52 Creative Photography Challenges to Keep You Shooting Weekly
There is no end to the list of ways you may use photography for showcasing your creativity. Whether it be nature, food photography, etc. you have enormous opportunities to learn and expose the beauty of those items.
In order to get your skills in balance, we have created a list of 52 creative photography challenges to keep you engaged throughout the year. Let us get started and see how much you learn by the end of this year.
Explore the world through your smartphone
Make use of the extreme portability of smartphones and their versatile and almost professional-grade cameras.
Study the light
Lights are always fascinating in photography. Study the impacts of different light sources on your subject.
Try multiple perspectives
Changing the perspective creates a tremendous difference for the same subject. It is a field worth exploring to reach different dimensions.
Get into architecture photography
One of my favourite creative photography challenges is to walk my city and shoot up high. That is, I go and find the best architectures around you and photograph their best qualities. Here are some great architectural photography tips to do this well.
The family portrait
Family portraits also have several dimensions worth exploring. Plus these portraits can also be used as Christmas cards, etc.
Urban photography
Get into the world of urban photography and try to capture urban life. You can make more of these creative photography challenges by shooting street style people shots, or graffiti in laneways, etc.
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Shallow effects
Shallow effects have the potential to create remarkable photos in almost any category. Learn to make the best use of them.
Shift focus
Try shifting the focus from the subject matter in the frame. This is a popular modern trend. Right now it is one of the most creative photography challenges.
Capture photos through something
Use a glass or increase the use of filters to capture usual items in an extraordinary fashion. This article on Digital Photography School shares some fantastic thoughts on this topic.
Highlight something from your daily life
Capture the images related to daily life throughout the week. It could be anything like a cup of tea, a glass of water, etc.
Look and capture the photo of eyes from different angles
Eyes are one of the most fascinating things to capture. Photos of eyes are enough to tell a lot of stories.
Repeating patterns
Surprisingly, you would be able to find a large number of daily life objects with repeating patterns. It is quite an interesting field to study. This could be as simple as bricks, or more trickier elements like power lines or rooftops on a specific angle.
Just take some time to notice your surroundings, and I am positive you will find patterns that you really have never noticed before.
Food photography
There is a wide range of objects to capture in this genre. Whether it be raw food items like fruits and vegetables or items related to meals, their image can be captured from different angles for a completely new look.
Then there's drinks, or ingredients laid out like a flat lay. Imagine arranging your next meal into small white bowls showing each ingredient? That could look fabulous.
Landscapes at different times
You might have tried taking photos of the mountain during sunrise or sunset. Let us try something new and capture the same images at other time intervals. Maybe even a time lapse stitched into a wide angle photograph could be fascinating and creative photography challenges.
Dive into the mirror world
Nature gives immense opportunities to use this technique. You may think of this technique whenever you see a pond and any other place with still water. Adjust the camera angle to mirror the real world by using water.
Night landscapes with reduced shutter speeds
Night landscape is such an amazing way to capture nature in a whole different way. Explore this world with slow shutter speeds and see the effects. While doing so, make sure you are using a tripod.
Tell a story with street photography
Once you step into the streets of your city, you will find different people engaged in different tasks. That is definitely a field worth exploring if you believe in telling a story through images.
Be careful to not get people upset about you taking their photographs though. It can be a touchy subject for some people.
Try capturing the natural phenomenon
Different weather conditions offer different exposure to capture the world. Wait for the right condition to capture the perfect photo of the natural world. It could be the sunset or something like extreme foggy weather, etc.
Capture people’s photos when they work
Telling stories through photos becomes really easy when the subject is engaged in doing something. It remains one of the best creative photography challenges even today.
Learn to capture motion
Photographing motion is not an easy task however you can get remarkable photos in this category. The best way to capture and learn about such photos is through capturing photos of animals in motion.
Steady subject in a busy surrounding
Such photos are able to signify immense meaning. You may focus on a stationary object in a very busy street or something like that.
Shoot the stars
Shooting photos of stars in the night sky has its own beauty. Dive deep into this style and you will learn a lot in this process.
Trees have a lot worth capturing
If you focus on the fine details, you will find that trees of different categories have different textures. Revealing those textures through better photos is extraordinary.
Shoot a well-backlit subject
This technique creates photos of immense quality. All you need is a few light sources behind the subject and pointed towards your camera.
Capture motion with long exposure
It might seem counterintuitive however long exposure photography is definitely worth giving a try. This technique creates blur in the photo that adds much to its beauty.
Candid moments
It is very simple. You just need to be a bit more attentive. Go to a social event or something like that with your camera. Shoot photos of people while they interact with each other.
Study the elegant shine of metals
Here your subject is metal. Focus on the metal from a precise angle to highlight its shine.
Shoot photos in the golden hours
You must have some idea about the golden hour i.e. just after sunrise or before sunset. These are the best times to explore the outside world of nature.
It is time to consider surfaces
Different surfaces have different textures and colour compositions. Dedicate a week to study and capture different surfaces.
Go for scenes with excess contrast
You may find such compositions in nature as well. Find such scenes and capture the beauty out of that contrast.
Give some time to monochrome photography
Now is the time to explore a whole new realm i.e. the world of monochrome photography. Scenes with high contrast work the best in this class.
Compose the frame with different colours
Such photos are surfacing the internet right now. Capturing photos with enough colours creates really amazing and soothing effects. You can make a particular colour as a focus. Using red as that colour works the best.
Learn to use the focal point
The focal point is often used to target the subject in the foreground however that is not all. This time, try using the background as a focal point. This exotic way of using focal points creates amazing effects.
Look at the world from different angles i.e. aerial photography
Aerial photography has become quite a common thing and you should give it a try. The way it lets people see the world like a bird is amazing. You can start by getting into drone photography, or book a tourist flight on board a helicopter or small plane.
Use shadows as your subject
Shadows are often removed from the image because people consider them unwanted. However it is time to consider shadows. Make shadows the focus of your image and see how it works.
Give some time to the world of selfie
The handy cameras of this age or smartphones have enabled people to express much more with just selfies. Give this field some time and learn the different camera settings involved here that affect the quality of photos.
Make use of glass and mirrors
Consider using glass and mirrors for enhancing the quality of the image. You can make several arrangements with just household items.
Try low perspective
Shooting photos from a low perspective makes you able to see the world from a completely different angle. Shooting photographs using creative perspective is a worthy technique to try this year.
Photos of children
You can create the most natural and candid photos with the help of children. Always ensure that you have permission from their parents, if they are not your kids. This cant be stated enough.
If you want that special candid moment, make sure that they don’t notice you in this process. Otherwise, try getting them to pose with silly faces, or in moments of emotion, such as laughing.
Splash shots
The best thing here is you will never run out of ideas. Plenty of resources are available online to help you. Once you master this art, you will be able to create some of the most eye-catching photos of this category.
Create art pieces with the help of smoke
Here you have to shoot photos of smoke. Many countries allow the sale of smoke for photography, and you can often choose from a wide range of colours as well.
If not, then you may have to make use of imaging software such as Photoshop. These smoke filled photos are really trending right now.
Shots of water drops
Whether it be the free-falling drops or the moment they crash with a surface, water drops are fascinating to capture all the time. This is where you push the speed of your lens and camera, to capture water falling in mid air.
Understand the extent of bokeh
Bokeh has tremendous potential however it is not only for capturing the subject. You can extend the limits of bokeh to include the whole frame in it. However it works only when there are immensely shiny objects with better shapes.
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Turn the food into a whole new world
Several photographers call it a food landscape however you can do even more. You need miniature models of real-world objects. Arrange those miniature models with food items to create an artificial world composed of food items.
Abstract art using oils
You might get fascinated by images of bubbles and other such structures on the internet. The majority of those images are created with the help of oil on transparent glass with a strong light source in the background. You can do it very easily with glass dishes and cooking oils.
Play with a crystal ball
Crystal balls have the potential to give you a glimpse of the world from a completely different angle. Feel free to use the crystal ball with almost any subject in the background.
Give some time to capture fire
As a photographer, you must be aware of the abilities of fire in creating amazing photos. However you need a bit of patience to capture the best shot.
Use ice to get the best photos
You may use any tiny objects here. Flowers remain the first choice of photographers. Take a plastic or glass container and free items like a flower, etc. in distilled water and put them in the freezer. You will be able to create remarkable shots of those frozen items.
Utilise the potential of lubricants
The use of lubricants in photography might seem strange however it is worth trying. You can do it with a spare filter and a little Vaseline. Apply the Vaseline all over the filter except the centre. This technique creates photos that seem more like a dream with distorted reality.
The artistic version of food photography
Grab a sharp knife and take out some thin slices of items like lemons, onions, fruits, and other food items. Now you need a transparent surface with better lights in the background for your food photography. Close shots of those thin slices would take an artistic form.
The soap film effect
Your requirements in this technique are minimal and household objects can fulfil your needs here. Mixing soap with glycerine will make the film last long. Make sure there is black cloth in the background and use wires to create patterns.
The world of flowers
Nature holds beauty in every part of it. However that beauty speaks the loudest through flowers. Dedicate the entire week to capturing the beauty of flowers.
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Final words
We created this list of creative photography challenges to boost your skills in association with a wide range of objects around you. Completing these challenges mindfully will take your photography skills to the next level.
About the Author
Emma Taylor is an Australian blogger and photographer, who lives in Melbourne with her two cats, where she frequents live theatre and wine bars.