Find fantastic photo subjects

Draw on inspirational images from everyday themes and activities

By Charlotte K. Lowrie

Finding photography subjects is a big challenge. In repeated attempts to cope with this challenge, I have sent myself flowers to photograph, borrowed floral arrangements from my manager and begged co-workers to bring in their kids.

In fact, on rainy days, I sometimes go to buy groceries but forget to pick up what’s on the shopping list because I become engrossed in finding prize fruits and vegetables to photograph. I carefully select each piece, rejecting specimens with bruises or deformities, and walk away with three prize mushrooms, half a dozen peppers and a handful of well-chosen chilies.

I’ve recently learned that people who have no on-location photo subjects are not alone. There are other subject-less readers with cameras in hand wondering, “What else is there to shoot?” Beyond the obvious and easy-to-shoot subjects such as relatives, friends and local tourist attractions, what do you shoot? In the best of all worlds, you would hope that whatever “it” might be would also be interesting and inspiring.

Assign yourself a photo subject

One of the best ways to solve the dilemma of what to shoot is to give yourself an assignment. For example, shoot everyday objects and people from the perspective of a child. Do some research for the assignment and find out how tall a three-year-old child is, and then shoot from that height and that mental and emotional viewpoint. With every assignment, work on improving your perspective, depth of field and macro photography. Experiment with different shutter speeds and focal lengths.

Finding inspiring photography subjects

People and things

Public parks are ideal for photographing people and their playthings. For example, parks are a great place to get shots of details on a bicycle, sports equipment in a heap on the basketball court sidelines, the silhouette of a child playing on the slide or a boat floating lazily on the lake. In the park and in public, always ask permission before you photograph people, children — and even pets.

Use your time in the park to work on techniques, such as low-light shooting, panning, action shots and cutaway shots. This is also a good place to use a long lens, or to switch to telephoto mode, so that you can remain unobtrusive to the activity going on in the park.

Still life

Virtually anything you have around the house — cut crystal, old brooms, nuts and bolts — is fair game for great still-life photographs. Try photographing a wine glass, a sandwich, fruits and vegetables, a piano keyboard, musical instruments, game tables and a meal on a platter.

Portray life on a miniature scale by photographing old dolls and toys. Arrange the subjects as an artistic composition, and then experiment with using window light, a flash, a flashlight or household lamps. You’ll find that every subject presents different shooting challenges.

Real life

Tell a story. There is no more powerful use for a camera than for telling a story. Photojournalists travel thousands of miles to tell stories of international import. But you don’t have to go that far to tell the story of your life or the life of someone close to you. For example, one reader recently had a photo epiphany — she decided to use her camera to tell the story of her aging mother. Stories of life are close by, and they are powerful, compelling subjects for photographers of all skill levels.

Childhood memories

Recall the activities and symbols that were special to you during childhood, and try recreating those memories photographically. For example, if you had a tree swing, find a local tree swing, and then photograph it in a way that evokes the emotions you recall feeling when you were a child. Or, go back to a familiar place from childhood, and photograph it from your childhood perspective. The hardest thing about making these images is infusing them with the emotion and meaning you want to express.

A word

Pick a word and photograph it. For example, what does lonely look like photographically? How would you photograph happiness, sadness, beauty, energy, imagination, creativity, hope or productivity? Use the palette of light to help express the word — the golden quality of sunset, the rich pastels of sunrise and the harsh flat light of midday can all help characterize the word you’re illustrating.

Inspiration from what you read

Find a picture from a book, magazine or web site that you wish you’d taken, and then try to recreate the image. This is another good way to learn about technique. Try to duplicate the light, the tone or the perspective — whatever it is that makes the image appealing. Then branch out and create a similar composition of your own.

Whether you’re photographing mushrooms from the grocery store or a slice-of-life story, just taking pictures continually and consistently pays huge dividends — not the least of which is to help you define your style and voice as a photographer.

Reprinted with permission of MSN Photos

Inset photos by Charlotte K. Lowrie