Trick photography effects - how to make trick ghost photos

 

This is a great trick photography effect - ghost photos! You make your subject (daughter, uncle, wife ... the list is endless!) appear as a ghost in a photo. It's easy to do, honest!

If you like this 'trick', you'll love the trick photography eBook! Find out where you can get even more trick photography ideas.

First of all, if you don't know what I mean by ghost photography, have a look at the picture below. It's my daughter (twice actually) sitting on her slide as a ghost.

I realise that this is not the most obvious place to find a ghost. But then, where is? (Actually, my mother thinks her lounge is haunted, but she is getting on a bit. Then again....!).

But I digress. It's not the slide that's important, it's the trick photography effect I've used to create the photo that's important.


Trick photography effect - how to
make ghost photos So, now you know what this ghost trick photography effect looks like, how about having a go yourself?

As I said before it's easy. And if I can do it (with a sometimes unwilling daughter as a model!) then anyone can.
Here's the basic concept you set up your scene and then take two photos - one with the 'ghost' in position (in this case, it's my daughter sitting on top of her slide) and one photo where she's standing looking at 'herself'.

So here's what you do ...
set up your scene,
brief your willing (or not so willing!) volunteer on where they need to stand for the two photos,
keep your camera as steady as possible (a tripod will help, but it's not essential),
take the FIRST photo,
get your model to move to their second position,
take the SECOND photo. And now you can thank your model, pop the kettle on, make a cuppa, and then sit down at your computer with the two photos you just took uploaded.
Trick photography effect - how to
make ghost photos - editing Using your image editing software (or, if you haven't got anything installed, go to pixlr and use the free online image editor) and upload your two photos.

With both photos open, click [V] on your keyboard to select the move tool, and drag the 'ghost' image on top of the background image.

If you look at the 'layers' palette on the right of the screen you'll have two layers there.

Then, make sure you're editing the 'ghost' image (which should be the top image in the layers palette, if not, click on it to highlight it), and then go to Adjustment and choose Desaturate

Your layers palette should now look something like mine below:



Once you've done that you need to erase everything from that top image (to reveal the background layer below) except for the ghost - i.e. your model.

There are two ways to do this - the easy way, or the hard way!

The easy way ...
choose the eraser tool (press [E] on your keyboard,
get erasing!
scrub out everything except your ghost
if you go a bit wrong, press [CTRL] + [Z] to undo And then there's the hard, but a lot more flexible, way ... but to do this you'll need a better image editor that allows layer masks to be used. Pixlr is clunky in this respect (it is free after all) and doesn't work so well.
First, add a layer mask to your top, desaturated, layer
fill your layer mask with black - this has the effect of masking everything out
then grab a brush, and set the color to white. Now brush ONLY over your model - this will bring back part of the layer mask and, in the process, bring your model back on top
if you make a mistake, switch color back to black and go over the mistake - black masks things out, white brings them back Final task to make this trick photography effect work, whichever method you use, is to make your model see-through.

To do this you change the transparency of the layer. In Pixlr, click on the small icon in the bottom corner of the layers palette, circled in red below:



A little menu will appear with an opacity slider on it - slide the opacity down to about half and your layer will appear partially transparent - ghost like!

Final job - flatten your image. Go to layer and choose flatten image.

5 Tips for Photographing the Himalayas

1 – Motivate and prepare yourself mentally for what awaits 

 


Annapurna Sunrise

The effects of altitude and all that comes with it, the nausea, the headaches, the sleep disturbances, the tiredness, the lack of appetite, and freezing temperatures, can all turn your trip into a complete disaster. Preparing yourself mentally for what awaits in the high mountains will go a long way toward ensuring that you capture some memorable images.

In order to capture something different, an image that most of those around you won’t, you can’t arrive to your destination at 2pm as hoards of others arrive at the same time with the very same shot in mind. To capture something distinct, something that rises above what the casual snapper will come back with, it requires some planning and extra motivation.

Crawling out of a warm sleeping bag a couple of hours before sunrise, or hanging around outside in the biting cold after nightfall at 5000 metres is easier said than done. Shooting in the twilight can be very rewarding. I recommend waking up a couple of hours before sunrise and hanging around for a while after sunset until the light ratio evens out. These tactics can be especially effective if the surrounding mountains are bathed in moonlight.


Motivate yourself to get up extra early!

Here is a shot of Annapurna South (7219m) bathed in moonlight at 4:30am.
2 – Watch the red Channel!

Yes, the sunrise and sunset light that slaps against the high Himalayan peaks really is as red as it appears on a National Geographic documentary! I first witnessed this when photographing the sunset one evening above the village of Dingboche, just below Everest Base Camp. The sun had set below the horizon, but Makalu, the worlds fifth highest peak at 8463 metres, far off in the distance, was bathed in a warm red light, the like of which I had never witnessed before. The sun being below the horizon from my location had to traverse through much more atmosphere thus dispersing more blue light, and allowing the warmest red light imaginable to hit the high peaks.

In order to capture this, it’s important to take extra care with your exposure. The single histogram on the back of your camera may indicate a properly exposed image when in reality the red channel is severely over-exposed. The solution is to monitor the RGB histogram and ensure the highlights on the red channel are not blown.


Ama Dablam – Red Channel over-exposed

I’ve made this mistake. Shown above is a photo of the north face of Ama Dablam at sunrise. It is possibly the most photogenic mountain in the Khumbu region, and on the way to Mount Everest you round three of its faces.

Even though I overexposed the red channel, the single histogram did not show any clipping. It’s something I’m well aware of but whether it was altitude, tiredness, sheer impatience and a need to keep moving in the biting cold, I messed it up and was left with an unusable image of what was a great scene. A bad mistake!


A better exposure on the red channel
3 – Don’t be Afraid to Photograph in Harsh Light


Kongma La Pass

I’m guilty of it as much as anyone, often times with an arrogant refusal to photograph landscapes in harsh light! However, I have found the high snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas to be one of the subjects that nature provides which can be photographed very effectively in harsh light.

Impressive panoramic vistas of snow-capped peaks lining the horizon. Multicoloured rock layers and ridges poking through the deep blankets of snow which envelop the upper reaches of the mountains. Violent winds whipping snow up in a plum as they strip the exposed peaks bare. All this set against customary deep blue skies sparsely populated with rising puffy cumulus clouds in the afternoon heat, coupled with a turquoise lake or two, it’s all about contrast and how could it not be photogenic under harsh light? In fact it’s at its most photogenic under the harsh midday sun!


Ama Dablam

Sunrise and sunset are obviously great times to photograph the mountains, as those weakened rays hit the high peaks. But the window for this light extremely short, 10-15 minutes in my experience.

Taking sunrise as an example, after this brief window mentioned, the suns rays will race down the mountain faces, the light becoming harsher and bluer with each passing minute. There will come a point when the upper third of the mountain is exposed to a cold light with everything below in deep shadow meaning that it all becomes rather unphotogenic.

It is only after the sun rises yet further that the mountains can once again be photographed well, as the deep valleys begin to fill with light. Unfortunately having risen early and trekked up to a photogenic location for sunrise, unable to predict the forthcoming events, many people leave before this point. When at Annapurna Base Camp, many people had arrived for sunrise and whether through exhaustion, oxygen deprivation, numbing toes or just the failure to predict what would unfold, they headed down to lower altitudes.

As the sun rises higher in the sky, overcoming protruding peaks, numerous objects of interest in the foreground become lit to the same ratio as the mountains, making them extremely photogenic. For sure, they are simple photographs to capture, requiring little thought and effort, but to refuse them through ignorance is a shame.

Of course make the effort to get into position for the sunrise, but schedule your breakfast for the period where that warm light disappears and deep shadow envelopes the lower regions, before returning to photograph the scene again in a very different light.


Annapurna basecamp and Machapuchare
4 – Experiment with Monochrome

Customary deep blue skies are common when at altitude in the Himalayas. When photographing snow-capped peaks, the white plums of snow being whipped off by the strong high altitude winds can often provide that high contrast scene which just jumps so much more in monochrome that in colour.

Here is an example of a photograph of Lhotse (8516m), showing the image which initially came out of the camera and the final image after being converted to monochrome in lightroom. The black and white photo is much more effective. It’s much easier to guide the viewers eye through the photo and toward the main area of interest, i.e. where that high altitude wind is whipping up plums of snow on Lhotse’s peak.


Lhotse monochrome comparison

The following is a photo of Pumori (7161 m) at sunset. The final image (on top) was converted to monochrome in lightroom and had a split tone applied. Again it is much more effective than the colour version.


Pumori split tone comparison
5 – Compress the Scene with a Long Lens

It’s not all about wide panoramic views of snow-capped peaks when in the Himalayas. When viewed through a longer lens, the photos captured can be quite effective. The mountains are sacred to the locals, so finding some foreground interest is often times a very simple task. Whether it be a Sherpa, a cairn, prayer flags or rolling foothills, you can use them to benefit the composition of your photograph.

I didn’t carry an especially long lens on my treks, but if you do, then use it to its fullest. Compress the scene and bring those high Himalayan peaks up close behind that foreground interest.


Field Compression


Himalayan Foothills
Bonus Tip! – Get off the Beaten Track

Technically this is six tips, but here’s one not so much related to photographing mountains or landscapes, but the culture that exists in the mountains. Nepal is diverse, and for a small country it is quite unbelievable the change the occurs not just in the landscapes as you traverse the country from north to south, but in its people. With so many different ethnic groups, countless interesting photographic subjects can be unearthed, from the people themselves to their customs, dwellings and clothing.


Woman preparing dal bhat in the village of Mali

Trekking some of the lesser beaten trails will enable you to immerse yourself in this side of Nepali culture. In the high mountains around the Annapurnas or Everest Base Camp, although people are friendly and welcoming, you are much more likely to run into a Sherpa woman dressed in a counterfeit North Face down jacket that one in traditional clothing!

Incidentally, if trekking to Everest Base Camp and you have the time, consider trekking to Lukla from Jiri rather than flying from Kathmandu. I was able to obtain some of my best shots of Nepali culture on this week-long trail. I found people to be a lot more enthusiastic, engaging and curious about being photographed.

Outside of the main trekking routes of Annapurna, Everest or Langtang, there are several other less well explored treks. Kanchenjunga, Manaslu and Makalu will undoubtedly become more popular in the future as things open up, but I’d hazard a guess to say that they provide wonderful opportunities to photograph a lesser known area of Nepal. I for one do intend on returning some day!

100 Things I’ve Learned About Photography

Since I found photography two and a half years ago I have learned different things which I would like to share with you today. These lessons have made me richer and I hope that you will find them refreshing and inspiring on your journey with the camera, too.

1. Never do photography to become a rock-star.
2. Enjoy what you are shooting.
3. Prepare well for your shooting, realizing that your battery isn’t charge when you’re setting up for that sunrise shoot is too late!
4. Always take one warm garment more than you actually need with you
5. Pay attention to your thoughts and emotions while you are shooting
6. Set goals you can achieve
7. Write tips about photography, because writing is also learning
8. Never go shooting without a tripod
9. Be pleased with the little successes
10. Build relationships with potential photo buddies
11. Watch the place you want to shoot first with your heart… and then with the camera
12. Always stay calm
13. Know that you tend to overestimate yourself
14. Perspective is the killer
15. Dedicate yourself to photography, but never browbeat yourself too much
16. Take part in a photography community

17. Keep your camera clean
18. Never compare yourself to others in a better or worse context
19. Find your own style of photography
20. Try to compose more and to hit the shutter less
21. Seek out and learn to accept critique on your images
22. Do something different to recover creativity
23. Get inspiration from the work of other photographers
24. Criticize honestly but respectfully
25. Get feedback from your lady
26. Don’t copy other photographer’s style
27. Be bold
28. Take care of the golden ratio
29. 10mm rocks!
30. Take self portraits
31. Read books about photography
32. To give a landscape photograph the extra boost, integrate a person (maybe yourself)
33. Every shooting situation is different than you expect
34. Pay attention to s-curves and lines
35. Always shoot in RAW
36. Keep your sensor clean, so you can save some work cleaning your image in post production
37. Discover the things you think are beautiful

38. It takes time to become a good photographer
39. The best equipment is that what you have now
40. You can’t take photographs of everything
41. Break the rules of photography knowingly, but not your camera 42. Pay attention to the different way that light falls on different parts of your scene
43. The eye moves to the point of contrast
44. Clouds increase the atmosphere of a landscape
45. Start a photoblog
46. Accept praise and say “thank you”
47. ‘Nice Shot’ is not a very useful comment to write
48. ‘Amazing!’ isn’t useful either. Try to describe specifically what you like or don’t like about an image.
49. You are not your camera
50. Ask a question at the end of your comment on a photo to get a ping-pong conversation with the photographer
51. Do a review of your archives on a regular basis, the longer you photograph – the more diamonds are hidden there
52. Always clarify what the eyecatcher (focal point) will be in your image
53. No image is better than a bad one
54. Everyone has to start little
55. Your opinion about photography is important!
56. Leave a funny but thoughtful comment
57. Speak about your experiences with your photo buddies
58. Limit your photograph to the substance
59. Participate in Photo contests
60. Post processing = Optimizing your image to the best result
61. Shoot exposure latitudes as often as possible

62. Use photomatix as seldom as possible, HDR’s always have a synthetic flavor
63. Always remember what brought you to photography
64. Never shoot a person who doesn’t want to be photographed – ask permission
65. Always turn arround, sometimes the better image is behind you
66. It’s who’s behind the camera, not the camera
67. Mistakes are allowed! The more mistakes you make, the more you learn!
68. If you have an idea and immediately you think : No, this is not going to work – Do it anyway. When in doubt – always shoot.
69. Understand and look to your histograms while shooting. It delivers very important information about your image
70. Know your camera, because searching the menu button in the night is time you don’t want to waste
71. Shoot as often as possible
72. Believe in yourself
73. Don’t be afraid of getting dirty
74. Pay attention to qualitiy in your image
75. Your photographs are a personal map of your psyche
76. Re-check your ISO-Settings. It’s aweful to detect the wrong settings on your screen.
77. Be thankful for long and thoughtful comments on your images
78. Never trust your LCD. Normally it is brighter and sharper as the original image.
79. Provide for enough disc space, because it’s cheap and you will need it.

80. Learn to enjoy beautful moments when you don’t have a camera with you.
81. Always arrive at least half an hour earlier before sunrise / sundown, composing in a hurry is a bad thing.
82. Try to amplify your mental and physical limits. Takes some extra shots when you think “it’s enough”
83. Pay attention to structures in the sky and wait until they fit into structures in the foreground
84. Visit the same place as often as possible. Light never shows the same mountain.
85. Print your images in big size. You will love it.
86. Calibrate your monitor. Working with a monitor that is not accurate is like being together with someone you can’t trust. It always ends badly.
87. Don’t think about what others may say about your image. If you like it, it’s worth publishing.
88. Never address reproaches to yourself. Learn from your mistakes and look forward, not backward.
89. Fight your laziness! Creativitiy comes after discipline.
90. Ask yourself : What do you want to express in your images ?
91. Always try to think outside the box, collect new ideas about photographs you could do and ask yourself : Why not?
92. Search for a mentor.
93. Photography is never a waste of time.

94. Every community has it’s downsides. Don’t leave it out of an emotional response.
95. There will always be people who will not like what you are doing.
96. Henri Cartier-Bresson was right when he said that “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.”
97. A better camera doesn’t guarantee better images.
98. Always have printing in mind when you postprocess your images.
99. Photography is fair: You gain publicity with the quality of your images. Unless the images are stolen, there is no way of cheating yourself higher.
100. Write a 100 things list

 

9 Tips for Breaking into Photojournalism

 

If you wanted to break into a new industry, who would you ask? Somebody who knows all about it, right?

Well, that’s why we got Jason Geil ( whose photos have been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Rolling Stone Magazine) to give us some real-world tips about how to get started in professional photojournalism.

If you already make loads of money as a professional photographer, this article isn’t for you (although we still love you).

This article is for those of you trying to hone your photography skills enough to break into the field of photojournalism. Maybe you’re not planning to quit your day-job, but a little extra income from your photography each month wouldn’t hurt either.

We’ve got nine tips to help you get your news photos out of your camera and into the public eye. Next stop: Pulitzer Prize!

Getting Your Foot in the Door

Like any other job field, establishing a career in photojournalism takes time and effort. It’s a competitive business, controlled by editors who are often over-worked and involving a certain amount of subjectivity. In other words, even if you think highly of your photographs, others might not agree.

Here are some tips to help break into the field of photojournalism:

 

1. Get Schooled

It’s not rocket science. Pursuing a career by getting a degree in that field is usually the best course of action.

However, unlike many careers, photography does not necessarily require a degree to be successful. If you don’t have a degree in photojournalism, you may want to take at least a few courses at a community college to include on your resume.

Ultimately, your photos will speak for themselves, so don’t count yourself out if you don’t have that diploma. A strong portfolio of images will carry you a long way.

 

 

 

 

 

2. Focus on People

It’s always wise for those trying to leap into the profession to shoot photos of people.

Photojournalism is the visual documentation of what is going on around us all. Nothing illustrates that more accurately than photographs of people doing the things people do.

Severe floods in the Midwest highlighted this last fall. Countless photos of flooding were commonplace on mainstream media wires and hundreds more were submitted to newspapers every day. What sets the good photos apart from the ever-increasing pool of common photos, are the people and actions photographed.

A photo of a person feverishly grabbing his belongings before his house floods is almost certainly going to be more gripping than one of floodwater and nothing else. At least, that’s the case in the world of photojournalism.

More information is derived from photos like these. Document the people affected by the events you photograph and you will step ahead of most other amateur photographers.

3. Foot Patrol

When you’re out shooting photographs, get out of your car and walk. Meet people. Talk to them. Ask questions. You may be surprised to learn how many unique story ideas you can come up with just by being curious. Having a unique story is a quick way to impress an editor, but you won’t find it while driving around in your car.

4. It’s OK to Be a Copycat

Keep an eye on professional photojournalists while they work. Check your ego: watch how they go about getting their photographs and you may learn a few things. Even simple things, like the notebook and pen they carry with them to write notes and names while on assignment, will give you an edge. They are professionals for a reason, so you can learn plenty from imitating them.

If you’re at an event covered by professional photojournalists, follow up the next day by looking at their published work in the newspaper or website they work for. You can learn a lot by doing this on a regular basis.

5. Hey, Hemingway!

Concentrate on writing good captions. A striking difference between amateur and professional photographers is that pros have mastered the art of collecting information about their photographs. Who? What? When? Where?

If you can’t get the facts straight, and write them in a clear, concise and accurate caption, you will not make it far in the business of photojournalism.

6. Create a Website

For less than you might expect, you can have your own domain name on the web. Post a few examples of your photography and a link to how to contact you.

Send that link to editors of newspapers in your area and ask them to consider you for future freelance opportunities. As a potential freelance photojournalist, you are essentially a business, and businesses need to advertise their product.

If spending the money and time to create your own site isn’t possible, consider submitting your photos to a website that specifically displays the work of amateur photographers. Getting into an online format may actually give you an edge these days as a potential photojournalist. The shift to electronic display of news has been a long time coming, but there are still only a small group of people who are knowledgeable in that area.

If you show you have the ability to publish your images online in an effective way, you will have an advantage over others who do not.

7. Start a Blog

Like a diary for photographers, a blog can be a great way to chart your progress and showcase your ability to work in the ever-important online format. Many top blog hosting sites are free and easy to get started on.

Try to post a photo to your blog at least once a week to illustrate your consistent and professional efforts. After a few months, you will be able to go back to see how much you really have improved. Or, you may find an older post inspires you to continue again with a previously stalled photo project.

8. Get Your Work Seen

However you decide to go about it, the most important thing is to get eyes on your work.

It’s difficult to understand why some photographers handle their work like a priceless piece of art that everyone is trying to steal. First of all, it isn’t. And second, it’s hard to get noticed in the field of journalism if your work is never seen. So show your work to someone in a position to publish it. Or publish it yourself. Plenty of independent blogs get noticed these days. As long as eyes are on your work, your odds of making it in the field are better.

It’s easy to find the names of photo editors from local newspapers. Call or email them and say, “I shot a photo today that I thought you might be interested in seeing”. If your photos are good enough, editors will notice.

9. Be Persistent

If an editor doesn’t respond, that doesn’t mean you didn’t make an impression. I have found the single most important trait great journalists have is persistence.

Editors are busy people. If you continue to contact them (not too often of course, but at least once a month) and search for good photographs, you will eventually crack your way through the walls of a very competitive business.

 

328 Photography Themes: A List Of Themes To Photograph

This crazy list of photography themes is useful for those who feel like there is nothing to photograph. Photography themes are a great way to organize your photography. Often students say their town is boring or there is nothing to shoot. There is ALWAYS something to photograph you just have to get creative. This list should get the creative juices flowing.
Just take a look at this list of themes and items that are interesting to shoot. It should get you started.
If you're wondering why using themes in photography is useful read this.

1. Abandoned Buildings
2. Abstracts
3. Amphibian
4. Anger
5. Arches
6. Architecture
7. Autumn
8. Back Alleys
9. Bad Weather
10. Bald Heads
11. Balloons
12. Bare Feet
13. Bark
14. Barns
15. Bees
16. Bicycle Parts
17. Bikes
18. Birds
19. Black and White
20. Blimps
21. Blue
22. Bolts
23. Bones
24. Books
25. Bottles
26. Bridge
27. Bridges
28. Broken Glass
29. Bronze
30. Brown
31. Bump
32. Butterflies
33. Butterflies / Bees
34. Campsites
35. Car Details
36. Catching People Unaware
37. Cats
38. Celebrations
39. Choice
40. Church Windows
41. Churches
42. Circles
43. City Hall
44. City Skylines
45. City Street Scenes
46. Close-up
47. Clouds
48. Cold
49. Colours
50. Columns
51. Computers
52. Contrasts
53. Covered Bridges
54. Critters
55. Culture
56. Curves
57. Custom Cars
58. Dancers
59. Decorations
60. Demonic
61. Demonstrations
62. Devilish
63. Digital
64. Disappearing Professions
65. Disappearing Technologies
66. Dishes
67. Documentary
68. Dogs
69. Dominating
70. Doom and gloom
71. Door Knobs
72. Doors
73. Dots / Dashes / Diagonals
74. Drawers
75. Duplicates
76. Easter
77. Eggs
78. Elation
79. Embrace
80. Emergency Situations
81. Enthusiasm / eager
82. Environmental Trash
83. Events
84. Eye Glasses
85. Eyes
86. Farm Animals
87. Feathers
88. Feet
89. Feisty
90. Feline
91. Femininity
92. Fences
93. Fetes & Festivals
94. Fetish
95. Fire
96. Fire Engines
97. Fireworks / Fire
98. Fish
99. Flags
100. Flower Petals
101. Flowers
102. Food
103. Forks
104. Forms in Nature
105. Fountains
106. Framed
107. Freeways
108. Frozen
109. Fruit
110. Games
111. Gardens
112. Gates
113. Gears
114. Geriatric (older folks)
115. Glamour
116. Glass
117. Gold
118. Graceful
119. Graffiti
120. Green
121. H Hands
122. Halloween
123. Hallways
124. Handles
125. Hands
126. Happiness
127. Harbours
128. Harvest
129. Hats
130. Hidden
131. History
132. Holiday
133. Horizon
134. Horses
135. Hot Rod Cars
136. Hunger
137. Ice
138. Inclines
139. Indian Ruins
140. Indigenous Things Or People
141. Industrial
142. Insects
143. Inspiration
144. Iridescent
145. Iron
146. Isolated Objects
147. Jails
148. Jets
149. Jewelry
150. Jobs
151. Joints
152. Journalistic
153. Joy
154. Jugs
155. Junk Yards
156. Keys
157. Kids
158. Kin or Families
159. Kite
160. Kites
161. Knives
162. Landscapes
163. Lazy
164. Learning
165. Leaves
166. Legs
167. Letters
168. Light
169. Lightning
170. Lights
171. Locks
172. Machine Parts
173. Macro
174. Marine life
175. Masculinity
176. Masks
177. Mass flowers
178. Mirrors
179. Money
180. Monuments
181. Mood
182. Movie Theater Marquees
183. Muse
184. Mushrooms
185. Neon Signs
186. Night
187. Night lights
188. Nighttime
189. Nonsense
190. Noodles
191. Numbers
192. Nut
193. Nuts
194. Objects
195. Odd Couples
196. Old Everything
197. Olympic
198. Opposites
199. Opulent
200. Orange
201. Pairs
202. Paper Abstracts
203. Parallel Lines
204. Patterns
205. Peacocks
206. Peeling Paint
207. People
208. People At Work
209. People Walking Dogs
210. Peppers
211. Perspective
212. Pets
213. Pictures in Pictures
214. Piles of Things
215. Pink / Purple
216. Polished
217. Porches
218. Quad
219. Quarters
220. Queens
221. Railroad Cars
222. Railroad Tracks
223. Raindrops
224. Rainbows
225. Red
226. Red Barns
227. Reenactments
228. Reflection
229. Reflections in Glass
230. Reflections in Water
231. Religious
232. Roads-capes
233. Rocks
234. Round Things
235. Rows of Things
236. Rust
237. Rustic
238. Sand dunes
239. Sand Patterns
240. Sea Shells
241. Seascapes
242. Seasons
243. Self
244. Shadows
245. Shoes
246. Signs
247. Silhouettes
248. Skulls
249. Sky
250. Sleeping Animals
251. Sleeping People
252. Small Furry Animals
253. Smiles
254. Smoke Stacks
255. Snow
256. Soft Curves
257. Sorrow
258. Spanish Moss
259. Speed
260. Spoons
261. Sports
262. Spring
263. Squirrel
264. Stacks
265. Stairs
266. Statues
267. Steam Railroads
268. Still life
269. Strange Signs
270. String Instruments
271. Structures
272. Summer
273. Sunrise
274. Sunset
275. Superstitions
276. Sweets
277. Swings
278. Tattoos
279. Teddy Bear / toy
280. Textures
281. The Local School
282. The spot (X marks it, you know)
283. Toads
284. Tombstones
285. Tools
286. Tools of the Trade
287. Transport
288. Tree Knots
289. Trees
290. Ugly Everything
291. Umbrella
292. Umbrellas
293. Ungulates (hoofed animals, pigs, goats, deer horses)
294. Uniforms
295. Urban
296. Utensils
297. Vacation
298. Valves
299. Vegetables
300. Vices or Habits
301. Views
302. Vignettes
303. Vines
304. Visitors
305. Watches
306. Water
307. Waterfalls
308. Weather
309. Weathered Wood
310. Wet
311. Wheels
312. White
313. Wide Angle Everything
314. Wildlife
315. Windows
316. Winter
317. Woods
318. Xenon
319. Xenophobia
320. Xylophones
321. Yachts
322. Yellow
323. Yo-yos
324. Zebras
325. Zig Zags
326. Zipper
327. Zombies!
328. Zoos

30 Ideas to Jump-start Your Photo Theme Project

Variety, not only the spice of life, is also one of the most beautiful things about the art form of photography; the number of possible subjects for a photo is almost limitless.  There are formats, within forms and within disciplines, and all we need to create a work of art is an idea, which can come to us at any time and in many ways.

 

 

Unfortunately, like with any creative medium, photographers can experience a block, or lack of ideas for a subject.  It’s no different than a writer drawing a blank on words to add to his book or an artist having a difficult time putting that first stroke of paint to a blank canvas.

With photography, however, we have the advantage of instantaneous results, and we therefore have more options to quickly develop ideas for our photographic subjects.  One of the most popular ways to do this is to create a themed project.

A photo theme simply means creating a set of photographs that are related in some way, whether it be through subject, color or other reoccurring pattern.  The beauty of doing this is that you are not required to constantly come up with a new subject or idea for each consecutive photo; once a theme’s subject has been established, you only need to find new instances of that subject.  This forces you to think along one idea path and allows you to forget about the subject altogether and concentrate on what’s really important…taking an interesting and thought-provoking photo.

But alas, we’ve returned to our initial problem of photographer’s block!  Not to worry since we’ve provided you with 30 solid ideas to get you started.  Take one and go crazy: Create an online photo book from your set, or post a blog entry describing the journey you took to capture all of these pictures.  Truly, the sky is the limit!

Black and White

All photos should be taken in black and white or converted to black and white in post-processing. Focus on the tone of the image.

Ringling Bridge – Tim Gilbreath

Color

Pick a color, and take photos where that color is dominant in the image.

Photo by Andreas Steegmann

Urban Exploration

Explore an out-of-the-way or dilapidated building (safely, of course).

Fred Matos

Street Portraits

A great way to come out of your shell, so to speak; ask strangers to participate in quick, impromptu portraits.

Mitsuru Moriguchi

Food

You can pick a type of food or shoot a variety.  Get up close and personal.

Claudia Totir

Letters or Numbers

These can be found on signs, buildings and various other places.  Try to assemble the entire alphabet!  For an even bigger challenge, you can also take photos of objects that begin with these letters instead.

Derrick Collins

Vintage Signs

Do some research in your local area, and see how many old signs from decades past remain in your area. Then, photograph the lot!  If there aren’t enough locally, try capturing unique or interesting signs of any age.

Top Billing – Tim Gilbreath

Setup Scenes

This could include situational shots, vintage recreations, pinups…the possibilities are endless.

Spring Gardening – Tim Gilbreath

Social Issues

Homelessness, abuse, alcoholism, you name it.

samantha oulavong

Abstract and Conceptual

Here’s your chance to be a little heavy in the Photoshop department: Take a photo up close, and go a little nuts with post-processing.  Alternately, you can take a picture of an “idea”; try to communicate this idea through nothing but a photo.

War Photo – Tim Gilbreath

Lens Type

Pick one lens and use it exclusively; a 50mm is a good starting point, as it forces you to move around and be selective.  A specialty lens such as a fisheye could also make an interesting theme.

The Photo Fiend

Textures

Rough, smooth, serrated, bumpy, brick, wood, metal…there are tons of textures to capture out there.  Shoot close and fill the frame.

Dmitry Chemyakin

Sunsets and Sunrises

Regardless of where you live, there are always opportunities for spectacular sunsets or sunrises.  Collect several of the most dramatic.

Inlet Sunset – Tim Gilbreath

Music

My personal favorite.  Instruments, concerts or even conceptual photos that invoke thoughts of music or other sounds.

Emotions

Happiness, sadness, joy, envy…how many emotions can you capture with just a photo?

Lisa Holloway

Seasonal

Pick a season such as winter or summer, and shoot photos that encapsulate the unique qualities of that season.

Reflections

This doesn’t just mean water; it could be shiny metal or mirrors, among other things.

Chip Phillips

Sky and Clouds

Skyscapes can be dramatic and stormy or light and beautiful.  Capture as big a variety as you can!

Purple Sunset – Tim Gilbreath

Shadows

A challenging theme.  Try capturing nothing but the shadow of your subject.  This can be against a wall or on the ground, for example.

Self-Portraits

However uncomfortable it may be for many of us, self-portraits can be very helpful in opening up and exploring parts of photography we don’t normally find ourselves involved in.  Mix it up and be creative with your surroundings and emotion.

Shapes

There are many shapes to be found in nature, as well as in the man-made world.  Try to collect as many as you can. You’ll be amazed to find how they’ve existed right in front of you all along.

Allard Schager

Perspectives

Shoot an entire set of photos from one perspective, such as low to the ground, as a child would see, or from up high.  The majority of our shots happen at eye level, and this is a great way to learn how to deviate from that.

Casey Key Beach – Tim Gilbreath

Nighttime

Another challenging theme.  Ensure you have the proper settings in place (checking for proper ISO, and a large enough aperture to allow for the minimal light), and create a set of night images, using only artificial light around you.  Better yet, what can you capture in bright moonlight?

Lamp at Night – Tim Gilbreath

Architecture

Historic buildings, famous landmarks, bridges, city skylines and old churches are all good places to start.

Light and Bridge – Tim Gilbreath

Holidays

Create a theme based on your favorite holiday, be it Halloween, Christmas or something altogether different.

And to All a Good Night – Tim Gilbreath

Graffiti

Once only frowned upon and instantly painted over, some graffiti artist have garnered national attention for their work and in some cities are revered for their talent.  There is usually no shortage of this material as long as you live close to an urban area.

Specific Architecture

Pick one part of a building and replicate it elsewhere: Doors, windows, fences and chimneys are all possibilities.

Barred Windows – Tim Gilbreath

Tattoos and Piercings

Another street project if you don’t have enough friends and family sporting tattoos.  People with tattoos are often more than happy to talk to you about their origin and their meaning and usually don’t mind having them photographed.

Long Sien

Film

Own a film camera?  If you don’t, you’re missing out on one of the truly joyous aspects of photography, which is experiencing the way it was done in the beginning.  If you haven’t already (and you really should have), you can pick up a very good SLR film camera for next to nothing.  Of course, these exposures can be converted to scans for posting online.

Instagram

Here’s your chance to abandon your DSLR altogether…who said you have to use your primary camera to create a themed project?  Use your smartphone and Instagram or other mobile photo app to fade, vignette and colorize to your heart’s content.

Afternoon Nap – Tim Gilbreath

Of course, this is only scratching the surface.  There are literally thousands of subjects available for creating a photo project; you’re only limited by your imagination, as anything can become the focus point for a memorable theme.

Do you have a theme you’ve completed that you’re especially proud of?  Thought of a crazy, off-the-wall theme idea we didn’t mention?  You know what to do…post it in the comments section below.  We’re waiting to see those awesome projects!