So, you armed yourself with a camera, agreed with the model and are going to shoot an artistic portrait? Take note of these tips for filming in the city.
Some subjects just beg for a photo shoot, while others you didn’t even know about. We give you a dose of inspiration and ten best ideas about where to go for a portrait shoot in the city.
1. Alley
Let's start with the most obvious. Every city has parks, and in parks there are alleys. Take a closer look: the trees planted on both sides of the path are photogenic at any time of the year. Use long lenses to enhance the effect.
Henry's beautiful world © Zaneta Frenn
2. Cafe
We will not make a discovery if we write that the interior of a cafe can be used to reveal many images and plots.
3. Subway
If your city has a subway, you're in luck. It is most convenient to conduct photo sessions without attracting too much attention late in the evening. And this is not the only type of transport that can be used for photo shoots.
4. Electric train
The train is also suitable for taking portraits. The main thing is to catch the morning or evening light. The only pity is that it usually falls during rush hour.
5. Train station or train station
Don't want to go? Take photos at the station. It’s better not to go out on the way, remember the fate of Anna Karenina.
6. Tram
The topic of transport does not end there. The tram is a very photogenic form of transport. Take advantage of this.
7. Library
You didn’t expect such a turn, but... There is an excellent reason to sign up for the library. Shelves with books are perfect for creating an artistic portrait. A bookstore is also good.
8. High-rise buildings
Even if your city has nothing but residential areas, it doesn’t matter. The rhythmic pattern of high-rise buildings will be a good background.
Original ideas for a girl’s photo shoot are worth their weight in gold. Every female representative dreams of being in an unusual image - being transported to another time, trying on a medieval outfit, becoming a female gangster, a cartoon character. If you conduct a professional photo shoot for a girl, you can easily realize these dreams.
An unusual photo shoot for a girl is Personal diary life, a wonderful holiday gift, or just a pleasant surprise.
How to choose an image?
Organizing a photo shoot for a girl is a responsible event for which you should be well prepared. If you haven’t yet thought through a bright and stylish concept for your future “reincarnation,” you can consult a professional stylist. He will help you choose clothes (including for overweight girls, hiding figure flaws), makeup. This will make your portrait complete and organic.
Ideas for a photo shoot can be implemented in the style of:
- pin-up
- eastern
- retro
- gangster
Poster girl
A pin-up photoshoot will turn you into a poster girl from the mid-20th century. The name “to pin up” translates as “to pin up” (that is, to pin a poster on the wall). This style is characterized by:
- brightly painted eyes and lips
- stylish headband or hat
- summer sexy clothes (a great idea for photo shoots for girls would be to shoot in a swimsuit)
- high-heeled shoes (you can take 2 pairs to change your shoes after taking photos)
A good pose in the frame (for example, a straight back and a half-bent leg) will emphasize the sly and playful look of the beauty.
Oriental beauty
The costume plays a huge role in oriental style - it consists of different elements. As part of a photo shoot for a girl, this could be:
- dancer costume
- long dress of a modest woman from Medina
- luxurious turban on the head
A full-length photograph will demonstrate the oriental beauty’s outfit in all its splendor, and a close-up will allow you to focus on jewelry or highlight the eyes and face. Oriental outfits are perfect for thematic photography of both petite and plus-size ladies.
Back to the past
Original photo shoots of girls in retro style will allow you to plunge into bygone eras. For example, one of the reference points for many generations is the unsurpassed Audrey Hepburn. Recognizable style features:
- 60s dress
- beautiful high hairstyle
- themed accessories (mouthpiece, jewelry)
For such a set, especially if a photo studio is chosen as the shooting location, you can take your favorite animal from home. The photo will immediately sparkle with new colors.
In a gangster outfit
If you're dreaming of a cool girl photo shoot, you can use a gangster outfit. Much depends on the accessories, which include:
- gun
- suitcase full of dollars
Photo sessions in this style will give you unforgettable emotions. There can be a lot of posing options here. For example, the model is looking straight, pointing the muzzle of a Thompson submachine gun at the camera lens. This option is also possible: in the foreground there is a face in profile and a back, and a bat is thrown over the shoulder. The beauty with the bat looks defiant and extraordinary. You can take photographs using special filters that will bring the picture closer to the style of a comic book or black and white movie.
Choosing a location
City, nature, home set or studio? Consult a professional - he will tell you where is the best place to take photographs to realize your ideas. The best places for original photo sessions are:
- public building
- City streets or the beach are the best options for shooting in summer
- beautiful studio
- original “art objects” (for example, these could be abandoned factories, interesting from a shooting point of view, or a ghost town)
As for shooting outdoors, in the summer they often organize excellent sets in a field or on a river. The summer photo concept can be associated with a rustic theme or with the southern coast of some resort (the beach, palm trees, sun are featured here). In the fall, bright photographs will be taken in the forest, where the props will be yellow leaves. In spring, the frame will be complemented by snowdrops, the first greenery, and running streams. In winter, fluffy snow and a snow-white forest edge will serve as an excellent background.
Regardless of the time of year (it’s warm spring or Cold winter), themed photo shoots of girls are possible in the most unpredictable conditions. You can star in hot-air balloon or on the roof of a bus, underwater, on a frozen lake.
With a friend to the photographer
Often you need to organize a shoot for two girls at once. The photo studio will offer different design options - from a cozy room with a fireplace to an interior in the style of an adventure quest.
A photo shoot of two girls can be based on different accents:
- similarity
- contrast
- emotions
- dynamics
No matter what the theme of the photo shoot is or what props are used in photo shoots for two girls, emotions should come first. Pictures can be sad and romantic, mischievous and eccentric. Depending on the chosen mood, the corresponding attributes are selected. A professional photographer will help turn your ideas into unforgettable memories.
If you have children, they can also take part in the filming. Nowadays it is fashionable to select accessories for little girl models to match their outfit. A family photo of happy children posing with their parents is a timeless classic. If you wish, you can take a pet to the shoot.
Interesting experiments with hair and makeup, themed sets in unexpected places, a studio portrait in an unusual outfit - original ideas For a photo shoot, the girls will allow you to capture your beauty and give you positive emotions.
Interesting ideas for a photo shoot will highlight and capture your mood. Thoughtful details and professionally selected lighting will turn your photo into a real work of art. The key to a successful idea is the correct choice of photo story, scenery and costume. Below are the most interesting photo sessions of girls, after reading which you will create unique images that fully reflect your nature.
A photo shoot on the street, in a park or by a lake can be made unforgettable if you carefully approach the preparation.
Selection of style and plot
The choice of plot and location is the beginning of it all. Before you start preparing your costume or hairstyle, decide on the type of photo shoot. Professional photographers will help you choose a topic and tell you which direction is right for you. Photography in the following styles is considered the most original:
- retro– will highlight the fragility and tenderness of a woman (preference is given to fitted dresses, berets, hats, knee socks, stockings and shoes with tapered toes)
- free ()– ideal for coquettes, the main plot is a naive seductress (light dresses, sundresses, tops or short shorts with a shirt tied on the stomach are used)
- – a combination of danger and femininity, strength and beauty of a girl (clothes with a distorted color scheme, or military uniform, the hairstyle should be simple and unpretentious)
- trash– the photographs will surprise and shock, they combine contemplation with destruction (there are no specific limits for your imagination – torn clothes, bright makeup and messy hairstyles)
There are many scenario options, but to make your pictures original and unusual, use these tips:
- use large accessories, they will not only help you make the right accent, but you can also play with them in different ways
- Choose your makeup depending on the chosen style (matte tones look great on camera; for photos in studios, pearlescent shadows are usually used)
- everything should match, from the color of the shoes to the shade of nail polish
If you haven't been able to decide yet, trust the photographer. A professional will recommend several options for thematic photo stories, help you play with your idea and suggest the most advantageous poses.
Professional photos in the studio
Among the photography locations, the most popular are considered to be. Here you can create any story and shoot many unique shots on various topics, for example:
- bring scenes from your favorite cartoons and films to life
- arrange a photo shoot in Vogue style
- get photos dedicated to your hobbies (dancing, sports, singing)
- organize holiday photo sessions (New Year, birthday, March 8 or February 14)
In the studio, photographers will prepare the background and decorations. A woman will be able to try herself in the role of a famous film actress, or act with her favorite pet. The ability to recreate any event or time of year is an advantage of studio work.
Unusual photos in an abandoned building
Photo stories in abandoned buildings look extravagant and interesting. IN in this case It is not necessary to choose frightening and gloomy outfits. You can appear in the image of a fatal beauty, or a “Lolita” girl.
To make it unusual photos, use these tips:
- high hairstyles look great and elegant dresses with open back
- short dresses in pastel colors and ballet flats are perfect for the Lolita style
- by choosing casual, bright clothes and catchy makeup, you can shoot a photo story in the “Punk” style
- Regardless of the idea, makeup should be rich
Photos taken in abandoned buildings will not only be interesting, but will also highlight your creative nature.
Photo session underwater
The popularity of this trend is increasing every day. To implement such an idea, you need a shallow and beautiful pool. Also, a woman should feel comfortable under water and not be afraid to open her eyes.
For getting beautiful photos Please note the following:
- special waterproof makeup is used
- Loose hair looks best underwater
- choose outfits made from thin materials
- green, red colors, as well as a combination of black and white look great
At first glance, it may seem that only professional model, this is wrong. Your natural shyness will allow you to shoot a tender and romantic photo story that will be remembered for a long time.
Interesting ideas for a photo shoot diversify the shooting and make it truly unforgettable and unique.
Photography has rapidly burst into our lives. We can safely say that we are now experiencing a cult of photography. People try to capture on paper interesting moments of their existence, to reflect some story of their life, a moment of experiencing emotions, leaving in their memory exactly what they were like at that moment in time. Through photos, we seem to leave a mark about ourselves in the history of mankind, in the history of our kind, for ourselves. On long winter evenings it’s nice to look at and remember joyful events over a cup of hot coffee. days gone by.
Photographs by their nature are very multifaceted because they reflect human emotions. They are sometimes whimsical and funny, sometimes they depict interesting places and people. A photo is much more serious, much more significant than a picture. They touch on the deepest, most hidden thing that is in our essence - the most beautiful and kind aspects of human nature.
A photo shoot is a time when the photographer, the lens and the model are ready to create and create new and beautiful works of art. To try on an image harmoniously and tastefully, to open up, to express your mood - this is one of the important and main tasks for obtaining a good result.
There are a great many images and ideas for photos, so don’t be afraid to open up, imagine and create. All in your hands! Choose the image that best suits your inner impulse, think over clothes and accessories, choose a location for shooting, play with your mood, hairstyle, and facial expressions. And you will receive bright and juicy photos!!!
Well, shall we get started? The first thing to do is to decide on the genre in accordance with which your future photo shoot will be planned. In the world of photography there is a distinction main types of shooting: portrait, reportage photography, demonstration photography and selfie. To understand each of them more clearly, let's take a closer look at important elements, characterizing each species.
Reportage shooting marked by vividness of emotions. There are no staged shots or posing here. When reporting, the photographer captures footage in the process of a certain event in a person’s life, be it a wedding, birthday or any other similar event. Street photography, as an offshoot of the type of reportage photography, also does not imply framing the shot. But it is worth noting that the main thing in such photos is not a specific event, but the reflection of people in the ordinary environment of their lives. Such photos are usually taken on the street, beach, park or any other place.
Bottom line demonstration or modeling photo shoot we often see on the covers of glossy magazines.
The main thing in these photos is not the person as a person, but the attribute that he demonstrates. For example, hairstyle, clothes, jewelry and the like. The model in this case acts as a complementary element, without which it would be impossible to demonstrate one or another main element.
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Self-portrait today called a fashionable name "selfie". In this type of photo, each person acts as the artist of his own photo. In the modern world, thanks to extensive advances in computerization and mobility, almost every person, including children, has in their arsenal a mobile phone or iPhone that is equipped with a camera. Therefore, every shade of life, every event can be captured on a lens and sealed in an archive of many photos on the device, and then posted on Internet resources. A person is able to film himself at arm’s length at any time or ask a friend about it, the main thing is the desire to do it. But it is worth noting that the quality of such photos will be significantly lower than those taken with a professional camera.
Portrait. This is perhaps the most common and in demand genre of photography. Depending on certain shooting conditions, it has several subspecies in its manifestation:
- according to the number of persons depicted: individual, group, family;
- The subject matter differs into artistic portrait, wedding and holiday photography, thematic studio session and plein air;
- and according to the shape of the image: full-length, waist-length, chest-length, shoulder-length, and so on.
A portrait image is aimed as much as possible at revealing the character and image of a person. The main role here is given to the individual. And in a portrait, more than anywhere else, you need to deeply think through the image that you want to see in the photograph.
However, the location of the shooting also has a key moment and can complement your image, highlight a certain mood, the role in which you want to be embodied in the camera lens. Where is the best place to have a photo session so that beautiful and beautiful images are created in the process? stylish photos? A lot depends on the shooting location, but don’t forget about the mood and attractiveness of the portrait being created. Nature and, in general, the environment in which a photo shoot takes place must necessarily contain a storyline, serve as a book about a person who finds himself in such an original and beautiful space.
Decorating a studio for a photo shoot is an art. It is here that masters of their craft create a real fairy tale and can make your wildest dreams come true. The photo studio gives you the opportunity to work with the most in different directions style. And the skill of execution is always at its best. Here the light, brightness, and richness of tones - all this will create harmony in the atmosphere and make the photos real works of art.
However, photographs taken on the street not only convey all the charm of a person, but are also saturated with the depth of natural phenomena. Illuminated by natural light and absorbing the colors of nature, photographs turn out lighter and more vibrant and vividly convey the mood and emotional background. Plan to do a photo shoot in unusual places. Exactly correct selection places - 50 percent success. The romantic mood, as well as the beauty of the human soul, is perfectly emphasized by the fields and gentle shades of the sunset. If you are a nature full of mysteries, then a forest thicket will be perfect for you as a background. Photos in a nautical style taken on the beach, embankment or even on a boat will give you lightness.
Bad photo backgrounds should be avoided. Plastic decorations or the tiled surfaces of houses will not decorate you and will look bad. Opt for a place filled with space. If you still want to conduct a photo shoot in the city, then capture the perspective of the street and houses in the frame, take photos in the unexplored spaces of the city, be it ancient alleys or interesting textured scenes.
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The time of year is of particular importance when choosing the location of a photo shoot and the image as a whole.
Spring- beautiful time. Blooming apple and cherry trees, lilacs, meadows covered with tulips are a wonderful backdrop for conveying the awakening spring mood. It is better to choose landscapes this time of year far from the city. For example, young foliage will look very rich, and melting ice on the river will fill the frame with movement. If, after all, the photo shoot takes place in the city, then turn your gaze to the streets, which are filled with brightness spring sun and small islands of dry road among puddles. The most appropriate place- the main street of the city or square.
Autumn- it's time for nature to fall asleep. It’s as if it covers the tops of the trees with a colorful carpet after the summer riot of greenery. Bright foliage in combination with a rich cloudy sky it looks very textured in the photo. In this case, both the street and autumn forest- a good place for a photo shoot at this time of the year. The boulevards, covered with the openwork shadow of trees, are a wonderful backdrop, reflecting a charming play of color and shadow. Photos taken at this time of year are like works of art.
Winter- a time of calm and tranquility. To give your photos some freshness, you should go to the winter forest. At this time of year, the snow-white ground cover and textured tree trunks will breathe a holiday atmosphere into your photo. And if you choose a day for a photo shoot on which there is snowfall or, conversely, a calm sunny day, then this will be an ideal addition and decoration for the photo.
Summer. Thanks to the long daylight hours, this is the perfect time for photo shoots. At this time of year, all places glow with a riot of greenery and other colors of nature. Especially worth noting is the embankment, beach or pier. Thanks to the wind playing in the waves, your clothes will flow beautifully in its whirlwinds. And the sun's glare looks beautiful in the photo. Warm shades of summer, interesting places and good mood guarantee success in the photo shoot.
A photo shoot requires very deep preparation, the results of which will then determine the quality of the photographs. And thinking through the image is one of the important key points when planning the photographic ornament of the image.
When planning a photo shoot, think about what mood you would like to portray in the photo? What is closer to you: mischief, enthusiasm, romance or, conversely, thoughtfulness? What role would you like to see yourself playing? Or, on the contrary, do you want to reflect your true mood or image?
If you just want to take a photo, then you don’t have to think too much about the image. But if you expect something special, non-standard and creative from the result of a photo shoot, then you should approach the process creatively. Let's plunge into the world of images and ideas for their implementation:
In addition, there are other popular images that almost any woman sees in herself. The first place among them is taken by photos in the style of “glamor” and “sexy”.
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Here, luxurious women strike seductive poses, and the presence of clothing is kept to a minimum. Many people want to be like the beauties from famous films and westerns. Sometimes girls dream of releasing their inner strength and try on the image of a rocker and a biker. The range of images is large and endless. And which one suits your nature, and who you want to be in your wildest dreams - it’s up to you to decide!
After determining the location of the photo shoot and thinking through the image, concentrate on choosing clothes. There are 3 basic recommendations for choosing clothes:
- Convenience. First of all, choose clothes that will make you feel at ease and allow you to relax in front of the camera lens.
- Ideological correspondence of clothing the topic of your choice. To find harmony of place and image in the photo, carefully consider your image in terms of clothing.
- The secondary role of the wardrobe. It is worth understanding that main character in the photograph - you, your personality, your inner light, and not the surrounding scenery. However, if there is a strong imbalance in styles and images, this will overshadow your personality and it will fade into the background. Therefore, remember that during shooting everything plays a role, but a lot depends on you.
There are other rules for choosing a wardrobe:
Having decided on clothes, it's time to think about the final element - the choice of accessories. When preparing for a photo shoot, we live out the image we want to capture. Tastefully selected accessories will help make you more attractive in photographs. Let's look at the basic rules for choosing jewelry. They will help you make the right choice.
1. Color type of appearance. The color type of appearance is determined by skin tone, eye and hair color. They go well with each of them certain colors and tones in decorations. There are 4 main types of women, like the four seasons.
*The spring color type is filled with colors that go perfectly with the warm yellow color, and at the same time convey lightness and naturalness. Spring natures will be harmonized with romantic, tender, filled decorations. natural elements, style. Such stones in jewelry as cat eye, turquoise, emerald, aquamarine and other similar minerals will emphasize the lightness and penetration of a woman. The metal that is most in harmony with the spring type of woman is red and yellow gold, as well as plastic, ivory, ceramics and other materials of natural origin.
*The summer color type notes in its possessions women with light brown, ashy hair and eyes of a cold spectrum of colors - gray, blue, green and dark brown. Girls of this type can safely choose jewelry made of white and yellow gold, as well as silver and platinum. Wood, enamel jewelry, pink pearls and mother-of-pearl most accentuate the radiance and subtlety of the summer nature, and jewelry in pastel shades will add tenderness to the entire look. Moonstone, sapphire, garnet, chalcedony, agate, amethyst, as well as glass and crystal jewelry, made in the style of classics, retro and antiquity, will perfectly complement the seasoned style and emphasize the “breath of summer”.
*The autumn color type surrounds ladies who have rich warm shades in their image. Such women have red or brown hair, brown or green eyes, beige skin and freckles. This type of woman is perfectly complemented by accessories in warm colors, such as brick, green, walnut, wood and dark blue. When choosing jewelry, you should focus your attention on jewelry with green stones: malachite, cat's eye, emerald, as well as citrine, amber, agate. And the preferred material for decorating an autumn girl is gold, copper and wood. Products with warm shades of pearls, shells and tortoise shell will perfectly highlight a woman’s dignity.
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*Winter color type. This type of woman includes those with light or black eyes, olive or pale skin color, dark brown or black hair and eyebrows. An excellent combination with this type of appearance are contrasting shades of colors: red, black, white and silver. Therefore, stones that are more suitable for “winter ladies” are rubies, diamonds, black onyx, rhinestone, blue topaz and coral. When choosing products, you should pay close attention to accessories made from materials such as silver, platinum, and white gold.
More detailed information about the rules for choosing jewelry can be found at the links below:
- for brunettes
- for redheads
- for brown-haired women
- for blondes
2. Eyes. The eyes, like a mirror of the soul, reflect our essence and individuality. To emphasize the expressiveness of the eyes and their color, there are some recommendations for selecting stones in jewelry.
- Gray eyes are green in different manifestations. Malachite, agate, alexandrite, green garnet, turquoise, peridot, green beryl.
- Brown eyes - amber and carnelian.
- Eyes with golden shades of the iris - golden topaz, hyacinth, heliotrope.
- Speckled shades in the eyes are perfectly complemented by selenite, cat's eye and tiger's eye.
- Dark brown eyes love combinations with amethyst, turquoise, red coral, and emerald.
- Blue eyes minerals will perfectly complement not only the same color spectrum, but also the opposite ones - golden and orange.
- The depth of the transparent eye color is emphasized by diamond, rock crystal, aquamarine and topaz.
3. Neckline of a dress or blouse. Clothing dictates its own rules when choosing jewelry. The shape of the cutout plays a special role.
Let's look at which products are combined with one or another of its forms.
High collar. Elongated jewelry perfectly emphasizes the elegance of a long neck.
V-shaped neckline of the garment. The shape of the neckline itself perfectly emphasizes and colors the long neck. Therefore, it is recommended to focus on small pendants and pendants, as well as beads made using medium or small beads.
Deep neckline. The neckline itself visually lengthens and slims the shape of the neck, so when choosing accessories, focus on a large pendant strung on a long chain, or any other piece of jewelry with a similar set
Square neckline. Decorate yourself with a large pendant or beads. The main thing is that the jewelry does not extend beyond the neckline, otherwise it will visually shorten the neck.
And the last rules to follow when choosing jewelry:
- Do not wear several jewelry made from different metals at the same time. Only the presence of a very subtle taste is capable of combining the incongruous;
- If you have a thin neck, then you need to properly and efficiently choose beads, necklaces, as well as clothes with a V-neck. You can read more about how to choose the right jewelry here;
- If you have a short neck, then do not wear thick necklaces like a collar. Such decorations will further enhance the ugly effect;
- Appetizing ladies should pay attention to large jewelry. A large brooch will distract attention from your full breasts. And small pendants hanging on a chain will get lost in a close-up. About what jewelry is most in harmony with curvaceous women, the article will tell. Read more about choosing a brooch here.
The main secret of any photo shoot is sincere interest in the chosen image and your mood. The inner feeling of harmony will be transmitted to your entire appearance and spread around you, filling your photographs with beauty and grace. Be yourself, take risks, smile and excellent results will follow.
Working on photo projects with various topics - great way break away from routine photography and concentrate on the creative process of creating photographs. Limitations in shooting subjects and equipment sometimes really force you to resort to very creative solutions.
We have prepared 52 great ideas for filming in 2015. For every week of the year, in theory. We have divided them into three subsections: simple projects for the home that you can implement today, ideas that you can implement in nature and temporary projects that you can start right now.
Photo ideas for home
1. Manipulation with water drops
To implement this idea, you need to install a container of water with a small hole through which drops of water will flow. Your task is to press the shutter button at the moment when the drop is forming or is already flying. The most important thing is to determine the time to close the shutter as accurately as possible. We achieved the best results using two flashes set to their lowest power (1/128th). The aperture was set to f/22. To give the water a more viscous consistency, we added a little food thickener to it. We also used the SplashArt Kit series device, which helps regulate the size of the drops and the frequency of their fall.
2. Photograph the splash of water
For this project you will need a flash with remote control, a water container with clean, transparent walls, a colored background and a tripod. Set up a container of water and a colored background, then place the flash over the container. Place your camera on a tripod and switch to manual focus mode. With an aperture of f/8 and ISO 200, set the fastest shutter speed possible. Don't forget about flash synchronization. So, throw the object into the water and press the shutter button as soon as it touches the surface of the water.
3. The art of painting with smoke
Many photographers, for example, lovers of still lifes, are happy to use smoke in their photographs. What if you go out to new level and use intricate shapes of billowing smoke to compose pictures? You can create an unusual art project in Photoshop. So, after taking a few good shots of smoke swirls, create a new blank document in Photoshop. Then copy and paste one of the resulting photos onto it. Set the blending mode to Screen and use the Warp Transform command (Edit > Transform > Warp) to change the shape of the smoke. Keep experimenting by adding more pictures to your document.
4. Cross polarization
The basis of this fun idea is the effect that polarized light creates when hitting plastic objects. You will need two polarizing filters, ideally one of them should be a sheet of polarizing film. An A4 sheet of Lee 239 polarizing film can be purchased for around £50. The sheet of film should be placed on a lightbox or any other light source. The iPad screen and most computer screens have a built-in polarizing filter, so if you don't have polarizing film, you can easily create a blank white document that fills the screen and use your gadget. Attach a polarizer to the camera and rotate it until the colors appear on the clear plastic parts.
5. Edible landscapes
Spice up your food photography! All you need is to creatively place figures on the food, for example Hornby. They are ideal, as this company's men are offered in a variety of poses. It is important not only to place the figures, but also to tell a story. In this photo you watch as two heroes help a climber trying to climb a potato mountain with advice.
6. Food as art
Turn your dinner ingredients into photo art using a lightbox and a very sharp knife. Slice the fruits and vegetables as thinly as possible and then place them on the lightbox. Place the camera directly above your subject and use Live View to manually focus on details. Set your aperture to f/8 for optimal depth of field. It's worth resorting to exposure compensation and setting it to +1-+3 stops, since the bright light from the lightbox can mislead your camera's light meter.
7. Flowers in ice
Relatively inexpensive way For great macro photos, freeze flowers in plastic containers filled with distilled or de-ionized water. The flowers will float, so take care to secure them in one position. Place a piece of ice on the surface of a clear glass or bowl in a white sink or other container so that light will reflect off all surfaces of the container. Place the flash on one side and point downwards, and place the camera on the opposite side.
8. Oil and abstraction
Oil stains spreading over the surface of the water are a great idea for creating bright abstract photographs. This project utilizes the refractive quality of oil to highlight and distort colors. All you need is to pour water into a transparent bowl and add a few drops of regular vegetable oil. Place the bowl approximately 25 cm above the table. Place different things under the bowl colored paper, illuminate it with a regular table lamp or using a flash.
9. Oily reflections
This idea echoes the idea described above. But in this case, the color pattern is created using a colored overlay for the lamp, and not a multi-colored background. To begin, make an overlay for table lamp using hard colored paper, film and adhesive tape. For safety reasons, make sure that the paper does not touch the light bulb. Place a container of water in front of a table lamp and add a few drops of oil to the water. Spread the oil over the surface, bring the camera as close as possible and shoot.
10. Psychedelic soap film
This project is a great idea for a colorful desktop or abstract wallpaper for the wall. You will need liquid soap, mixed with glycerin, this combination forms a persistent soap film. Arm yourself with a wire loop, a black background and a macro lens such as 100mm. The colors formed by the soap film appear only at a certain angle of incidence of light. Position yourself near a window and choose the right angle for shooting.
11. Refraction effect
Passing through water, light has the property of being distorted, i.e. refract, as a result, objects under water visually change their appearance. This phenomenon is called refraction, and we will use it as part of this small photo project. All you need is a few clear glasses, a flash, a tripod and a black and white patterned backdrop. Simply place the glasses of water against the patterned background and shoot.
12. Macro photography in the kitchen
Your kitchen is the perfect place for macro photography. Its reflective surfaces can be used to create an interesting background for photographs, and its shallow depth of field can transform the most ordinary objects. By connecting several pictures together, you can create beautiful element decor for own kitchen, but before you start shooting, think about how the frames will resonate with each other. Our series consists of three photographs taken at the same angle and with the same depth of field.
13. Bokeh
Something as simple as a crumpled piece of foil can easily become the basis for a beautiful photo project. Place your subject on the glass, and place a piece of dark material under the glass. Hold regular kitchen foil in your hands a little, then straighten it and place it as a background. Direct light from a table lamp or any other source onto the foil. With the camera on a tripod, open the aperture as wide as possible. Light the foil with flash while shooting.
14. Bokeh bubbles
Small light sources always create beautiful bokeh. Garland is perfect for this. Place the garland at such a distance that when the aperture is open, its bulbs are out of focus. The subject of shooting, in this case the glass, should be close to the camera, and the focus should be on it. Position the garland itself in such a way that the bokeh eventually takes the form of multi-colored bubbles flying out of the glass. This technique is also used to create this “flow” bokeh from mugs with hot drinks.
15. Drawings with light
Streaks of light and light patterns can be used in a variety of photography genres, and are ideal for still life photography. To do this, you can use a simple flashlight, and to make the light less diffuse, you can remove the top cover, thereby exposing the light bulb. Use insulation tape to attach a piece of colored paper to the flashlight. Set the shutter speed to about 30 seconds and the aperture to around f/8. While exposing the frame, make smooth circular movements around the bottle, drawing a spiral.
16. Light spirals
Tie the lantern to a rope and hang it from the ceiling. For this photo, you'll need the widest angle lens you have in your arsenal. Mount your camera on a tripod and point it straight at the ceiling. With the room light on, manually focus on the tip of the flashlight. Set your aperture to approximately f/11 - f/16 and use Bulb mode and a remote shutter release to take pictures. Keep the shutter open for about a minute after you launch the flashlight.
Ideas for outdoor activities
17. Portraits with the Brenizer effect A
The Brenizer method, also known as a portrait panorama or boquerama, provides an excellent basis for a series of portrait photographs. The method was invented by New York wedding photographer, Ryan Brenizer. This technique allows you to create photos with the effect of an ultra-wide-angle lens. The point of this method is to create a series of photographs that, when stitched together, form a full-fledged frame. You can put the mosaic together using the Photomerge option in Photoshop or in a program designed for gluing frames together. Use manual camera settings, starting with white balance and ending with focus, so the parameters will be the same for all shots. Take 30-80 frames to create one photo, and do not forget that each subsequent frame should overlap the previous one by about a third.
18. In the right place with the wrong lens
Force yourself to look at things differently. When going for a walk with your camera, choose the opposite lens to the one you would most likely take with you. For example, take a wide-angle lens to the zoo or limit yourself to the focal length of a telephoto lens the next time you go out to photograph landscapes.
19. Landscapes in pieces
Try to explore your surroundings in a new way by creating compositions from several fragments taken during a walk. Go outside for literally 20 minutes. Don’t spend a lot of time on settings, just select aperture priority mode, don’t take a tripod and various filters with you, and give up complicated techniques. Take photos of everything that catches your attention. When you return home, create a document with a grid in Photoshop and insert the resulting images into its cells using layers.
20. Minimalist landscapes
Instead of confining the view in front of you to one boring shot, try shooting a series of minimalist landscapes with long exposures. A symmetrical composition and square format will help emphasize the simplicity of the frame. You will also need a neutral density filter, which will give you the ability to use long exposures throughout the day. Use a tripod and remote shutter release.
21. Starscapes
To capture the perfect starscape, you need a completely clear sky. It is advisable that the moon does not fall into the frame, otherwise many details may be lost. For a high-quality photo with clear, unblurred stars, you should photograph at fairly fast shutter speeds; to do this, go to manual mode, set the ISO value to about 1600 or 3200 and the shutter speed to two seconds. Even with these settings, you'll have to set your aperture wide open: f/4 or even f/2.8.
22. Photograph something that never inspired you
Write a list of objects or places that you find uninteresting, boring, or even ugly. Now force yourself to take attractive and interesting photographs of these unphotogenic places and objects.
23. Looking for abstraction in a parking lot
You don't need to travel to distant countries to carry out an interesting photography project. The photo opportunities are plentiful, and even in something as mundane as a parking lot, it's possible to create something interesting. For this project you only need digital camera. Without focusing on technique, look for and photograph different textures, color combinations, interesting shapes and patterns.
24. Selective colors
Instead of using notorious techniques to make a subject stand out from the rest of the frame (for example, when the main subject is left in color and everything else is converted to black and white colors) try to choose a color and look for its embodiment in all the diversity of the world. Draw attention to this color using the right composition.
25. Night photography
Take up night photography. Limit yourself to the use of additional light sources, take the maximum from the available lighting.
26. Optical illusions
As part of this project, we invite you to play with perspective, which affects the viewer's perception of the relationship between objects different sizes that are in the frame. It's best to start with objects whose dimensions are known and unquestionable and have them interact with larger objects in the background. For these types of photographs, shoot with a small aperture to ensure greater depth of field.
27. Miniature world
Shoot miniature toys and models in natural environments. Such projects are popular and very common today, and there is nothing difficult in their implementation. Just take a small figurine or toy with you and shoot it in different situations, everywhere and always: while traveling or on a walk or even on the way to work. In order for the figure to blend into its surroundings, you should, firstly, shoot it from a close distance, and secondly, properly balance the lighting.
28. Create a tilt-shift effect
The well-known and beloved “toy town” effect is obtained by using a special expensive tilt-shift lens. But a similar effect can be obtained in Photoshop if you blur everything in the photo except small area, which you want to focus on. For greater verisimilitude, photograph from an elevated position and preferably in sunny weather.
29. Photo alphabet
No, we do not suggest you look for the letters of the alphabet in the inscriptions on stores, road signs etc. Instead, look for items and objects that are shaped like letters of the alphabet. You don’t have to look far for an example; let’s take a children’s swing on the playground. What does their frame resemble from the end? That's right, the letter A. A bird's eye view of a curved river English letter S.
30. From 1 to 100
Similar to how we suggested you create a photographic alphabet, you can expand this project a little and try to find illustrations for the numbers.
31. Faces in unusual places
Another simple and fun photo project idea. Sometimes we can observe how familiar things in our everyday life, and simply surrounding objects, have some similarities with human face or take a form that vaguely resembles facial features. Learn to look at the world of things differently. For inspiration, check out the blog dedicated to this topic.
32. Light orbit
Painting with light provides a limitless variety of... different ideas for photography. But what about a series of images with light orbits? You won't need complex equipment. All you need is bright LED lights, which runs on batteries, and a hoop on which the backlight is wound. Place the camera on a tripod, select the optimal shutter speed and simply rotate the hoop.
33. Burning steel wool
To carry out this project, make sure that the shooting takes place in an open area away from flammable objects. Place steel wool in a metal whisk and attach it to the chain. Then set fire to the wool and rotate the whisk on the chain, burning sparks will fly around. You'll need a dedicated volunteer, a tripod, and a shutter speed of about 15 seconds at f/11 and ISO 100.
34. Car movement
For a change, try capturing the movement not from the outside of the car, but from the inside. Of course, you should shoot at night. Ask a friend to drive smoothly and slowly on a well-lit road. Set the shutter speed to about 30 seconds. Mount a tripod on the passenger seat and use the remote shutter release.
35. Deliberate mistakes
Make a list of the most common mistakes a photographer can make. And then try, by deliberately making these mistakes, to create a beautiful photo. You may overexpose or underexpose, crop your subject incorrectly, or focus on the background rather than the subject.
36. Cinemagraph
Create a series of animated GIFs that illustrate subtle movement. This project requires minor work in Photoshop. You will have to create not just frames, but video sequences, but the result may exceed all your expectations. You will need a tripod; the background must remain unchanged throughout the entire video sequence. Choose a scene in which some action occurs continuously or cyclically so that the starting and ending points in the finished cinemagraph are not obvious. Record movement, such as the wind moving leaves on a tree.
37. Intentional camera movement
You are used to doing everything possible to ensure that your photos are as clear as possible. But to make the photo metaphorical and mysterious, try doing the opposite. For relatively long shutter speeds, move the camera intentionally. Shoot in shutter priority mode. For inspiration, look to the work of British photographer Chris Friel (http://www.cfriel.com).
38. Retro effect
Various noises and distortions are very easy to add in Photoshop or Lightroom. As a result, you will get a more colorful and atmospheric photograph, but you should think about its final style already during shooting. The retro effect works well with simple photographs that are not overloaded with details, where the subject is easily recognizable.
39. Time-lapse photography
Many of us may well have time to engage in time-lapse photography, which is on the border between video and photography. The subject of photography can, in fact, be any phenomenon in your everyday life. Master this exciting technique in 2015.
Projects designed for a long period of time
40. Project 365
A classic project where you take a photo a day for an entire year. You can go two by one possible ways: Limit yourself to just one photo per day for a given project, or take several photos and then choose the best one. Can't spend that much time on photos? Then think about an alternative project for which you need to take one photo per week, so there will be 52 photos in total.
41. 50 strangers
This idea is also not new, but that makes it no less fascinating. You should meet and start a conversation with people you don’t know, and then, with their permission, keep their portrait as a souvenir. You can decide the number of strangers you should photograph. The most important thing is to overcome yourself and take the first step.
42. Project 50x50x50
It's simple: 50 days, 50 photos taken with a 50mm lens. An extremely simple project that will help develop your vision as a photographer.
43. Creative selfies
Of course, you can take self-portraits at home, but how boring it is! Why not challenge yourself to create a series of self-portraits outside the walls of your home? See a series of beautiful self-portraits taken famous photographer Vivian Maier. She portrayed herself as part of some big scene, playing with light, shadow and reflections. It will be easier for you if you choose a specific theme for the project, as, for example, photographer Alex Bamford did as part of his series of works called the ‘Sleepwalking’ project (http://www.alexbamford.com/sleepwalking).
44. The world under your feet
Every day at the same time of day, take photos of what is under your feet. Arm yourself with a wide-angle lens and look for new and interesting places.
45. Portraits without a face
Take portraits different people, but do not include their faces in the frame. Try to convey their personality in other ways. Using colors, surroundings, lighting, paraphernalia, and even parts of their body - especially their hands - will all help you reveal their character to the viewer.
46. Photo game
Ask someone to write 30 things on paper cards. Things can be very different, but always easily accessible. At this time you will write 30 different aspects photographs (50mm, black and white photo, long exposure, tilt-shift effect, etc.). Take a card from each pile and start completing the task.
47. Monochrome month
The name of this idea gives it all. Force yourself to do exclusively black and white photographs, forget about color for a month. You will learn to see the most appropriate scenes and subjects to photograph in black and white. This project will help you develop your vision. Shoot in Raw format, but change your camera settings to monochrome beforehand. As a result, while shooting, you will be able to see the scene in black and white, and the image itself will store all the color information. You can use this information to process the photo.
48. Four seasons
Unlike the project, which involves shooting every day, here you will be shooting the same subject every three months for a year. The idea of this project is to show the change of seasons. When choosing your subject wisely, imagine in advance how the chosen scene will look after the transformation caused by the change in weather. A lone tree in a field is certainly perfect for this project.
49. Geocaching
Download a geocaching app to your smartphone and head to the cache location to artistically capture the surrounding area. Don't take pictures of the cache itself, because you don't want people who go looking for it to lose interest.
50. Create a texture library
Textures can give your photo a special look. You can apply texture to a photo in several ways, such as using multiple exposure mode. It is much easier to use Photoshop for this purpose and apply textures through layers. Although you can find textures on the Internet, you will agree that it is much more pleasant to use your own. Wood, old crumpled paper, plaster falling off the walls and other things can serve as an excellent texture for your photo.
51. Pinhole photography
With your own hands, using available tools, turn your expensive camera into an analogue of a pinhole camera and try to shoot without using newfangled equipment.
52. Make a photo book
Take the project you worked on last year as a basis. Think about the structure of the book, about the placement of photographs on its pages. Try distributing them according to color scheme, theme or style of execution.