43 Creative Photography Ideas for Awe-Inspiring Shots

We were researching creative photography ideas and these were the ones we liked best.

So, whether you’re stuck at working at home or looking to explore the outdoors, getting creative with your photography is something you can do anywhere.

If you’re looking for a diverse portfolio or pictures that look unique or aesthetically pleasing, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we’ll explore some ingenious ways to take your photography to the next level by getting inspiration from some of our favorite creative photographs on DeviantArt and around the web.

 

 

19 Creative Photography Ideas For Better Photography

1. Pick a Concept

Picking a concept and creating a full photoshoot around the idea can encourage you to be creative and push yourself stylistically. One way to do this would be to pick concepts related to elements or real-life objects like water or wind.

Exploring abstract concepts like time, humor, friendship, or anything else conceptual can also be beneficial.

 

2. Use Lens Filters

Using camera lens filters is an excellent way to add some diversity to your portfolio with minimal effort. Several different filters enhance your photography, like UV filters, polarizing filters, or even color-balancing efforts.

While a lot of the work done with filters can be during the editing process with color correction, lens filters allow you to capture beautiful photography in the moment and with much less effort.

 

3. Take Candid Photos

There’s something pure and timeless about candid photography. When it comes to the most iconic photographs that have stood the test of time, candid photography captures the emotion and state of life at the moment is priceless.

Although this can be better said than done when showcasing your skillset as a photographer, taking candid photos is a worthwhile idea.

 

4. Make Use of Animals and Pets

Animals are one of the purest and most honest representations of that being photographed. Animal photography is heartwarming and beautiful, whether it’s a picture of your cocker spaniel or several thousand of your cat (you can never have too many).

In cases where you want to be more adventurous, taking pictures of animals in the natural environment can make for stunning photography. That said, it’s recommended that you work with local wildlife experts or conservation groups to know which areas are safe for wildlife photography.

 

5. Create Photography Around Your Favourite Show or Movie

Themed photoshoots can end up cringy! If you’re a fan of a show or movie, this kind of photography can help create a memorable photoshoot.

That said, it’s only worth it if done tastefully with the right prep work. If you’re planning a party or event and are looking for something out of the box, a movie or show-themed photoshoot is always entertaining.

 

6. Motion Photography 

Although it can be tricky to capture for some, motion photography is exciting and impressive. When capturing motion photography, it is vital to use a camera with a high FPS rate, so shots look crisp and clear, not blurred.

That said, if your camera has a low FPS exploring motion photography takes a different route. Although unconventional, blurred photographs of people or objects are currently also something that’s trending.

 

7. Minimalist Photos

Minimalist photos are modern and aesthetically pleasing. Although it seems a little basic sometimes, there is elegance and beauty in capturing or focusing on specific objects or individuals. Making your photos black and white is one way of ensuring individuals focus on the individuals or things in the image.

Besides this, minimalizing the number of subjects in your photos and removing unwanted clutter from your frame is another fundamental when creating minimalist photography.

 

8. Capture Street Fashion

Street fashion photography refers to capturing casual and semi-formal fashion used daily. Typically, these shots are done outdoors on streets or lanes, termed street photography.

Street fashion typically looks like photography you’ll find in editorials or images found in the newspaper from the paparazzi. That said, when booking regular gigs and building your portfolio as a photographer, capturing street fashion can pay off.

9. Architecture

Our culture and how we feel about cities are shaped by the architecture and buildings in our surroundings. Given the sharp edges, rustic columns and walls, or modern look photographing architecture, definitely expand your scope as a photographer.

When you visit a specific location, new country, or even the older buildings in your area, capturing architecture helps you capture and convey the personality of particular periods or neighborhoods. Creative photography for architecture often entails you focus on specific corners or forms in building structures to help draw attention to the building’s style and unique characteristics.

 

10. Juxtaposition 

When it comes to any art form, comparing or placing two objects or elements with contrasting significance can be a powerful tool. Better known as juxtaposition, using contrasting elements can bring depth and serve as an effective storytelling tool.

Juxtaposing can be compositional (using contrasting objects) or conceptual (using the meaning or significance of objects), resulting in interesting themes or contrasting colors.

 

11. Make Use of Shadows

In photography, just as in art, using shadows and shadow forms can give your photography more depth and dramatic elements. With this, the lighting’s shape, intensity, level, and temperature have a crucial role.

Besides, capturing shadows in your photography can add more complexity to your otherwise simple photographs. Regardless of where you are and the type of photography you take, using shadows can be invaluable in photo composition.

 

12. Reveal Beauty in the Mundane

A lot of the tie that makes talented photographers stand out is the skill to capture everyday life and the beauty in the mundane. While not an exceptionally creative photography idea, being able to capture the raw emotion, tension, or daily life of individuals offers viewers something priceless.

That said, while doing this, keeping in mind photo composition and lighting is still vital. For tasks involving a lot of movement or the subject is moving quickly, opting for a high FPS camera with high resolution is a smart way to go.

 

13. Unconventional Perspective

For most photographers, most subjects or individuals captured are recurring and unoriginal! For photographers looking to add something extra to their portfolio, unconventional perspectives and angles can be hugely beneficial.

While creative photography entails filters or objects, it often leans on ingenious and innovative ways of capturing subjects. For photographers that can capture mundane and ordinary subjects in a new light or angle, a whole world of opportunities opens up.

 

14. Create Double Exposure

What is double exposure? Simply put, double exposure is a technique that allows two different pictures to be visible in one photograph. While traditionally, this technique was used in film cameras, several digital cameras these days make taking double-exposure shots much easier.

Although not the most creative photography idea, the double exposure can be used with flash gels or even layer two subjects for impressive results. For those of you that have the time and are looking for something interesting for your portfolio, double exposure is an excellent place to start.

 

15. Draw Attention to Seasons

Seasons offer opportunities for thematic and season-centric photography. Each season brings its unique lighting, flowers, and tones. With different types of cloud coverage, weather conditions, and clothing, drawing attention to specific seasons in your photography is worthwhile.

Each season has its tone to offer. That said, summer and spring are two ideal seasons for photographers due to the longer days and the condition of the vegetation. For photographers looking bold, autumn offers vibrant colors and unpredictable cloud coverage.

 

16. Shoot Through Objects

Skilled photographers use their surroundings to their best advantage. One creative way to create innovative and new frames in your photography would be to incorporate capturing images through objects. Some of the most typical ways include gel lenses, fisheye lenses, or any other type of unconventional lens.

Besides this, shooting through gaps or spaces in natural, transparent, or translucent objects can add an interesting element to your photography. When shooting through things, however, it’s important to focus on the subject (background) and avoid letting your camera lens focus on the foreground.

17. Make Use of Nature and Natural Elements

Using nature and focusing on natural elements can create some stunning still-life photography. That said, even when using natural elements, keeping in mind lines, framing, depth, and other fundamentals is essential.

Generally speaking, using a zoom lens with a wide aperture along with your camera can help you shoot wildlife and natural elements in the distance. Besides this, it also lets you focus on your photograph’s subject, blurring the background. Zoom lenses also help improve the depth of field in your pictures.

 

18. Use Reflections

Complex equipment is rarely required in your journey of finding creative photography ideas. Mirrors, when used along with the right set-up, can make for some interesting photography. Regarding how this can be done, some ways include using mirrored surfaces (like polished floors or waterbodies) for symmetry.

Besides this, you can also use your subjects as the foreground and their reflections as the objects in the images. Mirrors can also be used along with your camera to use prisms to create light distortions.

 

19. Customize Your Own Textures

If you’re a creative or anyone involved with the design, one creative photography idea is using your camera to create your textures. While many stock textures are available in online libraries, creating custom textures can add originality to your designs. Besides this, it can also serve as a revenue stream if you choose to monetize the texture on Istock or Getty images.

To create your own textures, it’s important to have your camera setting set to macro, raw and manual focus. Besides this, it’s important to have flash set off and to polish your texture in post-production.

 

43 Must-See Creative Photography Inspiration

 

All photos are linked to their original authors. There are a few that just link to DeviantArt’s homepage as I could not find out who the original author was.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Conclusion — Creative Photography Ideas 

 

When it comes to new ways to level up your photography or portfolio, it largely depends on the areas and innovations. Photo composition is still the foundation of any skilled photographer.

Whether you want to opt for one of the best cameras out there or even look for cameras to capture your artwork, creative photography is limited by your skillset and how you choose to approach photography.

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