One of my favorite ways to improve my skills is to commit to a daily photo challenge.
However, sometimes life gets so busy and work kind of sweeps you off your feet, and you realize you just don’t have time to do something extra every single day. So that’s why lately I’ve done these kind of exercises instead, whenever I’ve had a day off (or even half a day).
The 15 Foot Circle
Stand in the center of a room, or wherever you happen to be. Make photographs only of subjects that happen to be within 15 feet (or 10, or 5) of where you’re standing. Give yourself a time limit. Exhaust all possibilities. Get as many images as you can using only that area before moving on. This kind of exercise forces you to really look at things and work to compose interesting images.
Pick A Color
Pick up your camera and choose a color for the day. Go out and make images with that color as a dominant element in the image. Find as many different ways as possible to do this.
Shoot Something Different
If you’re like me, you probably have one type of subject you gravitate to more than any other. But it’s easy to get too comfortable, and miss opportunities to make great images, when you’re only looking for one thing. Once in a while it’s a good idea to change things up and shoot something different. If you’re a sports shooter, try shooting a still life. If you’re a landscape artist, try shooting macro. These types of exercises forces you out of your comfort zone and helps you learn to see in a new way.
For beginners, these assignments are great for learning to see. For more experienced photographers, these are great ways to stay fresh, to restart the creative eye when you’re feeling blocked, or to just do something different. What other self assignments have you tried to refresh your photographic vision?
Read the full article with more tips over at Digital Photography School.
Source: Digital Photography School
