Are you an aspiring photographer who is eager to start your own business? If so, you will need to build a solid portfolio and show it to potential clients. Otherwise, it will be difficult to stand out from the competition.
Some photographers have no issues coming up with their next project and find it easy to figure out what kind of photos they should take next. At the same time, some aspiring photographers might be in a different situation. No matter what they try, the photos that come out do not meet the expectations. And it is not the lack of talent.
The snaps seem bland and like copies of multiple photos you can already find online or in other media. So the question is this – how do you find the inspiration for your photos? Let’s take a look at some potential ways.
Random Photography Websites
There are many photography and other media websites online. If you do not wish to browse through multiple photography blogs, watch videos from vloggers and discover what they have to offer.
Going a bit deeper into the web and uncovering forgotten websites is also a good approach. However, you may run into problems because some older sites may not work because Flash Player is no longer available on the Chrome browser.
Luckily, figuring out how to enable flash on mac chrome or another OS is not that difficult. Not to mention that you can use a different internet browser.
The bottom line is that spending time exploring internet archives could give you some ideas for the next photography project.
Traveling Blogs
Bloggers who travel around the world are another great source of inspiration. Seeing new locations in photos taken by someone who is not necessarily a professional photographer will give you a different perspective on how to tackle your photography and become more creative with it.
Social Media
It is no secret that many photographers want to establish themselves on social media and attract potential clients. Besides, if you attract many followers, there is also a possibility to become an influencer and advertise various products.
Social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are prime examples of visually-driven channels that you should check as often as you can to see the kinds of photos that are trending.
There should be plenty of photos in your feed if you follow both amateur and professional photographers.
Documentaries
Documentaries are another media type that lets viewers enjoy great visuals so long as the documentary is high-quality.
There are shows like Planet Earth that showcase the beauty of Earth. By following the camera’s work, you can get some neat ideas on what you should try next time you go outside to take some pictures.
Portraits and Art
Looking at art should also broaden your horizon. For example, if you like to take pictures of other people, spend some time studying portraits by great artists and determine what makes their work withstand the test of time. The likes of Da Vinci did not have a photo camera, but his painting of Mona Liza is one of the most recognizable art pieces in the world.
And it is not just Da Vinci. There are plenty of other great painters who painted portraits. The more time you spend studying recognized works of art, the better your photography skills should become.
Book Covers
If you were to browse through Amazon’s self-published author section or your local bookstore, you would probably find that roughly half of all the book covers are a picture rather than a cover designed from scratch.
Of course, putting a default photo is not an option. Designers still edit it and turn a photo into a proper-looking book cover.
You do not need to work as a photographer for book covers, but checking them can work as a means to get new ideas for your photography career.
Fashion Shows
Fashion shows attract many photographers who take multiple snaps of models and do that from different angles. You can check the best photos online or in fashion magazines. Who knows, perhaps seeing a professional work like that could even persuade you to pursue a career in fashion photography.
Sports Events
Sporting events are another great example of when photographers capture amazing moments. A split second before someone scores a winning goal or misses a penalty can be both devastating and euphoric for some. And there are plenty of great photos from the sporting history that you can check on the internet.
It is also worth noting that some places do not let fans in because of the pandemic. However, the journalists and photographers still have access to arenas and stadiums, further proving the importance of sports photography.