Photography Ideas for Beginners

As a beginning photographer with a brand new kit of essential photography gear, it can be hard to come up with photography ideas. What should you take pictures of? It seems like such a simple question, but figuring out where to point your camera or smartphone can be surprisingly difficult. From toys to animals to the night sky, these photography ideas for beginners will have you snapping away in no time.

A Rubik’s Cube

Let’s start with something simple. Art lessons often begin with renderings of cubes or spheres with one or two sources of light casting shadows. A Rubik’s cube gives photographers a similar challenge. It also gives you the opportunity to off your Sony Alpha a6100 that’s available for preorder from Beachcamera.com and its ability to capture startling colors. Its crisp lines will also introduce you to the concept of leading lines, which will come in handy later.

Still Life

Once you’ve mastered one object, it’s time to throw more into the mix. And again, we can take inspiration from art courses. A still life is simply a collection of items, typically against a plain backdrop. Fruit is a reliable example, but you could try books, old electronic hardware, or busts. Experiment with different lighting. How do the shadows change? Which objects are highlighted, and which are hidden? What do your still life shots tell the viewers about you?

Your Own Children

Your own kids are perfect subjects. If you don’t have children, ask a relative if they’d mind you taking some photos of their kids. You’ll naturally want to capture the kids having fun. But what about those more intimate moments when they’re worried, reading a book, or listening to music? These are perfect times to practice some of your creative photography at home. Do get their consent though.

Crowds

You’ve mastered taking a portrait of one or two people. Now try a crowd of them. You’ll find an infinite supply of photography ideas in any crowd. Capture the movement of the crowd itself by using the DJI OSMO Mobile 3 Gimbal Stabilizer for Smartphones from Beachcamera.com. Look for interesting shots of individuals within the crowd. How do people behave? What makes people stand out? How does a large mass of humanity differ from a single person? You’re capturing people in their natural habitat: together. There’s something quite special about that.

Carnivals

Fun fairs are always more fun in the gloomy evenings — and they’re more challenging to photographers too. That’s because you have to think about shutter speeds and composition, and add ISO into the mix. ISO is the sensor’s sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO, the better your camera will be at shooting in the dark. With so much going on all around you, you’ll want to be ambitious. Restrain yourself. Remember: there’s beauty in simplicity.

Animals

You’ve mastered people. Now try animals. If you’re looking for fun photography ideas, you can’t go wrong with photographing your pets. Candid shots, especially of something funny, are ideal. Get onto the same level as your pet. Aim to capture eyes. They always provide great focal points for humans and animals alike. The best results come from extremes. Get up close for an unusually intimate insight into the animal world. Stand way back to give viewers some context and to show playfulness.

Cityscapes

A wide-angle cityscape can be just as impressive as getting close with a subject. How do you find a good vantage point? It depends on what you want to achieve. Get low to portray incredible scale or intimidation. Overlook an intersection to show how busy or empty something is. Search for leading lines or patterns that draw the eye. Everyone might try to capture a cityscape, but you can make your images unique. If you’ve experimented with all these situations, you’re not a beginner anymore. You’re an experienced photographer. Doesn’t that feel great?