Even the most seasoned photographers can fall into routines—shooting the same subjects, using familiar gear, or editing with a tried-and-true formula. Comfort can be rewarding, but it can also become a creative plateau. Challenging yourself to do something photographically different isn’t just a way to keep things fresh—it’s a vital practice for growth and discovery.
Whether you’re a hobbyist or a pro, here are some concrete ideas to push your photographic boundaries and explore new creative territory:
1. Switch Genres Entirely
If you primarily shoot landscapes, try street photography. If you’re a portrait artist, try architectural abstractions or macro details of everyday objects. Every genre teaches you something different—lighting, composition, patience, timing. The challenge will stretch your eye and your comfort zone.
2. Set a Creative Constraint
Sometimes, limitations lead to breakthroughs. Try one of these:
- Only use a 35mm lens for a month.
- Shoot in black and white only.
- Take one photo per day—but only one.
- Only shoot from the waist down, or from reflections.
The constraint forces you to focus harder on composition, light, and intention.
3. Photograph a Story, Not Just a Subject
Tell a narrative through your images. This could be a photo essay about a local artist, the rhythm of your town waking up in the morning, or a behind-the-scenes look at a small business. Focus on how to build emotion, structure, and flow over a series of images, not just one frame.
4. Try Film (or Simulate It)
If you’ve only shot digital, try a roll of film—even a disposable camera. It slows you down and reintroduces patience. If film isn’t an option, simulate the process: limit yourself to 24 or 36 shots, no reviewing until the end, and edit sparingly.
5. Give Yourself an Assignment
Think like a magazine editor or photography professor:
- “Photograph the color red for a week.”
- “Document solitude in public spaces.”
- “Capture 10 strangers (with permission) and their stories.”
Deadlines, themes, and structure can reignite your creative drive.
6. Join a Critique Group or Enter a Contest
Feedback can be uncomfortable, but it’s invaluable. Join a local camera club or online photo group where you can get honest, constructive critique. Contests (like PPA’s image competition) can force you to raise your technical and artistic standards.
7. Shoot Without Intention—Then Find It Later
Go on a photo walk with no agenda. Just shoot. Later, look for connections in your images—patterns, emotions, unexpected themes. You may find your subconscious leading you somewhere you hadn’t considered. And remember, not every image you create has to be PPA merit worthy to be great. Enjoy the image for what it is – an enjoyable moment that was captured without the pressure of a serious photo assignment. Plus, this is how you keep learning, regardless of your experience.
8. Collaborate
Pair up with another photographer or artist. You could shoot the same subject and compare styles. Or mix mediums—photograph a painter’s process, or provide images for a poet’s work. Collaboration brings new perspectives and energy to your work.
9. Buy or Make Something New to Use
It doesn’t have to be expensive, and it can even be something home made, such as some type of light modifier made out of a cardboard box and white plastic trash bag to act as the diffusion. Cut a hole out for your strobe, bungee cord it on and you’re ready to go. This can get the creative juices flowing.
Creativity thrives on movement. When you push past the familiar and try something different—no matter how small the change—you grow. Not every experiment will be a masterpiece, and that’s the point. The goal is to keep exploring, keep evolving, and keep seeing the world with fresh eyes.
So, what will you try this week that’s outside your norm?
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