Photography Exercises for When You're Feeling Uninspired

Constrained Shooting Exercises

Constrained shooting is an excellent way to work on your photography skills. By removing certain variables and focusing on specific limitations, you can sharpen your creativity and problem-solving abilities. These constraints force you to think more critically about composition, lighting, and subject matter, encouraging you to explore new perspectives and techniques.

This method of practice helps to develop a deeper understanding of your equipment and its capabilities, ultimately making you a more versatile and skilled photographer.

Try one of these constrained shooting exercises:

• One Hour, One Block — Spend an hour photographing within a single city block.
• Single Lens Day — Use only one fixed lens for all your shots in a day.
• Fixed Focal Length — Shoot all your photos at a single focal length.
• One Object Challenge — Choose one object and photograph it in 10 different ways.
• Black and White Only — Shoot exclusively in black and white.
• 24 Shots, No Deletions — Limit yourself to 24 shots (like a roll of film) and don't delete any.
• Single Aperture — Use the same aperture setting for all your photos.
• No Zooming — Use only the zoom you get by physically moving closer or further from your subject.
• Only Vertical Shots — Take all your photos in portrait orientation.
• Single Subject — Choose one subject and focus all your shots on it for a day.
• One Color Dominance — Photograph scenes where one color dominates.
• Fixed ISO — Set your camera to a single ISO and keep it there.
• Low Angle Only — Shoot all your photos from a low angle.
• No Post-Processing — Take photos that you won't edit afterward.
• Single Location — Spend an entire shoot session in one location without moving.
• One Light Source — Use only one light source for all your shots.
• Manual Focus Only — Use only manual focus for your entire shoot.
• Reflection Only — Capture only reflections in various surfaces.
• Only Shadows — Focus exclusively on capturing shadows.
• Single Shutter Speed — Use only one shutter speed for all your shots.
• Minimalist Shots — Create images with minimal elements.
• One Prop — Incorporate a single prop in all your images.
• Fixed White Balance — Set your camera to one white balance and keep it there.
• Double Exposure — Create a series of double exposures.
• One Theme — Choose a theme (e.g., happiness, solitude) and stick to it.
• Slow Shutter Only — Use long exposures for all your photos.
• Daytime Silhouettes — Capture only silhouettes during daylight.
• Low Key Photography — Focus on creating low-key (dark) images.
• One Time of Day — Shoot all your photos during a specific time of day (e.g., golden hour).
• Single Color Backgrounds — Use backgrounds of a single color for all your photos.
• Textures Only — Focus on capturing different textures.
• No Autofocus — Turn off autofocus and manually adjust for every shot.
• Monochromatic Scenes — Shoot scenes that are predominantly one color.
• Environmental Portraits — Take portraits in a single type of environment.
• In-Camera Effects — Use only in-camera effects for creative shots.
• No Flash — Avoid using flash for all your photos.
• High Angle Only — Capture all your photos from a high angle.
• Through an Object — Shoot all your photos through another object (e.g., a glass, a window).
• Same Subject, Different Times — Photograph the same subject at different times of the day.
• Zoom at Fixed Focal Length — Use a zoom lens but keep it at a fixed focal length.
• Single Aspect Ratio — Use one aspect ratio (e.g., 1:1, 16:9) for all your shots.
• One Background — Use the same background for all your photos.
• Only Natural Light — Use only available natural light.
• Long Exposure Day — Use long exposures for every shot.
• Only Manual Settings — Shoot entirely in manual mode.
• Fixed Perspective — Shoot all your photos from the same perspective (e.g., eye level, bird's eye).

General Photography Exercises

While constrained shooting is a great way to challenge yourself, there are plenty of more open photography exercises that will also give you focus and direction. These exercises encourage experimentation and exploration while still providing a framework to guide your creativity. Open exercises allow for more flexibility and personal expression, helping you to discover your unique style and voice as a photographer.

Some ideas to get you started:

• Write your name in photos — Find each letter, or objects creatively framed to look like them. Edit them together to write it out.
• Choose a shape — Pick circle, square, or triangle and photograph objects that fit it.
• Same location, different light — Photograph the same location at different times of day.
• Texture series — Make a series of images showcasing different textures (smooth, rough, soft, hard).
• Reflections — Photograph reflections found in puddles, mirrors, and windows.
• Color gradient — Photograph objects that create a gradient of colors when placed together.
• Long exposures — Experiment with long exposures to capture motion blur in a scene.
• Through another object — Photograph your subject through a glass, a hole, or a fence.
• Extreme close-ups — Use macro or extreme close-ups to highlight fine details.
• Symmetry — Find and photograph symmetrical scenes or objects.
• Silhouettes — Take photos of subjects in silhouette against a bright background.
• Natural frames — Use windows or arches to frame your subject within the photo.
• Perspective tricks — Play with perspective to make subjects appear larger or smaller than they are.
• Reflected portraits — Take portraits of people reflected in various surfaces.
• Double exposures — Experiment with double exposure either in-camera or in editing.
• Pareidolia — Photograph scenes or objects that subtly resemble human faces.
• Small made monumental — Photograph small objects to make them appear enormous.
• Multiple angles — Photograph a single subject from as many angles and perspectives as you can.