vantages. Drones like the DJI Mavic Air aren’t cheap though – so if you’re anything like me, you might need to save up before taking your camera to the skies.

Photography Ideas for Beginners

Get away from light pollution.

Good Photo Ideas for Nature - Photo by Adam Schmid

Good Photo Ideas for Nature  •  Photo by Adam Schmid

Production lighting is great for on-set shoots but sometimes it’s nice to get away from artificial luminescence in favor of something more natural. You won’t find many more stunning photographs than those of a night’s sky with little or no light pollution; added bonus: you’ll get to reconnect with nature!

Go crazy with hydro dipping

Creative Photography Ideas - Hydro Dip Art by Artist Unknown

Hydro dipping is a catch-all term for abstract color art. The technique has been popularized in recent years by artists who hydro dip clothing items into a chemical mixture to get a psychedelic effect. Hydro dipping also works with canvas and can be a great subject for trippy photographs.

Take advantage of the holiday season

Cool Photography Ideas - Photo by Steven Gerner

Cool Photography Ideas  •  Photo by Steven Gerner

Let’s face it: holidays and seasonal events often make for great photographs. And some holidays make for better photoshoots than others.

Creative Photography Ideas for Halloween - Photo Via Boston.com

Creative Photography Ideas for Halloween  •  Photo Via Boston.com

Go out into the world during Halloween or Holi to capture visually compelling photographs without having to stage a scene of your own. And follow our tips for portrait photography to capture subjects in purposeful detail.

Easy Photography Ideas

Hone your skills with sports photography.

Creative Photography Inspiration - Sports Photography by Matt Nielsen

Creative Photography Inspiration  •  Sports Photography by Matt Nielsen

Whether you like sports or not, you should consider practicing your photography skills at sporting events. But before you venture out onto the local pitch, field, and or court, make sure you have a good lens. Check out our article on telephoto lenses to see the best tools for shooting sports photography.

Give us a long shot

Creative Photography Ideas - The Long Shot in Rear Window

Creative Photography Ideas  •  The Long Shot in Rear Window

The long shot is a bit different from the extreme long shot ; whereas the former usually captures a full-subject in zoom , the latter captures a setting or subject from an extremely wide angle.

Here’s a long shot:

Photography Project Ideas - Long Shot Example in Moonrise Kingdom

Photography Project Ideas  •  Long Shot Example in Moonrise Kingdom

And here’s an extreme long shot:

Creative Photography Ideas - Long Shot Example in Inglourious Basterds

Photography Project Ideas  •  Long Shot Example in Inglourious Basterds

Easy picture ideas, give us a close-up.

Creative Picture Ideas - Medium Close Up in Sunset Boulevard

Creative Picture Ideas  •  Medium Close Up in Sunset Boulevard

You don’t have to be Gloria Swanson to be ready for a close-up. Check out our articles on medium close-ups , close-ups , and extreme close-ups to see how to capture subjects in intimate detail.

Force a perspective

Creative Photography Ideas - Photo by RM Nunes

Creative Photography Ideas  •  Photo by RM Nunes

Forced perspective photography is a type of photography that relies on illusion to make subjects appear larger (or smaller) than life. You’ve probably seen forced perspective photos taken in front of world monuments like the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Fun Picture Ideas

Recreate a museum classic.

Photography Photo Ideas - Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan via Reddit

Photography Photo Ideas  •  Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan via Reddit

In 2020, the world famous Getty Museum tasked aspiring creatives with recreating famous pieces of art by way of photographs taken from home. The results were… surprisingly excellent. Take the image above for example: the similarities are uncanny (sans the pink and blue socks). Recreate a classic with a comedic flair for an attempt at photographic satire .

Photography ideas at home

How to Develop Photography Ideas at Home - Photo by Jordi Koalitic

How to Develop Photography Ideas at Home  •  Photo by Jordi Koalitic

Sometimes you can find a great photograph hidden in the confines of your home. Photographer Jordi Koalitic has taken some great photos from a home setting (like the image above).

Just be mindful that many of his photos have heavy-editing flair. Consider framing your photos from home with different film lighting techniques .

Good Photography Ideas for Beginners

Capture light during golden hour.

Photography Photo Ideas - Photo by Haruki

Photography Photo Ideas  •  Photo by Haruki

Golden hour is the last hour of light before sunset – and it’s often when we capture the most effusively-glowing outdoors photography. During golden hour, consider using a wide aperture and underexposure to capture the warm glow of the fading sun.

Reflective Picture Ideas

Reflect on something unique.

Cool Photography Ideas - Photo by kwe

It’s hard to shoot reflection photographs without the impression of them coming across as contrived. To mix it up, consider shooting a reflection  at a different angle than you usually see or focus on the reflected subject rather than the primary subject.

Bokeh photography examples

If you’re looking for more creative picture ideas, check out our article on bokeh photography where we break down what bokeh is with bokeh examples from around the world. By the end, you’ll know how to use shallow depth of field to achieve a bokeh effect!

Up Next: What is Bokeh? →

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These are so nice. I love how the photos were given new meaning by just adding a creative twist.

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215 photography tips, video tutorials and techniques to take photos of anything

These photography tips will supercharge your skills and push your picture taking to the next level

215 photography tips, video tutorials and techniques to take photos of anything

  • Landscape tips
  • Portrait tips
  • Animal tips

Street photography tips

  • Filter tips
  • Creative tips
  • Camera hacks

Shooting tips

Photographer tips, editing tips.

No matter how long you've been shooting, there are always photography tips you never knew about that will improve your ability to conceptualize, create and capture images – or even just have fun playing around.

Photography tips aren't just for photography rookies; even for seasoned pros, there is always something fresh to learn or an old bad habit to put right. From the basics and foundational techniques to camera hacks and high level post production tricks, this collection of tips and tutorials will enable you to get the most out of your photos.

If you're looking to take perfect portraits, shoot luscious landscape, capture wonderful wildlife shots and master macro, or if you're after some quick editing tips for Photoshop , Lightroom or Affinity, this is the essential guide for you.

We've arranged these photography tips and tricks into sections, so you can use the scroll bar above to get started and improve your images right away. 

For even more tips and videos, make sure to check out our best-selling photography publications, Digital Camera magazine , PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine , Digital Photographer and N-Photo . Each issue comes with a free disc packed with photography projects, techniques and tutorials, Photoshop lessons and much more. These are broken down into detailed guides in the magazine pages, too, so you can bring the mag along and follow the steps on your next shoot.

Landscape photography tips

creative photography ideas tricks

1. How to capture great sunsets

Getting the most out of sunsets needs patience and timing. The best pictures are usually when the sun is close to the horizon and clouds are lit from below. And a telephoto lens can often give more impact than a wide-angle. 

2. Use hyperfocal distance for depth of field

You can maximise depth of field in landscapes by focusing at the 'hyperfocal' distance. This is where the far distance is at the far limit of your lens's depth of field, and this also gives you the best depth of field nearer the camera.

3. Look for foreground interest

Wide-angle lenses are great for capturing wide, sweeping landscapes, but they can also capture lots of empty foreground, so look out for rocks, trees, gates or other objects you can include to add foreground interest.

4.   Blur waterfalls and rivers with long exposures

You can capture silky smooth water or softly blurred moving clouds by putting your camera on a tripod and using a long exposure. And if the light is too bright for a long exposure, you can either use an ND filter or wait until dusk!

5. Use leading lines to draw viewers in

Use 'leading lines' in your landscape photos to draw your viewers' eyes into the picture. A leading line could be a jetty on a lake, a line of rocks or a footpath winding its way into the distance.

6. Use long lenses for more effective flower shots

It's tempting to use a wide-angle lens to capture a great swathe of floral color, but this can lead to individual blooms being lost. Instead, use a telephoto lens to pick out single flowers or clumps – this will also add artistic blur to the background.

7. Enhance your landscapes with reflections in water

Lakes and rivers can produce beautiful reflections that add foreground interest and a peaceful symmetry to a scene. If you get right down low, even a small pool or puddle can provide a reflection.

8.  Check your exposure with the camera's histogram

Landscape photography can often mean balancing extremes of brightness in bright skies and shadowed foregrounds. Make sure you don't clip any highlights in the sky before you shoot by checking your camera's histogram.

9. Use an L-bracket for easier vertical shots

Not all tripod heads are well adapted to vertical shooting, especially with large and heave camera and lens combinations. The solution is an L-bracket, where you mount the camera sideways on the bracket, but the bracket attaches to the tripod head normally. This is great for horizontal 'pano' shots, too.

Read more: 16 essential landscape photography tips

Portrait photography tips

creative photography ideas tricks

10. Practice classic lighting setups

'Rembrandt', 'Clamshell', 'Backlight', 'Rim-lighting' – these are all tried and trusted portrait lighting setups, each of which gives its own distinctive look. If you practice getting these set up, it leaves you free to concentrate on your subject.

11. Headshot photography tips with a speedlight

If you're photographic head and shoulders portraits with a speedlight, the secret is to move it off-camera and use a softbox or other flash modifier to give a softer light. This will immediately give a more rounded, flattering light for faces.

12. Use asymmetric compositions for couples

Photographing couples is not as easy as it sounds. The answer is not to show them side by side in a perfectly symmetrical arrangement, but to find off-center poses or activities where your couples are at a different height.

13. Try natural light for fine art nude photography

Natural light is softer and easier to work with than flash, and by changing the distance between your model and the window, you can change the intensity and softness of the light.

14. Plan ahead for boudoir photography shoots

Work out what lighting you're going to use, the clothing your model is going to wear, and work out a list of poses you want to try. The model may have some ideas too. The more you can plan ahead, the more stress-free the session.

15. Use fill-in flash to add 'sparkle' in outdoor portraits

You don't need a high-powered professional flash here, just your camera's built-in flash or an external speedlight. The idea is to just brighten the shadows, not to overpower the existing ambient light.

16. Try off-camera remote flash

Most camera and flash makers now offer remote wireless flash control for one or more flashguns, and this is a great way to experiment with different lighting angles and setups – and there won't be any cables to trip over.

17. Achieve more natural lighting with bounce flash

It's an old technique but a great one. Instead of pointing the flash directly at your subject, you turn it to 'bounce' it off a nearby wall, ceiling or other reflective surface. This is why more advanced speedlights have tilt and swivel heads.

18. Create Gobo lighting effects

It's a classic cinema technique, using gobos (something that 'goes between' the light and the subject) to create the lighting pattern of window frames or Venetian blinds, for example, and you can use the same technique for portrait photography too.

19. Use a wide-aperture prime for soft baby pics

You can get beautiful baby and newborn portraits using soft lighting and a prime lens with a very fast maximum aperture. The shallow depth of field emphasises the softness of the subject.

20.  Tips for posing group shots

Posed group shots can look very staged and static, so for smaller groups try finding an activity or an action that breaks the ice and captures movement and expressions in a more natural way.

21.  Professional portraits with a single light

You can get a professional 'headshot' look in a home studio, using a single flash, a softbox and a plain backdrop. It doesn't need expensive gear, just a little practice with lighting and a little patience in setting up. 

22.  To get ahead, get a head!

It's not always easy to find someone to model for you as you practice your lighting techniques, so here's our top tip: Purchase a mannequin head! We agree that they're not great company, but they don't complain and they have the same shapes and features as human heads and are perfect for polishing up your portrait skills.

23. Use supplementary lighting at night

Night-time portraits can be very atmospheric and colorful, but often then need some subtle supplementary lighting to fill in the shadows and bring out your subject against a bright background. An off-camera flash is idea, or a portable LED panel may be better still, especially if you want to shoot video too.

Macro photography tips

creative photography ideas tricks

24. Use focus stacking to get amazing depth of field

Try focus stacking to keep tiny subjects sharp from front to back. Some cameras can do focus stacking internally; otherwise you can merge 'focus stack' frames in photo editing software.

25. Use extension tubes for low cost-macro photography

Extension tubes go between the camera body and the lens to allow it to focus far closer than normal. You need to get extension tubes to fit your camera system, so check before you buy.

26. Try close-up filters for macros

Close-up filters are another low-cost route into macro photography. They are simple correction lenses that screw on to the front of your lens, and they usually come in threes, to be used individually or combined for an even stronger effect.

27. Make a DIY light tend for flower photography

You can easily create a portable DIY light tent for outdoor flower photography. It shields your subjects from wind and rain, evens up the lighting and saves you from disturbing plants where they are growing.

28.  Focus bracketing with your camera

Never heard of focus bracketing? It's allied to focus stacking, where you (or the camera) shoot a series of shots at slightly different focus points and combine them later for more depth of field than you could get with a single shot.

Animal photography tips

creative photography ideas tricks

29. Try safari photos in a wildlife park

This is a good place to practice your wildlife photography skills before you take that once in a lifetime trip to the Serengeti. It starts with choosing the right lenses, but there's more to it than that.

30. How to get great pictures of dogs

Pets make perfect portrait subjects, and the rules are similar to those for human portraits, especially those of children – you need to get down to their level!

31. Try this to get great pictures in zoos

Zoos are full of exotic animals, but they are also full of mesh fences and smeary glass windowpanes. Here's one tip to get you started: get your lens right up against the fence or window and use a wide aperture to throw it way out of focus.

32. Capturing birds in flight takes practice!

Start by researching the best location, use the longest telephoto you can afford/carry, and learn your camera's autofocus modes before you start. Then you just need to practice, practice and practice your panning technique.

33. Make your own bean bag

Get stable shots with a simple DIY bean bag to support your camera. You can put it on the ground on a wall or on the roof of your car, and mold it to fit the shape of your camera.

34.  What is street photography?

Professional street photographers have different interpretations of 'street photography'. Don't assume your own style has to conform with what others have done. It's your own unique 'eye' that's important.

35.  Choose where you stand!

Decide where you stand – both literally, as in the best locations for your work – and ethically. What is it that you want to say about your subjects and their world, and are you representing them fairly?

36.  Expect to shoot a lot of rubbish!

This is the advice from the legendary Martin Parr : “The basic theory is the more rubbish you take, the better the chances of a good photo emerging, so keep on taking the rubbish.” 

37.  Engage with your subjects

Street photography needn't mean 'stolen' images and subterfuge, and many photographers may be uncomfortable with this. But you can also engage with your subjects, explain what you are doing and ask permission. You may learn something about their lives that you might never have imagined.

Tips using filters

creative photography ideas tricks

38. Get an ND filter for long-exposure seascapes

Landscape photographers love graduated filters for taming bright skies, but a 10-stop ND (neutral density) filter could prove the landscape photographer's best friend by allowing super-long exposures for silky blur effects.

39. Use a polarizing filter to cut through reflections

You can use software recreate the effect of a polarising filter on a blue sky, but polarisers do much more than this. They also cut through reflections in glass to reveal what's behind windows, display cabinets and glazed pictures.

40. Use an infrared filter for surreal effects

The world looks very different when revealed using nothing but infra-red light, and you can get lens filters which cut out visible light and leave only this invisible longer-wavelength light.

41. Try colorful cross-polarization effects

For this colorful abstract technique, all you need is a polarising filter and a selection of transparent plastic objects. A low cost school set of rulers, protractors and set squares will work perfectly.

42. Learn to use an ND graduated filter

Sometimes the sky in a landscape is just so bright that you can't find an exposure that captures both the sky and the landscape itself. This is where you need a graduated filter, which is part of any landscape photographer's essential kit.

43.  A polarizing filter can help you get stunning skies

Polarizing filters have many effects, but one of them is to deepen blue skies – and the deeper the blue to start with, the stronger the effect. There is a knack to using them, though, and be aware that you can get uneven sky tone if you use them with wide-angle lenses.

44. Tricks and tactics for ND filters

ND filters let you use very long exposures in broad daylight, to product silky-smooth motion blur effects in water and skies, but they can be tricky to use because they are almost completely opaque! A mirrorless camera may be able to 'see' through them, but with a DSLR you will need to check the exposure and composition before attaching the filter – and then apply the necessary exposure correction for that filter.

Creative photography tips

creative photography ideas tricks

45. Levitation photography: how to make objects float

You can make objects appear to hang in mid-air using a combination of clever shooting setups and quick and simple retouching techniques later. It sounds complicated, but it's really quite simple to do.

46. Get the Lensbaby look with 'freelansing'

Did you know you can take pictures with your lens detached from the body and angled manually to create Lensbaby-style tilt-shift effects? All you need to do is check your camera settings and make sure it will still shoot with no lens attached.

47. Pinhole photography is easy!

It's one of the oldest and simplest forms of photography, and doesn't even need a lens! Pinhole photography is easy – just make a tiny hole in your camera's body cap, set the camera to manual exposure, put it on a tripod and experiment with shutter speed.

48. Tips to get great POV photos

POV (point of view) photography was invented with action cams, but you can get some great angles and photo ideas by trying it out with a regular camera. All you need to do is get your hands or your face in the foreground and looking into the scene.

49. Try painting with light in night shot

Night shots can show the world in a whole new light (ahem), but very often the foreground is lost in dark shadow. All you need to do is take along an LED light or a flashlight, and 'paint' light over the objects or areas in a scene where it's needed.

50.  Get a new angle with a worm's eye view

This can be a great way of capturing unique perspectives on the world of nature, with close-ups captured right down at ground level and looking up, as if each plant is a giant tree reaching up into the sky. All you need is a macro les and camera with a tilting screen.

51.  Create light orbs with a flashlight

We've all seen those amazing light 'orbs' suspended in mid-air in pictures taken at night, and they look impossibly intricate to create – but they're not. You just need to swing a flashlight round in a circle by hand, or on the end of a string, and slowly move your body through 360 degrees. If you keep moving, the camera won't see you, only the light trail.

52.  How to create a classic ring heart shadow on a book

It's in every wedding photographer's portfolio, but how is it done? How do you get a heart shape from a circular ring ? It's because of the v-shaped fold in the spine of an open book and how it distorts the circular shadow... and how you light it, too. Clever, eh?

53. Get the most from a fisheye lens

Get low and get close! You can really exaggerate the fisheye effect by getting really close to your main subject – often until you're almost touching – this makes your subject look huge against a tiny distant background.

54.  SHow to create sunbursts and starbursts

Use a wide-angle lens and a small aperture to create the 'star' effect from the sun, or any naked light source at night. Positioning is crucial, and moving just a couple of inches can make the sun peep out just enough from behind a tree or a building.

Camera hacks and DIY

creative photography ideas tricks

55. DIY photography hack: stabilise ANY camera!

This cheeky hack really works! Screw a D-type screw from your tripod release plate into the base of your camera, hook one end of a short bungee cord into the loop, and the other end into your waistband. The tension in the bungee cord as you put the camera to your eye will stabilise your camera.

56.  Mobile lighting... with your mobile!

You can use your smartphone torch for light painting in darkness, and you can use your iPad 's screen as a makeshift softbox for lighting portraits or still lives. There's not much power, so you'll need a tripod or a high ISO, but the lighting effects can be beautiful.

57.  DIY softbox: how to build your own lighting modifier

You can make your own softbox, with a cardboard box, a pair of scissors and some foil. It won't look as slick as a professional softbox, but light is light, and your pictures will still look great. 

Astrophotography tips

creative photography ideas tricks

58.  Star trail photography is easy!

You can capture beautiful star trails with nothing more elaborate than a wide-angle lens, a tripod and a clear night away from urban light pollution. If you want to get more elaborate, you can combine multiple exposures, or use higher ISOs and shorter exposures to capture star fields without streaking.

59. Northern Lights photography: do your research

The Northern Lights are truly spectacular, but using the right camera settings is only part of it – you also need to be in the right place at the right time, plus a good deal of luck to get the perfect conditions. There are no guarantees!

Motion photography tips

creative photography ideas tricks

60. Panning secrets

To get smooth panning shots you need a combination of the correct shutter speed (use S mode and start with a shutter speed of 1/60sec or 1/125sec) and a smooth panning motion. The camera settings are relatively straightforward; a smooth panning technique takes practice.

61. Freeze water splashes with flash

The flash duration of a speedlight is so short that it can freeze even the fastest motion, like water droplets hitting a surface. The shutter speed is not that important, as long as it's at or below the camera's flash sync speed – if you shoot in darkness, it's the ultra-short flash that captures the image, not the length of time the shutter is open.

62. Shoot multiple flash exposures with a 'strobe' effect

Some more advanced flashguns can fire a series of flashes in quick succession for a 'strobe' effect. You can use this in darkness with a longer exposure to capture a 'multiple exposure' of a moving subject like a dancer.

63. Try photographing fireworks

Capturing fireworks is easy once you know how. Put the camera on a tripod, set it to B (bulb) mode and keep the shutter open while the fireworks are going off. You can do a few tests beforehand to work out the best exposure time for the ambient lighting and the surroundings.

Still life photography tips

creative photography ideas tricks

64.  How to handle depth of field with close-ups

The closer your subject, the less depth of field there is. To make the most of it, set your camera to A (aperture priority) mode, set the lens aperture to f/11 or f/16, and with focus not on the front of your subject, but on a mid-point half way between the front and back.

Analog photography tips

creative photography ideas tricks

65. Digitize slides and prints with your camera!

You CAN digitise your old photos using a flatbed or film scanner, but this can take time and, if you don't have one of these devices, you can use your camera! Your kit lens may focus close enough to capture prints, while for slides and negatives, consider investing in a macro lens and a lightbox to illuminate them from behind – or use your phone's screen.

66. Digitizing slides and negatives using a scanner

If you do use a scanner to digitise your old photos, a regular flatbed scanner or multi-function device will be fine for your prints, but you'll need a proper 'film scanner' to get the best from slides and negatives. These are more expensive and slower to use, but worth it for the best quality.

Camera and equipment tips

creative photography ideas tricks

67. Cleaning a camera sensor: tips for removing sensor spots and dust

Sensor spots are an annoying fact of life with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, so we recommend three-step approach. First, face the camera downwards and try a blower brush. If that doesn't work, try 'dry' cleaning with a specially designed sensor brush (not a regular brush!) or stick pad. If this doesn't work either, the third option is 'wet' cleaning with sensor swabs and sensor cleaning fluid.

68. Camera len cleaning tips

You'll often have specks of dust on your lenses, and a few won't matter, but if there's a lot, try a blower brush rather than a regular brush – when these come into contact with the lens surface can end up leaving smears behind. If you have smears on the lens, don't reach for the cleaning solution straight away – try 'huffing' on the lens and a gentle wipe with a microfiber cloth.

69. Go eye-to-eye with nature

Photography tips

Take the same approach for portraits of animals and plants as you do for portraits of people. That means getting ‘eye to eye’ with the subject with a relatively long lens and using a reasonably large aperture, such as f/4, to help separate them from busy background details. At close distances, only a small part of the subject will be sharp, so care needs to be taken with focusing. 

70. Find a frame to shoot through 

creative photography ideas tricks

A framing device can help to funnel a viewer’s attention to the right place in a picture, add context and structure – and mask ‘dead’ areas, too. Frames can be actual frames, such as shooting through an open door or a window, or implied, such as the branches of a tree. They can also be diffuse – try positioning the camera close to flowers and shooting a subject beyond them to add a soft, colourful frame. 

71. Using flash in daylight 

creative photography ideas tricks

If you find that you’re coming unstuck with your exposures when you’re trying to mix natural light and flash, switch off the flash and set the exposure for the daylight first. Use Manual mode so that the settings stay locked in on the camera, and base your exposure on the brightest part of the scene. Finally, switch on the flash and use this to brighten up the darker areas of the scene for a balanced result. 

72. Sharp shots without a tripod  

creative photography ideas tricks

There are times when it isn’t wise to set up a tripod, such as on a bustling city street, and times when you need to stay mobile. Shutter speed becomes a prime concern in these situations; increasing the ISO, employing shake reduction, firing short bursts of shots, pulling the camera strap taut and bracing yourself against a wall or other available ‘furniture’ can all help. 

73. Shooting in a new location 

creative photography ideas tricks

While it’s easy to explore Google Images to get a feel for the photographic potential of a location, if you’re visiting a spot for the first time, it’s worth pausing and getting a sense of place before trying to express it in an image. It might be tempting to attach your camera to your tripod, but there’s a lot to be said for exploring different viewpoints with a handheld camera to find the right angle and height to shoot from first. 

74. Include odd numbers 

creative photography ideas tricks

Odd number of objects typically give more balanced compositions than even numbers, whether you’re shooting a group portrait, a sporting event or a landscape. So three is not a crowd... it will usually look better than a pair

75. Use the dioptre adjustment 

creative photography ideas tricks

Many cameras enable the viewfinder sharpness to be improved using a feature called dipotre adjustment. Keep an eye on the readout in the viewfinder rather than looking at the image as you make any adjustments. 

76. Activate highlight warning 

creative photography ideas tricks

You can set the playback display to flash a warning for highlights that are at risk of being exposed, which is a quick way to check exposure.  Read more: How to always get your exposure right

77. Remember to reset your camera 

If you’ve been making adjustments to your camera for a specific shot, such as dialling in exposure compensation, don’t forget to return the settings to normal when you finish shooting, ready for next time. 

78. Pre-focus for action 

creative photography ideas tricks

If you’re able to predict where a moving subject is going to be, pre-focus the lens on that spot: this can speed up the time it takes for the autofocus system to lock onto the subject and give you a much better chance of grabbing the shot. 

79. Try Shutter Priority 

creative photography ideas tricks

For sharp shots, you need a fast shutter speed. To guarantee this, use Shutter Priority, dialling in your preferred shutter speed, and switch to Auto ISO; the camera will adjust the aperture and sensitivity according to the light 

80. Try Aperture Priority 

creative photography ideas tricks

Shooting in Aperture Priority mode enables you to control the depth of field as well as the exposure. Keep an eye on the camera’s shutter speed in the viewfinder, though, otherwise you might end up with shots ruined by camera shake.  

81. Check the AF mode 

Make sure that you use One Shot/Single Servo for stationary subjects and AI Servo/Continuous Servo to keep track of moving ones. 

82. Close-up depth of field 

The closer you are to a subject, the shallower the depth of field is. If this results in too much blur, try moving farther away and crop the shot to a tighter composition later.

83. Spot metering 

creative photography ideas tricks

For more accurate exposures, switch to spot metering and aim the metering area at a part of the subject you want to be recorded as a mid-tone. Use your camera’s exposure lock function to lock this setting before recomposing the shot. 

84. Shoot sharp landscapes 

creative photography ideas tricks

Small apertures such as f/16 and f/22 increase the depth of field, or the amount of front-to-back sharpness. Perfect for landscapes, you might think. The trade-off is that they lead to softer pictures due to the effects of diffraction (where the light rays are bent out of shape as they pass through the small hole). For sharper details, it may be worth sacrificing a little depth of field and using an aperture that’s a couple of stops down from the smallest setting.  

85. Working with a tripod 

creative photography ideas tricks

A tripod enables you to close the aperture of your shot down if you require a greater depth of field, and also to reduce your ISO to the highest quality setting. It’s also essential when you want to shoot longer exposures in low light, but a combination of strong gusts and spongy ground can make things tricky. In these conditions, you may have to resort to setting up on a firm area and keeping the tripod low, shielding the legs from the wind with your body. Read more: 7 golden rules of tripod stability

86. Brush up on your reflector skills 

creative photography ideas tricks

To prevent your portrait-sitter from squinting into the sun, position them so their back is towards the sun and use a reflector to bounce light onto their face, ‘feathering’ the reflected light rather than bouncing it directly into their eyes. It’s worth experimenting with different reflectors. A silver one adds a clean, crisp quality; a white one gives softer results that are often easier to blend in. Gold reflectors add warmth, but use them with care. 

87. Shoot more flattering portraits 

creative photography ideas tricks

The low-contrast light afforded by cloudy but bright days is great for portraits as you won’t get ugly shadows under eyebrows and noses, or glare on people’s skin. Focal lengths of 85mm and longer are more flattering than shorter lengths. The angle you shoot at also counts: shooting from slightly below eye level implies confidence and power, while shooting from slightly above is slimming and intimate.  Read more: The best portrait lenses

88. Get set up for candids 

creative photography ideas tricks

Things happen quickly when you’re shooting candids, so you need to have your camera ready to go. Avoid using a brightly coloured camera strap, and wrap it around your wrist rather than over your shoulder. Hold the camera at chest or head height, where it’s quicker to get it up to your eye. Not only does enable you to react faster, it’s less likely to attract your subject’s attention. 

89. Expose to the right 

creative photography ideas tricks

To get the best-quality results, shoot in your camera’s raw file format and try to use an exposure that produces a histogram that just reaches the right-hand edge of the graph; avoid pushing the histogram over the edge, though. You can then bring the exposure to your preferred level when you process the image in raw software back at home.  

90. Use the histogram

creative photography ideas tricks

When you check the histogram on your camera display, its shape represents the dynamic range of the scene you’re photographing, while the width of the graph represents the dynamic range of the camera. If there are gaps to the far left or right of the histogram, these indicate over- or under-exposure, so some exposure adjustments may be required.  Read more: How to read a histogram

91. Raw histogram

The preview and histogram that can be viewed on the camera are based on a JPEG version of the image, even if you took the shot using your camera’s raw format. The raw file holds a wider dynamic range than a JPEG, so to get a more representative histogram, set the Picture Style/Picture Control to a low-contrast, neutral setting. 

92. Seeing in black and white 

creative photography ideas tricks

If you’d like total control over how your image is converted to black and white, it’s better to shoot in colour then make it mono in software. We’d recommend shooting in your camera’s raw format, as it gives you so much scope for playing around with the image later, although you can set your camera to its Monochrome picture style to get a black-and-white preview on the rear screen. 

93. Getting close to wildlife 

creative photography ideas tricks

Using a long lens means that you don’t need to get as physically close to a wild animal as you would otherwise, but understanding the subject and fieldcraft are more important than camera equipment. Wear rustle-free clothing that breaks up your shape; make sure your outline doesn’t break the skyline; and approach mammals with the wind in your face so your scent isn’t carried towards them. 

94. Long exposures

creative photography ideas tricks

Yes, long-exposure seascapes have been done to death – but, done well, a bit of blur in the water and sky can still go a long way to lifting a coastal composition. Getting a shutter speed slow enough to achieve the effect in bright light requires a strong ND filter. If you’re using a square filter system, check that the filter is in the slot nearest the lens, and ensure the viewfinder is shielded. Use mirror lock-up or Live View to prevent vibrations and fire the shutter with a remote release. 

95. Use a preset white balance 

creative photography ideas tricks

Your camera’s auto white balance setting will attempt to neutralise strong colour casts, but setting a preset that matches the light source can give better results. You can also use an ‘incorrect’ white balance creatively: try the Shade setting to add warmth to a sunset, for example, or Tungsten/Incandescent to cool down a daylight scene.  Read more: Cheat sheet – White balance presets

96. Keep the horizon level

creative photography ideas tricks

Use your camera’s electronic level, a hotshoe spirit level or the grid display to make sure the horizon is level in your shot. If you don’t have time to use these options, a quick and dirty option is to use the edges of the AF points in the viewfinder. 

97. Shoot into the light

creative photography ideas tricks

Shooting into the light can produce dramatic results, although you need to be conscious of lens flare. If you have square filters in place you’ll have to ditch the lens hood, so be prepared to shield the front of the lens with a hand or hat held out of the frame 

98. Shoot in the blue hour

creative photography ideas tricks

Twilight, or ‘the blue hour’ as it’s sometimes referred to, is a great time of the day to shoot cityscapes and floodlit architecture, as the sky will have some colour instead of being an empty black void. Not only does this look more interesting, it also makes for more balanced exposures. 

99. Pan with action

creative photography ideas tricks

Moving the camera at the same speed as a moving object means the subject will remain in the same position in the frame and will be recorded sharply. Experiment with the shutter speed: the slower the shutter speed, the more the background will blur, conveying greater speed. 

100. Double-check the background

creative photography ideas tricks

Details in the background can take viewers’ attention from the main subject. They don’t have to be obvious colourful road signs: even the out-of-focus line of the horizon will be a distraction if it runs directly behind a person’s head. For clean shots, look for clear backgrounds that are well separated from the subject. Darker backdrops tend to work better than bright ones, but be mindful of patches of bright sky through trees. 

101. Develop an eye for abstracts

creative photography ideas tricks

The middle of the day, during the non-magic hours like the golden hour and the blue hour, is often a great time to go looking for abstracts to shoot. With an abundance of light, you’re less likely to need a tripod, and the hard light can be used to accentuate shadow, form, texture and tone. Alternatively, head out on overcast days, when the sky acts like a giant softbox, making it easy to pick out fine details.

102. Choose good shoes

creative photography ideas tricks

Don’t underestimate the importance of comfy shoes. Whether you’re pounding the cobbles in pursuit of street photography or chasing the light in the hills, you’ll be more inclined to walk farther and shoot for longer if your feet aren’t sore. Waterproof boots or Wellingtons are a must for shooting at the coast or when you’re photographing a waterfall, where the best views typically involve getting your feet wet.

103. Avoid camera shake

creative photography ideas tricks

The rule of thumb when it comes to beating camera shake is to make sure the shutter speed is equivalent to or faster than the effective focal length of the lens – so at least 1/100 sec for a 100mm lens on a full-frame camera. If you’re shooting on a camera with a smaller sensor, multiply the focal length and shutter speed by the crop factor: 1.5 for APS-C sensors (1.6 for Canon APS-C models) and 2 for Micro Four Thirds.

104. Be prepared to get down and dirty

creative photography ideas tricks

Don’t photograph everything from your eye level: finding a higher vantage point or getting down low can help your pictures stand out. Shooting from a low angle makes subjects look more imposing and allows you to draw viewers into a picture: look for leading lines to pull the eye from the foreground to the subject. A camera that has a fold-out LCD screen or Wi-Fi compatibility for seeing the Live View feed on a smartphone can help with framing.

105. Focus for close-ups

creative photography ideas tricks

You need to be very careful to make sure your focus point is absolutely spot-on when you’re at close proximity to a subject, as the depth of field is minimal. It can often be better to put the camera on a tripod, switch to manual focus and magnify the Live View display so that you can position the focus precisely.

106. Travel light

creative photography ideas tricks

For urban photography, you want the minimum amount of kit. A fully loaded camera bag feels heavier as the day goes on, so stick with just one or two lenses. Bag type is down to preference: backpacks spread the load, but a shoulder bag gives you faster access. Read more: The 10 best travel cameras

107. Dealing with high contrast

creative photography ideas tricks

If a scene includes an expanse of light sky and a dark foreground, fit a graduated neutral-density filter to the lens to help balance the exposure. Alternatively, take two shots, one with the sky exposed correctly and the other with the land exposed correctly, and blend the exposures in software.

108. Background exposure

If the background of a shot is much darker than the subject, the result may be overexposed, so try setting exposure compensation to -1 or -2. To prevent a much brighter background causing the camera to underexpose, try exposure compensation of +1 or +2.

109. Use Manual exposure

creative photography ideas tricks

If the light is consistent and you have time to set the shutter speed and aperture, use your camera’s Manual exposure mode. This locks the exposure setting in, so it makes a good choice for keeping a subject correctly exposed even when the background changes.

110. Lens corrections

creative photography ideas tricks

If you’re planning on working up your shots in your preferred raw conversion or photo editing software, like Camera Raw or Lightroom, it pays to frame views a little wider than perhaps feels natural when you’re shooting. The reason for this is that if you correct lens distortions in software, you can end up losing detail at the edge of the picture.

111. Street smarts

creative photography ideas tricks

Approaching strangers and asking to take their portraits can be a challenge, but a little chutzpah really pays off. Even if it sounds like your idea of hell, making it obvious that you’re taking pictures can elicit interesting reactions. In fact, skulking in the shadows and sniping with a long lens is a sure-fire way to attract the wrong kind of attention.

112. Avoid sensor dust

creative photography ideas tricks

Although it’s easy enough to digitally remove dust spots on images, you can reduce the chances of dust being deposited on the camera sensor by avoiding changing lenses in exposed and windy locations. If you’re working in these conditions, consider fitting a zoom lens so that you don’t have to change lenses so often.

113. Set the AF point

creative photography ideas tricks

If you let the camera choose the autofocus point automatically, it will often focus on the nearest object. Instead, set your camera to its singlepoint AF mode and move the active point so that it’s positioned over the subject that you want to be sharp

114. Use Auto ISO in Manual mode

creative photography ideas tricks

Your camera’s Auto ISO function can be a life-saver, as you can freely adjust your exposure settings and the camera will automatically raise the ISO sensitivity at a preset shutter speed, so you don’t need to worry about camera shake. It can also be used in Manual exposure mode, allowing you to set your preferred combination of aperture and shutter speed, with the Auto ISO function ensuring you get a consistent exposure in changing light.

115. Shooting in the rain

creative photography ideas tricks

Don’t be just a fair-weather photographer: rain’s where it’s at! The most challenging aspect of shooting in driving rain isn’t keeping yourself dry, it’s keeping raindrops off the front of the lens. The shallow hoods made for wideangle lenses are pretty useless in this regard. Our advice? Fit a UV filter and soak up any water just before you fire the shutter. It never hurts to pack more microfibre cloths than you think you’ll need, too.

116. Shooting in bright sunshine

creative photography ideas tricks

Although the best light for shooting on a scorching summer day is typically at the start and end of the day – the so-called ’golden hours’ – a clear sky does have its advantages. There’ll be plenty of light, enabling the use of low ISOs and fast shutter speeds for sharp shots. Use a polarising filter to reduce glare and reflections in landscapes, and a reflector or burst of flash to open up the shadows in a portrait.

117. Take an extra battery

creative photography ideas tricks

Cold weather saps battery life, so to keep your camera working when the temperature drops, keep a spare charged battery warm in an inner jacket pocket. If you start to run out of power, consider not using power-hungry functions such as image stabilisation and Live View.

118. Take pictures you love

creative photography ideas tricks

Doug Chinnery, Abstract Photographer, says: "The ‘Photography Police’ can only exist if we allow them to. No-one should tell you what your images should look like. "Make pictures that, first and foremost, you love. Then, if others love them too, so be it. But if they don’t, be proud that you are following your own creative path and not being forced to follow the herd. This takes creative courage and conviction, but leads to producing stronger, more fulfilling work."

119. Sharpness is over-rated

creative photography ideas tricks

"Let a little blur into your life", says Doug Chinnery, Abstract Photographer. "Bring in a bit of wobble. Shallow depth of field and intentional camera movement can be used creatively, allowing your audience to make up their own stories about what’s happening in your images."

120. Print your own work

creative photography ideas tricks

"Would you give your camera to someone else to make your photos? So why let someone else make your prints? The print is the culmination of the creative process, and nothing beats making a finely crafted print. No commercial printer cares about your images like you do. Don’t kid yourself that the prints they make are as good as they could be." – Doug Chinnery, Abstract Photographer

121. Develop your vision

creative photography ideas tricks

Abstract photographer Doug Chinnery says: ”Copying the photographs of others is a great way to learn techniques as a beginner. But to really grow as a photographer, we need to look at the world through our own eyes and use the skills we have learned to make images that show our unique creative vision."

122. Ditch the tripod

creative photography ideas tricks

Landscape photographer Andrew Fusek Peters says: “Go guerrilla with your landscape photography! Ditch the tripod and endless filters, and shoot hand-held, exposing for the sky at dusk or dawn. It’s much quicker to frame hand-held, and you can recover shadows and blacks in post.”

123. Straighten it out

creative photography ideas tricks

Fine-art photographer Lorna Yabsley, author of the Busy Girl’s Guide To Digital Photography and teacher of one-to-one photography training, says "Pay attention to keeping horizons level in your frame – it can make or break a shot."

124. Process with care

creative photography ideas tricks

Fine-art photographer Lorna Yabsley says: "Always spend a little bit of time to process your favourite images. Less is more: lifting the shadows, lightening and brightening and subtle sharpening can bring out the best in your shot."

125. Invest in a prime lens

creative photography ideas tricks

"A prime 50mm lens is an indispensable, inexpensive piece of kit to have, giving beautiful crisp images and the ability to open up the lens really wide for maximum shallow depth of field" – Fine-art photographer Lorna Yabsley 

126. Reinvent the wheel

creative photography ideas tricks

"If you’re buying an SLR camera, it’s always worth having a dedicated command wheel to control your shutter and your aperture independently, making manual exposure easier" – Fine-art photographer Lorna Yabsley.  

127. Get trained

creative photography ideas tricks

Fine-art photographer Lorna Yabsley says "Invest in some good-quality one-to-one training, to fast-track your way to getting off auto and shooting manually. This will put you in control of your image-making. And learn basic processing techniques to give your work professional polish."

128. Trial and error

creative photography ideas tricks

Creative photographer Mark A Hunter says: “Don’t get hung up on nailing a shot first time. For example, rather than determining exactly what depth of field to use, put your camera into Aperture Priority mode and grab a few different shots at a range of apertures – you might surprise yourself with the results.”

129. Give yourself assignments

creative photography ideas tricks

Fine-art photographer James Stanford says: "Sometimes knowing what to shoot is a big relief. Other times, being extemporaneous is the way to go. I love to go out and see what the universe is presenting to me on any given day. Learning to be sensitive to what is out there with no preconceived idea is a wonderful way to discover new subject matter. But only looking for the shot that presents itself in the moment seldom creates new technical skills. In order to master the camera, I give myself special assignments. Giving yourself an assignment helps you to learn about photography and your equipment. By knowing what you want to achieve, you can plan things out. This way you can slow things down. Shoot and confirm. Take notes. Concentrate on getting the shot just right! You will learn to master Aperture Priority, shutter speed, ISO, manual settings, and more."

130. Research your subject

creative photography ideas tricks

Nature photographer Roeselien Raimond says: "No matter whether it’s an animal you are trying to photograph or some kind of phenomenon, the more you know about your subject, the better you will be able to anticipate what’s to come. Learn to know when animals breed, hunt and sleep. Find out when mist or thunder is likely to occur. It might cost some time, but it’s an investment that will pay off."

131. Explore!

creative photography ideas tricks

Travel and urban photographer Nico Goodden says: "If you want to succeed as a photographer while always learning and never being bored, do not fear exploring other genres. Instead, be wary of people who tell you to stick to a single genre or niche – it may not be the very best advice if you look at life as an opportunity to discover new things. I have found that instead of hindering my development, shooting a multitude of genres has taught me many transferable skills and brought exciting new clients and commissions through the variety of what I shoot, eventually snowballing into even more unexpected commissions."

132. Choose your moments

creative photography ideas tricks

Architectural and travel photographer Denys Nevozhai says: "The main thing I’ve learned about photography is to not be obsessed with photography, and shoot only the most worthwhile moments or scenes. The realisation that you need to verify and edit too many photos will make you postpone the process, lose excitement and eventually pile all the set."

133. Think about light

creative photography ideas tricks

Reportage and travel photographer Stuart Freedman says: "Light is key to photography. Learn to visualise the final image and move if it looks like it’s not going to work."

134. Relax and talk to people

creative photography ideas tricks

Reportage and travel photographer Stuart Freedman says: "Great pictures aren’t usually luck. Often they’re the result of a negotiation between the photographer and subject. A smile goes a long way. Relax and, crucially, be honest. Explain what you’re doing: if people trust you, it’ll show."

135. Dreamy portraits

Fine-art photographer Lorna Yabsley says: "For dreamy portraits, open up your lens to the widest aperture, and shoot your subject into the light. Use exposure compensation to push your exposure and to expose for shadows."

136. Use a tripod

creative photography ideas tricks

Natural history and wildlife photographer Adrian Davies says: "I always try to use a good solid tripod for my natural history work, particularly when I’m shooting subjects such as plants. Not only do they hold the camera nice and still, enabling slow shutter speeds, but they also slow you down, making you look carefully at all parts of the frame for distracting items, and deciding on the correct aperture before releasing the shutter." Read more: The best tripods for travel

137. Buy some smoked salmon!

creative photography ideas tricks

Adrian Davies says: "I use a wide range of reflectors for bouncing light into shadow areas of subjects such as plants and fungi. One I use a lot with fungi in particular on dull autumn days are the pieces of card that come in smoked salmon packs, gold on one side. They give the subject a nice warm tone."

138. Visual missionary

Art photographer Paul Hill says: "The power of the medium to inform and reveal, whether publicly or privately, cannot be overestimated. Most of us see hundreds of photographs every day, but do we even look at one to find out what it ‘says’? Photography is an essential part of modern life, with millions made every day, and thousands of manufacturers and service industries dependent on it. The effect on our civilisation is enormous. Practitioners should feel uncomfortable regurgitating clichés. They should be visual missionaries, converting the public to the importance of the medium with the power of their images. Photography can be fun, of course, but its makers have to take it seriously. As well as being attracted to the unusual and unexpected, I am mindful of three things when making a photograph: frame, light and vantage point."

139. Part of a team

creative photography ideas tricks

Wedding and commercial photographer Kate Hopewell-Smith says: "Learning to direct and pose are key skills for any people photographer, but successful portraiture is down to teamwork. The photographer needs to give energy and enthusiasm – but so does the subject, or the results will not be as successful as they should be."

140. Speak out

Art photographer Cig Harvey says: "Bear in mind that your camera is a tool to help your creativity. I love the idea that our cameras are just expensive pencils – it is what we have to say that is important."

141. Be open

creative photography ideas tricks

Street photographer Ryan Hardman says: "Don’t hide your camera when taking street images, because this often puts people on edge. Just have the camera around your neck and when you see someone exciting, bring the camera up to your eye and snap away. If the subject stops you and asks why you are taking images of them, just politely explain why you have done so and the intentions of your image – for yourself, competitions or magazines."

142. Shoot with a theme in mind

creative photography ideas tricks

Ryan Hardman says: "Often street photography can be lacking a theme, making the image the photographer has taken become weak or uninteresting. My best advice would be to think about a theme and reason for the capture of street photography other than because the subject was interesting. This will in turn help when you’re confronted by a person who is outraged you have photographed them. Trust your gut – if the subject feels on edge and aggressive, don’t photograph them."

143. Be street-savvy and sensitive

Ryan Hardman says: "Street photography is not about proving we are in a better place than the subjects. My greatest advice would be to stay away from the homeless or disadvantaged, to make sure as photographers that we are not taking advantage or photographing subjects unethically."

144. Break the fourth wall

creative photography ideas tricks

Street photographer Ryan Hardman says: “I used to ask for an image of the subject first, but now I take my images without asking – the reason for this is to create exciting subjects that break the fourth wall and look into the lens of the camera, which means the viewer will connect with the image.”

145. Have 'fill' light available

creative photography ideas tricks

Wedding and commercial photographer Kate Hopewell-Smith says: “Location portraits come into their own when there is some beautiful back light to give separation and mood. However, this does leave your subject’s face in shade, so use a reflector or an on-camera flash (probably in high-speed sync mode due to fast shutter speeds outside)."

146. Aim for a response

creative photography ideas tricks

Travel photographer Lottie Davies says: “When processing your files, think about the emotional response of your audience. Do you want people to feel positive about the subject of the image? If so you might tend towards warm, rich tones. If you’d like a sense of calm contemplation, consider a less punchy interpretation."

147. Follow your heart

creative photography ideas tricks

Nature photographer Roeselien Raimond says: "I firmly believe that your photos reflect what you put into them. So if you choose a subject that you love and that truly fascinates you, this will show. Working from the heart will certainly improve your work."

148. Have a tale to tell

creative photography ideas tricks

Documentary photographer Marc Wilson says: "The most important aspect of any photograph is the story behind it and whether it will be of interest to the viewer."

149. Don't spread yourself thin

creative photography ideas tricks

Commercial photographer Maria Falconer says: "When I first started out, I believed that I needed to photograph everything. I dabbled with practically every style and subject available, except maybe wildlife… unless you count pigeons! And yes, of course I learned a few skills along the way, but I quickly discovered that my best images were made when I was shooting something that was important to me – and that could be anything from dance to political issues."

150. Five words

Documentary photographer Marc Wilson says: "Shoot less and shoot better".

151. Go on a photo adventure

creative photography ideas tricks

Quintin Lake says: "The spirit of adventure is about seeing with fresh eyes rather than venturing to distant lands. Travelling by foot for a prolonged period is the best way of seeing a place anew as the odds are stacked in your favour of encountering an unusual or beautiful event. Remember that photography is but one of many forms of human visual expression. Looking at the other visual arts can give you new ideas for subjects, colour usage, tonality and composition that you can use in your own work. "

152. What and when

creative photography ideas tricks

"A truly successful photograph can be broken down into two simple components: what is in the frame and when do you press the button? Everything else you control will help shape the success or otherwise of the photograph: the light, the composition, movement, stillness, empty space, colour, focus and depth of field" -  Documentary photographer Marc Wilson. 

153. Keep calm and create

Commercial photographer Maria Falconer says: "Don’t look too hard. Relax and let the photographs come to you."

154. Shoot less, see more

creative photography ideas tricks

Landscape and fine art photographer Paul Sanders says: "I would rather come home with one shot I have worked hard to perfect in the field than a memory card filled with mediocre images. Far too often we’re challenged by our insecurities to shoot more and more, when actually it’s better to take your time, refine the image in the viewfinder, carefully compose, and check everything before pressing the shutter button. It’s also a cop-out to say, 'I’ll fix it in post.' Get it right on-site and in the camera before you leave the location. You should choose the moment you press the button after really seeing into the subject. So once you commit to an image, don’t keep shooting unless the lighting dramatically improves. When you are happy, walk away and don’t look back!"

155. Behind the photo

creative photography ideas tricks

Documentary photographer Marc Wilson says: "Technique is important, but the power behind a photograph is the story it tells."

156. The art of light

Maria Falconer says: "Photography itself is a simple matter of using light to make marks. There are no actual rules – just ones that men have made up."

157. Use your screen

creative photography ideas tricks

Landscape & wildlife photographer Francis J Taylor says: "Learn to use the histogram on your camera’s rear screen. When this is used in conjunction with the very useful highlight alert feature, you can ensure you quickly nail the perfect exposure every time."

158. Shoot what you love

creative photography ideas tricks

Travel photographer Lottie Davies says: “Photograph the things you love. For instance, if you love food, shoot food – if you love adventures, shoot travel or cars, if your favourite place is at home with your family, photograph them. The energy of your enthusiasm will show through and make your images sing."

159. Accept the rain

creative photography ideas tricks

Francis J Taylor says: "Don’t be a fair-weather photographer. Often the most interesting images are created in challenging and adverse conditions."

160. Smile and be selfish

creative photography ideas tricks

Paul Sanders says: "We are guilty of taking our photography far too seriously, whether we are trying to impress our friends, fellow club members or that tricky judge. Photography is a hobby for many people, and even for professionals it’s a privilege to do a job that many would pay to do; so smile, enjoy your time with the camera and, yes, be selfish – this is time invested in you, so shoot what you like and not what you think will win things. It really doesn’t matter what other people think of the images you take, but if you truly enjoy what you take pictures of and the time you spend doing it, you may be surprised at the results, and possibly the prizes too."

161. Read this book!

creative photography ideas tricks

Digital Camera Magazine editor Ben Brain says: "Read 'On Being a Photographer: A Practical Guide' by Bill Jay and Magnum legend David Hurn. It’s a delight!"

162. Plan ahead

creative photography ideas tricks

Francis J Taylor says: "Research your location to find the best time to visit. Remember that the position of the sun changes throughout the year so a location that doesn’t work in summer may be perfect in winter."

163. Get inspired by the arts

Ben Brain says: "Don’t limit yourself only to photographers for inspiration. Turn to painters, poets, musicians, authors et al..."

164. Use one prime lens

creative photography ideas tricks

Ben Brain says: "Try using only one focal length (say 35mm or 50mm) for one year: I guarantee it’ll make you a better photographer."

165. Hide selection lines

If the dotted line of a selection is making it difficult to see an adjustment you’re making, press H to hide the ‘marching ants’ then make the adjustment without any distractions. Pressing H again will reveal the selection.

166. Stretch out a sky

creative photography ideas tricks

If you want more blue sky above your subject, go to Image > Canvas Size. Put 20 % in Height, tick the Relative box, and click the middle-bottom Anchor box. Click OK, then make a thin selection along the top edge of the existing sky using the Rectangular Marquee tool. Press Ctrl/Cmd+T to go into Transform mode. Pull the top-middle handle upwards to create headroom.

167. Lose your palettes

To see a pic without distractions, press Tab and you’ll hide all the palettes and tools. To restore them, press Tab again. To lose everything except the Toolbox, press Shift+Tab.

168. Lose your unwanted layers

creative photography ideas tricks

Getting rid of layers you don’t need is slow going if you drag them to the trash icon in the Layers panel. To quickly delete one layer, right-click on it and select Delete Layer. If you want to delete multiple layers, hold down Ctrl/Cmd and click on their names to select them, then right-click on one and select Delete Layers.

169. Go full screen

To see your image as large as possible on-screen, press Ctrl/ Cmd+0 (zero). Repeatedly press F to see the pic in different view modes. 

170. Add a white border

creative photography ideas tricks

To apply a swift white border, first open your pic then press D to reset the colours to black and white. Now press Ctrl/Cmd+A to select the image, and Ctrl/Cmd+T to enter Transform mode. Hold Alt +Shift and drag in a corner handle to make a white surround in proportion. Press Return, and you’ll have a clean white border with very little fuss.

171. See a single layer

With a multi-layered image, there are times when you want to see what’s on a particular layer. Alt-click on the eye icon of the layer in the Layers panel. This will turn off all the other layers.

172. Add a bleach bypass in seconds

creative photography ideas tricks

To boost contrast and give a stylised look to a pic, press Ctrl/Cmd+J to duplicate the image onto a new Layer, and then press Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+U to get rid of the colour. You’ll see a mono image, but change the Blend mode to Soft Light in the Layers panel, and the black-and-white layer will be blended with the colour to boost contrast and tone down the saturation, giving an attractive bleached look.

173. Speed up filter use

To repeat a filter and boost its effect, press Ctrl/Cmd+F to reapply the last filter you used. This is a fast way of making blur filters more blurry.

174. Save for the web with precision

creative photography ideas tricks

When you’re saving JPEGs of pictures for web use, make sure you use the dedicated File > Export > Save for Web feature. Set the Preset to JPEG High, and use the options to resize, adjust and compare different quality settings – and even preview it on a web page. You’ll find it’s a much smarter way than using File > Save As, choosing JPEG, and guessing the rest!

175. Change your mind on filter settings

If you’ve gone too far with a filter effect and want to dial back the settings, press Ctrl/Cmd+Z to undo the filter. You’ll see the image return to its pre-filtered state. If you now press Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+F, you’ll bring up the Filter dialog box without having to reselect it. Change the settings and click OK.

176. Use Dehaze for contrast

Found in the FX panel of Lightroom or Camera Raw, the Dehaze slider is designed to reduce atmospheric haze in scenic shots, but it can also be used as a powerful contrast control. To quickly apply a contrast boost, slide it to the right; and to reduce contrast, take it to the left.

177. Pick the right colour

creative photography ideas tricks

When you need a pure colour in the Color Picker, it’s impossible to directly click right in the corner to get pure white, pure black or the colour you have. To get your cursor right to the edge, click anywhere on the Picker and drag the cursor to the corner you want. This will get you the pure colour you’re after.

178. Get moving

You can move a layer or a selection in any direction by selecting the Move tool (shortcut V) and dragging the mouse. But if you want to be really precise, you can tap the cursor keys on the keyboard to move the item in 1-pixel amounts. If you hold down the Shift key while tapping the cursor keys, you’ll move the item in 10-pixel increments.

179. Be consistent in cropping

creative photography ideas tricks

When you need a set of pictures all the same size, make life easy by creating a crop preset. Select the Crop tool and in the Options bar, key in the width, height and resolution you want (eg, 21 cm, 29.7 cm, 300 px/in). Now click the first drop-down menu and select New Crop Preset. In the dialog box, change the name if required, and click OK to save your custom size. Use this whenever you need it! 

180. Before and after views: the easy way

creative photography ideas tricks

When you convert a raw file, it’s handy to see a ‘before’ and ‘after’ version of your changes to keep track of how your picture is progressing. Clicking repeatedly on the Y icon at the bottom of the interface in Lightroom or Camera Raw will cycle through the different modes. To exit, click on the full-screen icon alongside.

181. Recompose with Transform

creative photography ideas tricks

The Crop tool isn’t always the best way to reframe an image. Instead press Ctrl/Cmd+A to select the image, then Ctrl/ Cmd+T to enter Transform mode. Now hold down Ctrl/ Cmd and pull out the corner handles of the bounding box to reshape your image to the frame. When you’re done, press Return to confirm. With this method, you can improve composition while you crop.

182. Set your black point

When converting raw files in Lightroom or Camera Raw, Set your black point by Alt-dragging the Blacks slider to the left. You’ll see a mask view where true black occurs: this provides a great way to set the darkest parts of an image. You can do the same with Alt and the Whites slider to set a white point.

183. Correct your lens

Before doing anything else to a raw file in Lightroom or Camera Raw, go to Lens Corrections and tick the Remove Chromatic Aberrations and Enable Profile Corrections boxes. This will automatically detect the lens used and compensate for any colour fringing or distortion that’s present.

184. Go back in time with Undo

To undo the last thing you did, press Ctrl/Cmd+Z. If you want to step back further, press Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+Z. At the default settings, you can go back up to 20 states, but if you want more, you can increase the number of History States in Edit > Preferences. (Select Photoshop > Preferences if you’re using macOS).

185. Make a calculation

creative photography ideas tricks

To get a great mono conversion, open your image and go to Image > Calculations. In the dialog box, the Source and Layer boxes will be identical, but by varying Channel, Blending mode and Opacity, you’ll get different black-and-white results. For high-impact scenes shot with bags of contrast, try Red, Red, Multiply. Make sure the Result box is set to New Document, and when you click OK you’ll  get a great-looking mono pic.

186. Make a Background layer editable

If you want to move a Background layer higher in your Layers stack, you need to convert it into an editable layer first. To do this quickly, hold Alt and double-click on the layer’s name. It will be instantly turned into an editable layer. 

187. Clone like a pro!

creative photography ideas tricks

If you need to clean up an image with some cloning, create a new layer in the Layers panel. With the Clone Stamp or Healing Brush tool selected, make sure that Sample: All Layers is selected in the Options bar. Now clone or heal away, and all the cloning work will be placed on the new layer, leaving your original untouched if you change your mind later. 

188. Apply a slick keyline border

To add a crisp, thin, black border to an image, press D to reset your colours to black and white, then press Ctrl/ Cmd+A to select it all. Now go to Edit > Stroke, and in the dialog box, set Width to 10 px and choose Inside under Location. Click OK.

189. Streamline your layers

If you’ve used a lot of layers, you may find yourself scrolling up and down to find the appropriate one. To get more of them on-screen and avoid wasting time scrolling, click on the flyout menu at the top right, select Panel Options and reduce Thumbnail Size to the smallest option. In cases where you have a lot of layers, you can also pick None to show no thumbnails in the panel at all. Click this and you’ll return to your starting point without having to exit the palette and reopen it.

190. Fill with colour the quick way

To flood-fill a layer or selection with your foreground colour, press Alt+Backspace. Use Ctrl/Cmd +Backspace to fill with the background colour.

191. Check your colours will print

Not all colours captured by a camera can be printed, as a mix of CMYK inks can’t reproduce the RGB light that created the image. To get a good idea of what will or won’t print, press Ctrl/Cmd+Y to view the image in a CMYK preview. You can work on the image in this mode too, so you’re always aware of the colours that are out of range.

192. Sharpen in style

creative photography ideas tricks

To sharpen a pic in Lightroom or Camera Raw, go to the Detail panel and set the Amount that gives a crisp result on a detailed, in-focus area on the preview. (Radius and Detail are often fine on their defaults of 1.0 and 25.) Now hold Alt and increase Masking until only the edges show in white. This prevents you sharpening areas that don’t need it.

193. Switch Lasso tools on the fly

When making a selection with the Polygonal Lasso tool, you can quickly switch to the Freehand Lasso by holding the Alt key. Draw around your area, and when you release Alt, you’ll be returned to the Polygonal Lasso.

194. Make new layers without fuss

To create a new layer above the one that’s currently active, press Ctrl/ Cmd+Shift+N and you can give it a name in the dialog box before clicking OK. To do it even quicker without a custom name, press Ctrl/ Cmd+Alt+Shift+N.

195. Build up grads gradually

After applying a Graduated Filter to darken a sky in Lightroom or Camera Raw, use gentle settings at first, then right-click on the Pin and select Duplicate. This gives you a second grad and a stronger effect, which you can drag into position and edit further, This is faster than creating new grads from scratch.

196. Warm up a shot the fast way

creative photography ideas tricks

To add a swift warm-up effect on a landscape, press Ctrl/Cmd+L to open the Levels palette, and click RGB. Select the Red Channel from the list, and move the middle slider a little to the left. Now select the Blue channel and move it a little to the right. This creates an amber colour cast to the whole image, giving an instant warm-up effect.

197. Balance your colours

Colour temperature isn’t fixed in a raw file, and both Lightroom and Camera Raw make it easy to warm up or cool down your shots. The best starting point is to pick the appropriate preset (such as Daylight or Cloudy) from the drop-down menu next to White Balance in the Basic panel. Then, you can fine-tune the results to your liking using the Temperature slider. 

198. Change your mind on filter settings

199. darker edges.

creative photography ideas tricks

To quickly create a vignette around an multi-layered image, click on the top layer in the stack and press Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+Shift+E. This will collapse everything visible into a new layer. Now go to Filter > Camera Raw Filter, and select the FX tab. Under Post Crop Vignetting, move Amount to the left for a dark vignette, or right for a bright one, and adjust the look with Feather Roundness.

200. Stay in control of contrast

creative photography ideas tricks

Curves is an amazing tool that offers the connoisseur’s route to contrast control. With it, you can create an S-curve that darkens lower midtones and brightens upper midtones at the same time. Make a Curves Adjustment Layer, then pull the line down at the bottom and push it up at the top.

201. Zoom smarter

To zoom and out in a smarter way, assign the zoom function to the scroll wheel of your mouse. Go to Edit > Preferences > Tools and tick the Zoom With Scroll Wheel box to enable it.

202. Control your adjustment layers

creative photography ideas tricks

If you add an Adjustment Layer, it will affect all the layers beneath it in the Layers stack. To make it only affect the layer immediately beneath it, hold Alt and click on the line between the Adjustment Layer and the layer beneath. This ‘clips’ the layer and restricts its effect.

203. Get help with composition

Call up a little assistance in framing by choosing the right Crop Overlay. Click on the dropdown menu in the Crop tool’s option bar, and you can choose from six different options to get you composing like a pro.

204. Spot-on selections

When you’re making a selection with a Marquee tool, it can be tricky to be precise with your starting point. Start to drag out the selection then immediately hold the spacebar without releasing the mouse. You can now move the starting point  around to get it exactly right before continuing.

205. Sample a colour – fast!

When you’re painting with the Brush tool and want to switch to a different colour within the image, hold down Alt, click anywhere on the image and the colour will be imported into the foreground colour swatch.

206. Check your masks

When masking, it’s easy to miss out areas when you’re absorbed in the imaging process. To check your mask is well-made and complete, hold Alt and click on the mask thumbnail in the Layers panel. This will show the mask alone, and allow you to paint in any gaps. To revert, just Alt-click on it again.

207. Reset if you fluff it!

If things go wrong when you’re adjusting the settings in a palette and you mess up the image, the obvious bail-out is the Cancel button. This will exit the palette and restore your original pic. Instead of doing this, hold Alt and the Cancel will become a Reset button. Click this and you’ll return to your starting point without having to exit the palette and reopen it.

208. Boost or cut specific colours

creative photography ideas tricks

Within the HSL panel in Lightroom and Camera Raw, you can radically enhance the colours in a scene by adjusting any of eight individual hues. To ramp up the blue in a sky, click on the Saturation tab and increase Blues, then click on Lightness and decrease Blues. To adjust the colour of the sky, use the same slider under the Hue tab.

209. Benefit from adjustment layers

Because they change data rather than alter pixels, Adjustment Layers are more flexible than pixel-based layers. Instead of copying a layer and making changes to it, click the Adjustment Layer icon and select the type you want from the list. You’ll get the same palette, but the changes you make are not permanent. To change the settings later, double-click the Adjustment Layer’s thumbnail.

210. Add mono toning treatments

creative photography ideas tricks

To apply a single colour tint such as sepia or blue toning to a shot, click on the Adjustment Layer icon in the Layers panel and select Hue/Saturation from the list. In the dialog box, tick the Colorize box, then adjust the Hue and Saturation sliders to get the colour and intensity you want.

211. Copy and move layers quickly

If you’ve placed a cutout on a separate layer and want to use it elsewhere in an image, select the Move tool by pressing V, then hold Alt and drag the mouse. This copies the selection to a new layer and positions it wherever you drag it.

212. Invert your masking errors

When you use layer masks, it’s easy to hide or reveal the wrong part of the image by getting black where you should have white. If this happens, simply click on the mask to make it active, and press Ctrl+I to invert the colours. This is much quicker than making the mask correctly from scratch.

213. Flatten the smart way

To crunch all your visible layers into a single layer, click on the top layer in the stack then press Ctrl/ Cmd+Alt+Shift+E. This merges the image into a new layer. 

214. See sensor dirt

creative photography ideas tricks

Smudges of sensor dirt are easy to miss, but if you select the Spot Removal tool in Lightroom or Camera Raw, there’s a great way to see them much more clearly. Tick the Visualize Spots box and adjust the slider alongside to see blemishes in low-detail areas like skies. Click on them to clean up.

215. Split-tone a shot

creative photography ideas tricks

To split-tone a shot and get highlights and shadows in contrasting colours, go to Filter > Camera Raw Filter and in the HSL/ Greyscale tab, tick the Convert to Grayscale box. Now select the Split Toning tab, and adjust the Hue and Saturation sliders for the Highlights and the Shadows to get the colours you want. Use the Balance slider to mix them together. 

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  • Inspiration

21 Creative Photography Ideas and Techniques for Inspiration

Last updated:

  • July 18, 2023
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creative photography.

Creative photography ideas can boost your confidence and give you something to look forward to in the morning. They can also boost your portfolio and make you stand out both online and offline. Our list of ideas and techniques will encourage you to try a little bit of everything. From smoke art to artistic levitation photography, you’ll find everything you need here.

The photography world is full of exciting possibilities and photo opportunities. If you’re tired of taking photographs that look too similar, try leaving your comfort zone and experimenting with creative photography ideas.

A good creative idea can help you develop your style, acquire new skills, and look at the world from a different point of view.

If you’re constantly doing the same things and not feeling inspired, you might enjoy approaching photography from a more artistic perspective.

The more you challenge yourself creatively, the easier it will be to transform your photography and feel refreshed. These ideas will boost your creativity and inspire you to try something completely new today!

1. Crystal Ball Photography

creative photography ideas with crystal balls.

If you want to look at the world from a different perspective, crystal ball photography is for you. This photography genre has gained a lot of popularity in the last few years thanks to its practicality and “wow” effect.

All you need is a crystal ball through which you can take photographs of your subject. This perspective will flip your subject upside down and make it look warped.

Crystal balls can make anything look outstanding. Popular subjects are landscapes and tiny details, like snowflakes and water droplets. 

2. Tilt Shift Effect

free lensing portrait of black woman.

A tilt-shift lens can create blur in specific parts of a photograph, depending on how you adjust it. Unfortunately, tilt-shift lenses are on the pricier side and are often considered impractical to use in other situations.

You can create this effect using the free lensing technique. Carefully remove your lens from the camera. Without re-attaching it, hold it in front of the camera as if it’s attached to it . Experiment with different angles (without creating a big distance between the camera and lens) to create an intense blur effect. 

Free lensing is a risky technique as it increases the chances of dust entering your camera body. If you use this photography technique, make sure to be very careful and avoid areas with lots of fine dust.

3. Light Trail Photography

creative photography idea featuring the light trail technique.

Light trail photography involves using a slow shutter speed and capturing fast-moving objects in a low-lit environment. This effect is also known as motion blur. Although it’s possible to capture light trail images when it’s light outside, you’ll get the best results at night.

Using a tripod and a slow shutter speed, take photographs of moving objects like cars or other vehicles. The longer your shutter speed, the softer and smoother the light trails will appear . This is known as long exposure photography.

If you’re looking for more creative photo ideas related to this theme, you can use the long exposure technique to photograph other moving things like people, waterfalls, or birds.

4. Light Graffiti

example of creative light graffiti photo.

On a similar note, you can use the same long exposure technique to take light graffiti photos. Use a small light source, like a torch or a sparkler, to draw shapes or letters in a low-lit space.

You can use yourself or someone else as a model. If you photograph yourself, make sure to use a timer, a tripod, and a remote.

If you photograph someone else but don’t want them to be visible in the shot, ask them to wear dark clothes. This will help them blend in with the background. A very slow shutter speed will blur the model out as they move. 

5. Double Exposure Photography

artistic double exposure photograph.

Double exposures are an excellent way to strengthen your creativity and improve your editing skills. A double exposure photograph is made up of multiple images blended together in an editing program like Photoshop.

Double-exposure photographs often feature dark silhouettes of people or objects combined with colorful images of nature. The editing process is quite simple and doesn’t require a lot of time.

If you want to take your double exposure photography skills to the next level, make sure to join our online community , where you’ll learn how to improve your editing and photography skills every week.

6. Use Burst Mode to Capture Fast-Moving Subjects

close-up photo of water droplet.

If you want to take creative photos that are also sharp, use a very fast shutter speed. The faster it is, the easier it will be to take detailed photos of athletes, animals, vehicles, and falling objects.

This technique is known as high speed photography. To make the most of this idea, take photos using burst mode.

Burst mode will help you take multiple photos consecutively without taking your finger away from the shutter button. 

7. Make Your Own Backdrops

unlabelled product bottle surrounded by sand.

A DIY background can give you a lot of flexibility in your photography. No matter what kind of photographer you are, you can make good use of backdrops in your work.

For example, if you’re a product photographer and want to take more luxurious photographs of your subjects, you can create your own black background. All you need is a piece of cardboard and black acrylic paint. You can control the size, shape, and texture of each background and take creative photos every time.

DIY backgrounds are often more affordable than custom or professional ones, so feel free to get creative and experiment with different textures, colours, and shapes.

8. Take Creative Fantasy-Themed Photos

creative photography idea for fantasy photos.

Fantasy photography is a great way to boost your creativity and try something new. When it comes to creative photography ideas, this is definitely at the top of the list!

Fantasy photography is often associated with cosplay photography. Even though both have their differences, they’re both relevant to this theme

Cosplay photography is all about taking photographs inspired by a fictional character from a movie, comic, or another form of media. Fantasy photography often involves concepts that are made by the photographer.

Both types of genres can be very inspiring because they involve the use of costumes, props, and accessories that you don’t often see in other kinds of photography. For example, fantasy-themed photographs often feature swords and period costumes . These props and accessories can add a new dimension to your images and make them stand out.

9. Create a Photo Collage

creative collage featuring photos of baby with different expressions.

Collages are often used casually, but they can also be used professionally to tell a story about a person, a place, or a time period. A collage made up of multiple photographs can be much more expressive and powerful than a single image on its own.

Take the image above as an example, a collage made of multiple photographs that describe a baby and its expressions. If you looked at one of these photographs, you’d have a very different idea of the subject. However, thanks to all the different expressions, you have a much more dynamic view of the subject and the story that the photographer wanted to tell.

Collages are also powerful storytelling tools because they’re flexible. You can create a collage using any number of photos that you like. They can be portrait-oriented, landscape-oriented, or a mix of both. It all depends on how creative you’re feeling in the moment!

10. Use Two Images to Create a Creative Diptych

diptych of black woman posing in a studio.

Diptych photography is very similar to collages, except that it usually features only two pictures.

Two images put together can also be very powerful and can add visual interest to your images. You can explore this idea by putting two photographs together that are either very similar or very different.

In the image above, the close-up of the woman next to a wider shot where the background is visible provides an interesting perspective. Capturing both details and wider scenes in your diptych shots can be a creative way to express yourself and describe a scene.

11. Use Soap Bubbles

cats looking at soap bubbles outdoors.

Creative photography ideas don’t have to be expensive or luxurious. This idea is a great example of an affordable photography approach that can help you take memorable and inspiring photographs.

For this, all you need are soap bubbles, which you can find in a toy store. The bigger the bubbles, the better!

To make your photoshoot even more creative, ask someone outside of the frame to blow the bubbles for you. This will make it seem like the bubbles came out of nowhere, which will add a magical or surreal element to your photos.

Bubbles are very common in portrait photography, but you can also use them when taking photographs of pets or objects. Don’t be afraid of using them in environments where they’re not typically used, like a landscape. We’re confident that the results will impress you!

12. Create Neon Portraits Using Artificial Light

cyber punk photo of girl holding a light stick.

Neon portraits stand out from other kinds of portraits because of their vibrant and unusual colors. For this idea, all you need are colorful artificial lights. They don’t need to be professional. 

You can use colored filters to easily achieve this effect. With colored filters, you can use any kind of artificial light to make your neon portraits stand out . The brighter the light source, the stronger the effect will be.

Try experimenting with multiple light sources and using different colours to give your photographs a cinematic effect. 

13. Say Something Using Everyday Objects

"summer" spelled using flower petals and flower stems on a white table.

You can literally say something through your photographs by putting objects together on a flat surface. Flowers, food, and kitchen utensils are all great subjects for spelling words in a creative way.

This can be a time-consuming process, so make sure to prepare for your shoot beforehand. Choose a well-lit location where you can comfortably put everything together .

If you use lightweight objects, like flower petals, don’t shoot in a windy location.

14. Use Shadows to Tell a Story

shadow play technique using bedsheets and paper.

Some creative photography techniques can only work if you use intense light. The shadow play technique is a great example of this.

Instead of focusing on your subject, focus on their shadow. 

Shadows can be powerful and can add an abstract feeling to your work, especially if the subject isn’t clear. To create strong shadows, make sure to work with a bright source of light. If it’s sunny outside, take photos of strangers’ shadows on the street. If you’re shooting at home, create your own shadows using artificial light.

Consider starting indoors if you’re an absolute beginner. The more you can control your light source, the easier it will be for you to take the perfect artistic photo . A portable lamp can help you control the size and shape of your shadows without worrying about time constraints.

15. Take a Self-Portrait Without a Mirror

portrait of brunette holding a camera.

This challenging yet creative photography idea will help you feel more comfortable in front of the camera. For this idea, take a photograph of yourself holding your camera without using a mirror.

You can achieve this using a tripod and a remote. Alternatively, if your camera supports Wi-Fi, you can control your settings manually using a camera control app.

The key is to make it look like you’re unaware of the camera. Take photos of yourself enjoying a walk in the woods, taking photographs of your favourite subject, or interacting with someone.

16. Capture a Black and White Pattern

black and white close-up shot of dandelion seeds.

To take unique images, look for patterns around you. Patterns are often symmetrical and create a sense of harmony in photographs. If you convert your photos to black and white, you’re likely to get interesting results.

Without colour, different shapes tend to stand out even more . If you like your results, create a collection of pattern photographs in different locations.

Work on an “Indoor Pattern” and “Outdoor Pattern” photo series. This will inevitably boost your creativity! 

17. Levitation Photography

levitation shot of woman on a lake.

In levitation photography, someone or something floats in the air. If you’re looking for creative photography ideas that are also surreal, this is perfect for you!

To create this effect, take a photo of your main subject on a stool or steady surface. Take a photo of the same scene without the subject and stool. Make sure your camera settings are the same to avoid inconsistencies in lighting or focus.

In Photoshop, put the photos together. Create a layer mask and brush over the surface on which your subject is perched. Without the stool, your subject will look like it’s floating in the air. 

If you want an in-depth explanation of this process, make sure to join our 52 Week Project . Every week, you’ll be introduced to a new challenge with photography tips. We also offer constructive criticism. Join us today to awaken your creativity! 

18. Use Chalk Drawings In Your Photos

creative chalk drawing photo featuring a colourful doughnut.

Chalk is a powerful tool in the world of photography. When combined with a real-life subject, it can help you realize creative photography ideas that would be impossible to achieve practically.

Pick a dark surface on which you can draw with chalk. Chalkboards or dark pavements are perfect starting points . Then, pick a subject to photograph. Place it on the surface and draw pictures around it. Make the scene come alive.

You don’t need to be a professional illustrator to make the most of this idea. Use your imagination to tell a story. Keep in mind that even a simple sketch can transform your subject.

19. Creative Smoke Art

surreal smoke photo in a dark room.

Taking photos of smoke is challenging but incredibly fun. It can boost your creativity and help you take unique still-life photographs of a very fleeting subject.

For this, you need a black background and something that produces smoke or mist. You can use a cup of hot water, incense, or a match. Using a few incense sticks in a safe place will produce enough smoke for interesting photographs.

Use a narrow aperture, like f/11, to capture the smoke in detail. Make sure to keep a safe distance between your camera and the subject to avoid burning anything. 

20. Capture the Beauty of Details with Macro Photography

close-up shot of water droplets on a leaf.

A macro lens will give you the ability to see the world from a unique perspective. Water droplets, flowers, and insects can all become unforgettable subjects in macro photography .

Instead of looking for creativity and beauty in other places, look for small objects to appreciate in your neighbourhood.

Go for a walk and photograph details that most people ignore in their everyday lives. This will not only refresh your creativity but also encourage you to look for beauty no matter where you are. 

21. Commit to a Long-Term Challenge 

black woman taking photos using DSLR camera.

If you’re hungry for more creative photography ideas and techniques, you can join a long-term photography challenge. Challenges like this are perfect for anyone who wants to build healthy habits as a photographer. By learning something new consistently, you’ll train your creative muscles.

There are many projects to choose from, but you can start by joining our 52 Week Challenge . You’ll get access to weekly video tips and a forum where you can share your work with other students. Our community is a great source of inspiration for anyone who’s missing that creative spark in their life. 

elderly woman painting calmly with a brush indoors.

Creative photography ideas can encourage you to be more curious and artistic in your everyday life. They can show you a different side of yourself and highlight your strengths as a photographer. 

If you’re not sure where to start, randomly pick an idea from this list. The most important step is the first one. Once you get started, you’ll be amazed by all the possibilities that these ideas have to offer.

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Photo Karma 2024 - Free Trend Report

77 photography tips and tricks for taking pictures of anything

There's a lot to sink your teeth into

creative photography ideas tricks

Portrait photography techniques, tips and tricks

  • Landscape photography techniques, tips and tricks
  • Macro photography techniques, tips and tricks
  • Wildlife photography techniques, tips and tricks
  • Night photography techniques, tips and tricks
  • Street photography techniques, tips and tricks
  • Flash photography techniques, tips and tricks

Whether you've just got a new camera and are looking to learn some new photography techniques or have been shooting for a while and want to master some old ones, this essential photographer's resource is here to help.

This list of 77 photography techniques to try covers some of the most popular types of photography, so whether you want to improve your portrait photography or learn how to take better landscapes, discover the secret to sharp close-up photos or start out in street photography, you'll find some essential tips and tricks here.

Tip 1. Focus on the eyes

While eye contact is not always desirable in a portrait, sharp eyes certainly are. Manually select an AF point that's positioned over one of your model's eyes, or use the central focus point to lock focus on their eye.

Then, with the shutter release half-pressed to keep the setting locked, recompose your picture before taking the shot.

  • Learn more: 10 surefire ways to get your sharpest-ever photos

Tip 2. Using a standard or telephoto lens

Wide-angle lenses are a great choice for photographing environmental portraits, where you want to show a person within a specific context. However, wide-angle lenses used close-up will distort facial features and creative unflattering pictures.

A better choice for portraits is either a standard lens or a short telephoto lens . The classic portrait focal lengths for a full-frame camera are 50mm, 85mm prime lenses and a 70-200mm zoom.

These will help to compress features and provide a more natural-looking result.

Tip 3. Use Aperture Priority mode

Aperture Priority gives you direct control over the aperture , and as a result the depth of field (DOF).

Fast prime lenses, such as 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.2 enable you to choose very large apertures for a shallow depth of field. This can help you create those creamy-smooth, out of focus backgrounds that give portraits a professional quality.

Working with such a narrow band of sharpness means that you need to be accurate with focusing - the entire portrait will look soft if you don't focus accurately on the eyes.

Tip 4. Using window light

You don't need an expensive home studio lighting kit to take amazing portraits - a window and a reflector can help you achieve stunning natural light portraits without spending too much.

Position your model at an angle to the window and use a white or silver reflector to open up any shadows across their face. A silver reflector will give a crisper quality of light than a white one, although the effect won't be as subtle.

Be aware of any color casts that may be introduced by features on the other side of the glass as well - a lush green lawn can give skin tones a sickly quality, while late evening sunlight on a patio will reflect lots of warm light.

Tip 5. High-key portraits

Deliberately choosing to over-expose a photo to create a 'high-key' effect results in a light and delicate look that can enhance feminine portraits and pictures of children.

The trick is not to blow the highlights in-camera, but rather brighten up the shot later in software such as Photoshop .

Shooting RAW files will give you the most editing head-room, as you'll be able to extract more detail across the tonal range in raw compared to JPEGs.

Tip 6. Baby portraits

When it comes to lighting baby portraits, natural light is the best choice. Flash will just end up spooking them. Try and position them near to a window and use a reflector to bounce light into any shadows .

The more light you can get onto your subject, the lower ISO sensitivity you can use for the best quality photos.

To catch a baby at their best, photograph them just after a feed or when they've woken up first thing in the morning.

They'll be more active and alert than at other times of the day, and you're more likely to get the kind of cooing baby portraits that parents will love.

  • Learn more: The A to Z of Photography: ISO

Tip 7. Photographing children

Taking photos of children is fun but challenging. Keep a kids' portrait session short and entertaining. Play games with them: ask them of they can see their reflection in the front element of the lens is a good way to get some eye contact.

Fit a wide-angle lens and shoot without looking, poking the camera into their face. Get them used to the shutter sound and not having to look down the lens and smile.

Make the most of opportunities when they're still for a moment, such as when they're concentrating on a toy. Chat to them as you would with adults and once you've taken a few photos show them the results on the LCD screen, so that they feel involved.

Tip 8. Shooting in burst mode

Whether you're taking a child's portrait or a group portrait, set your camera in its fastest drive setting. You don't need to machine gun the shutter release, but shooting in short bursts will ensure you capture a fleeting range of expressions.

It also improves your chances of getting a shot where everyone's eyes are open in a group portrait.

Even if you don't capture everyone's eyes open or their beaming smiles, having a range of shots taken fractions of a second apart means you can easily swap faces in Photoshop.

Tip 9. Posing group portraits

When you're arranging a group portrait, the first thing you'll probably consider is height, putting taller people at the back and shorter people at the front.

However, keep a close eye on clothing too. It's easy to miss clashing colors while you're focusing on everyone's height, and that will be more noticeable in the final picture.

To ensure everyone appears sharp, you need to use an aperture of at least f/8 with a wide-angle lens. But if you're taking an indoor group portrait, you'll need to use a high ISO in order to shoot at that aperture and get sharp handheld photos.

Photos may end up full of noise, and even then the shutter speed may not be fast enough for sharp images. A trick here is to arrange everyone in a line along the same focal plane, then the aperture doesn't have to be so narrow.

Tip 10. Family photo posing ideas

Think about how your arrangement of people in a group family portrait can tell a story about the relationship between the different members.

A simple idea is to place the emphasis on the patriarch or matriarch of the family, or the newest arrival. By grouping the rest of the family around them, you'll be able to create a clear focal point.

For larger family group photos, use furniture - whether that's a sofa for indoor shots or a gate for outdoor portraits - to break the group up. Sit the children in front of it and have the adults standing behind it.

Tip 11. Candlelight portraits

When you're taking photos by candlelight, you'll need to push the ISO to 1600 and beyond and work with large apertures if you're to get a fast enough shutter speed to freeze any motion in your model, the camera or the candle flames.

Turn your camera's flash off and use Manual exposure mode. Switch off any lights, take a meter reading from your portrait-sitter's face and let the rest of the room slip into darkness.

If you're planning a candlelit portrait shoot, use more than one candle. Not only will it increase the amount of light available to make the exposure, but it will allow you to spread the illumination for softer shadows.

  • 14 portrait photography tips you'll never want to forget

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15 Unique Photography Ideas to Try in 2024

Wondering how to make your photography stand out from the crowd? Here are some unique photography ideas to inspire your next photo shoot.

Learn | By India Mantle

When it comes to photography, finding unique ideas and inspiration can be a challenge!

Thankfully, I’m giving you a bunch of unique photography ideas to try right now.

Whether you want to add some edge to your annual family photo or want a unique wedding album, this article will have all the tips you need.

So, let’s get started!

Table of Contents

15 Unique Photography Ideas to Help You Stand Out From the Crowd

There are tons of photography elements to consider when trying to add visual interest to your photos.

Let’s dig deeper into these creative photo ideas below.

Explore Outdoor Shapes

a white building with a blue sky in the background.

Credit: Matheus Natan

One of the easiest ways to add some zest to otherwise ordinary photos is by incorporating shapes.

Head outside and point your camera up to capture interesting ceiling angles or even step in between buildings of your nearest cityscape to discover the shapes created in the sky.

Other fun shapes you might find outside include architectural elements such as fences, doors, and windows.

Take unique photos to the next level with a portrait that has your subject peeking through the slats of a fence!

  • How to Credit a Photo Correctly

Discover Indoor Shapes

a cup of coffee on a wooden desk.

Credit: Lukas

Naturally, there are also tons of cool shapes to explore inside your home or workplace when you use your imagination.

At home, find inspiration in everyday things by capturing your morning cup of coffee with a bird’s eye view .

At work, try snapping a shot of the gorgeous spiral staircase in the atrium of your office or the chicness of the artfully exposed pipes in the ceiling above your office.

Play with Texture

water droplets on a window.

Credit: Aleksandr Slobodianyk

Texture is another must in shooting unique photos.

Think of traditional brick buildings, warm hardwood floors or soft corduroy pants.

Break out your camera to capture the contrast of your friend’s icy blonde hair against a black suede coat or the patterns of the wicker furniture in your living room — before long, you’ll be seeing texture everywhere!

That newfound appreciation for texture will become apparent in everyday life as you see the textural beauty in the curl patterns of your neighbor’s hair or the chunks of butter lining the grilled asparagus at the dinner table.

Incorporate Contrast

a chinese chicken with vegetables and sauce on a plate.

Credit: Jana Ohajdova

While some of these tips may sound like beginner photography tips, any expert-level photographer will say their most unique shots center on simplicity.

And another simple part of unique photography involves contrast — something you will always see in sophisticated food photography .

Add leafy greens around an exquisite chicken dish to bring a balance of warm and cool colors or add some fresh coffee beans around your smooth cup of coffee to score the perfect level of texture contrast from a bird’s eye view.

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Get Whimsical

a woman blowing soap bubbles in a wheat field.

Credit: Andre Furtado

Some of the most unique photos in existence involve exploring your playful side.

Think about blowing bubbles, getting splashed with water in a pool or riding a classic beach cruiser outside for inspiration.

Have your friend blow bubbles and grab your camera as you mess around with different shutter speeds to nail the perfect picture of them catching perfectly round bubbles.

Or catch a child riding his bike, which will also allow you to highlight the beautiful lines of the sidewalk and the gorgeous trees and natural lighting around you.

Switch Up Your Angle

the top of a tree with green leaves.

Credit: Lerkrat Tangsri

Changing your angles is critical in achieving unique photography.

I already covered a few, but there are so many different perspectives to consider for inspiration!

Instead of a straight-on photo of a palm-tree-lined street, try to capture that photo from the bottom up for more creative photography.

More options for unique photos include taking photos of people on an escalator from the top down or snapping a shot of someone through someone else’s hand gesture or symbol.

DIY Backdrops

two pictures of a man and a woman posing in front of a red curtain.

Credit: Ron Lach (left) / Ali Madad Sakhirani (right)

What’s more unique than your own customized background? Not a whole lot, so don’t be afraid to use your imagination!

Grab your camera and look for inspiration around your living room and let your creativity shine with a DIY backdrop using a throw blanket in your favorite color or hang some sample wallpaper or a vintage tapestry.

a glass of wine and a teddy bear on a table.

Credit: Inga Seliverstova

Think about a movie set and the way it’s intricately decorated to reflect a modern apartment or a creative workplace. Props and décor are a big part of that.

Unique props will help you achieve creative photography, which means more unique photos.

Experiment with funky plants, flowers, vases and albums for an easy way to get unique photos.

See our guide to making your own DIY photography props .

Try Unexpected Locations

a man and woman are standing in an abandoned building.

Credit: Chrysostomos Galathris

Achieving unique photography sometimes means using an unorthodox location and your imagination.

Unexpected locations can ensure you always get creative photography.

Consider an abandoned building up the road, a nearby garden with tons of different flowers or a pond with a waterfall.

Outdoor spots will always have great lighting, while indoor spots may offer more subject control.

Find Beauty in the Weird

a light fixture with a wooden hand hanging from it.

Credit: Roman Odintsov

Every seasoned photographer knows that finding beauty in the weird will produce unique photos that spark inspiration.

Start with an experiment and select different objects with weird traits.

Shooting creative photography means picking unusual points of focus with loads of colors and textures like coral reefs, odd-shaped seashells, unique birthmarks, figurines, and more.

Use All Walks of Life

two women hugging in front of a pink curtain.

Credit: Anna Shvets

A lot of what I’ve discussed so far regarding creative photography has been more about lifestyle or landscape photography, so how about portraits and high-fashion photography?

You always want contrast and diversity, so you can leverage similar tools here!

If you have a fair-skinned, blue-eyed subject, put her next to a medium-skinned green-eyed subject and put him or her next to a dark-skinned, dark-eyed person to cover various races and cultures that will surely create the unique photos you want.

Don’t Forget About Animals

a woman is holding a cat and a dog.

Credit: Alexander Grey

The same concept above can apply to animals, because who doesn’t love pet or wildlife photos ?

Say you have a medium-sized, thickly coated breed like a gray-and-white Husky in mind as the subject for your animal photos.

Reach out to friends who have a large dog bred like a dark Great Dane then sandwich the Husky in between the Great Dane and a smaller breed like a golden Chihuahua and you’ll be showcasing creative photography with ease.

  • Fun photoshoot ideas with dogs

Use Reflection

a person holding a pair of sunglasses with purple mirrored lenses.

Credit: Kindel Media

Shooting creative photography sometimes means using reflective surfaces  — and that doesn’t just mean mirrors.

One of my favorite ways to get the unique results I want is by using the lens of sunglasses. Place sunglasses on your table at the local beer garden and you’ll find an easy way to get a unique shot of your beer.

Or try water! Head to a nearby lake and capture the reflection of the landscape for some stunningly unique photos!

Focus on Something Unique

a young boy smiling in front of a tree.

Credit: Mohamed Abdelghaffar

Similar to finding beauty in the weird, finding something unique will naturally make your photos more unique.

If your subject is a woman with a beautiful smile, look closer at the smile to find something signature.

Does she have a slight gap between her front teeth? A chip on another tooth? Or maybe even some freckles on her lipstick-matted lips?

Find Body Imperfections

a girl with freckles and a colorful face.

Rdne Stock Project

While imperfection is a strong word, think again of the non-normal things that make us unique.

Some of us are covered in freckles, while others have handfuls of moles.

These skin “flaws” would make a great subject for unique photos because freckles and moles come in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes.

If you’re ready to explore in-depth skin photography, just check out this article in National Geographic showing some of the most freckle-focused work to ever exist by esteemed photographer, Fritz Liedtke.

  • Tips for full body photography

How Can I Make My Photos Unique?

a 3d rendering of a desert landscape with a palm tree and a bathtub.

Credit: Mo Eid

As demonstrated by the vast list of options above, simply exercising some basic photography principles can really help you land a unique photo.

The trick is finding beauty in odd or head-turning subjects from fresh angles while using different shutter speeds and levels of exposure.

Play around with your camera’s settings and even create your own backdrops and you’ll be on the way to more unique photos in no time.

Examples include flowers, hair, animals or items that have changed form from rain.

The list of options is quite exhaustive.

And don’t forget about the editing process!

When you’re ready to start editing, try using different effects with color grading , filters and more.

Where Can I Find Interesting Images, Creative Photography & Unique Photos?

There are so many websites where you can find interesting images.

Remember that some of these websites might require attribution or have licensing conditions, so always check their policies before using images.

Here are 26 popular sites featuring unique photos:

  • Unsplash : Offers high-resolution photos by professional photographers.
  • Pexels : Provides free high-quality photos you can use everywhere.
  • Pixabay : Offers over 1.8 million+ high-quality stock images and videos.
  • Flickr : A photo management and sharing application.
  • 500px : An online platform for photographers to gain global exposure.
  • Getty Images: An American visual media company with an archive of over 200 million assets.
  • Shutterstock: A provider of stock photography , stock footage, stock music, and editing tools.
  • EyeEm: A technology company with a global photography community and marketplace.
  • Burst by Shopify: A resource from Shopify that provides free stock photos.
  • Adobe Stock: Offers high-quality, royalty-free images.
  • StockSnap: A source for free, high-resolution stock images.
  • Reshot: Offers uniquely free photos.
  • National Geographic Photography: Offers high-quality images of nature and human beings.
  • LIFE Photo Archive: Hosted by Google, contains millions of photographs from the LIFE magazine archives.
  • Jay Mantri: Free pics. Do anything (CC0). Make magic.
  • Picography: Free images to use however you like.
  • Magdeleine: A blog that posts a free high-resolution photo every day.
  • FoodiesFeed: Offers thousands of beautiful realistic free food pictures.
  • Gratisography: A collection of free high-resolution pictures you can use on your personal and commercial projects.
  • Skitterphoto: A place to find, show and share public domain photos.
  • New Old Stock: Vintage photos from the public archives free of known copyright restrictions.
  • ISO Republic: High-quality, free photos for creatives.
  • StyledStock: Free feminine stock photography for every woman entrepreneur.
  • Freestocks.org : Free stock photos for both personal and commercial use.
  • Picjumbo: Collection of free photos for your commercial & personal works.
  • Pinterest – tons of unique photos for dp

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Check out these 8 essential tools to help you succeed as a professional photographer.

Includes limited-time discounts.

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As the Content Manager of Shotkit, India Mantle brings with her a lifelong love for photography that she developed during her childhood, watching her father document their family moments with his Nikon EM. In her free time, you find her enjoying the awe-inspiring natural beauty of her home, Northern Rivers, Australia.

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100+ Creative Photography Ideas: Techniques, Compositions & Mixed Media Approaches

Last Updated on April 2, 2023

100+ creative photography ideas

Note: The creative photography ideas listed in this article should not be explored haphazardly within a photography course, but rather selected purposefully, if appropriate for your topic or theme. These approaches may or may not be relevant for your own photography project and should be chosen only in conjunction with advice from your teacher. The techniques listed here are created using a range of different cameras and devices, such as a digital SLR/DSLR camera, traditional camera, pinhole camera and/or camera phone. 

Stain, smudge and erode photographs using water , like  Matthew Brandt :  

READ NEXT: How to make an artist website (and why you need one)

Water photography ideas - Matthew Brandt

Sew or embroider photos , as in the stitched vintage photography of  Maurizio Anzeri : 

Maurizio Anzeri photography

Stitch photographs together , like  Lisa Kokin : 

Lisa Kokin photography

Wrap torn plastic or other materials around the edge of your camera to create hazy edges , as in the photographs of Jesse David McGrady  (via  PetaPixel ): 

plastic bag photography technique

Use a hand-held glass lens or prism, to create blurred, abstract forms , like this photograph by Sam Hurd :

handheld lens photography effect

Deliberately unfocus lights to create ‘bokeh’ , as in this beautiful landscape by Takashi Kitajima :

Bokeh photography by Takashi Kitajima

Photograph scenes through visible hand-held lenses , as in this A Level Photography work by Freya Dumasia :

handheld lens used in photography

Abstract an image completely through three mirrors, creating a vortograph , like Alvin Langdon Coburn :

Alvin Langdon Coburn vortograph

Fold a photograph and make a installation, still life or sculpture , as in this example by Joseph Parra :

Joseph Parra photography sculpture

Collage mixed media materials onto images , as in Vasilisa Forbes’ photography :

Vasilisa Forbes photography

Splash, smear or throw mixed media upon photographs , as in this A Level Photography sketchbook example by  Jemma Kelly :

a level mixed media photography sketchbook

Simulate the effect of the wet collodion process used by Sally Mann  via Edwynn Houk Gallery :

photography series ideas

Paint developer sporadically onto photo paper to expose only parts of the work , as in these portraits by Timothy Pakron :

Timothy Pakron photography

Paint directly onto photographs , as in these works by Gerhard Richter :

Gerhard Richter overpainted photographs

Combine paint and photographs digitally , like Fabienne Rivory ‘s LaBokoff project:

Fabienne Rivory photography

Redraw part of a scene with paint , as in these works by Aliza Razell :

Aliza Razell photography

Paint onto objects and then photograph them , as in this IGCSE Photography piece by Rachel Ecclestone :

igcse photography project

Mark or scratch negatives or photos , as in this 100 year old vintage print by Frank Eugene :

scratched photogravure etching by Frank Eugene

Use a CNC or Laser Engraving Machine to etch a photographic image onto glass, wood, aluminium or another similar material :

As technology progresses, it is possible for digital images to be engraved upon various surfaces (such as stone, timber, fabric or leather); on or within glass, as in a 3D crystal engraving; or around cylindrical items, such as a rotating bottle. A laser is used like a pencil, with a controlled beam moving in different directions, intensities and speeds, delivering energy to the surface, heating up and vaporises areas or causing small pieces to fracture and flake away. Although the majority of laser photo engraving examples online seem to be uninspiring commercial shots, laser engraving offers new possibilities for high school Photography students – not just in terms of printing images onto exciting materials, but as a way of creating a textured plate which can then be printed from. It should be noted that although most high school Art Departments are not in a position to purchase a 3D laser engraving machine to experiment with (although this may change in the future) some Design and Technology Departments are beginning to. Many companies also offer a custom laser engraving service that students may make use of. Remember that those who must post work away for assessment are not able to submit heavy, bulky or fragile pieces (such as laser wood engraving or laser engraving on glass).

Use an ink transfer method to print photograph images onto other materials , as in this video by Crystal Hethcote:

This video shows a simple image transfer technique using gel medium, which could be useful for applying a digital image to any number of creative surfaces.

Add sculptural elements that protrude from the photograph , as in this example by Carmen Freudenthal & Elle Verhagen :

Sculptural 3D photo illusion

Take photos using a scanner , like Evilsabeth Schmitz-Garcia :

scanography artists example

Place objects on top of a photograph and scan it , like this example by Rosanna Jones :

scan objects in photography

Put objects on top of photographs and rephotograph them , like these images by Arnaud Jarsaillon and Remy Poncet of Brest Brest :

brestbrest photography

Project images onto textured surfaces and rephotograph them , as in these experimental images by Pete Ashton :

scratched photos

Project images onto people or scenes , as in these examples by freelance photographer Lee Kirby :

Lee Kirby photography

Create a photogram , as in this example by Joanne Keen :

cool photogram ideas - lemons make great objects!

Create pinhole photography , making your own pinhole camera from scratch like Matt Bigwood  (via The Phoblographer ):

pinhole photography ideas

Note: some teachers purchase a make-at-home pinhole camera set for their students, such as this one from  Amazon US  or  Amazon UK  (affiliate links).   Matt Bigwood ‘s DIY pinhole cameras are made from ordinary aluminium drink cans:

DIY pinhole camera can

Deliberately overexpose a shot, creating ‘high-key’ photography , like this portrait by Gabi Lukacs :

high-key photography by Gabi Lukacs

Experiment with underwater photography like Elena Kalis :

underwater photography Elena Kalis

Use a homemade light box to create uncluttered backdrops for photography , as in this YouTube video by Auctiva:

Art teachers and students frequently take photographs upon cluttered classroom tabletops, often with less than optimal lighting conditions. Light box photography can be especially useful in this situation, helping those who wish to create professional product shots (Graphic Design students creating promotional material, for instance) or those who want to photograph sculptural or design pieces, create composite works from several elements or just to have a simple backdrop for their images. Tabletop photography becomes infinitely easier when you can light a subject well, and capture true colour and details, in a reliable, uniform way. If you are looking for other less time-intensive tabletop photography ideas or backdrop ideas, it is possible to purchase inexpensive light box kits and light tents from Amazon.com and Amazon UK  (affiliate links).

Experiment with camera filters , like the neutral density filter that was used to photograph this beautiful seascape by Salim Al-Harthy :

camera filters effects

Use specialised photography lighting to achieve dramatic contrasts , as in this portrait of two brothers by dankos-unlmtd :

high contrast lighting photography

Use a transportable photography reflector  (i.e. this one from  Amazon.com  or  Amazom UK  – affiliate links) to create better lighting within your shots, such as in this outdoor portrait by  Toni Lynn :

photography reflector before and after

Take unfocused shots and create semi-abstract photographs , like those by  Bill Armstrong :

unfocused photography by Bill Armstrong

Create 360 degree 3D panoramic photography , as in this image by Nemo Nikt :

panoramic photography 360 degrees

Use kites to create aerial photography , as in this image by Pierre Lesage :

kite aerial photography

Produce High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDR Photography) , as in this example by Karim Nafatni :

HDR photography by Karim Nafatni

Use tilt-shift photography to make real things look miniature , as in this example by  Nicolas :

tilt shift photography - rugby field

Use a tilt-shift effect to make paintings or drawings appear real , as in these photographs of Vincent van Gogh artworks by Serena Malyon :

tilt shift van gogh paintings

Photograph things with extreme macro lenses , like these photos of water drops by Andrew Osokin :

macro photography water drops

Photograph things without contextual information, so objects become almost unrecognisable , as in this example by Peter Lik :

Peter Lik photography of canyons

Take photos from uncommon or unexpected viewpoints , like these birds eye view photographs commissioned by the human rights organization Society for Community Organization :

birds eye view photography

Use frames within frames to create intriguing compositions , such as these photographs by Chen Po-I :

frames within frames photography

Emphasise reflections, rather than the objects themselves , as in the urban landscape photography of Yafiq Yusman :

puddle reflection photography

Play with shadows , like Russ and Reyn Photography :

shadow photography ideas

Create illusions using forced perspective , like these photographs by Laurent Laveder :

forced perspective photography of the moon

Arrange compositions as if they were a beautiful still life painting , such as these food photographs styled by Maggie Ruggiero  and photographed by Martyn Thompson (left) and Marcus Nilsson (right):

still life photography ideas - Maggie Ruggiero

Create candid documentary photography , like these emotion-filled black and white football fan shots by  Christopher Klettermayer :

candid documentary photography

Capture the same scene at different times , as in this photography series by Clarisse d’Arcimoles :

photography time travel

Use mirrors to create illusions , as in this self-portrait by 18 year old photographer Laura Williams :

mirror illusion photography

Create a complex ‘unrealistic’ setting and photograph it , as in this composition by Cerise Doucède :

imaginative interior photography

Collect many similar items and produce typology photography , like  Sam Oster ’s apparatus series:

typology photography ideas

Organise subject matter into patterns , like Jim Golden :

pattern photography examples

Digitally create patterns , as in this artwork by  Misha Gordin :

Misha Gordin photography

Overlay multiple photos from slightly different angles , like these experimental photographs by Stephanie Jung :

experimental digital manipulation photography by Stephanie Jung

Digitally erase parts of objects , as in this A Level Photography work by  Leigh Drinkwater :

A Level Photography examples and ideas

Colour select areas , as in this example by  Locopelli :

colour select technique used in photography

Apply a digital filter to create an illustrative effect , as shown in this Adobe Photoshop tutorial :

Adobe Photoshop filter effects tutorial

Digitally overlay textures onto photos , as illustrated in this tutorial by PhotoshopStar :

texture photography ideas - Photoshop tutorial

Digitally draw over photographs , as in these portraits by May Xiong :

drawing over photographs using Photoshop

Digitally superimpose photographs onto other products , as in these watches by John Rankin Waddell :

John Rankin photography watches

Digitally merge images to play with scale and create fantasy scenes  like Lorna Freytag :

surrealist photography by Lorna Freytag

Combine objects in unexpected ways, to create something new , as in Carl Warner’s foodscapes :

Carl Warner foodscapes

Photograph objects through mottled or translucent screens , like this work by  Matthew Tischler : 

Matthew Tischler screen series

Overlay tracing paper, obscuring parts of an image , like this photograph by Gemma Schiebe :

photography tracing paper overlays

Cut through photographs to expose other layers of photographs below , as in these images by Lucas Simões :

abstract photography ideas by Lucas Simoes

Note: If you are interested in laser cut work, you may wish to see the excellent  A Level Art project by Lucy Feng , which has been featured on the Student Art Guide.

Create layered handmade collages , like these works by Damien Blottière :

creative photography collage ideas

Cut out shapes and insert coloured paper , as in these photographs by Micah Danges :

photography with cut coloured paper layers

Collage photographs and found materials together , creating mixed media art like Jelle Martens :

photography collage art

Make a photomontage , as in these examples by  David Hockney :

david hockney photo montage

Make a photographic assemblage combining foreground, middleground and background , as in this example by Matthew Chase-Daniel :

Matthew Chase-Daniel photomontage

Photograph a single scene over time and join the pieces in sequence , like these composite photographs by Fong Qi Wei :

Fong Qi Wei photography

Cut and Overlap a sequence of photos to create a sense of movement , as in this A Level Photography project by Harriet James-Weed :

motion photography ideas

Combine multiple exposures to create the illusion of repeated objects , like these creative compositions by Lera :

how to combine multiple exposures in photography

Superimpose two different but related scenes over the top of each other , like in this photograph by Adam Goldberg :

superimposed photographs

Photograph an artwork within a scene to create illusions , as in these images by Gregory Scott via Catherine Edelman Gallery :

painting photography illusion by Gregory Scott

Add photography cuttings to real life situations , like the surrealist scenes created by Yorch Miranda :

photography cut out

Inset scenes within other scenes , as in these photographs by Richard Koenig :

richard koenig photography

Poke or cut holes in photos and shine light through , like Amy Friend :

vintage photography by Amy Friend

Photograph scenes through small gaps or holes , as in these photographs by Reina Takahashi :

photograph through cut paper

Experiment with night photography and create a light painting or drawing , as in A Level Photography example by Georgia Shattky:

light painting photography

Note: If you are interested in light painting you may also wish to view this high school  NCEA Photography project by Jessica Louise . Jessica uses a range of night photography techniques, including using a laser to paint with light.  

Use a fast shutter speed to freeze motion , like the action photography of Justin Grant :

high speed action photography

Move the camera horizontally, so a moving subject is in focus but the background is blurred , as in the panning photography of Mr Bones (via My Modern Met ):

panning photography ideas

Use slow shutter speeds to create blurred movement , as in this beautiful water photo by Antti Viitala :

amazing seascape photography

Zoom in while shooting with a slow shutter speed , like A Level Photography student Freya Dumasia :

camera zoom photography technique

Experiment with slow shutter speeds at night, blurring lights , as in the abstract ‘Sightseeing Tunnel’ series by Jakob Wagner :

long exposure night photography

Photograph slow moving objects over a long period of time , as in this photograph by Paul Schneggenburger :

Paul Schneggenburger, sleep of the beloved

Swing the camera while taking photos to achieve a swirling effect , as in this photo by  Lucasbenc :

intentional camera shake to create a blurring effect

Shake or jiggle the camera to create an impressionist effect , like these examples by Gerald Sanders (via Apogee Photo Magazine ):  

shake camera photography

Photograph moving subjects to create blurred, painterly forms , as in these examples by Mirjam Appelhof :

blurred photographs by Mirjam Appelhof

Create abstract photography from blurred motion , as in the ‘Revolution’ series by Yvette Meltzer :

Yvette Meltzer

Digitally add abstract elements to an image , such as these architectural photographs by Nick Frank :

architectural photography by Nick Frank

Take close-up, tightly cropped scenes, creating abstract photography from surfaces and pattern , like these works by Frank Hallam Day :

abstract photography by Frank Hallam Day

Finally, forget all fancy techniques. Open your eyes. Produce an unflinching record of what you see , as in this example by Gianfranco Meloni :  

close up hand photography

This collection is a work in progress. It is continually updated with creative photography ideas and examples. If you are looking instead for photography theme ideas or project ideas for your entire high school or college photography course, please read our article about how to select a great subject or theme for your Art project .

You may also wish to view our collection of Featured Photography Projects by high school students from around the world.

Amiria Gale

Amiria has been an Art & Design teacher and a Curriculum Co-ordinator for seven years, responsible for the course design and assessment of student work in two high-achieving Auckland schools. She has a Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Bachelor of Architecture (First Class Honours) and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching. Amiria is a CIE Accredited Art & Design Coursework Assessor.

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High school sketchbook book

9 Photography Tricks That Anyone Can Try

You don't need fancy camera gear or heaps of experience to capture interesting shots.

Photography is a unique discipline; you can try endless tips and tricks to make your pictures look better. However, many of these will involve needing additional equipment—such as tripods and different lenses.

The good news is that you don’t need much more than the camera you already have to take amazing photos—even if that camera is on your smartphone.

If you’re curious to discover a wide selection of photography tricks that don’t require fancy new gear, you’re in the right place. This guide will show you a selection of things anyone can try with any camera.

1. Upside-Down Puddles

photo of someone taking an image through a body of water

Puddles are incredibly useful if you want to get creative and make the most of reflections. An easy way to take unique photos is by flipping your camera or smartphone upside down, ensuring you can see both the puddle and its reflection.

Once you’ve positioned your device appropriately, you can take the picture. Besides puddles, this tip might also work with other bodies of water—such as lakes and rivers.

2. Take Photos Through Holes or Gaps

photo of a city taken through a gap in a wall

Whether you live in a big or small city, you will find plenty of unique photography opportunities. You can try taking pictures of well-known places through holes or gaps to make images of notable places look more unique.

If you look at many bridges, you’ll notice that they have circles or rectangles you can use to make your images look more interesting. You can also use narrow streets to create a similar effect; if you’re trying to get better at street photography, consider waiting for someone to walk past for a more unique shot.

Another trick you might want to try is covering half of your lens with a wall or something similar.

3. Take Pictures at Different Times of the Day

photo of a city at golden hour

One of the easiest picture tricks for incredible photography is capturing shots at different times of the day. For example, golden hour is a popular time for taking pictures ; the soft lighting can make scenes look dreamier, and portraits seem more flattering. In many cases, photos taken at this time might invoke positive emotions in many people.

However, golden hour isn’t the only interesting time of day to take photos. Blue hour offers plenty of opportunities as well. Capturing images in cloudy conditions is another handy way to make your pictures look more intriguing.

You can experiment and find out which time of the day suits your style.

4. Use In-Camera Filters

Photo Taken With the Mono iPhone Filter

While you can purchase filters for your camera lens, that’s not what we’re talking about in this instance. Instead, we’re primarily discussing the different filters you can add to your pictures from within your camera.

If you use an iPhone to take photos, you’ll have plenty of different filter options —and the same is true for many Android devices. Meanwhile, camera manufacturers like FujiFilm have also included various profiles you can use to make your pictures look more interesting.

When using camera filters, it’s worth remembering that—in some cases—these might only apply to JPEGs. However, tools like Adobe Lightroom will allow you to add filters to RAW files.

5. Shoot in Landscape Mode

photo of a sunny city landscape

This tip seems pretty straightforward—but if you look at many people who snap pictures these days, you’ll notice that they only shoot in portrait mode. Considering that images with a 4:5 crop take up more screen space on Instagram, this isn’t too surprising.

Doing things differently and shooting in landscape mode can help you capture more interesting images. And since everyone else is doing the opposite, you might also stand out. Photographing in landscape mode is also useful if you want to get more of the scene into the shot.

If you want to publish your pictures on Instagram later, consider using Photoshop Express to create 4:5 canvases to which you can add your photos. That way, you won’t need to crop your images too much.

6. Play Around With Your Shutter Speed

photo of different butterflies with slow shutter speed

Your shutter speed will play a huge role in determining how your pictures look, and being a little more flexible with it can help you achieve amazing results. Capturing motion in your photos will let you portray shots that are more fast-paced, and they allow you to get multiple moments in one go.

If you choose a slower shutter speed, you’ll have more motion. Conversely, choosing something faster—like 1/000—will freeze time. You’ll need to figure out a balance between getting the results you want and not making your photos too blurry.

When adjusting your shutter speed, you’ll also need to tweak the ISO and aperture to keep your exposure triangle balanced.

7. Get Close to Your Subject

photo of a macro close-up of a flower

If you don’t have a zoom lens, you can move closer to your subject to get an interesting perspective. This is especially true if you have any form of Macro Mode on your camera.

You can get closer to leaves, buildings, people, and so on. Doing so will also allow you to capture textures and give your shots more life.

8. Put Your Camera at a Unique Angle

photo of a crouched down photo with a photographer doing the same

We’ve already discussed putting your camera close to puddles or other bodies of water, but that’s not the only way to gain a unique perspective. You can twist and turn your camera in multiple other ways, such as pointing it upwards at buildings or placing your device on the floor.

You can also move your body to create similar effects. For example, you can crouch down or bring the camera to hip height instead. Experiment with different positions and figure out which work and don’t work for your photography style.

9. Play Around With White Balance

photo of a beach with warmer tones

Let’s talk about white balance to round up our photo tricks. While you’ll want your picture colors to look realistic, you can play around with white balance to get more of a unique style. One example would be trying to achieve warmer tones on a summer’s day.

You can adjust the white balance in your camera by tweaking the Kelvin meter. However, that’s not your only option. For example, you can switch between your camera’s white balance filters—such as sunny and cloudy.

In addition to making your images look warmer, you can do the opposite by picking a bluer tone.

Try These Camera Tricks to Make Your Photos Look More Interesting

While we’ve covered a selection of trick photography ideas, these are only a small selection. You’ll find plenty of other ways to make your images look interesting, and as you take more photos, you’ll almost certainly find your own unique tricks.

Start with this list and branch out as you become more experienced.

Creative Pad Media

Creative Trick Photography Ideas and Setups

Trick Photography is a genre that often doesn’t get as much attention as other Photography genres.

When done rightly, creative trick photography shots have the capability to take your photography work to the next level because your portfolio will consist of images which seem surreal.

If you are into professional photography, adding trick photography shots can also allow you to charge more to your clients because people love getting shot with the crazy trick photography ideas you will see below.

Before we get started, I wanted to let you know that I have a 5 hour long Trick Photography Course where I show in you the entire process of shooting and editing the different types of trick photography shots you will be seeing in this article.

So first of all, what is Trick Photography?

Trick Photography is a genre of photography where you give the illusion of something surreal happening in the shot. This surrealism is brought about in the shot either by using clever set-ups or simply playing around with perspective. More often that not, the use of manipulative editing in Photoshop is needed to get the final result.

Let’s look at a few trick photography ideas and their set-ups to understand how they are created:

1. Levitation Photography

Levitation Photography is perhaps the most popular type of Trick Photography shot.

levitation trick photography

It is achieved by placing the subject on a set-up (like a chair or some piece of furniture) and then taking a shot with the set-up and the subject and one without it. These two shots are then super-imposed in Photoshop and the set-up is carefully removed.

Let’s look at another levitation shot and its set-up to understand this.

levitation photography setup

To see how I did this entire shoot and also the editing part, see the video below:

With smaller objects, you don’t even need a set-up. You can simple use both your hands to hold the object, one hand at a time, take these two shots and then merge these two shots in Photoshop to keep the empty sides of each shot, like shown below:

floating object photography

In my Trick Photography Course , I show you how to take both these levitation shots in a very detailed and in-depth manner and then I also show you how to edit them in Photoshop.

2. Miniature Photography

Miniature Photography is lot of fun because you give the illusion that a normal sized subject has been shrunk and is now interacting with small objects, like the shot shown below:

creative miniature trick photography

This type of shot obviously involves a bit of advanced editing in Photoshop since you need to be good with making selections and using blending modes . But at the same time what is equally important is that the two shots that are taken for the set-up are shot under similar lighting and perspective to make the editing job easier and more importantly, to add realism to the miniature shot.

Here are the two shots that resulted in the shot above. I show you the entire process of creating and editing this shot in the Trick Photography Course .

creative miniature photography setup

3. Clone Trick Photography

Clone Photography is a type of trick shot where you replicate the subject and create clones in a single frame, like shown in the shot below:

cloning photography

This is of course achieved by taking multiple shots where the subject is placed at the different parts of the frame and the camera stays still on the tripod.

Then all these shots are merged together inside Photoshop where the use of Layer Masking results in the final shot.

Here are the different shots that formed the final shot above:

clone photography

4. Mirror Reflection Trick Photography

mirror trick photography

Mirror Trick Photography is a popular type of shot in which you a present the illusion of a see-through mirror which makes it feel like the body of the subject is hollow.

This is similar to the levitation shot because we take two shots, one with the subject holding the mirror and the second one being with everything removed.

Then the two shots are super-imposed in Photoshop and the mirror surface is removed to reveal the background behind.

Here are the two shots were used:

mirror reflection trick photography

5. Forced Perspective Trick Photography

forced perspective photography ideas

Forced Perspective shots make use of the difference in scale and perspective when different subjects are at different distance from the camera.

They may involve the use of set-ups or may not.

Let’s look at the set-up of a shot I created to give the illusion that the small figure of Batman is a life-size figure:

forced perspective trick photography ideas

In this case, Blending modes were used inside Photoshop to get rid of the white foam-board with just one click.

6. Composite Trick Photography

Composite Photography refers to a type of editing technique where two shots are combined into one by keeping the desirable parts of each shot.

Technically speaking, most of the trick shots that were discussed above come under Composite Photography since most of them required the merging of different shots into one.

But sometimes the two shots can be taken in two completely different environments and then merged together to form an interesting shot like the one below:

composite trick photography

Here are the three shots that were used to create this:

trick photography before after setup

So there you have it. That’s how some of the most popular Trick Photography shots are created.

Sky is limit when it comes to your imagination.

And a bit of Photoshop completes the recipe.

One of best parts about learning Trick Photography is that it makes you an intelligent photographer since you start to develop the art of thinking and planning a shot from the point of view of how it will be edited later on.

If you are interested in mastering the art of Trick Photography, then do check out my 5 hour long course called Trick Photography for Beginners which is available via Udemy.com.

About the Author

portrait photographer for portfolio shoot in pune

Hi there, I'm Kush Sharma , the founder of Creative Pad Media , an organization dedicated to simplifying photography and videography education.

We have over 40 online courses that cover various genres in photography & videography, catering to both beginners as well as professionals. These courses are available via Udemy.com . Our courses have been downloaded in over 170 countries.

I hope to see you inside a course very soon!

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Tips and tricks of portrait photography with Ryan Slack

Fashion and portrait photographer Ryan Slack shares the results of his morning photo session with the KTLA Weekend team. Slack offers tips for photographers and selfie-takers on creating incredible images. Aired on Feb. 24, 2024.

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5 Photography Tips And Tricks Every iPhone Owner Should Know

A pple's iPhones are among the best point-and-shoot smartphone cameras out there. When snapping a picture or even recording a video, your iPhone takes care of everything, from adjusting focus, exposure, white balance, HDR, and so much more, while all you have to do is press the shutter button.

Although the Camera app is pretty straightforward, there are a couple of things that aren't obvious at first, but once you get to know them, they'll instantly help you take better photos or videos.

For instance, a Lens Correction option in the Camera settings reduces distortion on images clicked with the ultra-wide or front camera. If you feel like your iPhone isn't capturing accurate colors while recording videos or switching between different shades of white, enabling the "Lock White Balance" option helps improve the accuracy.

While these are just some hidden camera settings on your iPhone , we have compiled a list of five photography tips and tricks every iPhone owner should know. Let's get started.

Read more: How To Deep Clean An Android Device Safely

Locking Focus And Adjusting Exposure

Although iPhones are great at figuring out the subject and focusing on it, there are some scenarios where you might want to lock the focus, especially when the subject or the background is in motion.

To lock focus and exposure on a subject or the background, if you have something creative in your mind, press and hold on a point in the viewfinder until you see "AE/AF Lock" at the top and a yellow square at the focus point. You can use this trick to click a picture in tricky scenarios where the iPhone fails to adjust focus or exposure.

The moment you lock on something, you'll see the yellow square (depicting the point of focus), and, along with it, you'll also see a sun icon. This is the magical exposure dial that can turn a regular scene into an artistic photograph or help reduce flicker in a scene . To adjust exposure, all you have to do is slide the dial up to increase the overall brightness or slide it down to decrease brightness. 

Notice how the iPhone couldn't focus on the figurine in the image on the left and how locking the focus/exposure resulted in a better-looking photograph.

Explore And Use The Available Composition Options

Composition refers to the general placement of the subject, the background, and the resultant image. The Camera settings menu on your iPhone has a couple of options to help you improve the overall composition of a photo or a video.

First, head to Settings > Camera, and scroll down until you see the "Composition" section. Here, you will see four options: Grid, Level, Mirror Front Camera, and View Outside the Frame.

As you enable the first option, Grid, you'll see that your camera's viewfinder shows two vertical and two horizontal lines, dividing the entire scene into nine equal portions. Per the rule of thirds , keeping the subject along the points of intersection of the grid lines makes an image more compelling and aesthetic.

The second option, Level, tells you whether you've held the camera straight or not. This could be very useful, especially if you're learning to click pictures from your iPhone or you're an enthusiast wanting to ensure all the images are leveled.

By default, the iPhone's front camera flips the images horizontally. If you don't want this to happen, simply enable the Mirror Front Camera option, and you're good. Enabling the "View Outside the Frame" option lets you peak at the scene outside the frame to show what you could capture using another lens.

Control Flash And Night Mode

Our next photography tip for you is taking manual control over your iPhone's flash.

Swipe up on the viewfinder screen while clicking a picture or recording a video and hit the flash icon. You'll see three options: Auto, On, and Flash Off. While Auto will let the camera decide whether it needs flash, Flash Off deactivates it. However, if you need extra light in a picture, select On from the available options.

While your iPhone's flash is effective for subjects closer to you, it won't work if you're capturing a landscape. For this and other situations when the subject is poorly lit, you can enable your iPhone's Night Mode.

Essentially, Night Mode decreases the shutter speed, allowing the image sensor to pick up more light and, subsequently, information and click a well-exposed image, even in the dark. You can even use Night Mode for astrophotography . 

To enable Night Mode, swipe up on the viewfinder and select the moon-shaped icon. Next, decide the shutter speed from the available options, which generally include Auto (for letting the phone decide the duration) or Max (which varies depending on how dark the scene is).

Play Around With Live Photos

By default, your iPhone keeps Live Photos on, which captures what happens 1.5 seconds before and 1.5 seconds after you take a picture. 

You can edit a Live Photo in several ways. To change the key photo that appears in the gallery, open the Live Photo, tap Edit at the top right, select Live from the options at the bottom, and then select the right moment by dragging the slider at the bottom. Next, tap "Make Key Photo" and hit Done at the top right.

You can also switch from several Live Photo effects, including Live, Loop, Bounce, Long Exposure, or Live Off. The first or the default effect plays the short video that a Live Photo captures on holding the photo. The second effect plays the image in a loop. The third effect rocks the video back and forth.

The Long Exposure effect captures the movement with time. With this effect, fireworks look like a streak of light, while waterfalls look like a blurry and smooth stream of water. 

Another iPhone photography trick involves saving a Live Photo as a video. Simply open the picture, hit the three-dot menu at the top right, and then select "Save as Video." If you feel like Live Photos take too much space , you can turn them off too. 

Read the original article on SlashGear .

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David Nield

17 Tips to Take Your ChatGPT Prompts to the Next Level

5 blue balls riding on 5 randomly arranged curved black tubes against a bright green backdrop

ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and other tools like them are making artificial intelligence available to the masses. We can now get all sorts of responses back on almost any topic imaginable. These chatbots can compose sonnets, write code, get philosophical, and automate tasks.

However, while you can just type anything you like into ChatGPT and get it to understand you. There are ways of getting more interesting and useful results out of the bot. This "prompt engineering" is becoming a specialized skill of its own.

Sometimes all it takes is the addition of a few more words or an extra line of instruction and you can get ChatGPT responses that are a level above what everyone else is seeing—and we've included several examples below.

While there's lots you can do with the free version of ChatGPT, a few of these prompts require a paid ChatGPT Plus subscription —where that's the case, we've noted it in the tip.

ChatGPT can give you responses in the form of a table if you ask. This is particularly helpful for getting information or creative ideas. For example, you could tabulate meal ideas and ingredients, or game ideas and equipment, or the days of the week and how they're said in a few different languages.

Using follow-up prompts and natural language, you can have ChatGPT make changes to the tables it has drawn and even produce the tables in a standard format that can be understood by another program (such as Microsoft Excel).

If you provide ChatGPT with a typed list of information, it can respond in a variety of ways. Maybe you want it to create anagrams from a list of names, or sort a list of products into alphabetical order, or turn all the items in a list into upper case. If needed, you can then click the copy icon (the small clipboard) at the end of an answer to have the processed text sent to the system clipboard.

Screenshot of ChatGPT

Get ChatGPT to respond as your favorite author.

With some careful prompting, you can get ChatGPT out of its rather dull, matter-of-fact, default tone and into something much more interesting—such as the style of your favorite author, perhaps.

You could go for the searing simplicity of an Ernest Hemingway or Raymond Carver story, the lyrical rhythm of a Shakespearean play, or the density of a Dickens novel. The resulting prose won't come close to the genius of the actual authors themselves, but it's another way of getting more creative with the output you generate.

ChatGPT can really impress when it's given restrictions to work within, so don't be shy when it comes to telling the bot to limit its responses to a certain number of words or a certain number of paragraphs.

It could be everything from condensing the information in four paragraphs down into one, or even asking for answers with words of seven characters or fewer (just to keep it simple). If ChatGPT doesn't follow your responses properly, you can correct it, and it'll try again.

Another way of tweaking the way ChatGPT responds is to tell it who the intended audience is for its output. You might have seen WIRED's videos in which complex subjects are explained to people with different levels of understanding. This works in a similar way.

For example, you can tell ChatGPT that you are speaking to a bunch of 10-year-olds or to an audience of business entrepreneurs and it will respond accordingly. It works well for generating multiple outputs along the same theme.

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Tell ChatGPT the audience it's writing for.

ChatGPT is a very capable prompt engineer itself. If you ask it to come up with creative and effective inputs for artificial intelligence engines such as Dall-E and Midjourney , you'll get text you can then input into other AI tools you're playing around with. You're even able to ask for tips with prompts for ChatGPT itself.

When it comes to generating prompts, the more detailed and specific you are about what you're looking for the better: You can get the chatbot to extend and add more detail to your sentences, you can get it to role-play as a prompt generator for a specific AI tool, and you can tell it to refine its answers as you add more and more information.

While ChatGPT is based around text, you can get it to produce pictures of a sort by asking for ASCII art. That's the art made up of characters and symbols rather than colors. The results won't win you any prizes, but it's pretty fun to play around with.

The usual ChatGPT rules apply, in that the more specific you are in your prompt the better, and you can get the bot to add new elements and take elements away as you go. Remember the limitations of the ASCII art format though—this isn't a full-blown image editor.

Screenshot of ChatGPT

A ChatGPT Plus subscription comes with image generation.

If you use ChatGPT Plus , it's got the DALL-E image generator right inside it, so you can ask for any kind of photo, drawing, or illustration you like. As with text, try to be as explicit as possible about what it is you want to see, and how it's shown; do you want something that looks like a watercolor painting, or like it was taken by a DSLR camera? You can have some real fun with this: Put Columbo in a cyberpunk setting, or see how Jurassic Park would look in the Victorian era. The possibilities are almost endless.

You don't have to do all the typing yourself when it comes to ChatGPT. Copy and paste is your friend, and there's no problem with pasting in text from other sources. While the input limit tops out at around 4,000 words, you can easily split the text you're sending the bot into several sections and get it to remember what you've previously sent.

Perhaps one of the best ways of using this approach is to get ChatGPT to simplify text that you don't understand—the explanation of a difficult scientific concept, for instance. You can also get it to translate text into different languages, write it in a more engaging or fluid style, and so on.

If you want to go exploring, ask ChatGPT to create a text-based choose-your-own adventure game. You can specify the theme and the setting of the adventure, as well as any other ground rules to put in place. When we tried this out, we found ourselves wandering through a spooky castle, with something sinister apparently hiding in the shadows.

Screenshot of ChatGPT

ChatGPT is able to create text-based games for you to play.

Another way to improve the responses you get from ChatGPT is to give it some data to work with before you ask your question. For instance, you could give it a list of book summaries together with their genre, then ask it to apply the correct genre label to a new summary. Another option would be to tell ChatGPT about activities you enjoy and then get a new suggestion.

There's no magic combination of words you have to use here. Just use natural language as always, and ChatGPT will understand what you're getting at. Specify that you're providing examples at the start of your prompt, then tell the bot that you want a response with those examples in mind.

You can ask ChatGPT for feedback on any of your own writing, from the emails you're sending to friends, to the short story you're submitting to a competition, to the prompts you're typing into the AI bot. Ask for pointers on spelling, grammar, tone, readability, or anything else you want to scrutinize.

ChatGPT cleared the above paragraph as being clear and effective, but said it could use a call to action at the end. Try this prompt today!

Screenshot of ChatGPT

Get ChatGPT to give you feedback on your own writing.

In the same way that ChatGPT can mimic the style of certain authors that it knows about, it can also play a role: a frustrated salesman, an excitable teenager (you'll most likely get a lot of emoji and abbreviations back), or the iconic western film star John Wayne.

There are countless roles you can play around with. These prompts might not score highly in terms of practical applications, but they're definitely a useful insight into the potential of these AI chatbots.

You can type queries into ChatGPT that you might otherwise type into Google, looking for answers: Think "how much should I budget for a day of sightseeing in London?" or "what are the best ways to prepare for a job interview?" for example. Almost anything will get a response of some sort—though as always, don't take AI responses as being 100 percent accurate 100 percent of the time.

If you're using the paid ChatGPT Plus tool, it will actually search the web (with Bing) and provide link references for the answers it gives. If you're using the free version of ChatGPT, it'll mine the data its been trained on for answers, so they might be a little out of date or less reliable.

Your answers can be seriously improved if you give ChatGPT some ingredients to work with before asking for a response. They could be literal ingredients—suggest a dish from what's left in the fridge—or they could be anything else.

So don't just ask for a murder mystery scenario. Also list out the characters who are going to appear. Don't just ask for ideas of where to go in a city; specify the city you're going to, the types of places you want to see, and the people you'll have with you.

Your prompts don't always have to get ChatGPT to generate something from scratch: You can start it off with something, and then let the AI finish it off. The model will take clues from what you've already written and build on it.

This can come in handy for everything from coding a website to composing a poem—and you can then get ChatGPT to go back and refine its answer as well.

You've no doubt noticed how online arguments have tended toward the binary in recent years, so get ChatGPT to help add some gray between the black and the white. It's able to argue both sides of an argument if you ask it to, including both pros and cons.

From politics and philosophy to sports and the arts, ChatGPT is able to sit on the fence quite impressively—not in a vague way, but in a way that can help you understand tricky issues from multiple perspectives.

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Gemini Guide: Tips & Tricks

  • What Can Gemini Do?

Generating Ideas

  • Brainstorming
  • Refining and Expanding

Creative Content Generation

  • Effective Idea Generation
  • Writing and Editing
  • Research & Knowledge Details
  • Summarizing / Explainers
  • Technical Skills
  • Gemini Features Mind Map
  • Gemini Features Radial

Topic Exploration:  You can ask Gemini broad questions like, "Give me ideas for blog posts about healthy eating" or "Suggest short story topics within the sci-fi genre." This sparks the creative process when you're feeling stuck.

  • Unique Angles:  If you have a basic idea, Gemini can help find fresh perspectives on it. For instance, "Give me unusual angles for an essay about the importance of friendship."

Brainstorming and Concept Development

  • Direct Questions: Ask clear questions like, "Generate marketing campaign ideas for a new line of sustainable shoes" or "Give me 10 blog post topics about personal finance."
  • Problem Focus: Define a problem you're trying to solve and ask Gemini for solutions. For instance, "How can I promote better engagement at work events?"
  • "What if" Scenarios: Ask hypothetical questions like "What if an app could organize all my social media in one place?"

Refining and Explaining Ideas

  • Elaboration: Take an existing idea and ask Gemini to add specific details. For example, if your idea is "host a charity bike race", ask "What themes could make my charity bike race stand out?"
  • Variations: Provide an idea and ask Gemini to make changes or twists. "What are some variations on a classic grilled cheese sandwich?"
  • Targeted Feedback: Tell Gemini to identify weaknesses in your idea, strengths, or potential problems.
  • Storylines: Have Gemini outline short stories, ad scripts, or video content concepts. "Give me a storyline for a funny commercial about a clumsy robot assistant."
  • Poems, Songs, Scripts: Experiment with different forms of creative writing. Gemini can generate haikus, song lyrics, or even scene ideas for a play.
  • Visual Inspiration: Gemini's image generation capability can provide visual ideas for marketing materials, concept art, or just general inspiration

Tips for Effective Idea Generation

  • Be Specific: Instead of vague prompts, phrase your requests with targeted details. The better the input, the better the output.
  • Start Broad, Then Narrow: Begin with a wide-ranging prompt and gradually refine your ideas with subsequent prompts.
  • Ask "Why" and "How": Go beyond merely describing what you want. Ask why it would be helpful, or how it could be done for fresh perspectives.
  • Embrace the Unusual: Don't be afraid of wacky suggestions. These sometimes lead to valuable unexpected insights.
  • Combine, Adapt, Modify: Mix and match ideas Gemini generates. Don't feel constrained by a single suggestion.

Example Scenario Let's say you're trying to think of engaging topics for a new YouTube channel:

Direct Question: "What are 10 popular content ideas for YouTube channels?"

Problem Focus: "I want to create YouTube videos that teach people a new skill. What are some ideas that have potential viewership?"

Refinement: "That list has some interesting video ideas. How can I make a personal budgeting tutorial stand out from others?"

Creative: "Write a funny song about the dangers of impulse shopping."

Keep in mind: Gemini is a powerful tool, but it works best when you interact with it. The more you explore, the better your results will be!

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