360Photography

A Guest Post by Andrew Gibson

Note: Andrew Gibson is currently offering his 5 popular eBooks for under $ 20 on SnapnDeals.

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In the first part of this article I came up with six ideas that you can use to break out of a creative rut. I’ve been there myself, when it seems as if there is nothing around to photograph and no subject seems appealing.

The idea behind these articles is to give you some inspiration for those times when creativity seems hard to come by. Here are the rest of the ideas:

7. Try a new Genre

Part of the fascination of photography is that there are so many genres and techniques to try out. That’s part of the fun. Even professional photographers have a comfort zone of subjects and techniques that they are familiar with. Anybody can learn a lot by trying a new genre.

For example, if you’ve never photographed a stranger before then why don’t you look for a model on a website like Model Mayhem? The whole exercise of finding a suitable model and coming up with the concept of a shoot and taking the photos will be challenging and educational.

I tried some steel wool spinning photos last week for the first time. Great fun, and a new way to use a local location for photos.

8. Build a photoblog or a website

What do you do with your photos after you’ve taken them? Uploading to Facebook, Flickr or 500px is one thing, but an interesting challenge is to set up your own website or photoblog.

If you have no idea how to do this, don’t panic – it’s fairly easy once you know how. You can use WordPress or Pixelpost to set up a photoblog with an absolute minimum of programming knowledge. The instructions for both are easy to follow. And if you don’t want to buy your own domain name and a hosting plan (essential in order to have your own website) then Blogger, WordPress.com or Tumblr may be the answer. The important thing here is to create your own personalised space on the web for publishing your photos.

The best approach is to be critical of your work and only post your best images. Online portfolios are usually judged by the strength your weakest images. Weed those out to improve your portfolio.

A website or photoblog can work well if you have a long-term project to publicise. Check out Bill Wadman’s 365 portraits as an example.

An added bonus, if you’ve never done this before, is that learning to create a website or blog may be a useful skill to add to your CV.

I created the photo gallery on my website using photo blogging software Pixel Post.

9. Create a Photo Book

Do you print your photos? I printed some of my favourites out a few years ago on a borrowed A3 printer and most of them are still stored in a wardrobe. I framed a few, but not the rest. This is a problem for me when it comes to making prints – what to do with them afterwards?

One answer is to create a photo book instead. Blurb is perhaps the most well known photo book service but there are plenty of others. The quality from the best companies is extremely high.

Designing a photo book is not just a matter of placing photos on pages. It will force you to edit your images, look for themes, juxtapose images on the same spread and learn about graphic design. If you have a long-term project a photo book could be a great end product and a nice reward for the hard work you put it in.

Another reason I like the concept of photo books is for the legacy. Books are easier to give out to friends and relatives than prints. You can create a meaningful collection of your best images that people can look at for many decades to come.

10. Make the most of the Light

Are you lazy with light? One of the quickest ways to improve your photos is shoot in the best light. If the light is beautiful, this will inspire you to take better photos.

Here are three types of light that I like:

The golden hour

This is the hour around sunset and sunrise when the sun is low in the sky and casting low, raking light over the landscape. Ideal for landscapes, seascapes, architecture and portraits.

The blue hour

This is the period from after sunset to night when the natural colour of the ambient light is deep blue. This is a beautiful time for taking landscapes and seascapes. If you take photos by the sea, as long as you have a tripod you can take photos until it is nearly dark. The water reflects the light left in the sky so that you don’t end up with large black areas in the image.

Shade

For portraits my favourite type of lighting is shade. The light is soft, flattering and beautiful. On a bright sunny day any light bouncing off nearby sunlit areas brings a real glow to the model’s face.

It’s important to make the most of the light. It requires effort to make sure that you’re in position when the light is at its best for your subject. But you’ll be rewarded with stronger images.

Now, reverse that idea. Why not try different types of light? For instance, is it possible to take photos of the landscape in strong midday light? I’ve seen it done – one solution is to convert to black and white to take advantage of graphic shapes and shadows created by the direct light.

And what about portraits? Shade is beautiful, but what if the subject is backlit? Or in the midday sun? How can you make this light work? A technique to try in midday light is to use portable flash to fill in the shadows or overpower the light from the sun.

One of a series of photos shot on the beach in the middle of day in the summer. I used portable flash to light my model and counter the harsh light of the sun.

11. Shoot in Black and White

I love black and white photography. In black and white there is no colour and the image requires a strong composition using elements such as shape, line and tonal contrast to succeed. It takes time to learn how to see in monochrome. Here’s an easy way to get started.

Set the camera to its black and white mode (check your camera’s instruction manual if you don’t know how to do this). Set the filter colour to red or orange and increase the contrast. Now, when you take photos, the image is displayed on the LCD screen in black and white. This gives you immediate feedback on how well the composition works in black and white.

The image is displayed in black and white even if you set the file format to Raw. The beauty of shooting in Raw is that you have a full colour file that you can do anything with afterwards. That includes converting to black and white in software that gives a better result than the black and white mode on your camera.

You may not think of photographing colourful subjects like flowers in black and white. It’s a different approach to a common subject that can work really well.

12. Work in Colour

Here’s another way to look at things in a fresh way. Why not set a colour project? Spend the day just taking photos of things that are red. Or blue, yellow or green…whatever colour inspires you.

An alternative is to work with a more subtle colour such as brown or grey. This can really challenge your creativity as you look for ways to make interesting photos from subtle colour palettes.

A selection of photos utilising the colour red. Not all taken on one day – but it shows how effective it can be to group photos together that share a strong visual element such as colour. Going back through your old photos and arranging them by colour may give you a new way to present your work – or inspire you to take more colour based photos.

Andrew Gibson currently is offering a bundle of 5 of his amazing eBooks for sale for under $ 20 on SnapnDeals. You’ll get eBooks on Understanding Lenses, Understanding Exposure, Understanding DPP and square format photograph. Check them out here.

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

12 Ways to Inspire the Creative Photographer Inside You: Part II

Digital Photography School

A Guest Post by Andrew Gibson

Note: Andrew Gibson is currently offering his 5 popular eBooks for under $ 20 on SnapnDeals.

Have you ever had the feeling of being stuck in a rut with your photography? It happens to all of us at one time or another. Sometimes it’s difficult to find inspiration or to think of new subjects to photograph.

Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing again. Pick one or two that interest you and take the opportunity to learn some new skills and challenge yourself. Afterwards, you can look back at what you’ve achieved with a renewed sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

1. Read a Photography Book

The photography book (both printed book and ebook) publication industry is booming and there is no shortage of inspiration. You don’t have to buy a new book either – your local library should have plenty in stock.

Try reading a photography book written by an author you’re unfamiliar with or who is writing about a genre you’ve never tried before. Then go out and put some of what you’ve read into practice. The great thing about the best photography books is that they have both beautiful photos to inspire you and the practical information you need to try out the same techniques.

Don’t limit yourself to photography books. I spent time yesterday looking at Jamie Oliver’s latest cookbook. The quality of photography is breathtaking and makes me want to try out food photography for myself (as well as the recipes).

I learnt the toning technique used in this photo from a book about black and white photography.

2. Use a New Lens

Buy (or borrow) a new lens – then use it. Or you may have a lens in your kit that you haven’t used for a while. Lenses are the eye to your camera’s system and using a new lens (or rediscovering one you have’t used for some time) can give you a new way of seeing.

Try this. If you normally use a wide-angle lens, then try a telephoto lens instead. Or if you normally use a telephoto, try a wide-angle. If you usually use a zoom lens, then how about a prime? You get the picture. It’s all about using a new lens to force yourself to take a fresh approach.

New lenses don’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of inexpensive wide-angle and normal prime lenses around. Another option is to buy a Holga lens for your digital camera (they are available for all the major camera manufacturers at Holga Direct). These are inexpensive and great fun.

A simple image taken with a Holga lens on an EOS 40D.

3. Take a Photo Holiday

Sometimes all that is needed to re-energise your creative self is a trip to somewhere new. Even a short trip for a day or a weekend can help. What’s important is that you dedicate it to photography. That way you can concentrate on exploring the most photogenic locations and making sure you are then when the light is best.

You don’t necessarily have to travel far. But it helps if you’ve never been there for a while so you see it with fresh eyes. It should also be visually exciting and inspiring.

Who could fail to be inspired by a trip to Venice? But any trip to somewhere new has the power to re-energise your creative vision.

4. Be more Critical

Look at your work through fresh eyes. What are your favourite images? What photography and post-processing techniques do you like to use? How can you improve?

Editing your photos ruthlessly. What are the ten best photos that you have taken in the past 12 months? Don’t be afraid to ask someone else’s opinion. It’s often difficult to be objective about your own work. Does a style emerge when you look at your best images? Does this suggest fresh ideas for future projects?

Imagine that an art director or magazine editor is looking at your portfolio. What might they say about your photos? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Don’t be over critical. It’s just a thought exercise that may help you obtain a clear idea of your strengths and the skills you’d like to develop.

Here’s an idea. Once you’ve selected your best photos why not send them to a photography magazine? They may be published, earning you some money or a prize. Seeing your images in print is always a good feeling, especially the first time.

Photos of mine used in a spread in EOS magazine.

5. Enter a photography Competition

There are plenty out there. Just beware of competitions that are rights grabs (there is a list of approved photography competitions here). Most competitions have tight briefs that can inspire and focus you. The prizes can be pretty good too.

6. Set a photographic project

Set a project, something you can return to again throughout the year. Projects give you direction. For example, this year I’ve been experimenting with long exposure photography. This new way of taking photos has encouraged me to view my local area with new eyes, evaluating different locations for their photographic potential.

Projects are good because they give you chance to develop your skills in a certain area. The photos taken at the end of the project will be better than the ones taken at the beginning. You’ll also need a good variety of images to create a cohesive set of photos. Thinking long term gives you time to think up ideas and execute them.

A long exposure photo taken a few minutes walk from my front door. Choosing a project that you can carry out close to home can save you time and motivate you to complete the project.

Have you ever been stuck in a creative rut? How did you get out of it? Leave your comments below, I’m sure we will see some good ideas.

The next six ideas will be published in part II of this article.

Andrew Gibson currently is offering a bundle of 5 of his amazing eBooks for sale for under $ 20 on SnapnDeals. You’ll get eBooks on Understanding Lenses, Understanding Exposure, Understanding DPP and square format photograph. Check them out here.

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

12 Ways to Inspire the Creative Photographer Inside You: Part I

Digital Photography School