Many people have the false impression that photography is hard work, and while it can be, especially when you are first learning, it is also a fun hobby. You can get so creative with your camera, your view and your subject that you can have a lot of fun with photography. Here are some fun ways to get creative and take some great shots.
Candid Shots
Candid shots are so much fun. They are also the most often taken pictures. Focus on capturing the moment that is happening in front of the lens, and not trying so hard to get the perfect picture. Look through the whole view finder, not just at your subject. See what is happening around them, see what you can capture. Candid shots are interesting because they usually show people in their element, unaware of the camera, unaware of others, totally wrapped into whatever they are doing. So grab your camera and go shoot, but remember to try to blend in, so that it truly is a candid shot.
Different Perspective
Don’t just shoot straight on. Change the way you hold the camera and where you are looking. Shoot from below your subject, so that they are looking down. Shoot from above them, so they are looking up. Shoot just a portion of them, or tilt the camera. Take a photograph from behind your subject rather than in front. Play around with different views and you’ll have loads of fun capturing photographs you would never have gotten otherwise.
Close Up
I love to zoom up on my subject. It avoids distracting backgrounds and it makes you feel like you are a part of whatever you are shooting. It allows you to capture details you might otherwise not have noticed. Zoom in on a flower growing in your garden, or a bug on a leaf. Zoom in and capture a special body part, like babies tiny toes or fingers, or eyes. Capture something up close and you will preserve a unique part of something that otherwise would be overlooked in your life.
Here are a few examples of what I caught through the eyes of my lens:
CANDID – She is hard to get a candid shot, she is absolutely a camera hog. So I stayed back and watched her playing in the sand. This is the shot I got when she had no idea I was watching.
CANDID – Her birthday brought her tons of surprises. I wanted to capture the look on her face when she got the present she wanted most, she had no idea it was coming!
PERSPECTIVE – My gorgeous dog, Bandit. He is no longer with us, but I am so glad that we took these shots. I took them from every perspective known to man, but this was my favorite.
PERSPECTIVE – A day at the park captured several photographs taken from different perspectives. This was just one of many, and I love the way it turned out.
CLOSE UP – If I had tried to capture my daughter in the photograph with the snails, we’d have never been able to see the detail on the snails. Instead I zoomed in on her hands to capture not only the many details of the snails, but also the comparison of the size of the snails to her tiny hands.
CLOSE UP – After a big day of baking several dozens of cookies, we decided to capture our favorite. What I love about this photograph is that you can actually see the crystals of sugar on the cookie!
I’d love to see yours! Upload them to your gallery and tell me about it in the comments. I plan to do more of these soon, as I’m having a lot of fun grabbing photograph opportunities I might not otherwise have grabbed!