One trap photographers sometimes fall into is thinking they need to travel to beautiful places or have unique experiences in order to take great photos. After seeing a breathtaking image of a famous mountain or desert, you might begin to wish you could travel more for photography, too. “If I could only visit places like that, my photos would also be incredible,” you might think.
This desire/envy is the photographer’s version of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). If you suffer from this condition, you might believe all the best photography subjects are somewhere else, instead of where you currently are. Rather than finding places and objects around your home that are worth photographing, you plan trips away from home, where you hope you’ll find “better” subjects and opportunities.
Photographer’s FOMO is different from travel photography because it puts the blame on the situation instead of the photographer. If you experience photographer’s FOMO, you can travel and still feel like you’ve missed out on photographic opportunities. You can visit an epic location like the Grand Canyon and walk away feeling like you didn’t visit the right part of the canyon. If weather conditions aren’t ideal, your regret might be even worse.
GeorgeVog – Inception photoshooting
One way to deal with photographer’s FOMO is to focus on photographing simple things from everyday life. Instead of seeking out once-in-a-lifetime experiences or unforgettable moments, you stick with common scenes and subjects, like family, food, and familiar sights.
Even the most mundane parts of life can be photo-worthy. The challenge is staying alert to those opportunities, despite their ordinariness.
Shooting your everyday life can help you overcome photographer’s FOMO, as you start to appreciate the ordinary. But even if you don’t suffer from FOMO, taking everyday photos is a worthwhile challenge. Focusing on the little things can help you become a better photographer, as the subjects are not interesting in themselves. To make them interesting, you have to take a great photo.
If you’re used to photographing incredible scenes or breathtaking subjects, you might initially struggle with everyday photography. You might look around your house and feel uninspired. To boost your creativity and give you inspiration, check out our 2017 Photography Challenge, which focuses on common subjects.
Another idea is to work on improving specific photography skills. Then, it won’t matter what the subject is, as you’re trying to perfect the skill. Below are 4 aspects of photography you could work on, along with beautiful, everyday photos from our Flickr community.
Look for color.
Color is a great place to start with everyday photography. It’s easy to see and fun to photograph. In general, it’s easiest to look for red first, since it’s the most striking bright color. With the right techniques, though, you can get fantastic photos with any color. For guidance on shooting colorful subjects, read these 4 tips for capturing bold colors in your photography.
jordan parks – red door
Jo Teasdale FRPS – mac mania
Tenia Prokalamou – A rare pattern
B D Scott – Red/Blue
Ana GR – tomatoes
jordan parks – dyed
^ Missi ^ – cherries in the window
Find interesting textures.
If photographed well, interesting textures often lead to interesting photos. Subjects like bricks, coffee beans, and tree trunks all have surfaces that vary in color and shape. This texture alone can give an image vibrancy.
When photographing textures, try to include contrast. For example, you might have something smooth and bright next to something spiky and dark. Also, pay attention to the curves and patterns. Patterns catch the viewer’s eyes, while curves lead them through the photo and help them figure out what the object is.
Tuhin alom Photography – Perfect abstract of nature in bricks
Ben – Windows 9… Microsoft meets Ecology
Ana Lukascuk – Look over
Steven Scott – Pink and Green
CindiK. – First bloom
Barbara Schultheis – Icy Pond
Lindsey – I Heart Texture Tuesdays….
Mariana – Untitled
Focus on composition.
No matter how much experience a photographer has, good composition remains tricky. It takes a balance of knowledge and creativity, following the “rules” while remaining flexible. Mastering this balance takes plenty of practice, but fortunately, you can use any scene or subject for practicing. To get you started, here are 10 tips to instantly improve your compositions.
Bahadır Bermek – hotel suadiye Turkey – Istanbul – Suadiye
Galib Emon – Sky Walker
Gokulnath – Red
Ahmad Syukaery – Kids at Waijarang Beach, Lembata
TroyMarcyPhotography – Quiet Ride – Explore
Try a different angle.
Some places or objects look ordinary until you change your angle. For example, you could shoot from above or below, sideways or with a reflection. These fresh perspectives can turn something common into something “new” and fascinating.
Ximo Michavila – Enrique de Teresa & Rafael Moneo. Valladolid Science Museum #11
Matthew Johnson – Riding the rails
brightondj – getting the most from a cheap compact – Sunday Shopping
Yane Naumoski – Day 294: Autumn dance
Gokulnath – daily life
jordan parks – bunny in the city
Photograph people and pets you love.
If you’re still feeling uninspired by your everyday life, try focusing on the people and animals you love most in your life. Though familiar, loved ones continue to be a source of surprise, interest, and inspiration. You can experiment with candid photography or try to set up a portrait photography photo shoot. Either way, connecting with loved ones can cure FOMO like nothing else.
xstc – Friends
Franco Ferri Mala – The Flying dog – The strange case of the dog who jumped over his shadow
Alex Greenshpun – You Spin Me Round
Ana GR – thankful
jordan parks – summer love
