So like most people you’re probably stuck indoors with very little to do. And while this is hard enough as it is, it becomes even harder considering that the craft of photography requires subjects. This may sound simplistic, but it’s a fact that can’t be disregarded, as the subject has always been a huge part of photography as an art form.
However, there is a way you can turn this disadvantage into something that can benefit your craft. Scott Barry Kaufman, the author of Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind, highlights how constraints promote can either promote or hinder creativity. Given this, why not try to embark on a few photography projects you can do at home so you can learn and grow. If you’re interested in doing this, read on for a quick list of projects you can work on within the four walls of your home!
Food Photography
One thing that you’ll surely have at home is food. And while many of us are starting to work on our culinary skills by attempting to cook different kinds of food during this stretch, you can also expand your repertoire and dabble in a little food photography. This will be beneficial to you, as food photography has gained a lot of traction in recent years. Entrepreneur highlights how food photography has gained quite the following on social media, with millions of people following the #FoodPorn hashtags on Instagram.
So what makes good food photography? Well, while the food itself is an important factor you may have to make do with what you have at home. However, one factor that you can manipulate is light. While you may opt to use artificial lighting, these lights usually try to replicate the effect of daylight to flatter the subject of the photos. We suggest you make the most of the natural daylight in your home by taking photos after directly after the sun rises or right before it sets. Here’s another useful resource to read on the golden hour from Kate Mullen Photo.
Explore Photography Through Gaming
But who’s to say that you don’t have a viable subject at home? While you may be contained at home, technology helps you step out of the confines of those four walls allowing you to explore exotic and diverse locales. By this, we mean why not try exploring photography through the world of video games?
While this may sound like a silly idea, video games offer pretty interesting subjects that you can capture with in-game cameras. In fact, UK-based photographer Sean Tucker has embarked on a photography project tackling the world of Red Dead Redemption 2, a throwback to the Wild West. The game has an inbuilt photography mode that lets players take photographs and share them online. And with the landscape being so realistic in how it captures the light and seasons, photographers can easily transfer their skills from the real world to the digital one.
Also Read: Sunday – Dappled Light — Iris Nelson Photography
Red Dead’s success has been built on how the Wild West has always been a favorite for both game developers and artists alike. In the world of online games, Cheeky Bingo’s Western themed slots take inspiration from this idea, with its two Wild West games heavily featuring iconography from the cowboy era that came from old Western photos. And with our understanding of the old American West primarily coming from old photographs, it is a challenge for photographers to replicate these images. For those who want something, a bit modern Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding has added a photo mode of its own which allows players to photograph a post-apocalyptic world.
Still Life
Now, we understand that some of you may live alone. Worry not as there are still fulfilling projects that you can take on. You can give still life photography a shot, as it is focused on inanimate objects that you can find lying around the house. This will help you get back to the basics of photography, as the minimalist nature of these projects will have you focusing on the fundamentals of your craft.
As we’ve already mentioned in our article on 12 Great Tips to Master Still Life Photography, one great way to perfect this type of photography is to approach it similarly to how you would approach a painting. What we mean by this is sufficiently setting up your subject in a way that you want is just as important as taking the photo itself. Whether it is physically adjusting the subject in a certain way or manipulating how the light hits it, exhaust all the options to get the shot that you want. For newborn photo sessions, you can use items from your homes like toys and baby crib as a prop. This article from Florafost photo will guide you through lifestyle and studio newborn photo sessions.
Also Read: 7 Creative Ideas to Document Your Baby’s First Year!
Photo Manipulation
However, sometimes the inspiration just really isn’t there and you don’t have it in you to start a new project from scratch. For these instances, why not revisit old work and try to breathe new life into it via photo manipulation. And while this does tiptoe along the lines of digital art, now isn’t really the time to get too technical about these things.
Other than having the right eye for it, one tip we can give you is looking for the right software that works for you. And while this may not be a surprising choice, Adobe Photoshop CC 2015 is still the gold standard when it comes to photo manipulation. It comes with an easy-to-use interface along with more tools that you can find uses for, allowing you to do anything and everything to the photo of your choosing.
Top tip: In print, your photography can become even more striking! Get the most out of your creativity by printing and sharing it with your friends and family. With the MyPostcard app, you can create your own set of postcards, photo prints or decorate a postcard with your own photos as a collage or single. Wherever, whenever on your smartphone. Next project: DIY!
Speaking of doing photography projects at home, If you want to become a photographer then you can also check out this post – How to become a photographer without a degree on MyCaptain
Also Read:
1) Five Food Photography How-tos With Suzy Eaton
