best photography assignments

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40 Practical Photography Assignments to Reinspire You

Here are a list of photographic assignments that I hope help you. You can skip around and choose the assignments that appeal to you:

#1. 5 yes, 5 no

If you’re interested in street photography, often the fear of rejection is worse than the rejection itself.

If you want a simple assignment to build your confidence, try the “5 yes, 5 no” challenge.

The concept is simple: approach a bunch of strangers and ask for permission to make their portrait. You have to keep asking until you get 5 people to say “yes” and 5 people to say “no.”

You will discover it is harder to get a “no” than a “yes”.

If you’ve got all 5 “yes’s” but not 5 “no’s”, you need to purposefully go out and look for the scariest people you think will say “no.”

The purpose of this assignment is to help you face rejection. In life, photography, and everything else, we are slaves of fear. This will help you face your fear head-on.

#2. “10 no”

If you’re really, really afraid of getting rejected, try out this assignment (a variation of the 5 yes/5 no assignment).

Go out and try to get 10 people to reject having their photos as quickly as possible.

If you go out and try to find people to say “yes” to getting their portrait shot, you might become paralyzed. Instead, only approach people who you think look unfriendly and will say “no.”

Funny story: you will find that often the scariest/meanest looking people are the nicest (and vice-versa).

#3. Exposure compensation

I am a big proponent of shooting in “P” (program mode). Essentially the camera chooses the aperture/shutter speed for you, as well as the exposure.

If you want to get better exposures in your photos (in P mode), try experimenting with exposure-compensation.

Ask a person to stand in the bright sun, and take a series of different photos (with different exposure compensations):

0, +1, +2, +3, -1, -2, -3

Then look at your LCD screen, and look at the exposure of each photo. Then look at the real world — how does your exposure-compensations change how your photos end up looking?

Don’t get too nerdy with this. Figure out what exposure-compensations work well for your camera, in different settings. Each camera thinks differently and has different exposure compensation modes. So treat this assignment as a way for you to better understand the light, and how your camera thinks.

If it is really bright outside, I generally photograph at -1 exposure-compensation, to make the skin tones of my subject look more natural, and also to darken the shadows. I love the dramatic look this gives my images.

Furthermore, if you’re shooting in the shade, you will often need to shoot +1 exposure-compensation to light your scene better.

But once again, experiment with different exposure-compensations, and figure out what works best for you.

#4. 1,000 photos in a day

If you’re a photographer who only takes 1-2 photos of a scene and tends to run away, try this assignment.

The assignment: take 1,000 photos in a single day.

The purpose of this assignment is for you to learn how to “work the scene”. If you see a good scene, try to take at least 10 photos of each scene. This will allow you to capture better perspectives, angles, and moments.

I don’t want you to always take 1,000 photos everyday. But this might help you break through “photographer’s block.”

#5. Eye contact/no eye contact

When I’m shooting street photography, I’m not sure whether a photograph with eye contact or without eye contact will be better.

Solution? Try to get both.

If I’m shooting candidly, I will get close to my subject, and take multiple photos, until they notice my presence. Then I wait for them to notice me, and then I take a photograph when they make contact.

Then when I go home, I have the decision of choosing between two version of a photo: one with eye contact, and one without. Sometimes eye contact works better, sometimes it doesn’t.

There is a saying that “eyes are the windows to the soul.” I generally find photos with eye-contact to be more compelling, soulful, and intense for the viewer.

However at the same time, sometimes having photos with the subject looking away from the camera gives you a more moody feel.

I often like to study famous (painted) portraits of people in the past for inspiration. Look at the paintings with eye contact, and without.

#6. Ask your subject to look up, down, left, right

If you approach a stranger, and ask permission to make their portrait (or if you’re photographing a model), it is hard to direct your subject.

One tip I learned: ask them to look in different directions.

For example, ask your model to look into the camera, and don’t smile. Then ask them to look up, down, left, and right.

Often people have a “better side.” Not only that, but by having your subject look up and down, you change the mood of the photo.

When your subject is looking up, they look more confident, encouraged, and powerful.

When your subject is looking down, they look more downtrodden, depressed, and negative.

Another tip: ask your subject to look at your hand while you’re photographing them. Then move your hand, and see how their eyes track your hand.

Changing the eye and head position of your subject will change the emotion of the photo. Experiment with different head positions with your subject, and you will have more photos to choose from.

#7. Only photograph things on the ground

When it comes to photography, we often just photograph what is in front of us, at eye-level.

Yet we never look down, and we never loop up.

As a simple assignment, do a photo project of just photographing stuff on the ground. You will find lots of interesting subject-matter if you look closely enough.

The world is a rich and beautiful place to take photos. Sometimes we complain that there is “nothing to photograph.” Yet in reality, we’re just not looking hard enough.

Change your perspective and view. Don’t just look ahead. Look down. Look up. Look into cracks in-between walls. Be curious, and change your perspective.

#8. Take at least 10 photos of each scene

I mentioned this tip a bit earlier, but the mistake we make as photographers is that we’re easily satisfied with 1-2 photos, and we move on.

The problem with only taking 1-2 photos (and then checking our LCD screen) is that we don’t push ourselves. When in doubt, try to photograph 25% more than you think you need to photograph.

This will force you to be more creative. You will try to photograph your scene from different distances (close, far) and from different angles (left, middle, right). You can also switch up your positioning (crouching, standing, or tippy-toe).

It is rare to see a good photo-moment. Don’t settle with just 1-2 photos. “Work the scene” and try to take at least 10 photos of each scene. Then you will push your creative boundaries, and be more likely to make a good photo.

#9. Limit yourself to only 36 photos in a day

For this assignment, you’re only allowed to take 36 photos in a day (same amount of photos in a roll of film).

This exercise will help you learn restraint. It will balance out some of the other assignments which encourage you to take more.

If you only had 36 photos you could take in a day, how much more selective would you be with your shooting? What superfluous photos would you not shoot?

I also find that by taking fewer photos, I appreciate each scene more.

You can do this assignment on a digital camera, or on a film camera.

#10. Shoot 1 street corner for an hour

In street photography, we’re impatient. Rather than sticking in one good area and waiting for our subjects to come to us, we run around (often wasting our energy) to just find a few good photos.

The solution: find an interesting street corner, don’t move, and photograph it for an hour.

The purpose of this assignment is to realize that it can be more effective to find a good scene, background, or area, and wait for your subjects to come to you.

Not only that, but if you stay put in one area, you will get to know the area better. You will observe the flow of subjects, and get a feel of a place better. Not only that, but you will be more “invisible” in the scene — people will ignore you.

#11. Delete all the photos from your social media account

An occasional purge is good for our physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Try to do this every once in a while: delete all the photos from your social media, and start from scratch.

Don’t delete the original photos. Keep them on your hard drive, print them out, or archive them.

However if you have a lot of photos cluttering your social media account, make a practice of doing a 100% purge. Delete all the photos (or mark them private), and then re-start from scratch.

Often we let our past work prevent ourselves from innovating and creating new future work.

Purge your past. And start refreshed.

#12. Go a month without using social media

Often as photographers we fall victim to the “social media” treadmill of always uploading a photo everyday, just to feel relevant. We want it for the likes, the comments, the new followers. Yet we get addicted to social media like heroin. Without our daily “hit” of external affirmation, we feel our photography is pointless.

Yet photography should be a personal pursuit. Why care about what others think about your photos? How do you feel about your own photos?

Uninstall all the social media apps from your phone (don’t worry you can re-install them after a month). Don’t upload any photos, look at anyone else’s photos, and try your best not to cheat.

By “fasting” from social media from a month, you will get a better sense of why you make photos. And I can guarantee you, you will feel less stressed and anxious to keep up with the “social media rat race.”

#13. Only shoot black and white for a year

We don’t see the world in monochrome. Black and white is an abstraction in the world. That is why it looks more “artistic” to the average person. It is novel, unique, and different.

However it takes a while for you to train your eye to see the world in monochrome.

Many photographers shoot black and white their entire life, and still never master it. I’ve also found that if I switch between black and white and color too often, I can never learn how to really see the world in one.

The assignment is to shoot only black and white for an entire year. You can shoot RAW+JPEG with a black and white preview. And perhaps you can just use the black and white JPEG’s. If not, apply a simple black and white preset to all of your RAW photos (upon importing them).

How would you visualize the world in monochrome? I’ve found myself looking more for emotions, mood, smoke, shadows, lines, graphical elements, and minimalism.

This will be different for you, but learn how to see in monochrome.

#14. Only shoot color for a year

The opposite assignment to the prior one; shoot only color for a year.

To see the world in color is different than seeing the world in black and white.

Personally, I’ve found shooting color to be more difficult than shooting black and white. Why? Because color leads to more complexity. You need to compose and frame a scene well, but also think about the color-combinations of a scene.

Not only that, but different colors evoke different moods and emotions.

Monochrome is easy to use because it reduces and removes distractions. Color introduces more complexity and distractions.

I would personally recommend most photographers to first try to master monochrome before taking on color photography .

Color photography also requires your exposures to be better, and for you to shoot in better lighting conditions. For color photography, try to shoot sunrise and sunset ( golden hour ), or use a flash.

Train your eyes to become sensitive to different colors and play and have fun with it. See how you can mix different colors in a scene, whether they be complementary colors or contrasting colors.

#15. Only shoot JPEG for a month

RAW and post-processing is a blessing and a curse. The problem is that many of us modern photographers over-rely on fancy post-processing techniques to improve our (mediocre) photos.

I’m guilty of it — I’ve added HDR to my photos, added selective color, intense vignettes, and “overly-processed” many of my photos (thinking that they would make the photos better).

But no matter how much you polish a turd, it will still be a turd.

Shoot only JPEG for a month.

If you’re really anxious, shoot JPEG+RAW (but only use the JPEG’s) for a month.

This way you can’t rely on fancy post-processing techniques to “salvage” your photos. A great photo shouldn’t require any excessive post-processing.

#16. Only shoot with your smartphone for a month

We often make the excuse that we don’t always have our cameras with us. I know personally when I owned a DSLR, it would be a pain in the ass to carry with me everywhere I went.

But today we’re blessed by modern technology, especially with the smartphone. The smartphone is the ultimate camera: it is always with us, fits in our front pocket, and can also be used to edit/post-process/publish our photos.

If you have a big bulky camera and never take photos, take this challenge upon yourself: only shoot with your smartphone for a month. Lock up your “real” camera in a drawer, and see how you can be the most creative with just your smartphone.

The purpose of this assignment is to realize that photography is less about the gear and more about your personal vision, and how you see the world. The tool isn’t as important as your eye.

This assignment might also teach you the importance of just always having your camera with you, ready, and prepared to click.

#17. Stick to one camera, one lens for a year

We’re rich. We live in a culture of abundance. Most photographers I know aren’t starving. Most photographers have an over-abundance of cameras, lenses, and gear.

If you’re a photographer who has too much “choice anxiety” from owning too much gear, only stick to one camera, one lens for a year. Lock up your other gear in a drawer, better yet, sell it or give it away to friends.

If you really want to hone in your photographic vision; you don’t want to be distracted by gear. Also it takes a long time to get to know one camera and one lens/focal length quite well.

By sticking with consistent gear, you will have fewer gear distractions, which will give you more creative focus.

#18. Only shoot horizontal, vertical, or square for a month

I believe in “creative constraints”: by having fewer options, you are forced to be more creative.

For example, take framing. Try to only shoot horizontal (landscape), vertical (portrait), or square-format for a month.

Framing and composition is all about knowing what to leave out of the frame.

Restrict yourself to one orientation for a month and you will find more visual consistency with your work. And you will be forced to compose more creatively.

#19. Only shoot one square block for a month

With unlimited options, we become paralyzed. We don’t know what direction to take our creative work.

Restrict yourself geographically. For a month, only shoot one square block (both sides). This way, you will really have to dig deep, and find something very interesting in that one square block.

The benefit of this project is that you know exactly where to shoot. Just one specific area. And I think it is better to get to know one area very well, rather than knowing a lot of different areas superficially.

Being a great photographer isn’t about traveling the world, to exotic places, and making interesting photos overseas.

Being a great photographer is making the best out of what you have. For not complaining where you live; and being the best photographer in your own home town.

#20. Shoot everyday for a month

The only way to become a better photographer is to shoot more. The more you shoot, the more feedback you will get, and the more connected you will feel with the world.

For a month, take at least 1 photo everyday. It can be with your smartphone, DSLR, or whatever camera you have.

Just make sure it is something personally meaningful to you. Don’t just take the photo for the sake of it. Take a photo everyday of something that stirs your heart. That makes your soul sing.

The Zen masters recommended having a “daily practice.” By repetition, we reach a deeper understanding of “truth.”

In photography, we can read a hundred photo theory books, and still not learn anything. We only learn through taking photos, repetition, feedback, critique, and constantly seeking to improve ourselves.

Don’t put pressure on yourself that everyday the photo has to be great. But just build the habit.

#21. Don’t shoot for a month

To balance out the prior experiment; try to go a month without taking any photos.

You’re not allowed to take photos for a month.

Ironically enough, this assignment might be the best way to re-invigorate your passion for photography. Why? We take photography for granted. But when something is taken away from us we appreciate it more.

#22. Shoot “selfies” for a week

Many of us complain that we don’t have interesting subjects to photograph.

Not true; your best subject is yourself. Because you’re always available, and you won’t say “no” to yourself.

There are different ways you can shoot ‘artistic selfies’ of yourself. Photograph your shadow, reflection, or put your camera on a tripod and setup a scene and shoot yourself.

To photograph yourself is an incredibly intimate experience. It is an experience that allows you to be comfortable on the other side of the camera. Not only that, but it makes you realize that no matter what, you can always photograph something — who better than yourself?

#23. Have your portrait (professionally) shot

I learned this lesson from Sara Lando: if you don’t like being photographed, have another photographer (professionally) shoot your headshot. You will learn what is comfortable (and what isn’t comfortable) being a subject.

If you are a photographer, yet you don’t like having your own photo taken, you debilitate yourself. You assume everyone else doesn’t like having their photo taken (not true).

The secret is how can you make a photo of others (and of yourself) that makes the subject comfortable, at ease, and happy to be photographed?

#24. Shoot with a focal length (you’re uncomfortable with) for a week

We all have our preferences for a certain lens or focal length. If you want to push your creative boundaries, shoot with a focal length that you are very unfamiliar or uncomfortable with for a week.

If you’re a 28mm guy, try shooting only with a 200mm lens for a week. If you’re usually a 200mm telephoto type of person, try a 35mm lens. If you usually shoot with a 50mm lens, try a 28mm lens.

By shifting our focal length, we shift our perspective, how we see the world, and how we approach our subjects.

By pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone for a week, you will gain a new perspective and also perhaps find more gratitude for the focal length you’re already comfortable with.

Or better yet, you might find a new focal length you prefer that can help you be more creative and innovative with your work.

#25. “.7 meter challenge” (1-arm length challenge)

I learned this assignment from my buddy Satoki Nagata. If you’re uncomfortable getting close to your subjects, pre-focus your lens to .7 meters (about 1-arm length distance), and only shoot that distance for a month.

This assignment will force you to get physically and emotionally closer to your subjects.

You don’t need to shoot all your photos candidly. Ask for permission.

The more comfortable you’re shooting at a close distance, the easier it will be for you to take a step back.

#26. Decapitate heads for a week

I often find photos of hands, feet, or body gestures more interesting than faces. So the assignment is to take photos of your subjects without including their faces/heads in the photo.

Try it out: for a week “decapitate” your subjects (don’t photograph their faces). This will force you to see the other characteristics and attributes of your subject on a deeper level.

#27. Buy a mannequin (and use it as a test subject)

I learned this assignment from my friend Charlie Kirk: if you want to learn how to make better portraits, how to better use studio/flash, or how to frame, buy a mannequin as a test subject.

The great thing about having a mannequin is that you will always have a willing subject.

Try using different focal lengths, different settings, different apertures, shutter-speeds, different lighting setups, and anything else you want to experiment with.

This will allow you to better understand how to use your camera technically, how light (especially artificial light) works. Not only that, but you will have a forever patient subject at your disposal (whenever).

#28. Only shoot with a flash for a week

There is a bias in photography against shooting with a flash. People say it looks “harsh” and unnatural” when compared to using natural light.

Yet the flash helps us overcome difficult lighting situations. It gives us more freedom to shoot at different points in the day, when the light might not be so nice.

For a week, experiment taking photos only with a flash. You will discover how the flash works during the day, in the shade, indoors, and other effects it might have on your images.

Having a flash is a good tool in photography. It can help you open up creative doors and opportunities. It will give you more freedom to shoot at all points during a day.

You don’t always need to shoot with a flash, but try to learn it to the best of your ability, and you can use it in special situations (or in all situations).

#29. Put together a photo album

Today’s world is (mostly) digital. In photography, we spend 99% of our efforts sharing our photos online. Very rarely do we print our work, arrange and edit our work, and create physical objects with our photography.

Buy a cheap photo album at the store or online. Print a bunch of your photos as small 4×6’s. Then put together a photo album.

Do it with your partner, children, or friends. Make a theme, concept, or a story. Have fun. Spread the 4×6 prints on the floor, and figure out what kind of pairing, sequencing, and flow you want to add to your album.

Handling physical prints is a different experience than just looking at them on your computer or phone. The physicality of photography adds another dimension for us to be more creative, to find more by-chance connections, and for us to be more engaged with others.

Making a photo album is a nice communal activity, something that families did a lot in the past. Making photo albums can help us re-connect ourselves with the past, but also create physical documents that will be well-preserved into the future.

#30. Print your portfolio

Most of us have our portfolios online. Few of us have printed portfolios.

Look at your entire library of images, and ask yourself: Which of these 10 photos represent who I am as a photographer?

Then print out those photos at any size you like. Figure out how you would like the photos to be sequenced. Then carry them around with you, and share them with your friends. Ask them to sequence your photos according to their emotion and feeling.

Learn to show your photos as prints, rather than just a phone or computer. See how people react differently to your photos, and see how it feels different for you as a photographer.

Photos don’t exist until they’re printed. When photos exist in atoms, we have a deeper connection with them as humans. When we can hold a photo, or a memory in our hands, it feels more real. We appreciate it more, and we feel more connected with them.

I find a nagging sense of incompletion if I don’t print my photos. I appreciate my photos on my computer, but I love them when they’re printed.

This assignment will also give you a good opportunity to re-evaluate your entire body of work and ask yourself: What photos really show who I am?

#31. Give away a photo everyday (for a week)

I feel the best gift you can give others as a photographer is prints. Why? Because prints are meaningful, easy to transport, and relatively inexpensive to print.

As an assignment, print out a bunch of your photos, and for a week, give out at least 1 print a day (to a stranger, friend, your barista, family member, etc). See how it affects their mood, and your own mood.

Photos are about sharing moments, art, and history. Share a little bit of your own soul by giving away your photos. You might discover that giving away your photos for free is more meaningful than selling them.

#32. Start your own photography blog, and blog consistently for 30 days straight

I’m not a big fan of traditional “social media” – because you have no control. You’re a slave to the platform, and you don’t have as much ownership and creative opportunities.

When you create your own blog, you have more flexibility. You can publish your photos, text, and ideas in different format. If you own the blogging platform (I recommend wordpress.org) you then really own your content.

Blogs are great because they are historical documents of our past. Blogging is more difficult than sharing photos on social media, but it is also more personally meaningful.

Furthermore, if you have a blog, it is easier indexed by Google. And anyone with a web browser can access your work rather than only people on a certain social media platform.

The assignment is to start your own blog, and blog consistently for 30 days straight. It can be about anything. You can just upload a photo everyday, upload photos that inspire you, or share some personal stories behind your favorite images. Don’t take it too seriously, but try it for a consistent month.

By making a blog, you gain more ownership of your own photography, creativity, and work on the internet. If you’re a slave to a social media platform, your influence is very limited and you don’t have as many different ways to express yourself creatively.

I see blogs as the future of photography — don’t be left behind.

#33. Write down a list of photographic subjects you don’t like to photograph

How do you know what your “style” is in photography? For me, it is knowing what you don’t like to photograph.

For this assignment, figure out what genres of photography you dislike. Write them down, and simply avoid taking those photos.

Then, by process-of-elimination, figure out what kind of photographer you are (based on what you don’t like to photograph).

Most people I know who are interested in street photography don’t like to take photos of sunsets and landscapes. People I know who like to shoot flowers don’t like to take photos of people. Photographers who like to shoot monochrome generally dislike shooting color (and vice-versa).

Find out who you are via subtraction and process-of elimination. Treat your photographic style the same.

What do you not like photographing? Then just don’t photograph it — photograph the opposite.

#34. Intentionally try to take bad photos for a week

One of the biggest barriers in our photography is that we always try to take really good photos. But it is rare that we make good photos.

So flip the concept upside down: try to intentionally shoot “sh**ty photos” for a week. Get rid of your concepts of good composition, framing, and light. Just take bad photos of whatever you find interesting.

Follow your gut, soul, and instincts. Just click. Don’t think too much.

Then after a week, see if you feel more loose in your photography, less “blocked” creatively. Do you take yourself less seriously? Are you having more fun?

Perfectionism ruins us. Seek to make “good” photos. And in order to do so give yourself permission to make bad photos.

#35. Create your own photography portfolio website

If you want to be more serious with your photography (and taken more seriously), make a photography portfolio website. It can just be your firstnamelastnamephoto.com (or better yet, firstnamelastname.com).

Make your own photography website, and put on your 3 best projects (restrict each project to your 10 best photos). This way, you will be able to think more about long-term projects, rather than getting swept away in the social media madness of just uploading a single (random) photo a day.

When you pass away, what kind of body of work do you want to leave behind? Do you really think that your social media profile will exist after you pass away? Will anyone even look at it?

Having a website (instead of just having social media) is better, but not the best.

Aim on creating a body of work, and several bodies of work, then publish them as books.

#36. Buy one photo book a month (for a year)

I’m a big proponent of photography books and education. For a simple motto, remember the phrase: “Buy books, not gear.”

Gear quickly gets outdated. A great photo book will increase in value over time, both monetarily and its value to you as a photographer.

I recommend trying to invest in at least one photo book a month (for a year). You don’t need to buy an expensive photo book — invest in a book that you plan on re-reading over and over again.

I also recommend buying photo books whenever you have the urge to buy a new piece of gear. Why? Photo books will actually help improve your photography, and the novelty of a new photo book will inspire you.

Every photographer needs inspiration from somewhere. Most of us get our inspiration online, on social media.

There are great photographers online, but if you really want to learn the work of the masters, invest in photo books. Photographers spend many years, thousands of dollars, to create their own book. Therefore you’re more likely to get better images in a photo book, than just when looking online.

A good photo book will last for your entire life and will always be a great source of inspiration for you.

#37. Look at all the portfolios of all the Magnum photographers

You are what you eat. If you look at the work of great photographers, you will aspire to make great photographs.

I also go this assignment from my buddy Charlie Kirk: go to the Magnum Photos website and study all the portfolios of the Magnum photographers.

Write a list of which photographers you admire. Analyze their work, and ask yourself, “Why” you like their work.

Furthermore, when you find a photographer whose work really speaks to you, buy all their photo books, watch all their YouTube interviews, and learn as much about them as you can from them.

The more great images we look at, the more inspired we will be to make great photos. By analyzing great compositions and images, we will subconsciously take better photos when we’re shooting.

Also you will find there are a lot of Magnum photographers whose work you don’t “get” or “like.” That is fine — just think to yourself, “What about their work do I not like? And why would other people like their work?”

#38. Attend a photography workshop

I think photography workshops are great because you get a “shortcut” in your learning and education.

For a workshop, you get a distilled source of information from your teacher, often in a few days or a week.

I personally think that photography workshops are a much better “bang for the buck” than photography schools. And they’re much shorter, focused, practical, and hands-on.

Find a photography workshop on a topic that interests you. And know that you’re investing your money into your education, which is always one of the best investments for your money.

If you want practical instruction in photography, to learn, have any questions addressed, attend a workshop or two.

#39. Learn how to process black and white film

I don’t think digital is better than film, nor is film better than digital. They’re different. But more similar than dissimilar.

I feel the process of shooting film, and learning how to develop it, makes you appreciate the art and process of photography much more.

When I started off in digital photography, I took for granted that you could take a photo and instantly see it on the back of your LCD screen.

Shooting film has taught me patience, appreciation for the process, and the tactile hands-on approach.

If you’ve never processed your own black and white film, give it a try. There are tons of YouTube tutorials on how to do it. By processing your own black and white photos , you will feel a lot more connected with your images. You might fall in love with the process and the magic.

After shooting film for several years, I came back to digital photography with new enthusiasm. I appreciated digital photography so much more in terms of the convenience, the flexibility, and the modern technology.

If you’ve never processed your film before, give it a go. And not only that, but try to print your photos in a darkroom at least once — the experience might totally change how you view photography.

#40. Photograph only hand gestures for a day

I think that great photos tend to have two things: 1) Great composition and 2) Great emotion.

We all know how to make better compositions. Few of us know how to capture emotions.

A practical way to capture better emotions: capture hand-gestures and body language of your subjects.

So for a whole day, do nothing but photograph people doing interesting hand-gestures. Not only that, but afterwards, look at your photos (with hand-gestures in them), and mimic the hand-gesture. This will help you connect emotionally, and empathize with your subjects.

Photos of people just walking (and doing nothing with their hands) tends to be boring. Hand-gestures are much more dynamic, interesting, and emotional.

Much of communication is body-language and hand-gesture based. Photos are silent and don’t say words. But hand-gestures do.

I hope this list of 40 photography assignments will help inspire and uplift you. It is hard to stay motivated in your photography, but know that photography isn’t a race. Photography is a personal journey for yourself. You want to take your time, enjoy the process, and gain personal meaning through your photography.

Never compete with any other photographer. Don’t compare yourself to other photographers by how many followers/likes you have on social media.

Only gauge your progress in photography by your own standards of yourself, and by your own gut.

Know that dips in motivation in photography are natural and part of the game. What matters the most is how are you going to overcome these mental blocks and barriers in your photography. Are you going to let them encourage you to try harder? Or are you going to give up photography all-together.

Tenacity and staying in the game of photography is the goal. Never give up friend. Let’s stick in photography together for the long-haul.

About the author : Eric Kim is an international street photographer. You can find more of his photography and writing on his website and blog . This article was also published here .

10 Photo Assignments to Inspire and Challenge Your Skills

Liz Masoner is a professional photographer and she shares her tips and techniques on photo editing and how to photograph nature, portraits, and events with film and digital cameras. Liz has over 30 years of experience and she is the author of three books on photography.

The best way to learn photography is to practice, though sometimes you can get stuck in a rut and not know what to shoot. That is why photographers love assignments; they give us a purpose and an idea of what to photograph. 

Why Are Assignments Important?

Self-assignments are key to any photographer's growth. Even professionals with decades of experience will work on personal assignments that they may never get paid for. The goal of any self-assignment is to spur creativity, solve problems, learn new techniques, and challenge yourself.

As you start out in photography, you're probably filled with excitement and ready to shoot anything you can. That being said, sometimes a little direction and guidance are necessary.

Below, you will find ten photography assignments. Each covers a new topic, skill, or concept and they were chosen to help you learn how to see as a photographer. They are meant to be a personal challenge that you can complete at your own pace and with no outside judgment, simply as a means to practice and improve your photography. Hopefully, you will learn something new with each assignment and be able to use that in every photograph you take in the future.

Remember when composing your images to keep in mind the basics: the rule of thirds,  shutter speed , aperture,  depth of field , and  exposure .

Assignment #1: Up Close

This assignment encourages you to get close and personal with your subject. It is an exercise in viewing a common object in a new way and examining its finer details.

• Choose an object that you see or interact with every day.
• Focus on a small part of it, get as close as your camera will allow you to focus, and shoot away.
• Try to capture different angles and unusual lighting to add to the mystery of this tiny world.

From the whiskers of your cat to a fragile Christmas ornament, and even common soap bubbles, there is an entire world that we often overlook because we don't get close enough.

Assignment #2: Motion

Photography is a static medium which means that it doesn't move. Conveying a sense of motion is often crucial to capturing a scene or emotion and it is an essential skill for photographers to practice.

The goal of this exercise is to understand how shutter speeds can be used to convey motion.

• Choose a subject or series of subjects that will allow you to convey motion in your images.
• It can be slow motions, like that of a turtle, or fast motion, like a speeding train.
• Blur it, stop it, or simply suggest that there is motion in the photograph.

Challenge yourself to capture the same motion in different ways. For instance, you might go to a race track and stop the movement of the cars completely in one image, then leave the shutter open and allow them to blur out of the frame in the next. 

Assignment #3: Shadows

Shadows are everywhere and they are vital to photography because this is the art of capturing light. With light comes shadows and when you begin to look at shadows as a photographer, your world will open up.

• Take a look around for shadows and record them with your camera.
• You could show the shadow as the total focus of the image. Perhaps the shadow is incidental to the subject.
• Is the shadow natural or created by flash?

Shadows are integral to creating depth in a two-dimensional medium such as photography. Take some time to seriously explore the "dark side" of the light.

Assignment #4: Water

Water is everywhere in photography and it presents many challenges. There are reflections and movements to work with and in this exercise, you will take a deeper look at water.

• Find water anywhere: lakes, streams, puddles, even the glass on your kitchen table.
• Pay attention to reflections and use them to your advantage in the photographs. Use this opportunity to get familiar with a polarizing filter (a very useful tool in your camera kit) so you can accentuate or eliminate reflections.
• Play with the motion of a stream or the crashing waves. Notice the difference between stopping the flow of water and allowing it to blur to create a real sense of movement.

Be sure to make water the subject and not an accent to the image. Water alone is beautiful and mysterious and your challenge is to explore all of its potential as a subject.

Assignment #5: Leading Lines

A classic assignment in photography schools, 'leading lines ' is a popular and fun subject. The goal of this assignment is to learn how to direct the viewer to your subject using lines.

• Choose a subject then look around for lines in the scene that you can use to 'lead' the viewer to the subject. 
• Find an interesting line then determine what the subject of your photograph is.
• Remember that lines can be man-made or natural. For instance, the yellow line down the middle of the road or a tree branch. Even a person's arm can be a leading line of their face.

Use this assignment as an excuse to take an afternoon photo excursion. Walk downtown or in the woods and look around you for interesting lines that lead the eye to a subject. There is an amazing assortment of lines out there in the world and once you begin to see them, you won't be able to stop. 

Assignment #6: Perspective

How do you normally stand when you shoot? If your answer is straight up like a 5-foot-something human being then this assignment is for you. The perspective assignment challenges you to view the world from an entirely new perspective, which in turn gives the viewer a new look at the ordinary.

• Take another afternoon or evening for a photo excursion wherever you like.
• This time, every time you find something to photograph, stop!
• Ask yourself: How would a squirrel see that tree? How would a robin view that birdbath? How would a snake view that log?
• Take your photographs from very high or very low angles. Get on your belly or stand on a chair, whatever you have to (safely) do to get the 'right' angle on your subject.

If you pay attention to professional photographs, many of the images that have the WOW factor are photographed from extreme angles. People enjoy these photos because they've never seen an object from that viewpoint. It is new and unique, and you can train yourself to shoot with this in mind.

Assignment #7: Texture

You may have captured a few textural details in the 'Up Close' assignment, but this assignment takes that to the next level. The goal in this one is to study textures and forget about the object itself: the texture becomes the subject. You will also begin to realize how light affects the appearance of texture.

• Find a few objects that have very detailed textures like trees or rocks, even knit sweaters or woven rugs.
• Photograph them as close as your lens will allow.
• Use different angles and capture the same texture as the light changes. Notice how the different lighting directions and camera angles can change how much texture appears.

Textures are all around us and many of the best photographs in the world play up the textural element. This assignment should teach you how to recognize and accentuate those elements in your photos.

Assignment #8: Color Harmony

Color is important to photography because the world is full of color. This exercise requires a bit of study in color theory, which you will then put into practice in your photographs.

Do you remember art class in elementary school? You may have learned that yellow and blue make green, but color theory goes beyond that. There are cool and warm colors, complementary and contrasting colors, neutral colors, and bold colors.

It can get quite complicated, and photographers should have a basic understanding of color so you can use that when composing photographs. You don't have to study color like a painter would but can use tricks used by interior designers to influence your color decisions.

• Once you have an idea of color theory, take another photo excursion and put what you've learned into practice.
• Capture photographs with the primary or tertiary colors.
• Look for complementary colors then contrasting colors to photograph.
• Try finding a scene to photograph that is filled with neutral colors, then one that uses a bold color to 'pop' from the scene.

This is an advanced lesson, but one that any photographer working with color images will find useful. As you practice working with colors, it will become second nature and you will know how to work with color to change the feel of your images.

Assignment #9: Emotions

Take a photo of a person smiling or scowling, right? Not so. The intent of this assignment is to convey emotion in photographs  without  a face.

• Take photographs that express each of the basic emotions: happy, sad, and mad.
• How would you express the feeling of anger with no person? What about happiness? Sadness?

This is a purely conceptual assignment, but it is important to be able to relay emotion in your photographs and you might not always have a person available to do that with. Challenge yourself to think deeper about this one.

Assignment #10: Don't Look!

Are you ready to put your photography skills to the test? In today's world of digital cameras and the ability to see image captures right there on the LCD screen, photographers are losing some of the skills needed to visualize a photograph.

In this assignment, your challenge is to shoot as if you were using a film camera. That means that you will not look at the photographs you've taken until they are downloaded on your computer. Instead of relying on the camera's screen to see if you 'got the shot' you will rely on your instinct and knowledge, just like photographers did before digital photography. Can you do it?

• Plan a photo excursion to a particular location and permit yourself to photograph only 36 images (a roll of 35mm film).
• Turn off your camera's LCD screen so it does not show you the image after you have taken it.
• If you cannot turn off the camera's screen, cut a piece of thick paper and tape it over the screen. Use masking or painter's tape so you don't leave a residue on the back of your camera.
• Go out and shoot your 36 frames, thinking carefully about each image because you don't have an endless number of shots. Bonus points if you turn your camera to completely manual settings for focus and exposure.
• Don't peek at your photos until you get home and download them.

How did you do? Were you able to get good exposures on your own? How did it feel to be 'blind' and not know how your image turned out right away? 

This is similar to what it is like to shoot with film and it does require you to think harder about every image you take. Next time you shoot, slow down and pay attention, pretend that the screen is not there and rely on your own skills to create a great image. You will be a better photographer in the end.

More from The Spruce Crafts

15 Photography Assignments to Challenge and Inspire

By Tata Rossi 23 days ago, Amateur Photography

Photography assignments allow you to experiment with something you have never tried before and play around with different photographic approaches. With such an assignment, you will challenge yourself and develop your skills.

15 Ways to Make Photography Assignments

This list of photo assignments consists of 15 points, so I am sure that you will find the idea to your liking.

1. Self Portraits

The first task is a no-brainer: just take a self-portrait picture each day. Don’t forget to use a tripod and shutter release aside from regular shooting with your arm extended and holding a camera.

Since you will be the model, feel free to unleash your creativity with all sorts of make-up, outfits, poses until you figure out a proper look. Remember to use props as well. Then share your shots with the world via social networks or the dedicated Flickr and Twitter groups.

2. Color Challenge

Here is one of the greatest color photography assignments for the urban environment photos . Bring the camera with you and take pictures for several hours. Pick a color (or ask a friend to choose it for you to complicate the task) and photograph subjects of the chosen color only.

Once you are done, you will find yourself seeing this color everywhere! Then pick the best shots and merge them into a collage or mosaic in Photoshop .

3. After Dark

Practice with night photography and try taking pictures after dark. In case you are outside the city, you may shoot moonlight or star trails. While being in the city, capture light trails of vehicles or buildings with the light-up windows. Regardless of the location, experiment with light-painting by means of long exposure photography and moving a flashlight across areas of the scene.

4. Crop or Rotate All your Photos a Specific Way

One of the best photography practice assignments is to neglect your comfort zone and try something new for a change. For instance, if you have a tendency to snap the same kinds of photos, you should modify their perspective.

Try an approach to cropping or rotating your next 50-100 shots that differs from your regular one. Play around with square photos, 180° rotation or whatever else you can come up with. Once you get out of the familiar artistic routine, you will be able to perceive the world from another angle and get creative.

5. Quit Social Media Temporarily

Social networks can serve as an excellent source of photography inspiration or lead to a complete lack of it. If you use social networks without critical thinking, you may start comparing yourself to other photographers, which will be a total waste of time and effort.

While it may be one of the hardest photography assignments these days, taking a hiatus from social networks is highly important. Log off your Instagram account for some time or uninstall apps that leave you in a bad mood.

In case your job requires staying online on a daily basis, devote some of your time to non-Internet tasks, like taking pictures or gaining knowledge on photography. I suggest taking some online photography courses .

6. Shoot Every Day for a Month

If you wish to become a better photographer , you shouldn’t stop shooting. By taking pictures constantly, you will receive more feedback and will be interacting more actively with the world.

One of the most widespread photography class assignments is to take one picture each day for a month. Do it with the help of the smartphone, DSLR camera or any device that can photograph. But don’t take meaningless pictures just because you have to. The shots you take should resonate with you in one way or another and be valuable to you.

The Zen masters suggest that you have a “daily practice.” When we repeat something, we become closer to recognizing the “truth”. You may read a great number of photo theory books , but you won’t be able to shoot properly. Only through practice, repetition, feedback and constructive criticism, you can grow as a photographer. Remember that this assignment is about forming a habit, not about taking a perfect picture each day.

7. Experiment with a Completely Different Genre

The array of photography genres is truly vast. Underwater photography , glamour, smartphone, landscape photography , portrait photography – that’s only a beginning. If you feel like you are losing interest in photography, switch to another genre.

Try staying away from your primary photography genre for a while. In case you shoot portraits, go outside and capture the area where you live in. If you are involved in photographing pets , play around with self-portraiture. By getting familiar with various photography genres, you are widening your photography horizons and gaining new knowledge that may come in useful one day.

8. Put Together a Photo Album

We live in a digital world, and even nowadays’ photography comes mostly in a digital form. We constantly find ourselves sharing our photos online. It is a rare thing to print photographs, even touch them, let alone create something physical out of them.

That’s why one of the greatest photography tasks is to compile a photo album. You can buy one at a store or online. Print the desired shots in the small 4×6 size. I suggest collaborating on this task with your friend, child or partner. Think of the main idea, theme or story of the album. Put all the printed shots on a surface and consider how you will lay them out in an album, how you will pair them and in what sequence.

No wonder that our parents and elderly relatives used to create a photo book together. It is a nice way to preserve precious memories in a physical form and bring back the moments that we sometimes tend to forget over time.

9. Take Creative Self-Portraits with a Friend

While you may enjoy your own company while taking self-portraits, you may feel bored or lonely after some time. In this case, you can implement one of the most entertaining photography assignment ideas and take self-portraits with a friend (pets are welcome as well!).

Don’t forget to think through the poses, set up the tripod and find the perfect photography light. As you will be engaged in all these activities, you will be able to get a hang of a photographer’s workflow. Then, when it comes to a real photo shoot with the clients, you will be more skilled at dealing with the camera and lights.

10. Attend a Photography Workshop

Photography workshops is an excellent investment in your education as a photographer and one of the most helpful beginner photography assignments.

Pick a workshop that is dedicated to the topic relevant for you. Thanks to workshops, you will get not only theoretical but also practical information. Also, you will have your questions answered by real professionals.

11. Photograph the Same Person or Object Every Day

In case you aren’t as excited about photography as before, try capturing one and the same person or object each day for a week or month. Similar to the smartphone photography challenge, as a result, you will realize the importance of having the freedom to photograph anything you wish.

While snapping pictures of the same object, you will boost your lighting skills. To make the shots differ from each other, don’t hesitate to play around with various types of lighting and photo editing apps .

12. Go a Month Without Using Social Media

Being the photographer of the 21st century, you may find yourself in the never-ending trap of feeling the need to post photos on social networks each day. It all turns into some sort of addiction – all you crave is likes, comments and new followers. If you don’t receive the online praise you need, your photography stops making sense.

In fact, photography is something you should pursue on your own. What truly matters here is your personal thoughts on your shots, not the opinion of users online. Simply uninstall all the social network applications from the smartphone (you can bring them back once the assignment is over). Posting photos and looking through photos of others is prohibited.

If you manage to stay away from social networks for a month, you will acquire a clearer purpose of your photography work. Besides, you won’t be so obsessed with the imaginary social network competition that everyone seems to be involved in.

13. Shoot with a Limited Amount of Equipment

Regardless of whether you are an experienced, amateur or a beginner photographer , you are likely to be after all sorts of photography gear to enhance your results.

How about photography assignments where you have to use a restricted amount of shooting equipment? You can photograph strictly with one camera body or camera lens . There is no need to do it for an entire month.

For this assignment, I suggest coming up with a plan, and do it, for instance, only once a week. Working with the same gear every day will give you more flexibility in both the creative and physical aspects of the process.

So, in case you deal only with a zoom lens, you will have to experiment whenever you shoot indoors . With a wide-angle lens only, you will need to work on cropping and correcting distortions.

14. Limit Yourself to X Photos a Day

Similar to the previous assignment, limiting yourself to 10, 20, 30 or more shots per day, week or month will help you realize what your true creative needs are. Besides, with a photo limit, you will understand what subjects or scenes you are more inclined to photograph.

Another benefit of a photo limit is that it will bring more patience and creativity into the process. You won’t be able to take numerous pictures of one place, so you will be forced to risk and play around with various perspectives.

15. Take Photos with Your Smartphone Camera Only

Take pictures only with a smartphone camera for a week. For better results, download a top-notch camera app and try to figure out all of its settings. A modern smartphone will help beginning photographers get acquainted with the technical side of the shooting process.

To complicate the task, I suggest recreating some of your portfolio photos with the smartphone camera. With this assignment, you will learn all the intricacies of shooting with a smartphone and may even start taking shots not only with a standard camera but with a smartphone one as well on a regular basis!

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DIGITAL PHOTO MENTOR

Photography tips, tutorials and guides for Beginner and Intermediate Photographers.

10 Creative Photography Assignments to Inspire You Into Action

by Andrew S Gibson | Last Updated: November 8, 2022

Finding interesting things to photograph can be one of the most difficult things for a photographer to do.

You’re surrounded by potentially interesting subjects, but you might not realize it if you’re stuck for inspiration. I have been stuck, so I know what that feels like.

The good news is that the world is full of interesting ideas and subjects. All you have to do is find the good ones and develop them into personal photography projects that work for you.

Of course, wouldn’t be easier if you could find lots of ideas in one place?

That’s why I wrote an ebook called 100 Creative Photography Assignments . It gives you lots of ideas for projects that you can do close to home, without traveling to exotic locations.

The book is structured into 20 broad themes, with five assignments for each theme.

To give you a taste of what’s in the book, and to help you get inspired into action here are 10 of my favorite assignments. (The theme for each is shown in brackets after the assignment number and name)

Assignment 3: Urban trees (trees)

Humans have planted trees in formal gardens for centuries to bring nature into towns and cities. Photographing trees in urban environments gives you something that is different than traditional landscapes.

How can you explore the juxtaposition of man-made and natural items?

In the photo below, the tree, which is obviously well-cared for fits in perfectly with the historic home. The two go together, as intended.

But in other situations, you might find a jarring contrast between the natural and urban environments. That is called juxtaposition and it can make for some really striking images.

Assignment 8: People and the sea (or a lake)

How do people interact with the sea?

The sea has strong links to leisure, sport, and industry, all of which have plenty of potential photographically. Think beyond simple photos of people on summer holidays. How can you explore the relationship between people and water in more depth?

Another approach is to show scale and photograph people in a way that shows the vast size and scope of the ocean. Yet another is to show people battling the weather, perhaps fishermen at sea.

Assignment 20: Framed by color (frames)

Some frames are visual rather than literal. One way to make a visual frame is to look for compositions where the main subject is surrounded by a solid block of color, as in the photo below.

This is another assignment that tests your observational skills. It also has the potential to make an interesting series. What happens when you group a set of photos that use color as a frame together?

Assignment 24: Weathered surfaces (texture)

Old buildings of all descriptions are made of materials with interesting textures. The definition of old is relative, your chosen building might be hundreds of years old or just a few.

The important thing is that it looks old. That means visible signs of weathering, like the metal wall and wooden door frame in the photo below. Some texture surfaces, like rust, also have interesting colors that you can use to your advantage.

Assignment 31: On the outside (buildings)

One approach to photographing buildings is to include as much of the building as possible in the frame. But what happens if you take another approach?

Have you ever stopped to notice the interesting things that people put outside buildings?

In Italy, I found a shrine on the outside of a colorful red building in Venice (below). In the United States window boxes and mailboxes are commonplace. Nearly everywhere you go you’ll see plants in pots outside people’s homes.

All these items make potentially interesting subjects and have the potential to be turned into an interesting series.

This assignment gets more interesting when you do it in different places, and compare the things you find outside buildings in one place with those in another location.

Assignment 39: Urban decay (your local neighborhood)

Some buildings can look good for centuries if they’re well maintained. But others soon fall into decay, especially if they’re not kept up. Look for the beauty in decayed or run-down buildings.

You expect older buildings to be in a state of disrepair, especially if you live in a country that has plenty of ruins. But more modern, urban decay can be just as interesting.

Why do modern buildings fall into disrepair? What stories do they tell about their neighborhoods, towns, and cities?

Another approach to this idea is to photograph urban decay in other countries, and then compare the results with what you capture in your local area.

Assignment 54: Capture the character of a place (b/w)

The absence of color gives you another way of capturing the character of a place. Yes, it’s true that in some areas color is an essential part of the essence of the place. But in others, it’s less important.

Working in black and white gives you a chance to see through the colors and get to the essence of a place. Visually speaking that’s texture, contrast, and tone.

But in another way, black and white images seem to help you see further and deeper. They’re moody, atmospheric, and timeless. Use these characteristics to create a set of photos that capture the character of a place.

It’s also an assignment you can do when you travel. It’s easier because you get to see everything with fresh eyes. But for a real challenge try it in your local neighborhood, where familiarity can prevent you from seeing things that might be obvious to newcomers.

Assignment 62: Embrace hard light (light and shadow)

In this assignment, your brief is to photograph a scene on a sunny day when shadows are falling across the subject in an interesting way.

Look at the way the sun casts shadows across the scene during the day. How do the shadows move as the sun moves across the sky? Do the shadows make interesting shapes?

For example, in the photo below the shadow falling across the building comes from a neighboring house and you can clearly see the chimney.

Assignment 71: Signs (everyday objects)

We’re surrounded by signs – signs that tell us which way to go, what to do, that advertise to us, state the name of a business, or tell us about roadworks.

Signs are designed to be informative, but they can also tell a story. Signs in the American mid-west look different from signs in New York City. Signs here in the UK look different from the ones in rural France. Old signs have character and tell you something about the place.

What interesting photos can you make using signs?

Assignment 94: People in the landscape (landscape)

Some landscapes are empty or void of visitors. But others are closer to large population centers and therefore you’re more likely to see other people there in the scene. The idea of a pristine landscape untouched by man is appealing, but it’s also interesting to see how people interact with the scene.

One way to approach this assignment is to use people for scale. A human figure can anchor a composition and show the width and breadth of the landscape. A small figure in the frame emphasizes the size of the landscape, and the idea of people being small compared to the beauty of nature.

The photo below juxtaposes two elements of human interaction. The stone pillar is part of a Neolithic settlement, and the people on the right are modern visitors who came to see it.

Taking it further – traveling and exploring your archives

You’ll get the most from these assignments if you make new photos for them. They’ll get you thinking about your local neighborhood – and areas a little further afield – in a new way.

The beauty of these assignments is that most of them are repeatable. You can select your favorites and use them as themes to follow when you’re traveling away from home.

You might also find that you can go through your archives and find photos that match a particular assignment. It’s an interesting exercise because you’ll start to see themes and connections that you didn’t realize were there.

For example, I have photos that fit Assignment 39: Urban decay from Alaska, Chile, and my hometown (see above). And I can continue to explore this theme when I travel to new places as well.

These ideas are explored further in Creative Photography Assignments: Themes & Projects, a bonus ebook that comes with 100 Creative Photography Assignments.

100 Creative Photography Assignments

Buy 100 Creative Photography Assignments now for just $14 USD.

Buy it now and get out there taking photos!

Note from Darlene: This is perfect if you want to get out there doing some photography. But maybe due to covid, finances, or other circumstances you can’t currently travel. Look no further than your front door to get started! To really challenge yourself do the 100 assignments one a day for the next 100 days!

About Andrew S Gibson

Andrew S. Gibson is a writer based in England’s southwest. His interest in photography began when his parents bought him a Ricoh KR-10m camera more than 20 years ago. Since then, he’s taken photos in over 60 countries, studied for a degree in photography, and worked as Technical Editor for EOS magazine. Today, he makes a living helping people make better photos through ebooks and photography courses.

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Lesson Plan

Five Photography Assignments That Invite You to Look Closely at the World

Students, try one of these exercises inspired by the visual series The Take. What can you learn about the world by looking at it through a particular lens?

By Natalie Proulx

How often do you look — really look — at the world around you? Below, we offer five photography assignments that challenge students to do just that, all inspired by The New York Times visual series The Take .

In this series, The Times asks photographers to explore different cultural themes through images — for example, to document what they see when they look up, to capture the sounds they hear in New York City or to find dance in everyday movements.

What can you learn about the world by looking at it through a particular lens? Choose one (or more) of the five assignments below to try out. For each, we’ll guide you through a warm-up activity, a reading of the Take article that inspired the exercise and your own photo shoot. When you’re done, you can create your own visual article by putting together a gallery of your images and writing a short commentary on what they mean to you.

These exercises are meant to be accessible to anyone with a camera or smartphone, whether you’re an experienced photographer or you’re just looking for a fun visual challenge. If you’d like to experiment with some composition and editing techniques, see our related photography lesson plan .

And if none of these projects inspires you, look through The Take’s archives for more ideas.

Assignment No. 1

Most of us spend our days looking down: at our phones, computers, homework, meals. What would you see if you looked up instead? For this assignment, we invite you to photograph what you see when you turn your gaze to the sky.

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Photographers Field

Exploring the photographic field, 11 inspiring exercises to challenge you as a photographer.

We sometimes set photography aside instead of including it into our daily lives and it might slowly become something you have to do. If you haven’t seen the 30 Day Photography Challenge or these 27 Engaging Photography Challenges , check them out.

With these assignments you’ll embark on a transformative adventure that will challenge your knowledge, ignite your creativity, and reshape the way you perceive and capture images.

In these 11 photography challenges you will explore new techniques, experiment with composition, and uncover narratives within your surroundings. Remember that the true essence of photography lies not only in capturing moments but also in weaving compelling stories through your images.

So, let’s elevate your photography, challenge your knowledge, and transform the way you perceive the world around you.

Table of Contents

1. Something invisible

In the realm of photography, there is this expectation in capturing something that is visible.

This assignment invites you to look into the elusive, and the hidden aspects of our world.

It can be anything you decide.

How would you capture an emotion? A smell ? or warmth ?

2. Create a portrait based on something you saw on the news

Find any newspaper, it can be a recent one or one that’s happened long time ago.

Find a newsarticle that has reportage images in it and choose to recreate one, preferrably a portrait. Make it so that the image and the message still remains the same, but you can bring something of your own to it.

Inspect the image to find out where was the location and whether you can find something similar in your area. Who was this person and what were they wearing; create as ideantical image as you can.

3. Book as an idea and an object

Find a book.

What is the theme in the book ?

Create an image of the book:

Capture an image that embodies the essence of the book’s theme, whether it be a children’s book or a crime book. Let your imagination soar as you craft a visual masterpiece where the book takes center stage. Create an interesting photograph where the book is both the theme and the object.

4. Tell me a story

Have a conversation with someone and let them tell you a story. Ask about details and really paint the picture of what happened.

Create an image based on the story.

Visualize their experience and ask them whether the image portrays what they were telling you.

Pick a letter from the alphabet.

Now look for that letter in shapes and compositions in your surroundings.

You can decide to start from A and moving on to Z, or then go out and create them all at once.

This assignment will challenge tyou to look at things in a different way, to see se invisible.

6. Hands tell the story

Whoever you encounter during your days, ask to phootograph their hands. Hands tell such a story, and are a reflection of their character. Photograph young hands and older hands, let them create a pose with their hands.

7. Meaningful

You have 2 hrs.

What do you find meaningful in your life?

Photograph that.

Do not limit yourself with any specific number, or think it needs to be an object – look out for spaces and people you find meaningful.

8. Daily practice

We usually like to take time to do these assignments, but instead, this assignment is something you can do daily without any preparation. You just photograph whenever you even think about photographing. Whenever you remember about this assignment, you take a photograph.

What it is that is around you at that time, capture it. Do not think about it more than you need to.

This will challenge you to not always think with logic about your subjects. Sometimes you just need to capture that which you see.

9. Discomfort

Photograph something that reflects discomfort. Maybe it is something you see someone else is experiencing, or maybe you feel discomfort in a situation.

Think about how can you visualize something that is not clearly visible.

10. Photograph someone doing something to someone else

A mother brushing her daughters hair.

A fruit vendor selling their fruit to a customer.

Every day, we witness people performing acts towards others. Go out and look for these small events trying to capture the moment between the two of them.

11. Photograph who you are

This might seem like an easy assignment to create, because we are the main subject.

Are you a reflection of your profession?

Are you a great friend or a spouse ?

Or are you someone who likes reading books / going for walks / swimming?

Look within yourself to find who you are and how you can capture it in a photograph.

Aiheeseen liittyy

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365 Photo Challenge Calendar (A New Idea for Every Day)

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Are you feeling a little uninspired? A 365 photo challenge is one of the best photography ideas to start the year. And we’ve put together this 365-day calendar so you can start a photo challenge to start your year off right. You can download all 12 calendar months to save all 12 calendar months (featured below) as a reference!

What Is a 365 Photo Challenge Calendar?

How to Use Our 365 Photo Challenge Calendar

January Photo Challenge

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You can learn a lot through this challenge. You can learn new technical details and get familiar with different genres of photography. Besides this, you can learn a lot about yourself. Which genre do you prefer? What is the hardest task for you? How persistent are you, etc.? Believe us… at the end of the year, you will be really proud of yourself!

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STORE > 100 CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY ASSIGNMENTS

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100 Creative Photography Assignments is like a photography workshop in your pocket. It’s filled with over a year’s worth of creative ideas, briefs, assignments and projects that will help you grow as a photographer.

It’s also an inspirational guide that puts the creativity back into your photography. Each brief is designed to get you looking at familiar things in new ways. Most of the assignments can be done close to home, so there’s no need to travel to exotic places.

The book is structured into twenty broad themes, with five assignments for each theme. There’s enough ideas here to keep you busy for a long time to come!

100 Creative Photography Assignments is written for you:

• The assignments encourage you to explore the world and find interesting subjects in ordinary places.
• With 100 assignment ideas there are plenty that will appeal to you.
• It’s easy to read. The book comes in three formats – PDF, ePub and Mobi for Kindle so you can choose the one that is best for your device.

What you will learn

The aim of  100 Creative Photography Assignments is to help you grow as a creative photographer.

As you work your way through the assignments you’ll start to see connections and themes. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of what creative photography means to you, and how you can develop your ideas and interests with long term projects.

You’ll discover how to look back at photos you’ve made in the past and see how they can fit creative briefs, and how they can guide you to new ideas and projects.

You’ll also learn what to do when you feel stuck or at a creative crossroads. With 100 assignments to choose from you’ll never run out of ideas again.

The story behind the book

A few years ago I got stuck as a photographer. I didn’t know what to photograph, how to find an interesting subject or how to move forward. Finally, I decided to set myself a project photographing craftspeople – people who make things with their hands. I started by contacting a local artist and potter to see if I could photograph them at work. Both said yes, the project got started, and I found my way forward.

Now, I realize the breakthrough was giving myself an assignment with a clear brief. And I wish I had given myself more briefs, and seen how I was surrounded by interesting subjects. I just had to look at familiar subjects differently, and make an effort to photograph them.

So I put together a set of 50 black and white assignments in a book that was published last year. It was so popular that I decided to write another book, with even more assignments. The aim is to give you the same spark of inspiration that I gave myself all those years ago.

I wrote this book imagining that I could go back in time and give it to myself ten or twenty years ago. I would have been a more purposeful photographer and built a much better portfolio of work. Now you can benefit from the lessons I’ve learned.

Creative Photography Assignments: Themes & Projects (bonus ebook)

Your purchase includes Creative Photography Assignments: Themes & Projects , a PDF that shows you how to develop the assignments into long term themes and mini projects that are easy to tackle. There are several examples from my own photography, showing how the assignments benefit experienced photographers as well as less experienced ones.

Download your copy today

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Save money with the following bundle:

Buy 100 Creative Photography Assignments and  The Magic of Black & White: 50 Assignments together for just $20 .

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Sample pages

Here are some sample pages from the book.

100 Creative Photography Assignments ebook

Title: 100 Creative Photography Assignments

Length: 126 double page spreads (plus 18 page bonus ebook)

Words: approx 16,600 (plus bonus ebook)

Format: PDF, Epub and Kindle Mobi 8. You can view the PDF of 100 Creative Photography Assignments using the free Adobe reader software on any PC or tablet. You can also read it on the iPad using iBooks – it has been optimized for iPad viewing. You can read the epub or mobi versions on tablets and smart phones.

Introduction How to use this book

Trees Ruins Seasonal color Urban trees In the forest Lone tree in the landscape

Sea (or lake) Sunset Architecture and the sea People and the sea Landscapes and the sea Blue hour

Color Color contrast Single dominant color Subtle color Man-made color Cram color in

Frames Bowls and plates Frames and people Windows and doors Hands Framed by color

Texture Antiques & vintage items Portraits Explore your neighborhood Weathered surfaces Metal

Flowers Keep it simple Flowers in context Botanical gardens Fading beauty Indoor flowers

Buildings On the outside Interiors Street art People Reflections

Your local neighborhood In the area Ruins and abandoned buildings Historic buildings Urban decay Sheds, greenhouses, garages and home offices

Sky Cloud patterns Active skies Stormy skies Moon Silhouette

Vintage Markets, museums and stores Chance finds Vintage cars At home Modern vintage

Black & White Tonal contrast In the street Unusual subjects Capture character (place) Capture character (portrait)

Urban skylines Shoot at night The big city Small towns and cities A famous view People

Light and shadow Last light Embrace hard light Indoor shadows Bright subject, dark background Shadow as a frame

Gardens Wide view Pots and planters Details Greenhouses People and gardens

Everyday objects Signs Abandoned furniture Through the window Laying around Numbers

Composition Minimal composition Pairs Groups of three Selective focus Limited color palettes

Mood A sense of place (twilight) Warm light Cool colors Bad weather A sense of place (gritty reality)

Portraits Hobbies Color driven Colorful characters Low light portraits At work

Landscape Road signs The intimate landscape The nondescript landscape People in the landscape Fading horizons

Cultural life Relationships and connection Cultural celebrations or activities The magic of childhood Local life Subcultures

52 photography projects: a great technique to try every week of the year

Our pick of the perfect weekend photography projects

• Home photography projects
• Outdoor photography projects
• More outdoor photography projects
• Long-term photography projects

Looking for photography projects to stimulate your creativity? Whether you’re a beginner who’s just learning the ropes or a seasoned snapper in need of inspiration, trying out a new technique can help you grow as a photographer. That’s why the list below features our pick of the best ideas to try with your camera.

From painting with light trails to capturing twilight landscapes, there are countless creative ways to use your camera and its lens. This round-up of our favorite weekend projects features suggestions to suit every skill level – whether you’re shooting with a smartphone or a ‘proper’ camera like a DSLR.

Some you can do from the comfort of you home, while others will have you heading out in search of specific scenes. Whether it’s a novel technique or an inventive suggestion for finding fresh subjects, every idea below has one thing in common: it should challenge you to try something different and find a fresh perspective.

Most of the projects can be attempted using the equipment you already own. Those that do require additional materials should all be achievable with pocket-money purchases – and if there’s any crafting involved, it should be well worth the effort when you see the results.

We’ve shared 52 of our favorite suggestions to do in 2022 below. Try them all and, in a year’s time, there’s a good chance you’ll be a better photographer, with a keener understanding of your camera and what it’s capable of. Plus you’ll be all set to attempt the final project: self-publishing a photo book.

The best home photography projects:

1. water drop art.

The basic idea with this project is to suspend a container of liquid and let drops fall through a small hole, then capture the resulting splash. Timing the shutter as the splash is created is everything. We achieved good results using two flashguns set to their lowest power (1/128th), an aperture of f/22 and water mixed with Xanthan gum to make a more viscous solution. We also used a SplashArt water drop kit from PhotoTrigger , which helped to regulate the size and frequency of the drops.

2. Indoor splash shots

For this project you'll need a flashgun that you can fire remotely, a container with clear sides for your water, a coloured background and a tripod. Set up the container and backdrop, then position the flash over the container. With the camera on a tripod and set to manual focus and exposure - f/8, ISO200 and the fastest shutter speed that will work with your flash - drop the object into the water and fire the shutter as it hits.

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3. Shapes of bokeh

Out-of-focus orbs of light can add magic to any image, but the bokeh effect needn’t be limited to standard circles. From love hearts to stars, a simple cutout filter can transform background sparkles into brilliant shapes. 

Using your lens cap as a guide, draw a circle on a piece of card. Cut out the circle, score a small shape in the centre using scissors or a craft knife, then push the card onto the front of your lens (or attach it with an elastic band). When you next shoot a scene, any unfocused light will take the form of your shape. 

Use a wide aperture to maximize the effect and remember that, as the filter restricts the amount of light entering your lens, you’ll want to set a longer exposure or higher ISO. Try simple shapes such as triangles to get started, before progressing to stars, hearts, crosses and more.

4. Create smoke art

Smoke trails are a firm favourite among still-life photographers. But how about taking it to the next level and using the shapes in a creative Photoshop project. Once you've taken a few good smoke art photos, make a blank document in Photoshop, then copy and paste one of the smoke images into it. Set the blending mode to Screen and use Warp Transform to reshape it. Continue the process to combine a range of smoke shots into a new image.

5. DIY lightbox

Lightboxes are used to illuminate objects evenly against a plain background, often for the purposes of product or food photography. Luckily, you don’t have to have a pro budget to make one at home. All you need is a cardboard box, some white paper and a table lamp. 

Remove the top flaps, stand the box on one end and cut window holes in either side. Line the box with a single, seamless piece of white paper and cover the holes with thin paper or fabric, taped in place. Then it’s as simple as positioning a desk lamp on one or both sides: the paper will diffuse the light, evenly illuminating whatever object you put inside. 

Or for an even simpler setup, use a single piece of paper as the backdrop, with one white wall made from card, and position near a window (as pictured). Experiment with aperture and shutter speed to shoot subjects with totally white backgrounds or some shadow for a sense of perspective. Then mix things up with color backgrounds. If the quality is high enough, you could list your images for sale on a stock photography website to earn some lockdown pocket money.

6. Lubricate your lens

Want to give your housebound portraits added glow? If you have a spare lens filter lying around, try an old Hollywood trick: smear a layer of Vaseline on the glass to give your images a soft, dreamy look, keeping aperture wide to emphasize the ethereal effect with a shallow depth of field. 

Get experimental by leaving the middle of the filter free from Vaseline to create a halo effect, with the centre in clear focus but the outer elements blurry and soft. Don’t want to sacrifice a filter? Stretch cling-film tight across the lens and keep it in place with an elastic band, before using the Vaseline in the same way. If you’re not into portraits, try the effect when shooting a light source for a unique style of diffusion.

7. Make your own filters

It’s no secret that color is a major element of any image, but you don’t need expensive filters or editing software to experiment with saturation. In fact, you don’t even need to leave your home: all manner of household objects can function as color filters to bring new hues to your photography – and to transform mundane moments into brighter snaps. 

Attach tissue paper to your lens with an elastic band for an instant change of scene, or try shooting through thin fabric with a light source placed behind. Too easy? Take a snap through a laundry capsule for a liquid tone adjustment or use a whisky bottle for sepia shades with a hint of distortion. Petals are pretty effective, too, as are translucent sweet wrappers.

8. Try cross-polarization

This fun project exploits the effect that polarised light has on some plastics. You'll need two polarising filters - ideally one of these should be a sheet of polarising film. You can pick up an A4 sheet of Lee 239 polarising film for £50 (try www.robertwhite.co.uk or www.pnta.com ). The sheet of film should be placed on a lightbox or in front of the only light source. An iPad screen and most computer screens have a polarising filter built in, so if you don't have a sheet of polarising film you can always experiment by creating a white document to fill the screen. Simply attach the circular polariser to the camera lens and rotate it to make the colours appear in clear plastic items

9. Food landscapes

Spice up your food photography! All you need is a set of model figures - Hornby 00 gauge figures are perfect, as they're available in a wide range of poses. Preiser has a great range too. The most important aspect is to establish a sense of narrative. Here you can see that there's a conversation between the characters, with the mountaineer on the 'mash face' being helped by his colleagues on the ground.

10. Fine-art food

Try turning your dinner ingredients into photo art using just a lightbox and a very sharp knife. Slice fruit and vegetables as thinly and evenly as possible, then place them on the lightbox. With the camera positioned directly above, use Live View to focus manually on the details. Set an aperture of f/8 to give adequate depth of field, and dial in some exposure compensation of +1 to +3 stops as the bright light can fool the camera's meter into underexposure.

11. Flowers in ice

A relatively inexpensive way of taking 'kitchen sink' close-ups that look great blown up as wall art. Freeze flowers in plastic containers of distilled or de-ionised water (available through your local auto or hardware store). The flowers will float, so try to weigh them down or fasten them in place so that they freeze under the water. Place the block of ice on top of a clear bowl or glass in a white sink or plate, so that the light can bounce through from below. Position a flashgun off to one side, angled down towards it, and shoot from the opposite side.

12. Abstracts in oil

Oil floating on the surface of water is a great way to make striking abstracts. This table-top photo project exploits the refractive quality of oil and bubbles to accentuate and distort colours. All you need to do is place a few drops of cooking oil on the surface of water in a glass dish. Make sure the dish is supported about 25cm about the table top, then place coloured paper under it and use an anglepoise lamp or flashgun to light the paper.

13. Play with fire

It doesn’t take a pyromaniac to see the photographic potential of fire, but it does take patience, skill and plenty of precautionary measures to capture a stunning action shot of a match igniting. If you’d rather not risk singeing your fingertips, try a different type of flame photography.

Shooting by candlelight alone can lead to magical results. As with any single source of light, it allows you to experiment extensively with shadows – especially if you’re capturing a portrait – while the soft, warm tone and flicker of the flame both contribute to an especially ethereal effect.

In a darkened room, try shooting with a medium-high ISO and a relatively slow shutter speed. Start with just a candle and your subject, before introducing additional elements and playing with positioning. A nearby wall, for example, will throw the candlelight back in different ways, while glass will add to the magic with fiery reflections

Tweak shutter speed to affect the strength of shadows or try adding further flames – though you might need to adjust the white balance if things look more yellow than mellow.

14. Repaint the walls with camera obscura

Familiar with pinhole photography? That technique relies on camera obscura – a natural optical effect that occurs when a small hole in an otherwise sealed space (such as a box) projects an inverted image of the world outside onto the opposite wall. You could make a pinhole camera as an at-home project, or you could go even bigger: with the right setup, you can create the camera obscura phenomenon in an entire room. 

First, you’ll need to black out a room – for example, by taping opaque sheets over your windows. Then you’ll need to make an aperture through which light can enter; the smaller the hole, the sharper but dimmer the image. Camera obscura works best in small/medium rooms, with an aperture of around 10-15mm diameter. Allow your eyes to adjust and determine whether you need to brighten the image by making a larger hole, then marvel as an inverted version of the outside world appears on the wall. 

Capture the entirety of this remarkable natural effect using a wide angle, a relatively long exposure and a tripod, or focus on specific elements of your room to emphasis the effect – such as houses appearing to float upside down on your mantelpiece.

15. Camera tossing

Chucking your precious photographic equipment into the air might sound like something designed to void the warranty, but – provided you’re not too clumsy – camera tossing can deliver some truly spectacular results. Try it in a dark room with a single light source. Set a shutter speed of around one second (roughly the length of time it’ll be in the air) and, as the timer hits zero, launch it upwards. Catching it is the important part, but once you’re comfortable with the technique you can experiment with multiple light sources, different colors and even spinning your camera as you release it.

16. Psychedelic soap film

This is a wonderful project that makes for vibrant desktop wallpaper or abstract wall art. You'll need liquid soap mixed with glycerine for long-lasting soap film, plus a wire loop, a black cloth background and a macro lens of at least 100mm. The colours created by soap film only appear when hit by light from a certain angle, so set up near a north-facing window and shoot from around 45 degrees.

17. Refractive art

Light bends when it passes through water, causing the objects behind to change appearance. This is called refraction, and you'll make use of this phenomenon in this arty photo project. All you need is a few glasses, a flashgun, a tripod and a black-and-white pattern print. Simply place the pattern in the background with the glasses in front. Fill them with different levels of water and move the pattern backwards or forwards to fine-tune the effect.

18. Kitchen close-ups

Your kitchen is an ideal location for shooting a macro project. Its reflective surfaces can be used to create interesting backgrounds for your shots, and a shallow depth of field can transform the most mundane of objects you'll find there. Creating a triptych of images can result in a piece of fantastic wall art for your kitchen too, although it's important to think about how they're going to work together before you start shooting. Here, 3 objects - a fork, a bowl of cereal and coffee granules - were all shot from a similar angle, with the impression of height linking the sequence.

19. Invert the world with a crystal ball

Shoot through a crystal ball and, while you won’t see into the future, you will capture an inverted version of the scene behind the orb. Just as light is refracted when it passes through the glass elements of a lens, the same thing happens with a glass sphere. There are dedicated photography balls on the market, but the effect can often be achieved using a clear marble or even a paperweight. Nothing suitable? A water-filled wine glass can also work. 

All sorts of subjects look good through an orb, from sunsets and cityscapes to abstract items and even portraits. Try shooting with a macro lens to fill the frame with the sphere, or with a wider angle to include some of the scene behind. To really play with perspectives, rotate the image with editing software so that the background is inverted but the scene in the orb is the right way up.  You can also incorporate elements that support the ball into the image, such as hands, bowls or miscellaneous objects.

20. Still-life bokeh

Something as simple as a crumpled piece of foil can be the basis for a creative photo project. Position a still-life subject on a sheet of glass with a piece of dark material underneath it. Scrunch up the kitchen foil then smooth it back out and place it in the background. Shine a table lamp or torch on the foil and, with a tripod mounted camera, dial in the lens's widest aperture to create some beautiful ' bokeh '. During the exposure, shine a flashlight onto the subject.

21. Play with shadows

Photography is fundamentally about capturing light, which is exactly why shadows can be so powerful. They can create contrast with lighter parts of a composition or add texture to an otherwise plain subject. They can even be manipulated to tell a story. Incorporating shadows into your images will challenge you to think not just about the objects within a scene, but how things outside of the frame can affect the light that falls within it.

To play with shadows, all you need is a light source and a solid object to block it. This could be something natural, such as the shadow of a tree cast by sunlight. Equally, it could be something man-made, such as the outline of a street sign created by a car’s headlights. Or it could be something you create yourself: try playing puppet-master by shining a torch and dancing your hand in front of it. 

You can also invert this idea by shooting a subject which is predominantly in shadow and experimenting with how splashes of light fall upon it.

22. Still life light trails

Light trails can be used in all kinds of photography, but they're perfect for a creative still life project. You can use a regular Maglite torch, but try removing the end to reveal the bulb and make the light more direct. Use some electrical tape to attach a coloured sweet wrapper, which you can use as a makeshift 'gel'. Set the canera's shutter speed to around 30 secs with an aperture of around f/8, then start moving the torch within the frame before pressing the shutter. Continue the movement throughout the exposure. Here, we suspended the torch from a piece of string and made a gentle circular movement to create a spiral around the bottle.

23. Light spirals

You'll need to attach a torch, suspended by string, to an open area of ceiling. Fit the widest lens you have on your camera, and mount it on a tripod pointing straight up. With the light turned on, autofocus on the tip of the torch and set the lens to manual focus to lock the setting in. With an aperture of f/11 or f/16 dialled in, use Bulb mode and a remote release to keep the shutter open for a minute or so as you send the torch spinning in the dark…

• Best camera flash: dedicated flashguns for Canon and Nikon DSLR
• Best macro lens 2018: close-up lenses for Canon and Nikon DSLRs
• Macro lenses: how to choose one, and how to use it

Current page: Home photography projects

Formerly News Editor at Stuff, Chris now writes about tech from his tropical office. Sidetracked by sustainable stuff, he’s also keen on cameras, classic cars and any gear that gets better with age.

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12 Assignments To Take Your Photography To the Next Level

Sometimes our photographic progress seems to stop, and we need a boost for our creativity. Try one of these assignments to stimulate your photographic mojo.

Stuck in a Photographic Rut?

As with any art, our photography reaches a level and then stops progressing. Learning curves typically show us improving steeply, then reaching a plateau, and there we linger before we can move on again. However, sometimes it is difficult to find a way to climb above that level of stability and start improving again. One great way to improve is to set yourself an assignment.

The Assignments

Have you ever thought about setting yourself a project or assignment? Good assignments are not too prescriptive. They should give the photographer a broad scope for interpretation, so as to suit their location and interests. Here are twelve of my most popular for you to choose from, but use them for guidance, adapting them to suit your favorite genre or style.

1. Observe What You Know

You know the world at your doorstep better than anyone. But sometimes that familiarity leads to us not noticing or appreciating what is there. Look at something that you see every day and think about how you could make it the subject or background of an interesting image. Can you add something to it to make it more interesting? Let your imagination run wild.

Ideas: Put together a collection of photos to entice other photographers to visit where you live, or show the other local residents that there is more to your hometown than meets the eye.

2. Study The Shadows

On some evenings, and only at certain times of the year, the sun reflects off a window on a neighbor's house and shines through the blinds and into a room in my home. As the world turns, the light falls on different objects and casts interesting shadows both from and across them.

Look for shadows at your location and how they project onto other surfaces, or how they interact with the subject itself.

Idea: Choose a building and photograph how is shades the street at different times of day, or how the window frames and doorways are accentuated by their shadows. Look for the shapes and repeating patterns.

3. Natural Light

One of my favorite subjects is just over a mile offshore from the small fishing town where I live. At different times of the year, I need to stand in different places to see the sun or the moon rising behind the island.

Take a series of photos to show how the sun or moonlight plays on and interacts with a subject near you at different times of the day and year.

Idea: Find a spot in a forest that you can visit throughout the day and take the same photo every hour. Or, go to the same spot once a week and take the same photo throughout a season or the whole year.

4. Shoot With Others

Shooting with others helps with motivation and inspiration.

The world is filled with people looking for an excuse to go out and take photos. Many of them would relish the idea of visiting a spot to explore it with a camera, but don’t want to go alone. If nobody you know enjoys photography, there are lots of local online groups, and camera clubs with members crying out for opportunities to go out photographing. Pick a nearby venue and choose a time, then ask around on social media.

Idea: Visit your local park or beach with a friend and choose a theme, e.g. litter, red, tall and short, dogs, etc. Spend an hour just photographing that topic and then compare and discuss results.

N.B. If you are meeting strangers for the first time, please consider your safety and choose a public location during the day.

5. Try Taking Minimal Kit

Before you go on a shoot, decide what you are going to photograph and take just the equipment you need for that shot. Set your camera up beforehand and try staying with those settings. You will find that by using the same focal length, ISO, aperture and/or shutter value, and filter, you will create a series of images that cohere with one another. Afterward, examine the images and ask if you are happy with the results. If not, what would you do differently next time?

Idea: Go out before sunrise with just your camera, a wide-angle lens, and a beanbag. Shoot twenty unique photos using just that equipment.

6. Choose a Different Viewpoint

Lots of photographers shoot the same scene in the same manner. However, the most compelling photos are those that show the world in a way we don’t usually see it. Try something different from holding your camera at eye height. Shoot with it down at knee level instead.  Alternatively, get in really close too and look at the fine details in the subject you usually miss.

Idea: Shoot a familiar location from a worm’s eye view.

7. Critique Other Photographers’ Images

You can learn a lot from looking at other people’s photos, those both shot by experts and beginners. Study each image carefully and decide what you do and don’t like about it. What works, what doesn't? Are there unwanted distractions in the frame? Do you like minimalism, repeating patterns, landscapes with people in them, black and white, etc.?

Try to work out what settings the photographer used. If you are unsure, you can always ask them; the worst they can do is say no. Would you have done it differently?

If you do study others’ work and are critical of it, please don’t share those thoughts with the photographer unless they ask you to do so.

Idea: Find an old photography book in a second-hand bookshop, or dig up an old photography magazine. Over a coffee, look at the images with a friend, find one that you each like, and try to create an image in the same style.

8. Use a different Focal Length

The usual approach is to use a long lens for wildlife.

Idea: get a friend to wear outrageous makeup. Fit a wide-angle lens and photograph them very close up.

9. Be Creative

Combining intentional camera movement (ICM) with holding the camera still for half the exposure, giving the impression of a double exposure.

Creativity is about combining different existing ideas in new ways. For example, The Beatles’ classic album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is a mishmash of rock, folk, ballads, psychedelia, and music hall brought together in a way that had never been seen before.

Do the same with your photography. Discover ways how you can combine different techniques or genres in your photography to find something new. Alternatively, seek out disparate subjects that clash or harmonize with each other in unexpected ways.

Idea: Try double exposures, one with a long exposure in color and the other with a fast shutter in monochrome. Some digital cameras have double exposure facilities, but otherwise, you can combine them in layers using photo editing software. Try mixing or playing around with other creative techniques.

10. Listen to Music

All creatives are influenced by artists from other fields. For example, the great Henri Cartier-Bresson found inspiration from the surrealist movement. Poetry is often influenced by art, such as Anne Sexton’s The Starry Night, and The Disquieting Muses by Sylvia Plath.

There will be songs or tunes that mean something to you. Listen to one and then shoot photos inspired by that music. You can either interpret the lyrics literally, or just take the feel of the piece as inspiration, or maybe convey the message of the song in your photograph.

Idea: Listen to your favorite piece of music and write down five to ten words that describe it or appear in the lyrics. Over the same number of days, shoot an image that represents each word.

 11. Give it Time

A nighttime image taken in my hometown many years ago, inspired by feelings after listening to a Chopin Nocturne. Revisiting and critiquing old images helps us to improve our photography.

When you take photos, wait before you process them. Putting time between shooting and looking at images on the screen helps you to become more objective towards them. If it is practicable, and it isn’t always, then that separation can help you choose which images are worth keeping and which you should reject. It also helps you view the subject afresh and decide that a particular processing would suit the image best.

Idea: Revisit your back catalog and find photos you took a year ago. Consider them with fresh eyes. Critique them and recognize how you would shoot them differently now. What do you need to do to them to make them stunning? What would you exclude from the frame? Would you choose a different exposure? Would you shoot it from the same position? Now, go and shoot the same photo again.

12. Share your photos

Everybody wants recognition for their artwork, and photographs are art. In fact, there is little worth in creating art of any kind if it is not going to be appreciated by others. It doesn’t have to be online. Get them printed and glue them to cards to send to people on their birthdays and other celebrations; a gift of original art is both appreciated and means far more than mass-produced, throwaway cards bought in a supermarket.

Idea: Take your best shots, get them printed to a large size, and hang them on your wall. Consider hiring a community hall for the day and running an exhibition of your work as a fundraiser for your favorite charity. Or, why not populate your Fstoppers gallery? However, experienced at photography you are, there will be those who enjoy and learn from your photos.

A professional photographer, website developer, and writer, Ivor lives in the North East of England. His main work is training others in photography. He has a special interest in supporting people with their mental well-being. In 2023 he accepted becoming a brand ambassador for the OM System.

Great post, now if you can get anyone to read it..........

I just read it! BTW Terry love your caption on the hot air balloon photo!

Thanks Terry and Gregory. You are right about Terry's balloon photo title, Gregory, Quite a lot of folk have read it! :)

Great article. Nice practicle advice. Makes me realize I'm lazy and need to use my camera more deliberately.

Thank you, Spike.

Has anyone got any assignments they are happy to share with others?

7 Skill-Building Photography Exercises That Really Work

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I Create My Own Phone Wallpapers With Abstract Photos: Here's How You Can Too

Don’t believe these 7 myths about smartphone photography, how i get the perfect white balance in my smartphone photography.

Despite how easy it looks, photography is hard, with three learning curves to conquer: the technical aspects of the camera, the theory of light and shadows, and the actual composition of a photo (sometimes called "seeing the shot").

That last part is the hardest thing for beginners to grasp. Composition has an artsy component that can't be easily taught. It must be discovered by the photographer themselves.

Fortunately, there are photography exercises that can help "develop your photographic eye". And with practical experience being the only guaranteed way to understand composition, these are the most effective photography exercises we've found.

1. Crop Someone Else's Photos

Great photography starts with the eye, not the camera. This means it should be possible to develop your photographic eye without ever touching a camera or lens. And it is! For this photography composition exercise, all you'll need is one of the easy-to-use photo editing programs like Paint or GIMP.

First, learn the fundamental rules of photo composition . You don't have to know every single one of them right now, but you should know at least one, as this exercise will force you to put these rules into practice. We recommend starting with the Rule of Thirds .

Next, go to a free photo-hosting site like Flickr or 500px and download a bunch of images to your computer. (The easiest way is to right-click and "Save Image As"). Any kinds of images will work, but this exercise works best with portraits and landscapes.

Now, open one of the images in your photo editing program of choice and start cropping. Try all of the standard aspect ratios, including 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9. Try cropping vertical photos as horizontal, or horizontal photos as vertical. Move the subject around. Be creative.

The point is to experiment and see how different crops can change the look and feel of an image, and how certain crops are more aesthetically pleasing than others. This experience is invaluable when you start framing your own shots through the viewfinder.

NB: You can play around with someone else's images, but do NOT upload them or republish them on the internet in any way. That would be a violation of copyright law unless you have express permission from the image's original owner.

2. With One Subject, Shoot 10 Photos

Here's a common mistake made by newbies: always taking photos from the same height and from the same angle. It's natural to stand up straight and take snapshots from eye-level, but that's boring. After all, everyone knows what the world looks like from eye-level.

If you want your photos to be more compelling, change things up. Capture the world from unusual angles and positions: viewpoints that are foreign to most people.

This photography exercise helps train your sense of angles. First, find a subject. Any subject. It could be a stove-top kettle, a pet dog, a fire hydrant, a herb garden, a manhole cover. Anything works.

Then take 10 photos of it. No two photos should be alike. Try looking directly down at it. Then try looking directly up at it. Shift the angles. Look at the front of the subject, then the back, then the sides.

The possibilities are countless, and even the smallest tweaks to the angle can have a large impact on the resulting photo. Do this for hundreds of subjects and you'll start seeing angles everywhere you go without even trying.

Related: Photography Terms All Photographers Should Know

3. With Three Objects, Shoot 10 Photos

In some cases---like landscape, astronomical, and street photography---the idea is to capture scenes in the moment as they are. In other cases---like portrait, food, and product photography---the idea is to construct your own scenes.

As you imagine, this isn't easy. There are many factors to juggle such as lighting and background, but one particular aspect that newbies find difficult is how to position multiple subjects within the frame.

That's what this photo composition exercise is about. Find three random objects, such as action figures, fruit, bowls, candles, plants, or whatever else you have to hand. It doesn't matter if they're related to each other or not, although it will be easier if they're all similar in size.

Now position them however you wish. Think of it as if you're composing the objects for a photo shoot (that is what you're doing, after all). Do this 10 times, rearranging them in different ways each time. Over time, this will stretch your creative muscles and develop your eye.

4. With One Lens, Shoot 1,000 Photos

The focal length of a lens controls more than just the zoom factor of a shot. Yes, all things being equal, an 18mm lens requires you to be closer to the subject than a 50mm lens or an 85mm lens. But different focal lengths can evoke different feelings from a photo, too.

For example, the wide angle of an 18mm lens comes with a lot of distortion, which can produce a comical or whimsical effect. On the other hand, a 200mm lens has a compression effect that makes the photo seem flatter than, say, an 85mm or 50mm lens.

In short, different focal lengths require different approaches when composing shots. That's why we recommend mastering one kind of lens at a time, preferably starting with a 50mm prime. Read up on the common camera lenses and when to use them .

For this exercise, all you have to do is stick with one focal length for your next 1,000 photos. It's easiest with a prime lens, but if you only have a zoom lens, just pick a focal length and leave it there. Switch to another focal length when your 1,000 photos are complete.

By the end, you will have a better understanding of how to use the different focal lengths at your disposal to achieve the shot you're after.

5. Hula-Hoop Photo Walks

Creativity is often seen as something that's infinite, and full of possibilities. And while there's technically nothing wrong with that, the truth is that creativity needs limits and constraints to really flourish.

If you've ever felt like you wanted to take photos but didn't know where to start, where to go, or what to shoot, then you'll know what I'm talking about. Restrictions are good, and that's how this photo exercise is going to unlock your creative potential.

Take a hula hoop and go outside. Toss it up into the air, then let it bounce and roll around until it eventually comes to a stop. Now stand inside the hula hoop, take a look around, and shoot 10, 20, or 50 photos of anything. But try to make them good.

When you're done, toss the hula hoop into the air again and repeat the process. If you don't have a hula hoop, just pick a random direction and walk a random number of steps to find your next spot. Pretty soon your creative juices will start flowing, guaranteed.

6. Weekly Photo Challenges

Weekly photo challenges are popular on the internet, but different photography communities have different names for them: Photo of the Week, 52 Photos Project, Sunday Photo Prompt, etc. The key is to take 52 photos over the course of one year.

Ideally, you'd take part in some kind of community version of the challenge because this gives you a chance to see the photos of other participants, and a chance for others to critique your work. But if you'd rather do a personal challenge instead, that's fine too.

Sometimes each month has a theme, but not always. It's up to you how you want to do it. We recommend setting a regular weekly deadline and sticking to it. Need inspiration? Check out 52 Weeks Photography Challenge , 52 Frames , or 52 Weeks of Photography .

7. Recreate Someone Else's Photos

Once you feel a little more comfortable behind the camera, you may want to try recreating photos that others have shot. Browse Instagram, Flickr, or 500px, pick a few that seem within your skill range, and have at it!

The goal here isn't to make an exact 1-to-1 replica of your source material, so don't be discouraged if you can't get that far. Rather, this photography exercise is meant to get you thinking in ways you haven't considered. To push you outside your comfort zone.

At first, your imitation photos will look like garbage compared to your source photos. That's normal. Keep at it, however, and you'll start to see fast improvements. Along the way, you may even start to discover your own voice and sense of style as a photographer.

Photography Is a Long But Rewarding Journey

Don't expect to unlock your photographer's eye overnight. It's a gradual process that could take weeks, months, or even years before you really start to "see" photographs before taking them. But the journey is well worth taking, so don't give up!

If these photography exercises weren't enough and you need even more ideas, then we highly recommend checking out these free lessons to learn the basics of photography .

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The Best Photography Classes with Assignments

• By Shimona Carvalho

If you think a photography course with assignments is for high school students, you’d be wrong. I think assignments are the best way to learn photography. Because they let you practice each concept before moving on.

It’s one thing to learn something conceptually and another to be able to use it in practice and see in real life how it trades off with other settings.

There’s something about using your hands and eyes that makes all the mumbo jumbo real and lasting.

Darkroom Days

When I started out, I actually took a darkroom photography class. Yes, film and enlargers and all that good stuff. I don’t even recall exactly why I took that class – I was out of university and working already so it’s not like it just happened to be an available class.

Anyway, I loved it. Being in the darkroom, working all that equipment, seeing images appear on wet paper. It felt kinda magical. Isn’t it weird how analog stuff feels like magic now that we’re so used to digital?

And that’s where I got the basics of photography. The best part was, all the things I learned operating a film SLR, transferred over pretty well to the digital world.

Treat yo’ self!

Find some fun gifts for new photographers right here.

If you want to learn cheaply today, you could try with a film camera as they are easy to find on craigslist. But I think the film cost might offset the cheap cost of the camera.

Instead you can actually try with an old DSLR or even a point and shoot that has manual settings. Just make sure it has full manual.

If you want to buy something you can keep for a while and grow into, consider my favorite two cameras detailed in this post. Both are pretty affordable and excellent.

Learn Photography Step By Step

When you learn photography there’s a lot of stuff at play. And when you just try to absorb it at once, honestly, it’s pretty confusing.

So instead, the professor taught us one concept, and then gave us an assignment to shoot using that concept. Then we went off and shot a roll that week.

Remember rolls? 36 photos. In a little canister.

Isn’t it weird how analog stuff feels like magic now that we’re so used to digital?

Because it was film, we had to make notes about what settings we used per shot. And the real feedback came after we got to see the results.

Now, you can just adjust all the things at once and see the results right away. So nobody wants to take it one concept at a time. But I’m still convinced that’s the best way to learn.

You want to learn say, what aperture means. Then you want to just go out and practice controlling aperture and learning how that affects your photography.

So what you need are assignments that go along with your learning.

Free Online Photography Course with Assignments

For a price you can’t beat – free! Here are some online photography courses with assignments.

1. Emma Davies One Year With My Camera

Emma has an interesting format for her class. it combines teaching, assignments and community.

You get a weekly email with a lesson and an assignment. You join a community of like-minded, positive, supportive photographers. And you keep shooting.

I like Emma’s clear, motivating, jargon-free way of writing. Her site and emails are incredibly well-designed and thought out. And the facebook community is a gentle, supportive crew.

The first thing you do is make this promise: “The only photographer I will compare myself to is the one I used to be.”

Best of all, her course is free over email.

Although if you like her content, she also has a set of excellent workbooks that go along with it to help you keep track of your progress on the assignments. You can either follow just the blog, or just the book, or even check out her  video course .

Start here.

2. Reddit’s Photoclass 2019

Another option is the PhotoClass2019 subreddit. If you’ve used reddit before, you’ll know it’s a massive forum with many subforums where people can post, comment, upvote and downvote.

As with all things reddit, the demographic definitely skews young and male. The writing is very casual and not proofread, and the site itself does not lend itself to formatting. You will likely find a lot of general internet-speak that may not make a lot of sense if you’ve never been on reddit before.

That said, if you’re comfortable with that, this is a great class.

While reddit has a reputation for being a tough crowd, this photoclass and the moderators that run it seem to do a good job keeping everyone positive, polite and motivating.

3. Mark Levoy’s Photography Course at Google

This course is more along the lines of a college course, and actually has a focus on the science and technology behind photography.

This is definitely a class targeted at engineers or others who love tech. You’ll be seeing some equations and learn about sensors, optics, photons, etc… They have the familiar feel of watching an class in university, but an excellent university, with a great professor in Mark Levoy .

This is definitely the advanced option. There is no community associated with this class but if you like to dig deep and go it alone, this is the course for you.

Best Books to Learn Photography From

If all you want is a great book to learn from, there are a few good options.

The Complete Course book is one that lays out a plan to learn photography in 20 weeks. If that seems like a long time, know that you will learn plenty in the first few weeks and you can just keep going as long as you are discovering new things.

The course is also set up with assignments and tasks so that should be great for pacing your learning.

Bryan Peterson’s book is popular enough that it’s in its fourth printing. He goes through the basics with a lot of pictures and examples that should help everyone learn how to control their camera.

It’s definitely meant for beginners though so pass if you’re already comfortable with aperture, shutter speed and exposure settings.

Learn Photography on your Own

So I hope this has inspired you to take the time and learn about your camera and the art and craft of Photography.

As I mentioned in this article on the 3 key components of great photography , your skill and knowledge is a big part of that.

Take the time to level up your photography with one of these free online photography courses with assignments, or even one of the recommended books.

This post has affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The opinions presented are my own.

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65+ photography project ideas you can start today.

Written by  Shutterfly Community Last Updated: Dec 8, 2020

Do you want to sharpen your skills, learn fresh techniques or just have fun with your camera? Photography projects help you accomplish all three.

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Through themed projects, you can capture unique images that follow a certain framework or style. Your project can last a week, month or year—depending on how in depth you’d like to go. To offer you inspiration, we’ve compiled 68 creative photography projects that are appropriate for all skill levels.

Once you’ve completed your project, be sure to create a photo book with your images or select your favorite for a canvas print .

1. Self Portrait

By switching the focus from other subjects to yourself as the subject, your photography takes on a whole new perspective. When setting up your shot, choose a landmark item to use as a stand-in until you’re ready to jump in the frame.

Play with auto and manual focus with your stand-in until you get the shot just right. Then, enter the scene using the timer option.

For the wisdom project, the goal is to gather photographs of those who have offered you wisdom or a helpful perspective. You might feature grandparents or mentors—or be inclined to include young ones who have provided you a fresh angle on life.

Aim to capture individuals in their natural state, especially if it’s in a location where they shared a special moment with you.

3. Candid Photo

Photographing someone in their natural state allows for their true personality to shine through. With a candid photography project, incorporate a range of human subjects for a diverse collection, or capture the same subject across different settings and days.

Building a portfolio of several candids allows you to paint a vivid persona of your subjects.

4. Street Style Photography

Authentic street style photography allows you to snag shots of the latest fashion—all without the strut of the runway. Look for colors first (either eye-catching or stunningly neutral), then watch for the cut and structure of the clothes.

Aim for overall beauty within the frame, including the street or walkway, so the focus isn’t solely on the clothes.

5. All About The Details

Create a collection of shots with unique subjects that focus on the details. Whether the photos are for an engagement , graduation or everyday occasion, you can take portraits of smaller details, like wisps of hair, relaxed hands and prominent features. Making your subjects feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera is the first priority. Plan a single shoot for various angles to help capture what looks best on a given day or moment.

6. Natural Element

Plan for your gallery of photos to include candid shots of the subject in their element. Whether they love the beach or like to craft, you can capture your subject in their favorite space or place to go.

If a subject feels awkward in front of the camera, have him or her lean against something vertical, like a fence, wall or car. They’ll feel more anchored and their body angle will offer the photo some character without seeming unnatural.

7. Pet Photography

From cats to dogs to horses, the heart and soul of your pets can be captured with the right technique. Incorporate natural light in your shoot keep watch of your pet’s eyes. Expressions and personality often shine through and it’s a great time to capture these moments.

8. Motherhood

Being a mother is one of life’s greatest gifts. When we’re parents, beautiful moments take place along with messy and chaotic ones. Encapsulate the full spectrum of motherhood with photos from quiet moments like snuggling with your child to lively times like cooking together in the kitchen.

With any photography project, it’s important that your images tell a story.

9. Panoramic Pictures

A popular technique for landscapes, panoramic photography enlarges the viewpoint beyond the normal size of a camera lens. To ensure there are no gaps in your panoramic shot, overlap your image by 15-30%.

You’ll also want to keep your camera as level as possible to ensure the photo is even throughout. Don’t forget that panos work well for vertical shots, too, like waterfalls and deep canyons.

10. Sunsets Photos

Sunsets make for stunning photos—especially when executed well. For maximum beauty, be sure to slightly underexpose the sunset for rich and dramatic colors. Use manual mode and a fast shutter speed for underexposure, or use aperture priority with exposure compensation.

Make your sunset even more magnificent by arranging an object or scene in the foreground of the sunset, like a lake or mountain.

Mist and fog are natural elements that can enhance the beauty of your photography. Check the weather to determine when fog might pop up. Oftentimes the best lighting for fog photos occurs in the wee hours of the morning or late in the evening after sunset. The low lighting causes a slower shutter speed, which means a shakier camera.

Keep your camera as still as possible or use a tripod. The best places for foggy photos? Open bodies of water and other sweeping landscapes like fields and low rolling hills.

12. Cityscapes

Hovering skyscrapers and diverse skylines are part of what makes cityscapes such attractive photography. For a cityscapes project, try different vantage points across the city to see what works best (think: a popular lookout compared with a more secret locale).

Prepare for an after sunset shoot, allowing the city lights to pop against the dark sky. Remember to use a wide angle lens to cover as much ground as possible.

13. Water (Rain, Ocean)

Whether you’re hoping to create scenes of smooth, flowing water or capture dynamic waves crashing against a seawall, it’s critical to have better than average camera equipment. For nearly every water shot, a tripod is also essential to keep the frame still for the length of the exposure (usually two to four seconds).

Pack along a lens-friendly cloth to remove splashes and water marks. Plan to get wet if you’re banking on a stunning water shot.

14. Seasons

Each season offers its own charms—from snowy branches to colored leaves. Select a location for your seasons project where you’ll snap photos throughout all four seasons. Once the year is complete, you’ll have a collection of stunning images that tell the story of your special place over the course of a year.

15. Star Trails

Spectacular from edge to edge, star trails photography is an adventure to shoot. The first step is to find a clear sky full of stars, but free of pollution and other light interference. Anchoring your camera on a tripod, set your camera to shoot on manual mode. The faster the lens you have, the better.

Once you have your shot prepared, select drive mode for consecutive shots rather than a single frame. With your remote, let your camera take photos for thirty minutes up to a few hours, depending on the length of star trails you’re creating.

Capturing still images with a remote-controlled drone opens up the options for angles and perspectives in your photography. Consider sending a drone above a beach, golf course or mountaintop.

Increase the altitude of your drone for a more impressive viewpoint and try GPS mode for a more stable shot.

17. Food Photography

As a still life technique, food photography requires a few main ingredients: good lighting, props and style. Place your items near natural lighting or use a flash to give the photo a balanced look. When it comes to the arrangement, consider adding in table setting details like plates and silverware.

Amplify the photo’s texture with decorative pieces like colorful fruits and sprigs of herbs. For a well-rounded food photography project, shoot a variety of foods and dishes.

18. Black and White Month

Instead of using the full color spectrum, this project idea prompts you to capture images in black and white only. Two-toned photography provides a different perspective or feel to your work, and gives you a chance to highlight people, places and objects in a novel way.

For instance, a close-up of hands be enticing when displayed in color, but in black and white, the image paints the story that all humankind is united.

19. Everyday Moments

Photos that showcase a slice of regular life contain a certain genuine beauty. When preparing for everyday moment shots, make sure subjects are comfortable. People should interact as if you aren’t even present.

The true magic happens when you’re able to capture two people’s true connection.

20. Random Acts of Kindness

The random acts of kindness project prompts you to capture someone doing something thoughtful or helpful for another person. By photographing these moments, you’re telling a larger story of humanity.

To be successful in this project, you’ll need to keep a keen eye out for small acts of generosity, like a young man holding the door or a little girl smiling at a stranger.

21. Shoes For a Week

Narrow your photography focus for a week by capturing different styles of footwear. From boots to sandals to athletic shoes, diversify your image collection. Be sure to utilize a range of angles to create unique stories for each photo (i.e. a guy lounging with shoes on, two people talking while standing, a woman running).

22. Comfort Zone Challenge

Pushing the limits of your creativity often leaves you with impressive and surprising results. With the comfort zone challenge, throw caution to the wind and experiment without expectations.

Maybe that means you’ll shoot a paragliding experience, a fireworks explosion or animals in action. When you’re snapping shots, play around with your shutter speed, aperture, focal length and movement.

23. 30 Strangers

Taking a photo of someone whom you’ve only just met can be thrilling. It can also be personally and professionally rewarding. Through the 30 strangers project, you’ll capture 30 portraits of people you’ve never met before. Find people on the street, in a shopping mall or at a park.

Be sure to ask each person’s consent first before posting publicly. The 30 strangers challenge will certainly stretch you outside of your artistic comfort zone.

24. Duotone

Duotone photography refers to a multitone production of an image, usually imposed through photo editing techniques. The superimposition of a contrasting color halftone (normally black) over another color halftone enhances the middle tones of an image.

Photographs with one main object, like a flower, seashell or tree, are ideal for creating duotone effects.

25. Perspective

Perspective photography can take many forms: those shot from a low angle, ones with strong leading lines and those that look straight up into the sky. Whether your scene is a railroad track or skyscraper, your image should emphasize the angle and the unique perspective you’re hoping to give the viewer.

Train your eye to notice patterns, lines and reflections you can capture from different angles.

Not only is coffee delicious and rejuvenating, it’s also a work of art. Collaborate with a barista on a latte design or the type of mug to use. Choose a simple backdrop so the coffee remains the focal point.

A dark backdrop is best if you’re aiming to capture the steam rolling off of a warm drink.

27. Create a Photo Album

Let your memories last forever by creating a photo album for a recent vacation, an adventurous summer or a year filled with fun. Design your photo album with a theme in mind to build cohesion. Vary your layouts from page to page for texture and personality.

28. Traffic Lights

When photographing traffic lights and other light trails, the best time is during or after twilight on a night when minimal wind is present. Based on your camera angle and objects, you’ll need to adjust and experiment with your settings.

Often times, shutter priority mode is ideal along with a shutter speed of six seconds. Make stability a non-issue with a tripod, and remember you won’t be using a flash.

29. Happy Days

Allow joy to take the center stage of your photos. Whether they’re candid shots of family members interacting or a single subject, make sure the smiles are natural. Enhance the happiness level by highlighting the subject with ample natural lightening.

30. Photo Scavenger Hunt

Challenge yourself and your fellow photographers by setting up a photo scavenger hunt . Rather than choosing objects and locations to capture, create a list of photography styles to achieve. For instance, your list might include building a motion blur or catching a clear action shot. At the end of your hunt, you’ll have a collection of impressive photographs.

31. Night Scenes

Night scenes, also known as low light photography, allow you to make the most of dark scenes that are hard to capture. When less light is present, it means you’ll also have slower shutter speeds, which equals more camera shake. For this reason, landscapes and long exposures at night time require tripods.

Whether you’re shooting special moments around the campfire or gazing up at the stars, utilize a wide aperture or a low f-number to let in as much light as possible.

32. Polaroids

Polaroids offer a timeless feel and give photos a natural frame. When creating a collection of polaroids, be sure to switch up your angles and perspectives. Try a few upclose shots of objects along with macro shots of mountains and lakes.

For polaroids with human subjects, allow for plenty of natural light and aim for candids.

33. Letters/Signs

With any inanimate object, the challenge with photography is to bring it to life. With letters and signs, try to enrich the shot with the surrounding scene whether it’s greenery or a neat light fixture. Angle your lens in a way that makes the lettering most striking.

Build a full photography project with at least five to ten different signs.

34. Action Shots

To nail a clear action shot—for sports, animals or anything else—the most important aspect is to be prepared. Consider pre-focusing your shot, so when the subject enters the frame, you’re ready.

Because it may take several shots to capture even one solid photo, shoot in short bursts for a few seconds at a time. Keep extra space at either edge of your frame to allow for your subject’s movement.

35. Abstract

Fundamental to abstract photography are lines and curves. The shapes you highlight will guide the viewer’s eye to a certain engaging element. To get up close and personal with an object or design, use a macro lens. With the macro, your photo composition will have clearer resolution and sharpness. Complete your project by gathering a collection of abstract photo pieces.

36. New Lens

Your camera equipment plays a large role in your work as a photographer. Your tools, like your lenses, can fundamentally change the structure your art.

To sharpen your skills, try using a single lense for an entire month. Ideally, the lense will be new to you—allowing you to master the new tool and broaden your photography skills.

37. Architecture

Photographing architecture—whether modern or classic—presents unique challenges. Consider capturing an array of building styles for your portfolio and don’t forget to mix up your angles. Vary your shots by choosing a different weather conditions and times of day.

Through your diversity of shots, you’ll have richer story of the buildings’ relationship with the environment.

38. Thankful

To enhance your gratitude and happiness, consider completing a thankful project where you take one photo every day of something you’re grateful for. From flowers to pets to family members, find subjects that have personal meaning to you.

By capturing what you’re thankful for, you connect deeper with the people, places and things that surround you.

39. Sunday Mornings

Whether you’re enjoying a cup of coffee or a good book, snap a photo every Sunday morning for one month or a year. Capturing everyday occurrences through photography is a form of artistic journaling, helping you to document life’s big and small moments.

40. Top View

The angle of your shot makes all the difference in how appealing and engaging it is. Try a series of photos where your perspective comes from the top. Amp up the creativity by getting higher for your shoot and using a wide angle lens.

A busy environment, like a packed street or active household, can become a striking composition when using a top view perspective because it offers necessary distance from the cluttered setting.

41. Guilty Pleasures

We all have foods and activities we love despite feeling that they might not be held in high regard. Perhaps your guilty pleasure is cream-filled donuts or binge watching reruns of your favorite sitcom.

Collecting images of your guilty pleasures will likely bring you humor and levity, knowing that these items are a part of you, but they don’t necessarily define you.

42. Silhouettes

Forming a distinct contrast between light and dark, silhouettes highlight one or multiple subjects. Ensure your subject is backlit with the sun behind them. The best times to shoot silhouettes are in the morning or late evening.

Build a stunning image by setting the scene with open space, like in a field or along the beach. Set up your camera angle facing the sun, then ask your subject to stand between the sun and you. Play around with the exact angle until you have a strong contrast.

Create a collection of photos shot with prism filters on your lens or by placing a prism in front of your lens. The light that dances off of the prism will add creative effects to your photography by dispersing light before it hits the camera. Secure your camera on a tripod so you can have your hands free to play with the prism and lighting.

Prism photography can include large subjects like nature scenes and architecture or smaller objects like books and candles.

44. Symmetry

Finding subjects that offer you symmetry is the foundational step for this photography project idea. Look for symmetry in architecture and nature, but don’t leave out human and animals subjects. Smaller details, like hands or feet, often make for the perfect symmetrical photo.

Bokeh photography is denoted by one unique characteristic: a blur produced in the out-of-focus area of an image. The blur, produced by a lens, helps direct the focus of the photo. A fast lens is necessary to achieve this technique, with at least an f/2.8 aperture.

With a wide open lens, you can create bokeh with subjects like butterflies, humans and fencing around a baseball field. These photos are perfect for framing around your home .

46. Action Figures

Due to their size, action figures are easy to rearrange and shoot from multiple angles. Bring the scene to life by having the figures interact with each other. If you’re looking for an extra challenge, tell a story through your action figures, like one you would find in a comic book. Include action shots against a simple backdrop.

47. Steel Wool

Although it may seem like steel wool photography would require expensive equipment, it is a surprisingly inexpensive technique. For this project, you’ll need the following: a camera, lens, tripod, shutter cable, steel wool, string, stainless steel whisk, lighter and protective gloves. In a dark location—away from combustible items and other people—burn steel wool that’s loosely packed in a whisk.

As the steel wool burns, spin the whisk either vertically or horizontally to create the desired effect. The burning will only last about ten seconds, so you’ll want to set up for at least five seconds of exposure time. Steel wool photography creates wild and interesting images, but be sure to follow safety precautions to avoid hazards.

To enhance your skills and test out a nifty shooting technique, try macro photography on tiny subjects like insects, match-heads and flowers. Keeping your budget in mind, choose a magnification lens that lets you make super small items appear larger than life. For your macro project, vary your subjects.

Consider nature’s smallest members, miniature household items and up close shots of human elements for your portfolio.

49. Double Exposure

Double exposure, also known as multiple exposure, is a technique that combines two images in a single image. By using double exposure, you can create a distinct effect like a mirror image or ghost-like presence. The layering technique can be done with or without photoshop, depending on your equipment and skill set.

50. Escapism

Photography, like any type of art, can be a form of escapism. Through the camera, we can create images that help us step out of reality and into our daydreams. Prepare for your escapism photography project by thinking of your ‘happy places’ or locations you go to get away.

After brainstorming, head to one of those locations and shoot scenes that offer a mystical aura—whether it’s birds fluttering in the forest or the clouds lifting off of the mountains.

51. Shadow Art

Just as light is a critical element to photography, so is darkness. With shadow art, the focus is placed on the subject as it blocks light from reaching a surface, like a sidewalk or table. Experiment with the angle, distance and size of your light source to alter the intensity and scale of your shadows.

Consider humans as your subjects, but inanimate objects, too, like musical instruments, buildings and action figures.

52. Texture

From brick walls to tiled roofs to wooden fences, textures are all around us. Complete a photo challenge where you take one shot of a textured surface every day. Turn on your auto focus to ensure the object is in perfect focus. Adjust your distance from the subject based on how much detail you want in your image. This idea is perfect if you’re also looking for creative Instagram photo ideas .

Aim for a ninety degree angle when you shoot the image so your texture is lined up straight with the camera.

53. 365 Wardrobe

On each day of the year, snap photos of your clothes before you begin the day. Arrange them differently—sometimes orderly, sometimes more carelessly—to gain a sense of how your mood changed from day to day. Remember to include accessories like purses, shoes, belts and headbands.

54. Suspend Time

Photography is a powerful art medium: it can even pause time. Whether you’re suspending an item with a fishing line or taking a shot of someone jumping, you can create the look of time being stopped. Start this photography project by choosing three items or people you’d like to suspend.

55. Balloons

Bursting with color or more neutral tones, balloons make for versatile props. Let helium balloons off into the sky and capture photos as they float up. Surround the birthday girl with balloons in an otherwise empty room. Or tie a balloon to a child’s wrist and photograph them as they wander through a park.

56. Hotel Carpet

If you travel frequently, the hotel carpet project may be the right kind of fun for you. Next time you’re walking through a hotel lobby, glance down at the carpet beneath your feet. All sorts of patterns and colors are used in hotel carpets across the world. Take a snapshot (ideally at a 90-degree angle) of each carpet for a collection that will help you remember all of the places you’ve been.

Across neighborhoods and cities, doors provide insight to each home’s character. For this photography project, set out on an adventure to collect as many styles and sizes of doors as possible. Choose a macro approach, where the whole door makes the shot, or go micro by narrowing the frame to door handles and styles of wood.

58. Juxtaposition

To build juxtaposition in your photographs, place two opposite subjects next to one another. Like a blue ocean and a green forest, the contrast between the two is noticeable yet stunning. Types of juxtaposition might include a person and their shadow or a thin item next to a thicker item. For this photography project, try several contrasting subjects or locations.

Photos full of irony can be humorous or thought-provoking. Maybe you snap an image of a tow truck hauling another tow truck or you notice a descriptive sign in a place that doesn’t quite seem to fit. When it comes to ironic photos, a keen eye is needed along with a quick wit.

60. Fairy Lights

Fairy lights make for beautiful focal points. You can wrap the lights around a tree, weave them between human subjects or fill mason jars with them. Build a larger scene by ensuring no backdrop distractions are present or capture the fairy lights up close.

Regardless of what subjects and scenes you decide to shoot, proper exposure is crucial.

For this photography project, choose smoke as your primary accent. Incense sticks are easy to use and allow you to play with various colors. Your setup should ensure ample ventilation for the smoke to escape the room. Some photographers merge two photographs (one of the smoke and one of the object) to design a special scene, like one of a toy train blowing smoke or a tea kettle steaming.

62. Vintage Cars

From sporty models to classic town cars, vintage vehicles never go out of style. Look for vintage makes at car rallies and exhibitions, although sometimes you’ll come across them in your everyday happenings. The golden hours, right after sunrise or right before sunset, are ideal for shooting cars. Highlight specific parts, like bumpers, trunks and hoods for diverse perspectives.

63. Faces In Things

You’ve probably seen images that double as a face and another object. In this photography project, you’ll create a similar effect. Take a close look at nature, food and furniture to locate hidden human faces. Compile as many faces as you can, and see if your friends can guess what’s in the images.

Alter your perspective by shooting your subject through a picture frame. The frame technique works best outdoors where you can place ample distance between your lens and your subject. Consider creating scenes with a woman standing on the beach, a tree in an open field or a tall building at the end of a street.

65. Reflections

Any body of water—like a lake, river, pond or swimming pool—can act as your reflective tool for this photography project. You’ll want to avoid direct light on the water to eliminate glare. Practice using reflections on waterfront cityscapes or mountains overlooking a lake.

66. Take My Hand

When you can represent human connection in photography, the emotion of the image is strengthened. Head out on a hike or stroll through a garden to practice photographing two hands linked together.

67. Picception

A relatively new technique, picception images incorporate another camera or photo into the shot. It can be a picture-in-a-picture style or something more subtle like a photograph of someone taking a photograph. While often informal, picception shots can be formal if intentionally designed.

Often eye-catching, neon photos provide a stunning mix of light, shape and color. Whether you’re on the Vegas strip or exploring your hometown at night, take photos of neon signs with your camera’s evaluative meter exposure setting. Choose a low ISO of 200 or 100 to avoid noise. Be sure to place your camera on a tripod for stability.

No matter which photography projects you decide to complete, remember to enjoy the process and save copies of your photos. Design a themed calendar or metal print to showcase your results.

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10 Photography Assignments To Improve Your Photography

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Whether you are an amateur who want to brush up your photography skills or a master in the art, it’s always good to try new things. The theory of lights and shadows, technical aspects of a camera as well as the actual composition of a photo, learning the different aspects can add refinement to your skills. Do you want to improve your skills? If that sounds too brave and audacious for a beginner like you, then here are some Amazing Underwater Photography Ideas and Tips you can try out.

Photography Assignments To Improve Your Photography

Light painting, black and white, silhouette photography, motion blur, great portraits, night photography.

Night photography is a challenge; however, if you conquer the art, you can capture sharp night time photography. This artistic skill offers a whole new realm to your photographic aspect. Make use of slow shutter speed and use a tripod to make your camera still.  Here you also check these tips that will surely help you to Improve your Night Photography. 

Flash Photography

Learning how to use your on-camera flash can truly add to your photography. It works best during day time where additional light is a requirement. Diffuse the flash to ensure that the images do not wash out terribly. Flash come up to be handy when additional light source is pivotal.

It’s a great visual element for your photography. Most importantly, the out-of-the-focus of light often results in a blurred, soft foreground. Open the aperture as wide as possible and use a wide lens to draw the subject into focus while making background blur out.

Street Photography

This photography assignment works well to improve your photography. Though it is quite challenging, however, an immense practice can let you capture the strangers on the street beautifully. Take photos of the storefronts, architecture, and everything on the street to make it stand out. Also you can sharpen your photography skills with our list of popular travel photography tips for beginners.

Here are some amazing Full Moon Photography Tips and Ideas that will come handy if you are keen on taking creative moon pictures. So, shutterbugs!! Practice, practice, and practice the aforesaid photography assignments and let your pictures scream loud your creative skills.

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Photography 45 amazing underwater photography ideas and tips, fashion 45 cute wardrobe collections for plaid flannel lovers, you may also like, top 10 instagram photographers account that you must follow, the art of black and white photography, 10 food photography tips for instagramers, 5 essential qualities of a professional photographer, top 15 photography types that you need to know, 45 beautiful examples of portrait photography.

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Anonymous college basketball coaches poll: Gonzaga among best teams in 2024-25

Cole forsman | 6 hours ago.

• Gonzaga Bulldogs
• Baylor Bears
• Kansas Jayhawks
• UConn Huskies
• Saint Mary's Gaels

Throughout the college basketball offseason, rankings and polls from humans and computers alike have thought highly of the Gonzaga men’s basketball program heading into the 2024-25 season.

In fact, according to some Division-I head coaches, the Bulldogs should be considered the best team next season.

As CBS Sports rolls out its annual Candid Coaches series over the next few weeks, Matt Norlander and Garry Parrish asked 100 anonymous coaches who they think will be the No. 1 team this upcoming season. The Zags, who sit at No. 8 in Parrish’s Top 25 and 1 rankings, were among the nine teams who received multiple votes.

Kansas, which returned Hunter Dickinson, KJ Adams and Dajuan Harris, received a majority of the coaches’ votes as the No. 1 team (35.6%). The Jayhawks added Wisconsin’s AJ Storr, Alabama’s Rylan Griffen and South Dakota State’s Zeke Mayo to an already experienced squad that should be near the top of the first AP Top 25 poll this fall. 

Alabama checked in at No. 2 (27.9%) after it returned an All-American of its own in point guard Mark Sears. Nate Oats also welcomes back 6-foot-11 forward Grant Nelson and brought in Aden Holloway from Auburn and Clifford Omoruyi from Rutgers to solidify the frontcourt. Expect the Crimson Tide to be near the top of the pack in offensive efficiency.

Houston, which like Gonzaga returned most of its corp, had the third-most votes at 13.5%. The Cougars lost Jamal Shead but still returned guards L.J. Cryer and Emmanuel Sharp, along with 6-foot-7 wing J’Wan Roberts. With 77.0% of the minutes played from last season back, Kelvin Sampson and company are the No. 1 team on Bart Torvik’s 2024-25 projections.

Duke received 9.6% of the votes, followed by UConn at 7.7%. The back-to-back champions look much different without four of their five starters from last season. Dan Hurley added two-time All-WCC guard Aidan Mahaney from Saint Mary’s and top-10 recruit Liam McNeely to the mix.

Arizona, Baylor and North Carolina also received votes along with Gonzaga. The Bulldogs will reportedly see the Bears at some point during the opening week of the season. Depending on how the bracket for the Battle 4 Atlantis works out, there’s a chance Mark Few and Tommy Lloyd go head-to-head in the Bahamas over Thanksgiving break (Nov. 27-29). 

The Bulldogs returned seven of their top eight scorers from last season’s 27-8 squad, including four of their five starters, while adding a handful of talented players via the transfer portal. Michael Ajayi, a 6-foot-7 wing and All-WCC player last season at Pepperdine, brings a lot of versatility at the wing spot; Khalif Battle, a 6-foot-5 grad transfer from Arkansas, can fill up the scoring column. Emmanuel Innocenti, a 6-foot-5 transfer from Tarleton State, is a defensive specialist with the versatility to play multiple positions.

COLE FORSMAN

Cole Forsman is a reporter for Gonzaga Nation, a member of Sports Illustrated’s FanNation network. Cole holds a degree in Journalism and Sports Management from Gonzaga University.

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Tennessee has 2 of the most breathtaking views in America, and one of them is in the Great Smoky Mountains

Capturing a never-before-seen moment, a first-time experience or beautiful scenic environments in a photo is a special way to remember an event or place forever.

World Photography Day is coming up on Aug. 19, and celebrating this holiday is a great way show your appreciation for photography and a great excuse to get out and capture something wonderful.

Mixbook, a digital photo book company, suggests some great places to start with its list of the 100 most breathtaking views in America, which includes two locations in Tennessee — one of them in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Here's which sights made their list:

Best views in Tennessee include Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The view of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Clingmans Dome ranked 24th on the list of the most stunning views in America. With a 6,643-feet peak, Clingmans Dome is the highest point in Tennessee and offers amazing panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.

"The viewpoint provides a 360-degree vista, particularly stunning at sunrise when the mist fills the valleys," according to Mixbook.

The Nashville skyline also made the list at No. 60. with the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge offering one of the best views of the city.

"The viewpoint from the middle of the bridge provides a perfect spot to capture the skyline reflected in the Cumberland River, especially beautiful at twilight," Mixbook states.

What are the top 10 breathtaking views in America?

• Denali from Wonder Lake, Alaska
• Na Pali Coast from Kalalau Lookout, Hawaii
• Mendenhall Glacier from Nugget Falls Trail, Alaska
• Big Sky from Lone Mountain Summit, Montana
• Lake Tahoe from Sand Harbor, Nevada
• Bryce Canyon from Sunrise Point, Utah
• Grand Canyon from Mather Point, Arizona
• Cape Cod from Nauset Beach, Massachusetts
• Niagara Falls from Prospect Point, New York
• Las Vegas Strip from the High Roller

Best places to take photographs in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

There are many beautiful locations in Tennessee and the Knoxville area to explore or visit for capturing captivating photos, but few locations can compete with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Here are some of the best places to take photographs in the park.

• Cades Cove: Considered the most popular spot in the Great Smoky Mountains, this area contains rolling meadows, elevated valleys and an enjoyable 11-mile loop that should provide great photo opportunities. Black bears and deer are not uncommon sights at this location and could be great for animal photographers.
• Mount LeConte: This is the third highest peak in the national park at 6,593 feet, and because of its height offers some of the best photographic views of the Great Smoky Mountains. You'll find mountain ranges and beautiful 360-degree views. There is also LeConte Lodge at the peak, ready for a chance to star in a photo gallery - if you're game to make the hike there.
• Little River: The winding road follows along the river itself with several areas to pull off and take photos in the heart of the forest. Little River offers great opportunities for photos of the river and of nature.
• Newfound Gap: This area is easily accessible with wonderful views; as you drive through you'll notice multiple places to pull off for those stunning photographs. The views here are some of the most breathtaking that can be found in the national park, featuring mountain peaks, valleys and rivers.

When is World Photography Day?

The first World Photography Day took place on Aug. 19, 2010, with roughly 270 photographers from around the world sharing their photographs and pictures in an online photo gallery.

People all over the world visited the gallery and because of its popularity, connecting people around the globe. Aug. 19 became the official holiday.

Historically, Aug. 19, 1839, was the day that the French government gave away the details of the Daguerreotype, one of the first photography methods, after purchasing the patent from Louis Daguerre. The French government saw the invention as a gift to the world.

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Ryazan Oblast, Russia

The capital city of Ryazan oblast: Ryazan .

Ryazan Oblast - Overview

Ryazan Oblast is a federal subject of Russia located in the center of the European part of the country, in the Central Federal District. Ryazan is the capital city of the region.

The population of Ryazan Oblast is about 1,085,100 (2022), the area - 39,605 sq. km.

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Ryazan oblast map, Russia

Ryazan oblast latest news and posts from our blog:.

8 August, 2017 / Ryazan Kremlin - one of the oldest museums in Russia .

27 February, 2017 / Vvedensky Church in Pet - the gem of the Ryazan region .

15 July, 2010 / The architectural monuments of Ryazan oblast photos .

24 May, 2010 / Ryazan oblast beautiful abandoned cathedral photos .

History of Ryazan Oblast

According to archaeological excavations, the first people settled in what is now the Ryazan region in the Upper Paleolithic (15 - 25 thousand years ago). The first known inhabitants of this area were the tribes of Finno-Ugric group: Mer, Ves, Muroma, Meshchera, Mordvinians and others, who gave a lot of preserved to this day geographical names.

The Slavic tribes moved to the east at the end of the 1st millennium AD. The tribes of Vyatichi and Radimichi settled in the upper and middle reaches of the Oka River. Over time, these lands came under the control of the Kiev principality. Further expansion of the Slavs to the east was stopped by the Kama Bulgars.

According to the latest archaeological data, the town of Staraya (Old) Ryazan was founded in the 10th century (about 50 km south-east of the present Ryazan). The town of Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky was first mentioned in 1095.

In the 13th century, the Ryazan Principality, with its core in the middle reaches of the Oka, extended south to the Voronezh and Don rivers.

Despite the vast territory of the region and mixed composition of the population, it was gradually exposed to the Christianization, a lot of churches and monasteries were built. In the 12th century, Olgovsky Assumption Monastery was founded (the present village of Lgovo) - one of the oldest monasteries in the North-Eastern Russia.

More Historical Facts…

In 1237, Staraya Ryazan, the capital of the principality, was destroyed during the Mongol invasion. After that, its place in the principality was gradually taken by Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky, which, later, inherited the name of the former capital.

The rise of the Ryazan Principality is usually associated with Prince Oleg Ivanovich (1350-1402), who, with varying degrees of success, competed with the Moscow princes. His descendants were not so successful in opposing Moscow and the Ryazan principality ceased to exist in 1521 and became part of the Moscow Principality.

In the 16th-17th centuries, the Ryazan region, being the southern boundary of the Russian state, suffered from frequent devastating raids of nomads. Ryazan guberniya (province) of the Russian Empire was established by the decree of Catherine II in 1778. The town of Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky, the administrative center of the province, received a new name - Ryazan.

In the 18th century, metallurgy (iron foundries, needle factories), textile (cloth, rope, linen factories) and leather industries appeared in the region. In the 19th century, coal mines, cement, brick, tile, match factories were opened. In the north of the province, there were several glass factories.

In the southern districts of the province, agricultural processing industry was developed. Construction of railways, along with the traditional and already well-developed river navigation, was essential for the development of the regional economy.

In 1929, almost the entire territory of the Ryazan region became part of Moscow Oblast. In 1937, a separate Ryazan Oblast was formed. During the Second World War, only the south-western districts of the region (Mikhailov, Skopin) were occupied by the German troops.

In the post-Soviet period, an outflow of population from Ryazan Oblast has begun (due to the proximity to Moscow). In 1991-2015, the population of the region decreased by more than 200 thousand people.

Beautiful nature of Ryazan Oblast

Lake in Ryazan Oblast

Author: Mikhail Grizly

Forest stream in Ryazan Oblast

Ryazan Oblast scenery

Author: Alexander Vasiliev

Ryazan Oblast - Features

Ryazan Oblast is located in the depression between the Central and Volga Uplands, in the central part of the Russian Plain. The region stretches for 220 km from north to south and 259 km from west to east.

The Oka River divides the territory of Ryazan oblast in two parts: the northern with coniferous forests, and the southern with deciduous forests and forest-steppes. In total, forests cover about one third of the territory.

The climate is temperate continental. The average temperature in January is minus 10.6 degrees Celsius, in July - plus 19.7 degrees Celsius. The region has such natural resources as cement limestone, marl, refractory clay, glass and quartz sand, high-quality peat, phosphorite, lignite.

The most developed industries are engineering and metalworking, oil refining, power engineering, and food industry. Production of construction materials, leather are also developed as well as non-ferrous metallurgy. The main industrial centers are Ryazan, Skopin, Kasimov. Ryazan refinery is one of the largest enterprises in the region. The largest in Europe underground reservoir of natural gas “Kasimovskoye” (8,500 million cubic m) is located in Ryazan oblast.

Agriculture is specialized on cattle-, pig-, sheep-breeding, poultry farming. Barley, wheat, rye, oats, forage crops, sugar beets, fruits, and berries are cultivated in the region.

Two important railways pass through the territory of the Ryazan region: the “historical” branch of the Trans-Siberian Railway and two main lines in the direction of the Caucasus railway. The express “Sergei Yesenin”, a special train of Ryazan Oblast, runs daily between Ryazan and Moscow. Two federal highways cross the territory of the region: M5 “Ural” and M6 “Kaspiy”. The Oka River is navigable with ports in Ryazan and Kasimov.

The radioactive fallout, which spread as a result of the Chernobyl accident, fell on the south-western territories of the region.

Attractions of Ryazan Oblast

Ryazan Oblast is a real reserve of Russian folk culture with its unique music, song and choreography, poetic traditions, multicolor palette of folk costumes, arts and crafts. Eight settlements are included in the list of historic settlements of Russia: Ryazan, Kasimov, Mikhailov, Ryazhsk, Skopin, Spas-Klepiki, Spassk-Ryazansky, Shatsk.

Architectural monuments of the region include monuments of church architecture, manor complexes, industrial buildings, merchants’ mansions. Altogether there are about 1,200 architectural monuments and more than 2,200 archaeological sites. There are more than 100 thousand hectares of protected areas on the territory of the Ryazan region (47 nature reserves and 57 natural monuments).

The main attractions of Ryazan Oblast:

• Ryazan Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve “Ryazan Kremlin”,
• Ryazan Art Museum named after I.P. Pozhalostin,
• Museum-Estate of the Academician I.P. Pavlov in Ryazan,
• Solotcha resort village in the suburbs of Ryazan,
• Museum-Reserve of S.A. Esenin in the village of Konstantinovo,
• Historical-Landscape Reserve “Staraya Ryazan”,
• Historical-Landscape Reserve “Glebovo-Gorodishche”,
• Manor of fon Derviz in Kiritsy (1889) - an amazing beautiful architectural ensemble located 60 km from Ryazan,
• Historical-Cultural and Natural-Landscape Reserve “Manor of S.N. Khudekov”,
• Stud farm in Starozhilovo,
• Museum of the History of Cosmonautics and the Memorial House-Museum of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in Izhevskoye,
• Museum of Wooden Architecture in the village of Lunkino in Klepikovsky district,
• Khan’s mosque with a minaret, museum “Russian Samovar” and museum of bells in Kasimov,
• Svyato-Ioanno-Bogoslovsky Monastery in the village of Poshupovo in Rybnovsky district, on the right bank of the Oka, about 25 km north of Ryazan,
• Nativity of the Virgin Convent in Solotcha,
• The first park of S.N.Khudekov in the village of Yerlino in Korablinsky district; later, he created a similar park in Sochi,
• Oka State Biosphere Reserve with a nature museum and zoo,
• Meshchyora National Park.

Ryazan oblast of Russia photos

Pictures of the ryazan region.

Ryazan Oblast landscape

Author: Mikhail Maksimov

Monastery in Solotcha in the Ryazan region

Abandoned church in Ryazan Oblast

Churches in Ryazan Oblast

Wooden church in Ryazan Oblast

Winter in the Ryazan region

Abandoned cathedral in Ryazan Oblast

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The U.S. women's rugby team was hugely popular at the Paris Olympics. They won the bronze medal and their memorable tournament produced some picture-perfect moments. In no particular order, here's a list of the 10 best photos...

Alev Kelter's stiff arm

Three-time Olympian Alev Kelter is a beast on the pitch. She scored consistently throughout the tournament and even proposed to her girlfriend after the bronze medal win.

Sweet taste of victory

The U.S. reacts to winning the bronze medal against Australia.

Ilona Maher's passionate scream

This is just an awesome photo of Maher reacting during the match against France in pool play. The U.S. women went undefeated in pool play .

A kiss to remember

Alex 'Spiff' Sedrick scored the most important try of the tournament, but it wasn't her first at the Paris Games. She blew a kiss after scoring a try against Japan in the pool stage of play.

Eiffel tower celebration

The team celebrated their bronze medal at Champions Park in front of the Eiffel tower.

Sedrick's last-second game winning try

Sedrick scored a last-second try to tie the game against Australia in the women's bronze medal match . She coolly kicked the conversion to win the game and secure the Americans' first medal in rugby sevens at an Olympic Games.

Light lifting

Naya Tapper demonstrated her strength when she lifted Kayla Canett to receive a kickoff against France.

Ilona Maher's stiff arm

Maher was a break-out star at the Games both on and off the pitch. Her TikTok soared to new heights as her stiff-arms turned heads on the pitch.

Sammy Sullivan's try

Sammy Sullivan had a strong showing in her Olympic debut. She represents the United States on and off the pitch as a Captain in the U.S. Army.

Victory bell celebration

A neat aspect of the rugby tournament was the ringing of the victory bell after a win . The bell will be hung at Notre Dame Cathedral after the Games end as part of the Paris legacy project. 

Canett demonstrates picture-perfect form with a check-to-check tackle, the ideal tackle in rugby. It's a photo coaches should show beginners in the sport.

Finally, in the spirit of rugby and Olympic sports bringing the world together, the women's rugby teams that won medals at the 2024 Paris Games posed for a photo together, but made sure to mix up who was sitting with who.

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Backstage at Copenhagen Spring 2025 Shows—See the Best Photos

Vibe check in Copenhagen says that the city is back and better than ever. This season at Copenhagen Fashion Week saw a return of designers like (Di)vision and Yours Truly by Peter Jensen, and even featured some unexpected new faces in the Danish city, like Sinéad O’Dwyer. Scroll through for the best behind-the-scenes photos from the shows.

Backstage (di)vision CPHFW SS25

Baum und Pferdgarten

Backstage Baum und Pferdgarten CPHFW SS25