You don’t have to travel far to find subjects worth photographing. Your kitchen is a perfect example. There are an incredible number of photography subjects in your cabinets, drawers, and refrigerator, just waiting to be discovered. Fruits, vegetables, cutlery, drinks, and whatever you’re making for dinner are all great subjects for practicing your photography skills.
The number of potential subject can actually be overwhelming. Struck by the countless options, you can end up feeling uninspired and lost. If this sounds like you, take a look at some of the ideas mentioned below. Choose the one that sounds most interesting and start with that subject first. Who knows? You might discover a new obsession.
We’ve mainly focused on objects, since not everyone has a gaggle of children or friends who regularly hang out in their kitchen. However, if you do have a busy household, candid portraits can work great in a kitchen. Cooking, washing dishes, or enjoying freshly-brewed coffee are all photogenic kitchen activities you can explore.
“Something in Your Kitchen” is also on our 2017 Photography Challenge, in case you’re following along. If you’re not, check it out! It’s not too late to begin.
The following photos were chosen from our Flickr community. If you get an awesome shot in your kitchen, share it with us so we can admire your work!
Fresh Produce
Many vegetables and fruits have vibrant colors and interesting patterns that are alone worth photographing. You can focus on these details or look at the wider picture, finding other objects in the kitchen that combine well with produce.
Since produce tends to be colorful, you might want to choose a contrasting, neutral background, such as white, black, or brown wood. Try slicing open the produce or using different types of lighting. Produce can be complex enough for an entire afternoon of shooting photos.
Raymond’s Glass Eye – Strawberry Blossom
Arthur Lee – Lemon
Julie Rideout – Brussels Sprouts
Prepared (or Preparing) Food
You don’t have to be an incredible cook to be an incredible food photographer. All you need is a couple ingredients, like milk and cereal. You don’t even need to show the final dish. You can just take a “before” shot with all the ingredients lined up. Then, regardless of how ugly the final dish is, you still captured a beautiful photo.
Of course, if you want to showcase you’re awesome cooking skills, photography is a good excuse for that, too.
Jordan Parks – Alphabits
Raymond’s Glass Eye – Quick and Simple
Nico Francisco – Tomato Mozzarella Basil Tart
The Sink
While your kitchen sink can be an interesting subject in itself, it’s also a good background for portraits and still life shots. It’s one of the focal points in the kitchen, People wash dishes, peel potatoes, or simply eat an apple while standing over the sink. And, unlike the stove, it often has excellent lighting because of a nearby window.
When you feel short on creativity, try standing beside the sink and looking around. Can you run something under the water or set up a funny scene with toys? What about the drain or dish soap? How could you best photograph those subjects?
Jordan Parks – apple
Vikas Sandhu – Kitchen sink drama
Vikas Sandhu – The eyes are on the wine glass
Coffee and Tea
Other drinks, like beer or soda, can make good subjects, too, but they’re not as common in the kitchen. People tend to take them somewhere else, like the living room. Coffee and tea, on the other hand, are usually rooted to the kitchen.
Whether you have a simple coffee machine or a complicated ritual of brewing coffee, it’s an experience that many people can relate to. A fresh cup of tea or coffee can provoke feelings of happiness, comfort, and even nostalgia. Why not try to capture those emotions? If nothing else, you’ll have a delicious warm drink to enjoy.
For more inspiring images, check out our specific posts about coffee and tea.
Alessandro Baffa – Coffee Time!
MyWayXO – My Morning Reflections
Yvette van Teeffelen – Off To A Good Start This Morning
Cutlery
Forks, knives, and spoons have unique shapes that work well in photos. For example, you can experiment with macro photography by focusing on their bends and edges. Or, you can set up a quirky still life using other objects in the kitchen. They can also be interesting subjects for playing with symmetry or reflections.
Dark or light, serious or funny, you can capture a wide range of moods and ideas with cutlery. Its simplicity makes it a prime subject for your creativity.
Cat Girl 007 – Egg and Forks
Laurens Kaldeway – Fork
Marco Bergner – Kiwi Face
