Looking for inspiration is never an easy task. Nobody knows the exact recipe on how to preserve it, or how to forage it. But we all need the inspiration to create.
In photography, as well as any other field, there are stages where we slow down the growing process. This happens when we’ve reached so high on a professional level, that it’s hard to find something new to try out. Something we never implemented before.
And then comes the unclear path to growth. You don’t have the exact answer on how to improve, or what to work on. But what you recognize is you need the challenge: something new, which can remind you of the learning curve, the quest for knowledge. And the thing that will give you a push and will enrich your experience, is indeed, a recent practice, that stimulates your creativity.
So this is why we’ve gathered a few techniques for you to try and experiment with, to challenge yourself.
Over here are some ideas that can force you into unfamiliar waters:
Try to create a motion effect
At this place, you will have a massive field for experimentation. This type of effect can produce some fascinating concepts and will introduce an image in a completely new light.
Because of the impossibility of guessing the final result, you will be surprised by it every single time. Repeating the identical effect will not be a pleasant task, which will make you value every shot you take.
You will have to be prepared for failure, at least the first couple of times. As we said, the final result cannot be predicted. Your hands will need time to start handling the camera. But this should not stop you from trying, of course.
If you decide to try, all you have to do is adjust the shutter speed so that you have more time to move the camera. Then attempt to move the camera from left to right, up and down, or in any direction you like.
Experiment with the focus
If you decide to give this technique a try, you have to relieve yourself from all rules that apply to focus with a camera.
You can think about focusing on a different detail, or not focusing at all. Even a simple portrait can provide you the freedom to create more abstract visuals. Think about how unique the human body is, and all the possible options for the display you have available. Every so often, a person’s char can be transferred not through details, but with the absence of them.
Plus, this way the image will deliver the idea more softly. The unclear forms, the faces without contour, and the blur effect provide freedom of the imagination. The mind can invent the things it perceives.
Look at the forms through a different angle or create new ones
Speaking of forms, do not necessarily think about the most simplistic solution – geometrics.
When looked through another angle, a lot of objects reveal their unusual “faces”, who are far more interesting and deserve to be seen. You can create optical illusions, or deform and blur the object.
This effect can be achieved easily when photographing bodies. You will then be capable of using the mobility and flexibility of the human body. With the help of experienced artists and models, you can recreate all kinds of scenes and pictures.
Mirror effect
If you are crafty with Photoshop, this is an experiment that you just have to try. You can achieve striking results with this effect when photographing architecture. The symmetry and the unusual view are quite eye-catching.
The mirror effect can be achieved pretty naturally. You will, of course, be limited to choosing the location. Because the location has to provide a mirroring surface to you – like actual mirrors, water, or reflections in other objects.
Experiment with the story and details
The freedom you have with this type of experiment is limitless. You can generate astonishing works of art with just a hint of imagination. Think about all the interesting fiction scenes you can recreate. You can also take old-timey photographs with the right decor and clothing or imagine a futuristic future from a different dimension.
The best way to generate brilliant ideas for this is diving into a pool of your interests. Everybody maintains their unique perspective when looking at a scene. This is a unique opportunity for you to show through the lens what naturally interests you.
Projected images
If you genuinely like the abstract, you can find a generous dose of inspiration with this effective technique. Imagine atypical lights, color palettes, and forms, projected onto something ordinary and typical. This is a convenient way to break up trivial objects and turn them into fascinating ones.
You can project these images on any surface. Some successful photographers even use human bodies when experimenting with this technique. They carefully cover the models with suitable fabrics, therefore turning the body into a canvas.
Double exposure
If you are searching for a way to expand the limit of your creative expression, the double exposure is yet another suitable technique to consider. It consists of placing two (Or more!) images on one another.
This effect can be achieved by both analog photography or using a modern digital camera (most of them have this option.). The other choice is to directly use Photoshop – just pick two images, a main one and a secondary one, and place the second image with its opacity set to lower levels. And the rest is up to you.
Try various printing techniques
This is another way to produce unique art, a result created only by your hands.
Every unusual technique you can think of can be added here. For example, the lightning during the development of the film, or applying solutions on photosensitive material only in certain places, or printing on an extremely unusual material (for example on wood). The choice is yours to make!
Last words
Well, we hope you gathered your effective dose of inspiration, which will carefully sweep you like a mighty wave. We all know how great it is to feel motivated, and how many diverse results it can bring to you.
And now you have some ideas which can challenge you and welcome you to the unknown.
