twelve Creative Photography Project Ideas to Get You Motivated

Looking for several fun, creative photography project ideas to get you inspired plus excited about taking photos?

It’s always good to be involved in a pictures project, and in this article, I’m going to share 12 of my favorite project ideas, including 52-week projects, 365-day projects, and much more.

So if you are ready to find the right project for your needs, then let’s get started!

Before you start your creative photography project

As with anything in life, once you have a project idea, it is important to think it as well as make a clear plan of action. This is a big step toward becoming successful. So if you have a project in your mind, before you actually start snapping photos, consider the following points:

• Give yourself time. Keep in mind the amount of free time you have. Is it realistic that you can complete the project? There are some projects that take a real time commitment; make sure you have a good plan in place if this is the type of project you decide to deal with. And ask yourself: Are there any essential events over the next couple weeks, months, or year, such as a wedding or a house move, that might make it difficult to end?
• Plan out all the details. In case your project is long term, perhaps lasting a whole year, then make a plan for how you’ll achieve it. A 365 project is especially demanding, when you need to take a photograph every day. Whenever you can, plan out every day of the task – and make your plan past to getting started.
• Permit the unexpected. There will be times when you get ill, come home late, or your own drive or motivation isn’t quite there. The plan a person make for your project should include some easy days. Think of it as cooking food ahead and having a few frozen food in the fridge ready to reheat. In digital photography, there are always a number of photos that are very easy to take but still appear striking. Keep some easier photos held back for the purpose of times that you need a break.

12 creative photography projects to energize your job

As a year is 12 months long, I have included 12 project suggestions (though some of them will take every year, whereas others may only take a weekend). Pick and choose your favorite, or – should you be ambitious! – choose several!

1 . The particular 52-week project

This is a year-long project to take one photograph per week. Tackling such a lengthy task is demanding, but if you are able to plan out some (or all) of your shots before the project starts, you’ll be a lot more successful.

Note that you can always customize the project to keep things more interesting and/or cohesive:

If you want to carry out regular photography but you are not quite ready for a daily task, the 52-week project is a superb one to pick.

second . The 365-day project

This is an intimidating project to take on, which is why many people opt for the 52-week version listed above. However , like a relationship that requires a major time commitment, the reward for this project is frequently worth it.

Now, the original 365 task required daily self-portraits, which made it even tougher to finish. But a lot of people simply turn to take one good photograph each day, be it a landscape, family portrait, or macro shot. Should you be not sure how to get started, here are a few suggestions:

• The self-portrait 365 task . Take a selfie every single day for a year.
• What’s on your dish? Photograph your meal every day.
• Life at sea . Show the different facets of sea life. This is a diverse project that can include seascapes, macro photos, fishermen, and underwater photography (if you might have the gear).

3. Follow one consistent theme

Want to really focus your mind (and hone a specific set of digital photography skills)? Choose a theme, and only take photos aligned with this theme.

This creative photography project can simply work as a 365-day or even 52-week project. Here are only a few ideas to get you started:

• Focus on a single technique . Consider photos with a crystal ball , using an infrared camera, etc .
• Have a topic for inspiration . Look at  everyday  objects and occurrences, then pick a subject that interests you. You might photograph only Chinese food, for example. Or you could perform a clothes-related project – you could photograph only denim, or if you’re in Korea, you can photograph hanbok.
• Photograph at the same time each day. Pick a moments of the day and photograph only at this time. For instance, you might take every day at 6 EVENING, which will offer plenty of interesting light (plus, it will transformation throughout the year).

4. Restrict yourself to 24 photos

Photographers who photograph film know all about restraint – they will attest to the significance of really considering every photograph. So why not put yourself within their shoes and limit yourself to a certain number of shots per outing, day, or week?

The specific limitation is a personal choice, but make sure the number isn’t too big (you want the task to involve some actual work, after all! ). Personally, I like the idea of 24 shots – this hearkens back to the times of film – if you can also do 36, 20, or even 10.

To really emulate the feeling of shooting movie, try only capturing twenty-four photographs for one week (no deleting)! With this project, every time you hit the shutter, you need to know you’re photographing in the best possible angle and with the best composition. Learning to successfully capture with restraint will improve your job in leaps and bounds.

5. Make use of the title of a song or even album

Sampling into other mediums could be a great way to come up with a cool creative photography project. A lot of people take a photo, then make a name to go with it – yet a better approach for creativity is to know the title of your photograph just before you hit the shutter button.

In other words: You determine your photography concept in advance based on your shot title. Then you problem-solve to get the result you need.

You will get your titles anywhere, yet I recommend looking to your favorite songs album or song. Here are some additional ideas:

• The project could use an artist’s album titles
• You could select song titles, then convert them into photo titles
• You can use the lyrics in a song to inspire photos

6. Only use one (prime) lens

Most photographers very own quite a few lenses, not to mention zooms with huge focal size ranges. And while this isn’t always a bad thing, you may find your self becoming lazy over time – using your zoom lenses, remaining in the exact same place, not making a significant effort to really work a scene.

That’s where this picture taking project idea comes in useful. Simply shoot with a solitary lens for a day, per week, or a month, and you will quickly appreciate the value of cautious composition , zooming with your feet, and much more.

A really good zoom lens to get started with is the nifty 50 (i. e., a 50mm f/1. 8 or even f/1. 4). The fixed focal length will force you to consider composition more carefully, and you’ll obtain a perspective similar to the human eye.

Of course , you have plenty of options, and any lens you could choose will have its merits. If you want to get really creative, try using a fisheye, tilt-shift, or macro lens.

seven. Only use a smartphone

Who says your creative photography project ought to be high-tech? There’s a lot to be said for stripping your photography gear down to the basics, and your smartphone is perfect for this.

There are plenty of camera apps that can provide your smartphone DSLR-like features (and you can buy clip-on lenses if you’re looking for added flexibility).

Having said that, the purest smartphone task will only use your phone’s basic camera app. So do not be afraid to pack away your fancy cameras and use your smartphone’s native camera app for a week. Focus on what you can do with composition, light, and a perfectly timed minute of capture.

8. Find a story

No matter where you live, you can get a story to tell , though it can likely differ depending on whether you’re in a city, the country, a hot climate, or perhaps a cold one. Is your local area famous for any type of food? Are there any famous landmarks such as castles or temples nearby? What about an annual festival?

Once you’ve settled on your story, approach it in the way you’d photograph on task for a magazine. Try to show the entire story. Use a selection of techniques and shoot a variety of subjects.

In late the project, you should spend time picking a final set of pictures – not necessarily the best person shots, but the images that will best tell a story. If you get a good result, you might even consider pitching it to some magazine!

9. Learn a completely new technique

Once you know how to use your camera, it’s easy to get complacent – to shoot with the identical techniques, the same settings, exactly the same rhythm. So why not try focusing your project on a new method?

Learning a new technique can be both interesting and intimidating. It may also require a significant time commitment. You will find not many creative photography projects more energizing than studying something brand new, though. Here are some fun techniques to consider:

• Digital blending . This technique will be better both your landscape photography  and your Photoshop skills. You will find aspects of blending that are tough to master, but it will unquestionably be worth it.
• Crystal balls . Using a glass ball being a type of external lens is a lot of fun, and it is a great way to create some unusual photos.
• Light painting . This is a hot topic in photography. Will you learn to take zoom bursts? What about making lighting orbs ? Will you make use of a Pixelstick ?
• Drone photography . This is another photographic type that’s becoming increasingly popular. Purchase a drone, shoot with it regularly, and you’ll be around the cutting edge of photography.
• Hyperlapse . Take a series of photos and turn them into a video. One of the most creative photography projects available use this technique!
• Off-camera expensive . Many photographers struggle to master flash; take time to learn it, and you will go a long way.

ten. Have a potluck photography celebration

Everyone’s visited a potluck party – they’re the ones where everyone brings along their own food. As well as the collaborative nature of potluck parties makes them perfect for getting together with other photographers as part of a creative photography project.

How do you organize a potluck photography occasion ? Each person should carry the following:

• A camera body and something camera lens
• One prop or bit of camera equipment

While everyone will use their own camera to take photos, the idea is that the prop or tool can be shared – so you might end up with one tripod, or even one umbrella, for the entire team. And at every event, the particular available equipment will be different, offering different image opportunities.

You can come up with a style for the potluck that everybody must follow, or you can have a theme for your own shots. This your a very open-ended project concept, so have fun with it!

eleven. Follow an A-Z photography list

This kind of project can be extremely fun. Whatever you do is photograph the alphabet!

You may start by writing out a listing of topics you want to photograph (one for each letter). Or you can take a more spontaneous approach and photograph each letter as you encounter it.

This is a fun game which you can use for group photowalks, or you can play it on your own – when traveling, or simply whenever out with your camera.

12. Per day in the life

A day in the life is an excellent, short project to work on – because it only takes one day! Simply find somebody whose life you want to photograph and ask them if you can tag along for a day.

Of course , you don’t have to prevent there. You can always do a collection covering different people. And the project doesn’t have got to be about people; life is everywhere, therefore you could follow your pet or even photograph a natural area.

That said, the very best projects do tend to be about people and their lives (a day in the lifetime that looks at different people’s professions is a great choice).

Get started with your creative photography project!

Well, there you might have it:

twelve photography project ideas to enable you to get motivated! Hopefully, you found at least one or two of these concepts compelling – so choose your favorite, make a plan, and dive in!

Now over to you:

Have you tried a photography project just before? Do you have any favorite tasks you’d like to share? Also, which project from this listing do you plan to do? Share your thoughts in the comments below!