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Taking on a photography project is a great way to get yourself out of a photography rut and to bring some focus to your picture-taking. Placing some constraints on what you're going to take photos of or what camera gear you'll use really does force you to become more creative, too.

Photography projects are also great if you've just got your first proper camera - rather than shooting everyone and everything, taking on a photography project is a great way to learn as you shoot, while you'll end up with a coherent set of images at the end of it.

We've prepared 52 fantastic photo ideas - one for every week in 2018. These are split into three sections: easy home projects you can do today, ideas you can try outdoors at the weekend and a series of ongoing photo projects that you can start now but keep topping up in the coming weeks and months.

Home photography projects

1. Water drop art

The basic idea with this project is to suspend a container of liquid and let drops fall through a small hole, then capture the resulting splash. Timing the shutter as the splash is created is everything. We achieved good results using two flashguns set to their lowest power (1/128th), an aperture of f/22 and water mixed with Xanthan gum to make a more viscous solution. We also used a SplashArt water drop kit from PhotoTrigger, which helped to regulate the size and frequency of the drops.

2. Indoor splash shots

For this project you'll need a flashgun that you can fire remotely, a container with clear sides for your water, a coloured background and a tripod. Set up the container and backdrop, then position the flash over the container. With the camera on a tripod and set to manual focus and exposure - f/8, ISO200 and the fastest shutter speed that will work with your flash - drop the object into the water and fire the shutter as it hits.

3. Create smoke art

Smoke trails are a firm favourite among still-life photographers. But how about taking it to the next level and using the shapes in a creative Photoshop project. Once you've taken a few good smoke art photos, make a blank document in Photoshop, then copy and paste one of the smoke images into it. Set the blending mode to Screen and use Warp Transform to reshape it. Continue the process to combine a range of smoke shots into a new image.

4. Try cross-polarisation

This fun project exploits the effect that polarised light has on some plastics. You'll need two polarising filters - ideally one of these should be a sheet of polarising film. You can pick up an A4 sheet of Lee 239 polarising film for £50 (try www.robertwhite.co.uk or www.pnta.com). The sheet of film should be placed on a lightbox or in front of the only light source. An iPad screen and most computer screens have a polarising filter built in, so if you don't have a sheet of polarising film you can always experiment by creating a white document to fill the screen. Simply attach the circular polariser to the camera lens and rotate it to make the colours appear in clear plastic items

5. Food landscapes

Spice up your food photography! All you need is a set of model figures - Hornby 00 gauge figures are perfect, as they're available in a wide range of poses. Preiser has a great range too. The most important aspect is to establish a sense of narrative. Here you can see that there's a conversation between the characters, with the mountaineer on the 'mash face' being helped by his colleagues on the ground.

6. Fine-art food

Try turning your dinner ingredients into photo art using just a lightbox and a very sharp knife. Slice fruit and vegetables as thinly and evenly as possible, then place them on the lightbox. With the camera positioned directly above, use Live View to focus manually on the details. Set an aperture of f/8 to give adequate depth of field, and dial in some exposure compensation of +1 to +3 stops as the bright light can fool the camera's meter into underexposure.

7. Flowers in ice

A relatively inexpensive way of taking 'kitchen sink' close-ups that look great blown up as wall art. Freeze flowers in plastic containers of distilled or de-ionised water (available through your local auto or hardware store). The flowers will float, so try to weigh them down or fasten them in place so that they freeze under the water. Place the block of ice on top of a clear bowl or glass in a white sink or plate, so that the light can bounce through from below. Position a flashgun off to one side, angled down towards it, and shoot from the opposite side.

8. Abstracts in oil

Oil floating on the surface of water is a great way to make striking abstracts. This table-top photo project exploits the refractive quality of oil and bubbles to accentuate and distort colours. All you need to do is place a few drops of cooking oil on the surface of water in a glass dish. Make sure the dish is supported about 25cm about the table top, then place coloured paper under it and use an anglepoise lamp or flashgun to light the paper.

9. Oily reflections

This project follows a similar theme to the previous one, but here the patterns are created by a cover over the light rather than a coloured background. First, make a cover for an anglepoise lamp using acetate, card and tape. Use masking tape to attach it, but make sure it isn't touching the bulb, and keep the light off when you're not shooting. Place a full bucket of water in front of the lamp, add a few drops of cooking oil. Stir up the oil, get in close and shoot.

10. Psychedelic soap film

This is a wonderful project that makes for vibrant desktop wallpaper or abstract wall art. You'll need liquid soap mixed with glycerine for long-lasting soap film, plus a wire loop, a black cloth background and a macro lens of at least 100mm. The colours created by soap film only appear when hit by light from a certain angle, so set up near a north-facing window and shoot from around 45 degrees.

11. Refractive art

Light bends when it passes through water, causing the objects behind to change appearance. This is called refraction, and you'll make use of this phenomenon in this arty photo project. All you need is a few glasses, a flashgun, a tripod and a black-and-white pattern print. Simply place the pattern in the background with the glasses in front. Fill them with different levels of water and move the pattern backwards or forwards to fine-tune the effect.

12. Kitchen close-ups

Your kitchen is an ideal location for shooting a macro project. Its reflective surfaces can be used to create interesting backgrounds for your shots, and a shallow depth of field can transform the most mundane of objects you'll find there. Creating a triptych of images can result in a piece of fantastic wall art for your kitchen too, although it's important to think about how they're going to work together before you start shooting. Here, 3 objects - a fork, a bowl of cereal and coffee granules - were all shot from a similar angle, with the impression of height linking the sequence.

13. Still-life bokeh

Something as simple as a crumpled piece of foil can be the basis for a creative photo project. Position a still-life subject on a sheet of glass with a piece of dark material underneath it. Scrunch up the kitchen foil then smooth it back out and place it in the background. Shine a table lamp or torch on the foil and, with a tripod mounted camera, dial in the lens's widest aperture to create some beautiful ' bokeh'. During the exposure, shine a flashlight onto the subject.

14. Bokeh bubbles

Small highlights often create nice bokeh, so fairy lights are perfect for this project. Position them far enough away so that they will be out of focus at a wide aperture. Position your subject, in this case a glass, close to the camera and focus on it. Tweak the position of the fairy lights until it looks like cool coloured bubbles are floating out of the glass. This technique can also be used to create bokeh 'steam' from mugs of hot drinks.

15. Still life light trails

Light trails can be used in all kinds of photography, but they're perfect for a creative still life project. You can use a regular Maglite torch, but try removing the end to reveal the bulb and make the light more direct. Use some electrical tape to attach a coloured sweet wrapper, which you can use as a makeshift 'gel'. Set the canera's shutter speed to around 30 secs with an aperture of around f/8, then start moving the torch within the frame before pressing the shutter. Continue the movement throughout the exposure. Here, we suspended the torch from a piece of string and made a gentle circular movement to create a spiral around the bottle.

16. Light spirals

You'll need to attach a torch, suspended by string, to an open area of ceiling. Fit the widest lens you have on your camera, and mount it on a tripod pointing straight up. With the light turned on, autofocus on the tip of the torch and set the lens to manual focus to lock the setting in. With an aperture of f/11 or f/16 dialled in, use Bulb mode and a remote release to keep the shutter open for a minute or so as you send the torch spinning in the dark...
Check out these great money-saving offers on the very best photography magazines, delivered straight to your door!

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52 photography projects: A photo idea to try every week of the year

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Taking on a photography project is a great way to get yourself out of a photography rut and to bring some focus to your picture-taking. Placing some constraints on what you're going to take photos of or what camera gear you'll use really does force you to become more creative, too.

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Did you know that raindrops want to be pearls? Did you know that the lines in ruled notebooks are made of thread? Or that there are little people living in your food? Fortunately for you, here we present...

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There can be a lot of beauty in everyday objects if you have enough imagination. Artist Adam Hillman sees the artistic potential in all sorts of everyday objects. He carefully arranges them into colorful and geometric patterns and takes their photos. This way, they become irresistible artworks, and you may find it hard to stop looking at them.

Adam is a visual artist, referring to himself as an "Object Arranger." His portfolio consists of the "usual stuff" in which most of us wouldn't find too much artistic potential: matches, cotton swabs, pins, toothpicks and crayons, to name a few. He meticulously arranges these objects in all sorts of patterns and turns them into interesting artworks.

Other than everyday items, Adam also often uses food in his artwork. He doesn't use it as most food photographers, but he adds his own style to the images. Just like all his photos, these are also really aesthetically pleasing.

Take a look at more of Adam's photos:

I'd call Adam's images "oddly satisfying," and I couldn't stop looking at his Instagram page once I discovered his work. If you like what you've seen, make sure to follow him on Instagram. You can also buy prints of these artworks through his online store.

[via Colossal]

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This artist arranges everyday objects into oddly satisfying patterns - DIY Photography

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There can be a lot of beauty in everyday objects if you have enough imagination. Artist Adam Hillman sees the artistic potential in all sorts of everyday objects. He carefully arranges them into colorful and geometric patterns and takes their photos. This way, they become irresistible artworks, and you may find it hard to stop ...

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Italian photographer creates wacky images to make people question the functionality of objects we take for granted

An artist has created series of wacky images turning everyday items into hilarious and all but impossible to use objects.

Giuseppe Colarusso, 49, fashioned the unique work to make people question the functionality of the likes of cutlery, garden tools and office equipment.

The set of playful pictures, entitled 'Improbabilita', makes some items impossible to use, others improbable and some given a completely new function altogether.

From a dice with no spots, a table tennis bat with a hole in it to the likes of a door handle made of razor blades the items have all been given a quirky twist.

Inventive Giuseppe took his first picture in 1985 with a hand-made camera created from a shoe box with a sheet of photographic paper inside and a hole pierced in the lid.

He said: 'This is a collection that I would describe almost as like surreal still-life.

'The series is a collection of imaginary objects which are unlikely but not totally impossible to use.

'My aim with these images is always to try and make people smile but think about what they are seeing at the same time.'

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Artist creates barmy images by turning everyday objects into impossible to use items

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Italian photographer creates wacky images to make people question the functionality of objects we take for granted An artist has created series of wacky images turning everyday items into hilarious and all but impossible to use objects. Giuseppe Colarusso, 49, fashioned the unique work to make people question the functionality of the likes of cutlery, garden tools and office equipment.

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How to make objects look good in images.

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How to make objects look good in images.

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"Finding the light" is a term that we hear thrown around frequently in photography. When we talk about finding the light we can be referring to quality, color, direction, or intensity. Once we learn how to see these properties of light, we can make everyday objects look simply amazing. Kate Densmore is here today to show us exactly how.

Using Light to Make Everyday Objects Look Amazing
by Kate Densmore

When my sweet daughters aren't being cooperative, or I am just looking to slow and down and take my time creating a photograph, one of my favorite exercises is to take images of everyday objects. I like the challenge of seeing something that is simple and ordinary, and using light to elevate it to something extraordinary. Along the way I've found some tips that help.
#1. Find Shadows
Just like anything else you photograph, using light to enhance the feel and moment when photographing an ordinary object is important. It's also a great challenge in seeing light, and using light in creative ways. When I am setting an object up to photograph it, I look for shadows and how they enhance the details or beauty in the object.

One of my favorite objects to photograph is eggs. The curve and shape they have naturally lends itself to being a wonderful way to study light and shadow, and how light wraps around things.

This is one of my favorite egg images. I like the simple arrangement and the repeating pattern, but my favorite part is the juxtaposition between the light that hits the eggs and the light that hits the empty cups. They are opposites of each other, and it's what makes this image have extra interest. #2: Look for Drama Dramatic indoor light is something that I love playing with, especially since I live in the Pacific Northwest and our winters are long and dreary. I discovered this spot in near my front door of my house last winter, and it has become one of my very favorite places to play with indoor dramatic side lighting.

Unfortunately, my human subjects rarely want to sit in front of the cold door and let me play, so I use anything else I can get my hands on to practice with. All that practice and playing has resulted in one of my very favorite images - my oldest daughter's favorite bear, looking very real and well loved.
#3: Practice a New Technique
Objects can also be a great way to practice lighting techniques that can be hard to master if your main subjects are always very cooperative. I love to take indoor backlighting shots of my daughter in my kitchen, but if she isn't interested, there is no reason why I can't take pictures of her sippy cups in pretty light. While the fronts of the sippy cups reflect light differently than my daughter's face would, it is still a great way to practice settings and managing proper exposure in this situation.

It's also helped me gain a better understanding of white balance. One of my personal weaknesses is seeing color, so practicing taking photographs of objects in different lighting conditions in my kitchen has helped me "see" color temperature and white balance better, which has in turn strengthened my understanding of light.
#4: Try Challenging Conditions
Stationary objects are easy to practice the slower shutter speeds and high ISO that is usually necessary in low light situations. It can also be fun to use the low light itself as a subject.

My daughter loves her star nightlight, and using it as the subject in this image was great practice exposing for a really low light situation, without the pressure of a moving subject.

This image came about one night when we had a power outage. I live in a very remote area of the country, and power outages happen all the time in the winter. Candles can be really fun and good practice to play with. The flickering translates to an image in different ways depending on your settings, and it can be a beautiful way to photograph an every day object like a canning jar in a new way.
#5: Have Fun
Photographic objects around your house can be a really freeing way to "break" the rules and try new compositions and other techniques.

If you can create a connection and find beauty in an ordinary object, than it can only help to increase your skill and ability to do so with other objects.

Find something appealing - the light, the color, a reflection, a curve, whatever - and go from there! I can't wait to see what you create!

Kate Densmore

Kate Densmore is a fine art and documentary photographer known for her emotive black and white images. She is originally from Colorado, but now lives on the wild and remote coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. Kate is married to her park ranger husband, and they have two adorable daughters. She has a serious coffee addiction, loves to read, and holds a Masters degree in education. Being married to a park ranger means that their life is tied to the National Park Service, which has allowed them to live in some of the most beautiful places in the country. They currently call a remote area of Olympic National Park home. Kate shoots with a Canon 5D Classic and a couple of L-series lenses, and makes the best chocolate chip cookies this side of Seattle.
Tags: beautiful photographs, finding the light, Inspiring Photography, lighting tutorial, personal photography project, photography forum, photography inspiration, photography tutorial, the photographer within

Categorized in: Food, Guest Bloggers, Tips & Tricks

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Make Everyday Objects Look Amazing - The Photographer Within

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"Finding the light" is a term that we hear thrown around frequently in photography. When we talk about finding the light we can be referring to quality, color, direction, or intensity. Once we learn how to see these properties of light, we can make everyday objects look simply amazing.

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We love magazines that look at everyday objects. Actually, we have a theory that while mainstream glossies sell their audiences fantasies, independent publishers are more likely to use the ordinary as a way of connecting with their readers.

As its name would suggest, Ordinary magazine very literally celebrates the mundane - creating a star of everyday objects, they invite photographers to reimagine things like plastic cutlery, cotton buds and sponges, championing creativity through items that almost everyone in the world can relate to.

Their latest muse is the white sock, and all of the photos published in the magazine so far are currently exhibiting at KK Outlet gallery in London. We asked founders Max Siedentopf & Yuki Kappes, to select some of their favourite images from the past four issues.

"We think this photo turned out amazing because Nicolas Haeni not only took ordinary socks, but an ordinary situation (you're at home with your socks on; there are old crisps and coke cans lying everywhere) and made it extraordinary."

" Mauricio Alejo has been a part of the project from the beginning. We love his view on the ordinary and, apart from that, he's just a great guy to work with. Even though each photo he took is amazing, we think this one is very special because of how little it took to turn these ordinary sponges into something so alien and wonderful. The texture of the sponge is so mesmerising, almost like the surface of a different planet."

"Along with Mauricio, Thomas Nordh Jansen has been with us from the start and we really love his ingenious ideas on how you can give all these mundane objects a new purpose, like turning your old socks into a coffee machine."

"This extraordinary photo was taken by Maxime Guyon. He's the guy that is able to make a 10 cent fork look like the big design object everyone wants to own but can never afford."

" Yumiko Utsu decided to take photos in a way that also showed the scope of her talent and imagination. On the one hand you have the weird and vulgar; on the other the innocent and cute."

"This is one of our favourite photos of the issue. Maurizio Di Iorio was able to make this very ordinary object that we stick into our ears to clean them seem like something so out of this world, fascinating and electrifying."

"We're a huge fan of Sandrine Boulet's work because she can literally take any scene that surrounds us and add a new and playful story to it. On a sunny day, you lie in a park, you dream, you look at your ordinary socks, and all of a sudden they aren't that ordinary anymore."

"The only thing Daniel Eatock did was send over the idea - we had to execute it. 'Photograph the white plastic cutlery on a black canvas and invert the colours in photoshop,' his instructions said. This is probably one of the best examples of how you can make the most mundane thing look incredible with just a small twist."

"This extraordinary photo was taken by Thomas Mailaender who photographed his intern. Ironically one week later Yuki had a bike accident and broke her teeth almost exactly like the photo."

"Sometimes some of the photos that are made with the objects get a little bit out of hand, to the point that you don't know what the original object actually was or what it was supposed to do in the first place. Harmen de Hoop instead stayed quite close to the actual purpose of a sponge, but also made it a lot bigger than what it is usually perceived to do. Here, the sponge is not only used to clean your dirty dishes, but to make the entire world a little nicer."

"This extraordinary photo was taken by Li Wei. His photography always revolves around people flying through mid-air which made it very intriguing to see what he would come up with, as he usually only photographs people and not minute objects. We love how the cotton bud turned out to be levitating just like his other models. It has such calm and peace about it, but at the same time it feels like this is the ultimate cotton bud, the superhero of cotton buds."

" Chris Maggio recreated the Eiffel Tower - and made it better."

-

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12 extraordinary photographers in Ordinary magazine - STACK magazines

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We love magazines that look at everyday objects. Actually, we have a theory that while mainstream glossies sell their audiences fantasies, independent publishers are more likely to use the ordinary as a way of connecting with their readers.

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Get Creative! 28 Unbelievable Photographs of Everyday Objects.

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When asked to submit their very best photographs of "everyday objects"- these photographers proved that a discerning eye can create artwork from just about anything. They worked with their camera angles, and put creative use to the lighting, and the results are nothing short of spectacular.

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Perfecting the art of composition and lighting to create a beautiful still life image is certainly no easy task. But get it right and still life photography can be an extremely powerful art form, and can be utilised in projects from calendar design to poster design. Here are 30 talented artists who have perfected the difficult skill of making, as well as taking, their photos...

Born in Slovakia and currently studying photography and fine art in Vienna, Evelyn Bencicova tries to pursue a point where the commercial and artistic meet, focusing on the conceptual as well as the visual aspect of photography. This photo, one of a series called (An)Organic, grabbed us immediately with its striking and unsettling composition; check out the rest of the set.

Suzanne Cummings has had a long time to perfect her photography skills; she first became seriously interested over 50 years ago, studied with John Sexton in the 1970s, and these days works mostly in digital, with Photoshop an essential part of her workflow. We love this shot, Reach for the Light, for its restrained filter work, giving the composition a dreamy, ethereal air.

Marcel Christ takes a meticulous approach to still-life photography. "Nothing is accidental," he says, "I push the boundaries of the special effects and photographic techniques I'm using to create controlled coincidence." So he finds ways to give life to otherwise inanimate objects, such as in Melted. You'll never look at an ice lolly in the same way again.

Inspired by the Golden Age of Dutch painting, Bas Meeuws tries to recreate the feel of classic still lifes in his photography. His work is painstakingly assembled from shots of individual flowers taken with the same lighting, with each detailed and multi-layered image taking between 40 and 60 hours to put together.

It took us a second to realise exactly what this striking, abstract black and white shot actually was. Who'd have thought a bunch of bananas could be so beautiful? The photo was taken by 19-year-old psychology student Elena K, who seems to have mastered the art of creating incredible still life photography - most of which is showcased in a breathtaking Flickr portfolio.

Although photography is merely a hobby for Californian Joan Gamell, his still life shots bring the simple beauty of the everyday to the forefront. This shot of the London Underground showcases the geometric inspiration we can often find all around us.

Using a Nikon D700, Mazhiqi masters the composition within this shot. Pushing the bike to the forefront of our focus, its colours pop from the image, whilst the background is blurred to a beautiful effect.

With a keen interest in creatures and flowers, Kowatari captures the essense of nature in a light like no other. Bringing the intricate detail of nature to the focus of the viewer, it's a reminder of the beauty that surrounds us and how often we pass it by.

The colours used on this still life photo caught our attention immediately. The juxtaposing yellows with the various shades of greens and blues really make this one pop, making it look like a complete work of art.

Fine art landscape photographer Andrew Vernon is the man behind this striking image titled The Wave. A master of composition, Vernon gives the blood red liquid in this image a life of its own as it lines and overflows the wall of the glass.

This gorgeous mirror image was taken by photographer Alma Kerpauskiene. This lady has an awe-inspiring portfolio full of still life images but this black and white image really stands out. By carefully composing the shot and using mirroring techniques, she's transformed these flowers into a beautiful abstract image.

Michal Klimov captured this atmospheric shot of his vintage camera recently. The beautifully simple image showcases brilliant colour and detail and skillful exposure and composition. Klimov's portfolio is full of vintage-style still life images, but this is our favourite.

We're a little in love with this colourful composition courtesy of hobbyist photographer Mi Yong Sung. Aptly named 'Colourful', this fantastic shots is a feast for the eyes. Not a fan of digital manipulation, the artist says: "I don't fix the theme. I enjoys taking snap of a daily life and flowers."

We love how this 'After the walk' photo has us wondering just where these boots have been. Captured by Spanish amateur photographer Martin Zalba, he doesn't limit himself to one particular style: "I am interested in all types of photography," he says, "especially night photography, landscapes, urban photography, wildlife, portraits, still life and infrared photography."

A master of still life photography, artist A Sot has an awe-inspiring portfolio, full of beautiful images of all subjects. But our favourite has to be this fire butterfly, captured after the photographer burned half a pack of matches untill he got an interesting ignition. Just beautiful.

Rain Machine by Eugenio Costantini goes to show that an eye for detail and talent behind the lens can turn even the most ordinary of objects into something very special. A unique point-of-view taken on an umbrella transforms its working parts into this beautiful, abstract image.

We love the simplicity of the composition and beautiful colours in this Sealed With A Loving Kiss image by Lafugue Logos. With a passion for still life, photographing flowers in particular, the talented artist's portfolio is full of serene, dream-like images such as this.

Timeless by Niko Vass caught our eye when searching for brilliant examples of still life. When looking through this photographers work, it's clear that he's all about simplicity, allowing his compositions, lighting and colours do the talking. And this atmospheric shot is our favourite.

This room is, infact, the former cell of the famous American gangster Al Capone in the abandoned prison of Eastern State Penetentiary, Philadelphia. Titled Home Sweet Home, the atmospheric shot was captured by US-based photographer Brian Estelle, using his Canon EOS 6D.

This gorgeous image, titled Dust, was composed and shot by photographer Vladimir Shipulin. An extremely popular artist on online photography community 500px, Shipulin has an awe-inspiring portfolio full of still life images. But this is most definitely our favourite; the lighting and antique look transforming the most ordinary everyday objects into a beautiful piece of art.

German photographer Linus Lohoff was catapulted into the spotlight early last year after he posted a series of still life images on the Flickr blog. Part of a photography class project, Lohoff took everyday objects and portrayed them in different contexts against brightly coloured backgrounds. The popular series is titled "Das gebaute Bild" (The Constructed Picture).

Talented photographer Henry Hargreaves is well known for his weird and wonderful compositions. Specialising in still life photography, Hargreaves continually raises the bar with his work and this Smoke and Lilies series is no exception. The idea is simply what the title suggests; gorgeous, paint-dripping lilies surrounded by smoke on a black background. Beautiful.

Based in London, Jonathan Knowles specialises in beautifully composed still life photography. His unique photographic style has secured him multiple awards and the opportunity to work with advertising agencies worldwide. This gorgeous 'Lashes - Feathers' image is just one example of stunning still life photography from his awe-inspiring portfolio.

Magda Indigo has been a professional photographer for over 25 years. In that time, she's worked with clients including Harper Collins, Microsoft, Samsung, Hallmark, and American Express. She's also a Getty Images artist. Indigo is recognised mainly for her extraordinary flower, people, and food photography, with these beautiful Enoki mushrooms being a perfect example of the latter.

"My most favoured way of visual expression is still life photography," says photographer Peter Zentjens. And this passion shines through his brilliant work, much of which has a vintage look and feel to it, as seen in this beautiful image titled Forgotten. Zentjens has spent many years developing his particular style and photography techniques in order to convey the correct mood.

Russian artist Veniamin Skorodumov began his photography career in 2005, during which he has built up a portfolio full of landscape, macro, portreit, nude, and still life images. The talents of Skorodumov caught our eye when we came across his brilliant Black and White Geometry series, which is stunning in its simplicity.

Photography Anatoly Che is a still life master - his online portfolio literally rammed full of stunning, creative images created from the most ordinary of objects. The talents of this skillful artist shine through his photography, which consistently features precise composition and refined lighting.

Jenny Van Sommers is an award winning still life photographer. Living and working in London, her unique style has landed her editorial clients include Another Magazine, Vogue, and Ten. She has also worked with Apple, Audi, Hermes, and Nike. Sommers awe-inspiring portfolio, is full of surreal and quirky images such as this headphone and balloon one.

Photographer Robert Sulkin has created countless beautiful and intriguing still life images. "Still life most reflects my interest in Modernism and were constructed to be about perception and illusion," Sulkin says. It was a difficult choice, but our favourite of his still life work is this interesting iron piece.

Tatiana Skorokhod creates the kind of still life photography that initially looks like a beautiful painting. Carefully placed objects make this piece a work of art - from the pops of orange across the table to the darker tones in the background, it's a marvel.

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Still life photography: 30 beautiful examples

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Perfecting the art of composition and lighting to create a beautiful still life image is certainly no easy task. But get it right and still life photography can be an extremely powerful art form, and can be utilised in projects from calendar design to poster design.

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Today, we'll be taking a walkthrough simple product shoot. This type of photography is in some demand on stock photography sites and is perfect for showcasing an item in order to sell it on Ebay or Etsy. As reported our recent still life article, once you've mastered this type of photography, it can be personally rewarding and pay very well.

The most basic form of product photography is an object in front of a white or solid colored seamless background. This is often utilized in retail catalogs when they want to display their products without distractions. These are sometimes called cutouts because it's easy to cut out and insert into another image.

Many photographers can successfully shoot product photographs at home with little trouble. Ideally, you would have at least three or four lights to work with, but it is possible to do it with just two. We'll explore that in this tutorial.

You will need

At least two good light sources, more the better

A 18% gray card (optional)

A clean, bright white poster paper or similar

A light box (optional)

Translucent paper - white tissue paper, tracing paper, wax paper, or white umbrellas

A table or workspace

Image editing program such as Photoshop, Lightroom or Gimp

Lights, Camera... Action

For this tutorial, I use only a pair of flashes. While I could, as I describe below, use lamps or other light sources, I prefer my flashes because they are easy to reposition and are fairly powerful.

If you don't have flashes or speedlights, incandescent lightbulbs, florescent bulbs or tubes, whatever you have handy, are all suitable. If possible, purchase a number of same-brand, same wattage bulbs. The bulbs' hues can vary from brand to brand, and while your eyes may not detect the slight difference, your camera can. Lamps, especially the type with bendy arms, are great for this sort of product photography.

There is another light option: daylight. Preferably a nice, overcast day. However, daylight's intensity can be unpredictable, depending on the weather and the time of the day. Relying on daylight isn't always feasible, and if you're limited to shooting in evenings when it gets dark early. This is where artificial light comes in handy - it's a consistent, steady light source that give you the confidence that the light levels will not change from one moment to the next.

Whichever light source you opt for, use multiples of the same light sources is because it can be difficult to compensate for mixed lights. For example, florescent bulbs tend to emit green- or orange-tinted light. Most incandescents cast a yellowish hue. And tungsten is orange.

While it is possible to compensate for the mixed tint in-camera or in the post-processing, it is easier, especially if you're just starting to explore this genre of photography, to use a consistent light source because it's one less step to futz with. Don't forget to use a manual white balance setting that's appropriate for your light source.

Gray Card

A 18% gray card is very handy for fine-tuning the white balance, especially important when you're photographing something with a white background. Color casts from your lights or even the light reflecting off your object will be apparent on the white backdrop.

Some newer dSLRs have a customizable WB setting. If yours does, photograph the card and it will help you determine the proper white balance. For further details on how, check your camera's manual.

If your camera does not have customizable WB setting, you can still use this card to determine and alter the white balance in post-processing.

Your camera doesn't have this custom feature or you lack a 18% gray card? After you've set your table up, set the WB to whichever light mode you're using, take a few photographs of the white poster paper and fine-tune the WB the best you can.

The Set-up

There are a number of different ways you can set up your table. You can purchase one or make your own DIY lightbox.

Or go the lazy route and tape your paper poster up to a wall.

Getting the Lights Right

Even lighting is important. One of the main requirements of this type of product photography is that it's easy to cut out the object; and in order to do so, it's important that the outlines of the object are crisp and clear and the shadow on the backdrop is minimal.

The Object Du Jour

For this tutorial, I have chosen a toy that's not reflective (we'll explore reflective objects another time). I suspended the toy on strings for a couple reasons. First, because of the limited number of light sources available, this will help minimize the shadow underneath it. Second, the backdrop wasn't large enough for this object. When the toy was on the "ground," the edge of the backdrop intersected with its feet. While that wasn't a huge issue - it's easily fixed in photoshop, certainly - I prefer to rely on post-processing as little as possible. The strings are more easily cloned out and it will be less destructive to the image quality to repair in the post-process stage.

Single Light

With only one light placed at about three o'clock (with the dragon in center of the clock), it casts too strong of a shadow. It makes no difference how I place it; there is a crisp shadow.

When I place an umbrella in between the flash and the toy, it helps soften the shadow. However, both the body of this toy and the left side of the backdrop are in shadow, it needs some light from the left side.

Note: If you're using a DIY lightbox and feel that the shadow is too strong, add a layer of your translucent paper one at a time until it's soft enough.

Two lights

This is with no umbrellas to diffuse the light; the right light is still at three o'clock, the left at about eight o'clock, and now we have two harsh shadows. Unacceptable.

With umbrellas - better. Depending on your goal in this project, this might be good enough. I feel this can be further improved upon, however.

Repositioning Lights

I moved the left light so it's slightly above and left of the object. The right light has been repositioned it so it is aimed more downward, at the surface below the toy; the white surface bounces some light back up underneath the toy. I also added a small white reflector on the left just behind the toy, directly opposite the right flash; this bounces some fill light onto the rear of the toy. (Note for the DIY-ers: A white poster paper or wall can be used to similar effect.)

The lighting is now more even throughout. It's not perfect, but much better.

The shadow is nearly gone and if I so desire, I can dodge it out easily without affecting the quality too much in the post-processing stage. Having played with a few other positions (not shown) of the lights, I've conceded that this is the best placement for this object. If this toy was reflective, however, I'd choose a different arrangement and replace the umbrellas with sheets of translucent paper.

Multiple Lights

As noted before, multiple lights is ideal. As you can see in all of the images, the backdrop isn't stark white - this is in part due to the paper itself, and in part because I don't have a third light solely for illuminating the backdrop. It's not the end of the world if you're in the same boat, though; I've sold images that were lit by only two lights just fine.

If I had the option, I would place a third light above, with barn doors to control the light spread, aimed at the backdrop for a brighter white background. And perhaps a fourth to minimize the shadow below the toy even further. If you have access to multiple lights, I hope this description helps you find a good setup.

Choosing the Aperture

If you're photographing an object with the intent of selling it to a stock company as a cutout, you may want close down your aperture in order to maintain a crisp outline of the object.

In the above example, which was shot at f4, this is unusable. This toy is already fuzzy as is and probably too difficult for a graphic designer to cut out neatly.

At f8, it's passable

At f18, it's much better. The edges are still soft, but that's more due to the nature of the toy itself.

This is still life; a fast shutter speed isn't necessary. Lower it as much as you need to in order to get a good exposure, and use a remote or the self timer to avoid camera shake. Do take note that, at this aperture, the background's inherent flaws - for example, creases in the paper backdrop - may stand out too much. If you're doing this for fun or to sell an item of yours, the DOF isn't that crucial. Choose an aperture that appeals to you the best.

In the end, I went with this setting: f18, ISO 200, shutter speed 1/30th of a second.

Final Image

Now I've chosen my final image, all I have to do is clone out the strings and give the image a slight boost to the saturation (because Pentax's dSLR cameras are set to desaturate the images in-camera, a known issue for all of the K line cameras). Voila.

Now I have to give the toy back to my dog!

Final Tips

Marketing-wise: consider leaving some space on either above, left or right; ad agencies, magazines and other buyers of stock images like room for text.

Staging is important. Clean whatever item you're photographing - dusty or dirty objects aren't particularly attractive. In the dragon's case, I tossed it in the wash before photographing it.

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A Step-By-Step Guide to Shooting Your First Product Photograph

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Today, we'll be taking a walkthrough simple product shoot. This type of photography is in some demand on stock photography sites and is perfect for showcasing an item in order to sell it on Ebay or Etsy. As reported our recent still life article, once you've mastered this type of photography, it can be personally rewarding and pay very well.

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Artist and Creative Director Brock Davis ( featured previously) is back with a new crop of creative photos using everyday objects. The self-professed tinkerer is wildly popular on Instagram, where his playful diversions have garnered him nearly 110,000 followers.

Based out of Minneapolis, Brock's artworks spans a wide array of disciplines. From graphic design and illustration, to stop-motion animation and photography. Be sure to check out more of his awesome work at the online profiles below.

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Artist and Creative Director Brock Davis ( featured previously) is back with a new crop of creative photos using everyday objects. The self-professed tinkerer is wildly popular on Instagram, where his playful diversions have garnered him nearly 110,000 followers. Based out of Minneapolis, Brock's artworks spans a wide array of disciplines.

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8 Famous Abstract Photographers and Their Photos

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Last Updated on Architecture and landscapes are great for traveling photographers because, as travelers, we are mesmerized by the places that locals often forget to admire. To take your architecture and landscape photography to the next level, you can use a creative and artistic technique known as abstraction.

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For many, the concept of abstract art breeds images of what appear to the uneducated eye as random swathes of color and shape tossed into a scene to create something the artists deems representation of a specific entity such as an emotion or situation.

When it comes to photography, similar notions can occur as we are confronted with confusing images containing unspecific subject matter. But do not be afraid, there is an awful lot to be learned from abstract photography.

Practical Tips

Abstract photography is based on the photographers eye. We're looking to capture something in a way that it would not usually be seen. Looking for the details, the patterns, the lines, the form, shape and colors that complete a subject and utilizing those key features to make an engaging image. It is those key elements that will help you to construct an image that has visual appeal.

Techniques

Abstract photography is not about abiding by the rules. In fact, it's the ideal opportunity to break the rules. When approaching a subject, ensure you spend time with it and assess how you want to represent it and it's surroundings within your image.

Approach it from angles, move your feet, bend your knees, look up, look down, look for patterns and correlating colors. It's all about how you as a photographer perceive what is in front of you and then looking to represent it as you see it.

My favorite aspects of shooting abstract shots is the moment when someone looks at an image and says "I really like it, but what is it?" That means I've engaged the viewer visually and the image has caught their eye and made them think and challenged their perceptions of what a photograph can represent. But it also shows me that there is a difference between how I viewed the subject matter at the time and how they view the subject matter, which is an intriguing personal insight.

Photo Inspiration

Further Reading

Here are a few links to really useful tutorials and articles that will teach you more about this type of photography:

Share Your Own Images!

I hope you've enjoyed the above photographs and that they've inspired you to go out and capture something amazing for yourself!

We'd love to see your favorite abstract shots - just post a comment and link below. Also, feel free to link to any resources that you've found particularly helpful in this area.

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For many, the concept of abstract art breeds images of what appear to the uneducated eye as random swathes of color and shape tossed into a scene to create something the artists deems representation of a specific entity such as an emotion or situation.

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Getting into abstract photography is one of the best ways that any aspiring photographer can start out in photography. Compared to more popular types of photography like product, outdoor, and wedding photography, abstract photography goes against many photography rules. It gives you the freedom to take a photo of anything that grabs your attention and allows you to express your artistic nature.

What Is Abstract Photography?

Formally speaking, abstract photography is a method of expressing ideas and emotions with photographed image elements without the intention of creating a traditional or realistic image. By avoiding and going beyond the usual representations of an object, scene, or any particular element, it reveals details that are normally ignored and triggers the viewer's imagination.

What Inspired Abstract Photography?

As abstract photography draws away from the objective image of reality, it blends in the extraordinary and unusual of concepts, mediums, and photographic techniques. The first approaches of abstract photography appeared in the 19th century as technical experiments and were focused on capturing the unseen part of the world.

But the main inspiration came from the abstract art of the beginning of the 20th century. The radical visions of Picasso, Kandinsky, Braque, and others determined the fate of abstract photography. Whether it was loved or hated, Cubist, Futurist, and Surrealist art was making a point, and avant-garde photographers wanted to be part of the movement. Jaroslav Rössler, Man Ray, André Kertész, and László Moholy-Nagy were among the first to experiment with the abstraction of light, perspective, natural world elements, and conventional imagery. Their abstract photos became part of the history of photography and inspired others to create abstract pictures too.

As Moholy-Nagy said, photographers "must learn to seek, not the 'picture,' not the esthetic of tradition, but the ideal instrument of expression, the self-sufficient vehicle for education."

What is Abstract Composition in Photography?

Abstract composition means focusing on basic elements instead of realistic representations of the scenery in front of you. However, the result must be a visually appealing image with strong focal points, wisely chosen leading lines, and balance. While you can break some of the standard composition rules, you still have to look after the aesthetics.

Many abstract photos have a structural design and imply working with geometrical features and creative depths of field. Therefore, balancing proportions, shapes, and colors is essential.

Abstract photography requires mesmerizing compositions to capture the viewer's attention for a longer time than realistic images. They should slowly reveal their elements and raise questions each step of the way. In abstract pictures, nothing is what it seems.

Some of the most acclaimed-and expensive-pieces of art include odd yet visually interesting photos of things that don't seem to tell a specific story but still mystify and engage viewers on a deeper level.

Find out what makes abstract photos intriguing below.

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

What are the key elements of a good abstract photo?

While abstract photography doesn't bind one to follow strict photography rules like other niches do, there are a couple of elements that give an abstract photo more depth and increase its appeal. You'll want to include these elements in your photos if you want to create a meaningful abstract photo that can speak volumes to your viewers.

Simplicity

At first glance, abstract photos may seem a little confusing and cluttered. However, once you understand what "abstraction" does, you'll realize that a lot of subtraction actually goes into the process. Distracting and useless elements that don't trigger emotions and may confuse viewers are eliminated from the image, especially since what is included in the image won't be easily recognizable, thus resulting in a cleaner abstract image that is visually lighter and easier to interpret.

Composition

While many commonly observed photography composition rules don't apply, a good abstract photo always has a clear, structural design. A lot of thought goes into the order, placement, and balance between shapes, patterns, textures, and even colors within an abstract image. These factors greatly affect the visual weight of the photo, establish and complement the point of interest, and influence how viewers look at it. A well-composed photo uses these visual elements to achieve a common goal and output.

Angle of View

Like composition, the angle of view determines how the subject will be represented in an abstract image. Choosing the right angle of view involves looking for the best vantage point that will complement your subject and keep distractions out of the frame. Aside from shooting at an unusual angle, some abstract images are even flipped or rotated during post-processing to come up with different views and orientations.

Lighting

Lighting is a major element in virtually any photography style. Depending on how it is used, it can emphasize, dramatize, or give prominence to subject forms, details, or areas within an image. The direction and power of the light source can also play a huge part in directing the presentation of the subject and setting the tone for the shot. You'll find that many of the most mysterious and intriguing abstract images have silhouettes, backlighting, and interesting shadows.

Harmony

Photographic elements in an abstract image tend to be limited, but they usually work together by creating visual balance and proportion. When there are strong colors in an image, for example, they are usually balanced out by other muted colors. This way, they don't fight for visual attention or confuse viewers. They co-exist harmoniously by relating to each other and complementing the focal point, thus creating a cohesive abstract photo.

Mystery

Abstract images trigger emotional responses and imaginations by including an element of mystery and intrigue. This is how abstract art gives viewers a sense of wonder. This, in turn engages and encourages them to appreciate even the most complex but inviting pieces of art.

Photo by Brandon Wong on Unsplash

Abstract Photography Tips for Beginners

1. Start with everyday objects

2. Use elements of design to your advantage

3. Go macro

4. Shoot through objects

5. Capture motion

6. Practice the art of subtraction

7. Customize your lighting

8. Experiment with different shooting styles

9. Post-process your images

Contrary to popular belief, it's not difficult to capture abstract images. It's just a matter of gaining a better understanding of what abstract photography really is, what makes a good abstract photo, and letting your creative juices flow. Grab your favorite camera - like the Sony a7IV, Canon EOS R5, or Nikon Z 7II - and start creating. Here are a few easy tips that can help you take your abstract photos to the next level.

1. Start with everyday objects

Abstract photography involves a lot of looking at things in a different way. It can help if you start with things that you already have at home to practice. Once you get used to seeing mundane, everyday things beyond their usual framework, you'll be able to think and see things abstractly wherever you are.

Believe it or not, literally anything can be a subject in your abstract photos. Choose a random object or set of things, such as kitchenware or a single light bulb, and try to figure out how you can photograph it in a different yet appealing way. Step outside and look at the morning dew or building angles in your neighborhood. All of these can be sources and inspirations for abstract images.

2. Use elements of design to your advantage

The composition of different photographic elements-line, shape, form, texture, pattern, and color-can influence your viewers to appreciate and look at your photos in many different ways. Lines and curves, for example, add interest by leading your viewer's eyes across an image, perhaps towards the focal point in the shot. Some of the principles of architecture photography apply here, as well, and you can utilize the buildings around you as inspiration for abstract photography.

Patterns and textures are always interesting to look at. You can blow your viewers' minds if you include a zoomed out shot of what it really is and where it came from. Similarly, you can use colors to highlight the point of interest or just to add visual impact to your image. Seek out these elements around you and use them to create compelling abstract images.

Photo by Meagan Carsience on Unsplash

3. Go macro

One of the most common methods of capturing abstract photos is to move in closer. You can do this either by zooming in or going macro. While it's perfectly fine to use zoom lenses, they only make distant objects look closer up to a certain extent. To achieve a much closer focus that can magnify tiny objects or details and capture a life-sized (or even bigger) image, you'll need to use your camera's Macro mode or get a good macro lens.

This will allow you to get an extra close look at the often missed elements around you. Small insects, flowers, and jewelry are often subjects of macro photography, but when you bring abstract elements into the fold, you can see a whole new side of these objects.

4. Shoot through objects

Using a makeshift lens "filter" can help you achieve truly unique and abstract images. Colored filters and gels, for example, can save you from having to edit your photos just to give it an interesting color tinge. Shooting through translucent glass, water, or even a car window on a rainy day can result in distortions and light diffractions that will create unusual but visually interesting images. Don't hesitate to experiment with other kinds of things you can shoot through. You can then find out how they can affect your image.

5. Capture motion

Many photographers frown upon subject motion blurring -but not abstract photographers. By simply moving your camera at the moment of taking the shot, you end up with a mix of different colors, lines, and patterns. This looks similar to painting brushwork, depending on the direction of movement. Start with one direction, then left to right. Experiment with circular movements and wiggles. Understand how it affects your images and see what kind of patterns you end up with.

Remember to use a slower shutter speed of 1/10th of a second or slower to successfully capture motion blur. If your shot ends up overexposed, you can go on Shutter Priority mode or use a lower ISO level and/or a tighter aperture.

6. Practice the art of subtraction

To keep your images simple, you need to get used to literally removing or keeping elements out of the frame. You may need to experiment and think about which ones you will remove. But it's equally important that you remember why you're doing it. Sometimes, simply taking out a second object from the equation can make your viewers focus on and contemplate the remaining object. Thus, you're adding more mystery to your photo.

Photo by pawel szvmanski on Unsplash

7. Customize your lighting

Changing the direction and adjusting the power of your light source can provide different effects that yield unique images. Focused lighting on your subject, for example, can emphasize and make it the focal point of your photo. Placing a strong light source on one side can create shadows that will accentuate textures. Even and diffused lighting lessens the drama but can make your viewers linger and really look at different parts of the image, as opposed to just one specific area. You can try backlighting and silhouetting, which partly involves placing the light source behind the subject.

These are just some of the many ways that you can manipulate your lighting to create shadows or highlights that add depth, mystery, and interest to your images.

8. Experiment with different shooting styles

A prerequisite for this step is to first understand how your camera works. Once you've gotten a good idea about how different camera settings can affect your output, you can manipulate your results to your own liking. Be willing to shoot out of focus, play with your depth of field, or shoot from very weird angles. You can also rotate your photos, or even change the white balance of your images. Try out methods used in product, outdoor, and even sports photography to create abstract results. This is the part where "anything goes," and you're encouraged to exercise your artistic freedom.

9. Post-process your images

Aside from exercising your freedom to manipulate your results and create your very own abstract imagery, feel free to go crazy with the post-processing. When it comes to editing abstract photos, there's no such thing as "too much". Abstract photographers are encouraged to digitally improve their work later on. You can do this through recoloring, cropping, reshaping, distorting, or flipping images.

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Abstract Photography for Beginners: 9 Tips for Stunning Abstract Images

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Getting into abstract photography is one of the best ways that any aspiring photographer can start out in photography. Compared to more popular types of photography like product, outdoor, and wedding photography, abstract photography goes against many photography rules. It gives you the freedom to take a photo of anything that grabs your attention and...

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Black and white or full color photos can be striking on their own, but mixing the two draws your vieweris eye exactly where you want it -- and with dramatic effect. Itis actually really simple to create this striking effect in Photoshop without much effort. All you need is a color image.

For this example, I spent some time trolling through iStockphoto and came up with an image of a woman holding balloons. Iill Highlight a balloon, and leave everything else black and white.

Start by opening a color image in Photoshop.

Create a new Adjustment Layer.

Choose Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation, and move the Saturation slider as far to the left as it will go to make your color image black and white. Click OK.

When you create an Adjustment layer, it automatically creates a Layer Mask. Weill use that to add some color back in the highlight area.

Select the Brush tool.

Use the Brush tool to "paint" where you want to see color.

Make sure your selected color is black because that will let us hide, or paint out, the parts of the layer we want to see color through. White has the opposite effect. Use it to add back to your mask and hide the color areas.

Color shows through when you paint black on the Adjustment layer mask.

With the Adjustment layer mask still selected, paint where you want the color to show through. If you make a mistake, switch to white to paint back in and hide the color you donit want to see.

The great thing about this technique is that it doesnit harm your original image. Since all of your changes are on an adjustment layer, the original photo remains untouched.

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Photoshop: Color Highlights in Black & White Images

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Black and white or full color photos can be striking on their own, but mixing the two draws your viewer's eye exactly where you want it -- and with dramatic effect. It's actually really simple to create this striking effect in Photoshop without much effort. All you need is a color image.