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35 Creepy Photos of Abandoned Theme Parks
Are you brave enough to wander crumbling and decaying abandoned theme parks? Believe it or not, urban explorers have made the trip and taken photos that will haunt your nightmares. Some of these eerie theme parks are featured in famous shows and movies, and a few have become hotspots for Instagrammers.
We’ve collected chilling photos from 30 abandoned theme parks, from the U.S. to Japan. Read on to learn about the tragic stories of these parks.
New Orleans, LA: Six Flags
It’s definitely no longer “playtime” at Six Flags in New Orleans. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused catastrophic damage in New Orleans. Sitting right next to Lake Pontchartrain, Six Flags became submerged in 20 feet of brackish floodwater. For over a month, the entire amusement park was flooded.
Inspectors declared Six Flags an “effective total loss” due to the high winds and flood water that had wrecked the park. As a result, Six Flags was closed indefinitely. Although the New Orleans Police Department patrols the park 24 hours a day, thrill-seekers and vandals still find ways to trespass. Today, the deserted park resembles a creepy ghost-town.
Waterbury, CT: Holy Land USA
John Baptist Greco found inspiration from bible passages to create Holy Land USA in 1955. The grounds chairman at Holy Land, Bob Chinn, called Greco a spiritual man. Chinn added , “He wanted to do this for the people of the community. He felt no one, no matter the race, creed or color, should be separated. He wanted a place for all people to sit and be peaceful.”
Holy Land featured the Garden of Eden, replicas of catacombs, a chapel, stations of the cross and Israelite villages. After the park closed in 1984, thieves swooped in, stealing many attractions and statues from the site. The site’s future is still uncertain.
Princeton, WV: Lake Shawnee Amusement Park
Why do paranormal investigators flock to Lake Shawnee Amusement Park? Let’s start at the beginning. In 1926, the park was unknowingly built on the site of a Native American burial ground (seriously). During the park’s run, six people died at Lake Shawnee Amusement Park. A little girl died on the swings after a truck backed into the structure. In another case, a boy drowned in the park’s swimming pond.
Lake Shawnee Amusement Park gained a deadly reputation, which may have caused the attraction to close in 1966. Locals believe the park is cursed. The park isn’t completely abandoned, however. Ghost hunters (and perhaps ghosts) often roam the site.
Beech Mountain, NC: The Land of Oz
“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore,” says Dorothy in the film, The Wizard of Oz . She’s right. Visitors will find the yellow brick road, Emerald City and the Wicked Witch’s castle at the Land of Oz in Beech Mountain, North Carolina.
When the Land of Oz opened in 1970, it was the top attraction in the Eastern US. Many celebrities visited the Land of Oz, including actresses Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher. Legendary boxer, Muhammad Ali, also stopped by the park once. However, the business took a turn for the worse. Bad investments, destroyed buildings and theft led to the park’s closure in 1980.
In the ’90s, the owners began to restore the park to hold annual public events. For the majority of the year, however, the park remains empty.
Dadizele, Belgium: Dadipark
Before Dadipark was an amusement park, it was a church playground. One of the town’s pastors, Gaston Deweer, created the playground for families with small children in 1950. Thirty years later, Deweer transformed the playground into an affordable amusement park, where millions of visitors enjoyed the fun rides.
However, business went downhill when a boy lost his arm on the Nautic Jet water ride. Ouch. Locals began to complain about the park’s safety. In 2002, the site closed its doors for renovations as visitor numbers dwindled. The improvements never happened, and the park never opened again. While Dadipark was left abandoned, plants grew over some of the attractions. In 2012, a company from the Netherlands demolished the decaying park.
Williams Grove, PA: Williams Grove Amusement Park
Williams Grove Park was almost destroyed after Hurricane Agnes struck the area in 1972. Sounds like bad luck, right? The park actually survived and the owners, the Hughes family, rebuilt the park. Shortly after, Williams Grove Park went back into business until 2005.
The Hughes turned their attention to creating the Williams Grove Speedway. They tried to sell the Williams Grove property to an owner who would continue to maintain the amusement park, but the Huges never found a buyer, so the park was left to crumble.
Phillipsville, CA: Hobbiton USA
Located close to the Avenue of the Giants in northern California, Hobbiton USA was once a major roadside attraction. At Hobbiton USA, locals and tourists took a journey into J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel, The Hobbit . The enchanting and charming site included hobbit homes and sculptures of characters from the book. For anyone who had no idea what The Hobbit was, each attraction came with button-activated speakers to explain the scene.
Why did Hobbiton USA close? Visitors believe the park ran into legal trouble and shut down. The majority of the attractions have disappeared underneath dense plant life. However, those who pass by report that a decaying Gandalf and the door of Bilbo Baggins are still visible.
Nara, Japan: Dreamland
Nara, Japan is known for its beautiful temples, shrines and ruins. The Emperor lived in Nara during the Nara period (AD 710 to 794) before calling Kyoto his new home. Nara was also the home of Dreamland, a theme park inspired by California’s Disneyland.
Dreamland’s owner, Kunizo Matsuo, met with Walt Disney to bring Disneyland to Japan, but the two disagreed on licensing fees near the end of the construction phase. So, Matsuo dropped the Disneyland idea and created Dreamland instead. The park was an instant success when it opened in 1961. But Dreamland went out of business in 2006 after Disneyland, DisneySea and Universal Studios opened in Japan.
Marble Falls, AR: Dogpatch USA
Dogpatch USA was based on Li’l Abner , a comic strip featuring a fictional clan of hillbillies. When the park opened in 1968, it gained popularity and was highly profitable. Investors also remodeled Dogpatch USA into a winter sports complex in 1972, hoping to make it even more prosperous.
The investors turned out to be very wrong. Marble Falls experienced warmer winters than usual, leading to the park’s downfall. Eventually, Dogpatch’s situation got worse. The park went bankrupt, became entangled in legal problems and then permanently closed in 1993.
Onsted, MI: Prehistoric Forest Amusement Park
Just off the highway in Onsted, Michigan, rests another world. The Prehistoric Forest was once a lively roadside attraction, drawing visitors with life-sized dinosaurs, fossil digging pits, a man-made volcano and the popular 400-foot Jungle Rapids Water Slide. Between 1963 and 2002, the park sent guests back in time.
Rerouted highways led to business faltering and the demise of the Prehistoric Forest. Today, neglected dinosaurs and cavemen lay scattered across the park. Some statues sink behind plants, while others have been stolen. The abandoned park prohibits any visitors, but that hasn’t stopped vandals and urban explorers.
Beijing, China: Wonderland
Wonderland never opened for business. In fact, construction on the amusement park was never finished. Property developers from Thailand intended to make Wonderland the biggest and greatest amusement park in Asia. However, they canceled construction plans after running into financial problems in 1998.
The abandoned park featured skeletal remains of castles and medieval-themed structures. Local farmers didn’t want the land to go to waste, so they reclaimed the area and used it to plant crops. Visitors reported that park attendants still stood in Wonderland’s parking lot, supposedly to direct curious explorers. In 2013, the remaining structures were demolished.
Japan: Gulliver’s Kingdom
Gulliver’s Kingdom theme park in Japan didn’t have the greatest location. It was actually located in one of the creepiest places in Japan. The park was built near Aokigahara, best known as Japan’s “Suicide Forest.” It was also close to the former headquarters of the infamous Aum Shinrikyo, a cult behind the deadly Tokyo subway sarin attack in 1995.
The strange park was based on Jonathan Swift’s novel, Gulliver’s Travels . In the middle of the park laid the book’s main character, Lemuel Gulliver. The sinister location reportedly caused a lack of customers, leading to the park’s demise in 2001. In 2007, the abandoned park was demolished.
Chippewa Lake, Ohio: Chippewa Lake Park
Locals believe that Chippewa Lake Park’s owner, Parker Beach, might haunt the park today. After the park closed due to low attendance, Beach asked his family to bury him there, and they agreed. He’s reportedly buried at an unknown location at the site.
Chippewa Lake Park is no stranger to appearing in movies. At the end of an amusement park documentary called Welcome Back Riders , it states, “Be respectful if you try to find Parker Beach’s Grave. Let him enjoy his park in peace. …It’s by the roller coaster.” Also, the 2008 horror film, Closed For the Season , shot some scenes at the apocalyptic theme park.
Berlin, Germany: Spreepark
Spreepark has a history of bad luck. The park found itself in huge debt in 1999. To get back in the green, the owners increased the park’s entrance fee. Customers thought that raising prices was a poor decision. Consequently, the number of visitors dropped and the business shut down in 2002.
Shortly after the park’s closure, owner, Norbert Witte, and his family left Germany and moved to Peru for unknown reasons. In 2004, Witte went to prison for seven years after smuggling drugs from Peru to Germany. The terrible news doesn’t stop there. In 2014, a fire destroyed major parts of the park. The arsonist remains unknown, but investigators concluded that the fire was set deliberately.
Wichita, KS: Joyland Amusement Park
During its heyday, Joyland Amusement Park was a major attraction filled with laughing children and cool rides. It was also home to one of the last surviving original wooden coasters. Unfortunately, a serious incident involving the park’s Ferris wheel led to the park’s end.
In 2004, a 13-year-old girl fell 30 feet from the Ferris wheel, suffering severe injuries. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission closed the park and investigated the accident. The park never reopened. Today, it’s just a crumbling playground for vandals.
Geoje, South Korea: Okpo Land
Okpo Land has a disturbing backstory. While in operation, Okpo Land thrived with exciting roller coasters and electric cars. However, the park’s main attraction, the duck ride, caused fatal accidents in the 1990s. A cart derailed and capsized in one incident. While many riders suffered injuries, one young girl fell to her death.
Shortly after, the park owner mysteriously disappeared and was never seen again. Okpo Land closed permanently in 1999 and everything was left to rot where it was, including the scene of the fatal accident. The remains of the duck cart dangled over the edge of the track until the park was demolished in 2011.
Aurora, Ohio: Geauga Lake Park
How many theme parks do you know that were open for more than 100 years? Geauga Lake Park is one of the few amusement parks to do just that, operating from 1887 to 2007. When the park opened, it featured many attractions, including a massive swimming pool, a dance hall and bowling alley.
The park went through many name changes and owners. In 2000, the park’s name changed to Six Flags Ohio. Then, in 2001, it turned into Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. No one knows for sure why the park closed. Today, Geauga Lake Park remains in a state of decay.
Nikko, Japan: Western Village
Welcome to the wild west in Japan. Believe it or not, Japan had a theme park that included a Western saloon, a jail and a giant replica of Mount Rushmore. CNN reports that Western Village was built in 1975, and cost $27 million to build.
Western Village shut down in 2007, after failing to compete with Disneyland and Universal Studios. Explorers who visit the neglected theme park say it’s easy to get lost in. Creepy robots and giant teddy bears are still scattered throughout the park, and Mount Rushmore is rotting. Would you dare to visit this lonely theme park?
Newberry Springs, CA: Lake Dolores Waterpark
Located off Interstate 15 in the Mojave Desert, Lake Dolores Waterpark operated from 1962 to 2004. The waterpark went through a few name changes, including Rock–A–Hoola Waterpark and Discovery Waterpark. Lake Dolores closed due to low attendance.
Since Lake Dolores closed, it has become a popular attraction for film crews. The park has appeared in MTV’s reality show Rob & Big , Top Gear America , Abandoned and the skate film Kilian Martin: Altered Route . You can say the park is pretty famous now. Urban explorers also sneak into the abandoned park even though there’s a big “no trespassing” sign at the entrance.
Aarup, Denmark: Fun Park Fyn
When Fun Park Fyn opened in the 1980s, it lured families with affordable prices and pleasant attractions, such as waterslides, bumper cars and swan boats. However, the fun ended in August 2006 when the park went bankrupt. Now, a different crowd visits Fun Park Fyn.
The deteriorating and deserted park attracts photographers and thrill-seekers. Unfortunately, it also draws troublemakers and thieves. Rust covers the waterslides, while gunk and debris fill the pools. Remaining bumper cars and swan boats litter Fun Park Fyn. Do you dare to visit this creepy, abandoned park?
Galston, Scotland: Loudoun Castle Theme Park
Loudoun Castle Theme Park was built around the real ruins of the 19th century Loudoun Castle. During the park’s early years, it faced mounting debt. That’s never a good sign. Loudoun Castle Theme Park also went through several owners in its history.
In 2007, a tragic incident occurred, involving one of the staff members. 18-year-old ride operator, Mark Blackwood, fell 80 feet from a roller coaster while trying to fix the ride. He died at the hospital. After a two-week trial, the park owners were found not guilty of negligence. The park owners shut down the business in 2010.
Orlando, FL: Splendid China
The park owners spent $100 million to build Splendid China in Florida. It was built as a sister park to Splendid China in Shenzhen, China (which is still in operation). Each structure was handcrafted for authenticity. The park’s replica of the Great Wall was made of 7 million bricks. The park also included Terracotta Warriors of Xi’an and a four-story-tall Leshan Buddha.
Florida’s Splendid China took entertainment seriously. The park hired 60 dancers, actors and acrobats from the People’s Republic of China to put on a show for guests. After the park opened in 1993, it had to contend with protestors who believed the park was propaganda for China. After closing its doors in 2003, vandals and thieves raided Splendid China, stealing statues and spray-painting walls.
Rhyl, North Wales: Ocean Beach Fun Fair
Rhyl’s Fun Fair was originally located at Marine Lake, where it opened in 1848. Each year, thousands of guests flocked to the amusement park. In 1954, it relocated to Ocean Beach at the West end of the promenade. Funfair’s popularity began to decline during the 1960s.
In 2005, disaster struck when several guests got hurt. A roller coaster went off the tracks at the end of the ride, and five guests sustained injuries. It didn’t take long for Fun Fair to shut down after the accident. In fact, it closed in 2007.
Berlin, Germany: Blub Water Park
Blub was short for Berliner Luft-und Badeparadies, which translates to “Berlin air-and bathing paradise.” The water park first opened in 1985, but closed its doors in 2002 after experiencing health concerns and violent youth gangs. When Blub shut down, the decaying park attracted tourists, skaters and photographers.
In 2016, a fire devastated the buildings at Blub. According to the German media outlet, Welt, the park was also devastated by rats and “idiots.” The park owners plan to redevelop the site. But for now, the huge, lonely park resembles an apocalyptic site.
Lancashire, England: Camelot Theme Park
Some locals say Camelot Theme Park is an abandoned “knightmare.” First opened in 1983, the park had many profitable years before declining visitor count lead to its closure in 2013. This low turnout was likely caused by poor summer weather and the park’s failure to compete with the London 2012 Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee.
The fun stopped for many Camelot fans. One guest, Allistair Bradley, told the Lancashire Post, “I have been to the theme park countless times with my children, so this news comes as quite a blow.” As of June 2019, parts of medieval figures are scattered across the park. Buildings are crumbling and vandalism and arson are common.
Pripyat, Ukraine: Pripyat Amusement Park
Pripyat amusement park is currently a hot spot for Instagrammers thanks to HBO’s historical drama, Chernobyl . The park planned to open for the very first time in May 1986. But that never happened. In April, the Chernobyl disaster took place just a few miles away, quickly becoming one of the most catastrophic nuclear explosions ever to occur.
According to a United Nations study, 4,000 people died from radiation exposure as a result of Chernobyl. However, a Greenpeace study reported that there were 200,000 casualties. Today, the radiation levels throughout the park vary.
So many people take selfies at Pripyat amusement park and the disaster site that Chernobyl’s creator, Craig Mazin , made a statement, saying, “If you visit, please remember that a terrible tragedy occurred there. Comport yourselves with respect for all who suffered and sacrificed.”
Suita, Japan: Expoland
Japan’s Expoland has a tragic past. The amusement park thrived for 30 years with more than 40 rides and attractions and 19 restaurants and shops. Then, in 2007, a 19-year-old university student from Higashiomi, Shiga died and 19 other visitors suffered injuries when the Fujin Raijin II derailed at Expoland.
The park closed temporarily after the accident. Investigators discovered the ride derailed because of a broken axle and that none of the ride’s axles had been replaced for 15 years. Authorities cited Expoland for improper maintenance, and the park shut down in December 2007.
Seoul, South Korea: Yongma Land
In 1983, Yongma Land was a big deal when it first opened in Seoul, South Korea. But after the first decade, the park began to lose customers and profit when Lotte World, a massive recreation complex, set up shop. Yongma Land officially stopped operating as an amusement park in 2011.
The old-school and deteriorating grounds draws many guests, including photographers, videographers, and musicians. The K-pop music video for Crayon Pop’s Bar Bar Bar was filmed at the park. Yongma Land also became a popular spot for cosplay following its shutdown.
Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam: Ho Thuy Tien Water Park
The remaining magic of Ho Thuy Tien Water Park attracts many Instagrammers. Although the park didn’t see success while it was open, it’s now a must-visit post-apocalyptic dreamworld for explorers. Many parts of the site have been taken over by plant life (and grazing cows).
However, visitors, can’t miss the park’s main attraction: the three-story-tall dragon on top of the aquarium. Inside the dragon, a staircase leads to a viewing area (the dragon’s open mouth), where guests can enjoy the amazing view of Thuy Tien Lake.
Guerneville, CA: J’s Amusement Park
What was once filled with laughter is now haunted by a spooky silence. From the 1960s to 2003, J’s Amusement Park was a small family run operation. The park featured thrilling attractions, a mad mouse, miniature golf, a racetrack and a roller coaster.
Today, J’s Amusement Park is concealed behind the woods and reclaimed by nature. The site stinks of decay and paint flakes off of the structures. The attractions look like they’re ready to crumble with just one touch. If you’re brave enough to visit J’s, you’ll find a terrifying monster guarding the park from the top of a building.
Orlando, FL: Disney’s River Country
“Sorry River Country is closed,” says a sign in front of Disney’s empty water park in Orlando. Before Disney’s River Country closed, it was a fun destination for thousands of families to cool off from the summer heat. Disney’s River Country mimicked an old-fashioned swimming hole with “a twist of Huckleberry Finn.”
Disney shut down the park in 2001. Since then, Disney’s River Country has been rotting and deteriorating. Dirty water fills the pools. Moss, weeds and vines cover rusty slides and fences. Inside the park’s buildings, leaves cover the floors and the wallpaper is peeling off. Now, the empty park looks haunted.
Itaguaí, Brazil: Park Albanoel
Christmas isn’t always merry and bright, just look at Park Albanoel in Itaguaí, Brazil. The beloved park owner, Albano Reis, opened the Christmas-themed park in 2000. Locals called him Santa Claus because Reis dressed up as the jolly ol’ fella every Christmas.
Reis intended to build the largest tourist entertainment attraction in Brazil. However, his dream came to a sudden end. The park shut its doors after Reis died in a car accident near the site in 2004. Today, cracks, rust and mold cover the Santa and candy cane structures at Park Albanoel.
Ellicott City, MD: Enchanted Forest Theme Park
Once upon a time, there was a storybook amusement park in Maryland. The Enchanted Forest Theme Park brought fairy tales and nursery rhymes to life. Kids wandered through Cinderella’s castle, went for a spin on Alice in Wonderland’s tea cups and ventured into the caves of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
The Enchanted Forest was the ultimate summer destination after opening in 1955. During its heyday, 300,000 children visited the Enchanted Forest each summer. However, the park began to lose children’s attention in the 1980s due to fierce competition from nearby theme parks with bigger and faster rides. After closing in the 1990s, The Enchanted Forest became a dreamland for photo enthusiasts.
Derbyshire, England: American Adventure Theme Park
Originally known as Britannia Park, American Adventure World transported customers to the American West. The theme park featured cowboys, Native Americans and intense, yet exciting rides. It became one of the top attractions in the country. However, visitor numbers started to plummet.
American Adventure World closed three of its most famous roller coaster rides, including Nightmare Niagara and The Missile. Shortly after, the park faced structural instability and water pollution problems. The owners called it quits and permanently closed the park in 2007.
Philadelphia, PA: Bushkill Park
While it was open, Bushkill Park featured one of the oldest funhouses in the US, the Bar’l of Fun. The park was also home to other famous antique rides, including bumper cars, The Whip, and The Haunted Pretzel. Sounds strange, right? But the locals went crazy for these attractions.
The park operated from 1902 to 2004, temporarily closing after Hurricane Ivan caused flooding and damaged many attractions. Floods plagued the park again in 2005 and 2006. Bushkill park closed again in 2006, and was left abandoned. While Bushkill Park rotted and flooded in 2011, it appeared in the horror film, The Fields , starring Cloris Leachman and Tara Reid.
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Icon Photography School
328 eye-catching photography themes, unleash your creativity.
This crazy list of photography themes is useful for those who feel like there is nothing to photograph. Photography themes are a great way to organize your photography. Often students say their town is boring or there is nothing to shoot. There is ALWAYS something to photograph you just have to get creative. This list should get the creative juices flowing.
Just take a look at this list of themes and items that are interesting to shoot. It should get you started.
If you're wondering why using themes in photography is useful read this.
- Abandoned Buildings
- Architecture
- Back Alleys
- Bad Weather
- Bicycle Parts
- Black and White
- Broken Glass
- Butterflies
- Butterflies / Bees
- Car Details
- Catching People Unaware
- Celebrations
- Church Windows
- City Skylines
- City Street Scenes
- Covered Bridges
- Custom Cars
- Decorations
- Demonstrations
- Disappearing Professions
- Disappearing Technologies
- Documentary
- Doom and gloom
- Dots / Dashes / Diagonals
- Emergency Situations
- Enthusiasm / eager
- Environmental Trash
- Eye Glasses
- Farm Animals
- Fetes & Festivals
- Fire Engines
- Fireworks / Fire
- Flower Petals
- Forms in Nature
- Geriatric (older folks)
- Hot Rod Cars
- Indian Ruins
- Indigenous Things Or People
- Inspiration
- Isolated Objects
- Journalistic
- Kin or Families
- Machine Parts
- Marine life
- Masculinity
- Mass flowers
- Movie Theater Marquees
- Night lights
- Odd Couples
- Old Everything
- Paper Abstracts
- Parallel Lines
- Peeling Paint
- People At Work
- People Walking Dogs
- Perspective
- Pictures in Pictures
- Piles of Things
- Pink / Purple
- Railroad Cars
- Railroad Tracks
- Reenactments
- Reflections in Glass
- Reflections in Water
- Roads-capes
- Round Things
- Rows of Things
- Sand Patterns
- Silhouettes
- Sleeping Animals
- Sleeping People
- Small Furry Animals
- Smoke Stacks
- Soft Curves
- Spanish Moss
- Steam Railroads
- Strange Signs
- String Instruments
- Superstitions
- Teddy Bear / toy
- The Local School
- The spot (X marks it, you know)
- Tools of the Trade
- Ugly Everything
- Ungulates (hoofed animals, pigs, goats, deer horses)
- Vices or Habits
- Weathered Wood
- Wide Angle Everything
How's that for a list of things to shoot?! Now get out there and take some great photographs!?
Here 61 Inspiring Photography Themes to Ignite Your Creativity!
Not enough? Check this out for some more ideas:
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Life In Focus: 15 Popular Photography Themes
There are many photography themes that you can easily incorporate into your interior design. The wonder of photographic art is that it captures the beauty of the world for you to enjoy at home each and every day. And with so many styles on offer, this form of art is a true crowd pleaser with something for every taste.
The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life, William Morris .
Are you keen to start focusing on what’s important in life? Join us as we explore some of the most popular photography themes.
1. Architectural photography
Architectural photography is not just for lovers of buildings, structures and towns, it’s also for those who adore abstractionism. Step outside the classic landscape as a whole new world of awe opens up before your eyes.
ABSTRACT: Take your style to the next level with ‘The Lighthouse Staircase’
2. Monochrome photography
Black and white photography can add a sophisticated feel to a room, no matter how basic or elaborate the furnishings are. Monochrome is a quintessentially classic style of art, making it a foolproof way to add a sense of story and mood to a space. Don’t be fooled by the lack of colour; monochrome photography can still pack a powerful punch .
MOODY: Elevate a simple space with the dramatic monochrome ‘Old Pier Silhouette’.
3. Urban life photography
Vibrant photographic art depicting urban life is a wonderful way to create a sense of energy and dynamism. Whether the image is literal or surreal, there is something uniquely sassy about photography that pokes fun at everyday life and captures urbanites about their daily business.
SASSY: This playful depiction of urban life add a sense of fun to an otherwise neutral space.
4. Sunset photography
One of the most eternally popular photography themes, a glorious sunset is that magical pinnacle of nature. The epic beauty of a stunning sunset not only lights up the sky, it also offers a striking art piece that appeals to everyone.
MAGICAL MOMENT: Make a statement with ‘Sunset Bridge’ and light up a room.
5. Waterfall photography
Transform a cold, lifeless space to something alive and ever-changing with waterfall photography , courtesy of mother nature and all her green goodness.
GREEN GOODNESS: Give your living room a breath of fresh air with ‘Russell Falls Creek’.
6. Food photography
Inspire healthy eating and living by hanging fun, fresh artwork in your kitchen. Feast your eyes on all the delicious colours available thanks to food photography. Love your goodies? Then opt for delicious desserts instead, all completely guilt free!
CHERRY RIPE: Add a pop of colour to your kitchen or dining room with a ‘Sour Cherry’ print.
7. Vintage photography
Many people assume that something vintage is either old-fashioned or past its prime, but there’s nothing stuffy about vintage photography. It simply takes the best from an era to remind us of a simpler time, when the small pleasures in life brought joy.
If you long to slow down, the timeless beauty of this photography theme could be the perfect addition to your decor.
GOLDEN ERA: Embrace nostalgia with the classic elegance of ‘Magnifying Time’.
8. Travel photography
Whether it’s to inspire or to keep the memory alive, travel photography is a wonderful way to add finishing touches to your home that will satisfy your wanderlust. The world is filled with wonders and offers an endless variety of gorgeous vistas to brighten even the dullest of walls. And best of all? You can take a trip around our amazing planet without leaving the comfort of your sofa!
REMEMBER WHEN: satisfy your wanderlust with a colourful ‘Venice Cityscape’ print.
9. Reflective photography
Everyone loves marvelling at reflections and professional photographers have the skill to capture them for posterity. Using colours from nature to decorate your home will make you feel part of, rather than separate from, the world outside.
MIRROR MIRROR: ‘Sunset Tree Silhouette’ adds interest to a contemporary interior.
10. Beach photography
One the most popular photography themes the world over, but especially by Australians and our love of beach culture. Evoke feelings of a never-ending summer with beach photography showcasing brilliant blues and golden sand; a colour scheme that adds a sense of space and serenity to any room.
BLISS BOMB: for summer vibes it doesn’t get any better than ‘The Perfect Beach’.
11. Surrealist photography
Surrealist photography isn’t for everyone, but it’s a popular choice for those who love to create spaces that are a bit different and unique. Give your home a talking point with eclectic photographic art that combines the real and the imagined.
ECLECTIC: Create a talking point with the surreal elements of ‘The Green Tree’.
12. Storm photography
Boom. Crash. Storm art! While you’re (hopefully) safe from the impacts of a wild storm, photographers are out there chasing them. And thank goodness for that. The passion, skill and commitment that storm chasing photographers demonstrate all culminates in one thing: results that can be striking (forgive the pun!).
GO WILD: For Hamptons style with a twist, cosy up with a ‘Dramatic Storm Seascape’ .
13. Sports photography
Sports photography is a perfect way to individualise any room in the house, based upon the recreational preferences of the room’s owner. It also has the added bonus of providing motivation to pursue the love of their chosen sport or activity. A great reminder about what we can achieve when we put our heart and soul into it.
NO LIMITS: Perfect for a teenager, push the boundaries of possibility with ‘Freestyle Tricks’.
14. Flower photography
Flower photography can help to bring the beauty of nature home. Different flowers and colours can evoke different emotions; think red dahlias for passion, pink roses for romance and yellow sunflowers for joy. With such an array of colours, scents and shapes it’s easy to understand why flowers are said to be genuinely beneficial for mental health and wellbeing. Whatever your choice, floral photography – unlike its real life muse – lives on and on. Pick your perfect bouquet and reap the benefits.
ETERNAL BLOOM: Get passionate about your decor with ‘Red Dahlia Delight’.
15. Forest photography
Photos from nature are typically majestic, both in subject and colour. Of all the various landscapes on offer, you can’t go past a spring forest bursting to life with luminous light. Whether it’s a seemingly infinite tree tunnel or a mysterious winding path, forest photography brings the best of the outside world in for you to enjoy every single day.
CAPTIVATE: The freshness of ‘Dazzling Forest’ breathes new life into a tired space.
With such a large variety of photography themes to explore, you’re certain to find the perfect one (or two) for your home or office. For more ideas and inspiration, focus your attention on our full range of stunning fine art photography .
Paula Cameron
As the resident blogger for Wall Art Prints, Paula is passionate (to the point of obsessed!) about all things art. She loves nothing more than passing away the hours researching the latest design trends and experimenting with how art can transform even the dullest wall into a beautiful reflection of your style and personality.
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30 Ideas to Jump-start Your Photo Theme Project
Variety, not only the spice of life, is also one of the most beautiful things about the art form of photography; the number of possible subjects for a photo is almost limitless. There are formats, within forms and within disciplines, and all we need to create a work of art is an idea, which can come to us at any time and in many ways.
Unfortunately, like with any creative medium, photographers can experience a block, or lack of ideas for a subject. It’s no different than a writer drawing a blank on words to add to his book or an artist having a difficult time putting that first stroke of paint to a blank canvas.
But alas, we’ve returned to our initial problem of photographer’s block! Not to worry since we’ve provided you with 30 solid ideas to get you started. Take one and go crazy: Create an online photo book from your set, or post a blog entry describing the journey you took to capture all of these pictures. Truly, the sky is the limit!
Black and White
Urban exploration, street portraits.
A great way to come out of your shell, so to speak; ask strangers to participate in quick, impromptu portraits.
Letters or Numbers
Vintage signs, setup scenes.
This could include situational shots, vintage recreations, pinups…the possibilities are endless.
Social Issues
Abstract and conceptual.
Rough, smooth, serrated, bumpy, brick, wood, metal…there are tons of textures to capture out there. Shoot close and fill the frame.
Sunsets and Sunrises
Regardless of where you live, there are always opportunities for spectacular sunsets or sunrises. Collect several of the most dramatic.
My personal favorite. Instruments, concerts or even conceptual photos that invoke thoughts of music or other sounds.
Pick a season such as winter or summer, and shoot photos that encapsulate the unique qualities of that season.
Reflections
Sky and clouds, self-portraits.
However uncomfortable it may be for many of us, self-portraits can be very helpful in opening up and exploring parts of photography we don’t normally find ourselves involved in. Mix it up and be creative with your surroundings and emotion.
Perspectives
Architecture.
Historic buildings, famous landmarks, bridges, city skylines and old churches are all good places to start.
Create a theme based on your favorite holiday , be it Halloween, Christmas or something altogether different.
Specific Architecture
Tattoos and piercings.
Own a film camera? If you don’t, you’re missing out on one of the truly joyous aspects of photography, which is experiencing the way it was done in the beginning. If you haven’t already (and you really should have), you can pick up a very good SLR film camera for next to nothing. Of course, these exposures can be converted to scans for posting online.
Since you are off to do some shooting , why not check out our recommended photography gear HERE .
By Tim Gilbreath
In addition to being a regular contributor at Photodoto, Tim is a web developer, photographer, and musician. He's also a gamer and retro/pop culture aficionado, and spends his days on the sunny West Florida coast. He maintains his website at TimGilbreath.com . You can also follow him on Twitter, @SarasotaTim.
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65+ Photography Project Ideas You Can Start Today
Written by Shutterfly Community Last Updated: Dec 8, 2020
Do you want to sharpen your skills, learn fresh techniques or just have fun with your camera? Photography projects help you accomplish all three.
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Through themed projects, you can capture unique images that follow a certain framework or style. Your project can last a week, month or year—depending on how in depth you’d like to go. To offer you inspiration, we’ve compiled 68 creative photography projects that are appropriate for all skill levels.
Once you’ve completed your project, be sure to create a photo book with your images or select your favorite for a canvas print .
1. Self Portrait
By switching the focus from other subjects to yourself as the subject, your photography takes on a whole new perspective. When setting up your shot, choose a landmark item to use as a stand-in until you’re ready to jump in the frame.
Play with auto and manual focus with your stand-in until you get the shot just right. Then, enter the scene using the timer option.
For the wisdom project, the goal is to gather photographs of those who have offered you wisdom or a helpful perspective. You might feature grandparents or mentors—or be inclined to include young ones who have provided you a fresh angle on life.
Aim to capture individuals in their natural state, especially if it’s in a location where they shared a special moment with you.
3. Candid Photo
Photographing someone in their natural state allows for their true personality to shine through. With a candid photography project, incorporate a range of human subjects for a diverse collection, or capture the same subject across different settings and days.
Building a portfolio of several candids allows you to paint a vivid persona of your subjects.
4. Street Style Photography
Authentic street style photography allows you to snag shots of the latest fashion—all without the strut of the runway. Look for colors first (either eye-catching or stunningly neutral), then watch for the cut and structure of the clothes.
Aim for overall beauty within the frame, including the street or walkway, so the focus isn’t solely on the clothes.
5. All About The Details
Create a collection of shots with unique subjects that focus on the details. Whether the photos are for an engagement , graduation or everyday occasion, you can take portraits of smaller details, like wisps of hair, relaxed hands and prominent features. Making your subjects feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera is the first priority. Plan a single shoot for various angles to help capture what looks best on a given day or moment.
6. Natural Element
Plan for your gallery of photos to include candid shots of the subject in their element. Whether they love the beach or like to craft, you can capture your subject in their favorite space or place to go.
If a subject feels awkward in front of the camera, have him or her lean against something vertical, like a fence, wall or car. They’ll feel more anchored and their body angle will offer the photo some character without seeming unnatural.
7. Pet Photography
From cats to dogs to horses, the heart and soul of your pets can be captured with the right technique. Incorporate natural light in your shoot keep watch of your pet’s eyes. Expressions and personality often shine through and it’s a great time to capture these moments.
8. Motherhood
Being a mother is one of life’s greatest gifts. When we’re parents, beautiful moments take place along with messy and chaotic ones. Encapsulate the full spectrum of motherhood with photos from quiet moments like snuggling with your child to lively times like cooking together in the kitchen.
With any photography project, it’s important that your images tell a story.
9. Panoramic Pictures
A popular technique for landscapes, panoramic photography enlarges the viewpoint beyond the normal size of a camera lens. To ensure there are no gaps in your panoramic shot, overlap your image by 15-30%.
You’ll also want to keep your camera as level as possible to ensure the photo is even throughout. Don’t forget that panos work well for vertical shots, too, like waterfalls and deep canyons.
10. Sunsets Photos
Sunsets make for stunning photos—especially when executed well. For maximum beauty, be sure to slightly underexpose the sunset for rich and dramatic colors. Use manual mode and a fast shutter speed for underexposure, or use aperture priority with exposure compensation.
Make your sunset even more magnificent by arranging an object or scene in the foreground of the sunset, like a lake or mountain.
Mist and fog are natural elements that can enhance the beauty of your photography. Check the weather to determine when fog might pop up. Oftentimes the best lighting for fog photos occurs in the wee hours of the morning or late in the evening after sunset. The low lighting causes a slower shutter speed, which means a shakier camera.
Keep your camera as still as possible or use a tripod. The best places for foggy photos? Open bodies of water and other sweeping landscapes like fields and low rolling hills.
12. Cityscapes
Hovering skyscrapers and diverse skylines are part of what makes cityscapes such attractive photography. For a cityscapes project, try different vantage points across the city to see what works best (think: a popular lookout compared with a more secret locale).
Prepare for an after sunset shoot, allowing the city lights to pop against the dark sky. Remember to use a wide angle lens to cover as much ground as possible.
13. Water (Rain, Ocean)
Whether you’re hoping to create scenes of smooth, flowing water or capture dynamic waves crashing against a seawall, it’s critical to have better than average camera equipment. For nearly every water shot, a tripod is also essential to keep the frame still for the length of the exposure (usually two to four seconds).
Pack along a lens-friendly cloth to remove splashes and water marks. Plan to get wet if you’re banking on a stunning water shot.
14. Seasons
Each season offers its own charms—from snowy branches to colored leaves. Select a location for your seasons project where you’ll snap photos throughout all four seasons. Once the year is complete, you’ll have a collection of stunning images that tell the story of your special place over the course of a year.
15. Star Trails
Spectacular from edge to edge, star trails photography is an adventure to shoot. The first step is to find a clear sky full of stars, but free of pollution and other light interference. Anchoring your camera on a tripod, set your camera to shoot on manual mode. The faster the lens you have, the better.
Once you have your shot prepared, select drive mode for consecutive shots rather than a single frame. With your remote, let your camera take photos for thirty minutes up to a few hours, depending on the length of star trails you’re creating.
Capturing still images with a remote-controlled drone opens up the options for angles and perspectives in your photography. Consider sending a drone above a beach, golf course or mountaintop.
Increase the altitude of your drone for a more impressive viewpoint and try GPS mode for a more stable shot.
17. Food Photography
As a still life technique, food photography requires a few main ingredients: good lighting, props and style. Place your items near natural lighting or use a flash to give the photo a balanced look. When it comes to the arrangement, consider adding in table setting details like plates and silverware.
Amplify the photo’s texture with decorative pieces like colorful fruits and sprigs of herbs. For a well-rounded food photography project, shoot a variety of foods and dishes.
18. Black and White Month
Instead of using the full color spectrum, this project idea prompts you to capture images in black and white only. Two-toned photography provides a different perspective or feel to your work, and gives you a chance to highlight people, places and objects in a novel way.
For instance, a close-up of hands be enticing when displayed in color, but in black and white, the image paints the story that all humankind is united.
19. Everyday Moments
Photos that showcase a slice of regular life contain a certain genuine beauty. When preparing for everyday moment shots, make sure subjects are comfortable. People should interact as if you aren’t even present.
The true magic happens when you’re able to capture two people’s true connection.
20. Random Acts of Kindness
The random acts of kindness project prompts you to capture someone doing something thoughtful or helpful for another person. By photographing these moments, you’re telling a larger story of humanity.
To be successful in this project, you’ll need to keep a keen eye out for small acts of generosity, like a young man holding the door or a little girl smiling at a stranger.
21. Shoes For a Week
Narrow your photography focus for a week by capturing different styles of footwear. From boots to sandals to athletic shoes, diversify your image collection. Be sure to utilize a range of angles to create unique stories for each photo (i.e. a guy lounging with shoes on, two people talking while standing, a woman running).
22. Comfort Zone Challenge
Pushing the limits of your creativity often leaves you with impressive and surprising results. With the comfort zone challenge, throw caution to the wind and experiment without expectations.
Maybe that means you’ll shoot a paragliding experience, a fireworks explosion or animals in action. When you’re snapping shots, play around with your shutter speed, aperture, focal length and movement.
23. 30 Strangers
Taking a photo of someone whom you’ve only just met can be thrilling. It can also be personally and professionally rewarding. Through the 30 strangers project, you’ll capture 30 portraits of people you’ve never met before. Find people on the street, in a shopping mall or at a park.
Be sure to ask each person’s consent first before posting publicly. The 30 strangers challenge will certainly stretch you outside of your artistic comfort zone.
24. Duotone
Duotone photography refers to a multitone production of an image, usually imposed through photo editing techniques. The superimposition of a contrasting color halftone (normally black) over another color halftone enhances the middle tones of an image.
Photographs with one main object, like a flower, seashell or tree, are ideal for creating duotone effects.
25. Perspective
Perspective photography can take many forms: those shot from a low angle, ones with strong leading lines and those that look straight up into the sky. Whether your scene is a railroad track or skyscraper, your image should emphasize the angle and the unique perspective you’re hoping to give the viewer.
Train your eye to notice patterns, lines and reflections you can capture from different angles.
Not only is coffee delicious and rejuvenating, it’s also a work of art. Collaborate with a barista on a latte design or the type of mug to use. Choose a simple backdrop so the coffee remains the focal point.
A dark backdrop is best if you’re aiming to capture the steam rolling off of a warm drink.
27. Create a Photo Album
Let your memories last forever by creating a photo album for a recent vacation, an adventurous summer or a year filled with fun. Design your photo album with a theme in mind to build cohesion. Vary your layouts from page to page for texture and personality.
28. Traffic Lights
When photographing traffic lights and other light trails, the best time is during or after twilight on a night when minimal wind is present. Based on your camera angle and objects, you’ll need to adjust and experiment with your settings.
Often times, shutter priority mode is ideal along with a shutter speed of six seconds. Make stability a non-issue with a tripod, and remember you won’t be using a flash.
29. Happy Days
Allow joy to take the center stage of your photos. Whether they’re candid shots of family members interacting or a single subject, make sure the smiles are natural. Enhance the happiness level by highlighting the subject with ample natural lightening.
30. Photo Scavenger Hunt
Challenge yourself and your fellow photographers by setting up a photo scavenger hunt . Rather than choosing objects and locations to capture, create a list of photography styles to achieve. For instance, your list might include building a motion blur or catching a clear action shot. At the end of your hunt, you’ll have a collection of impressive photographs.
31. Night Scenes
Night scenes, also known as low light photography, allow you to make the most of dark scenes that are hard to capture. When less light is present, it means you’ll also have slower shutter speeds, which equals more camera shake. For this reason, landscapes and long exposures at night time require tripods.
Whether you’re shooting special moments around the campfire or gazing up at the stars, utilize a wide aperture or a low f-number to let in as much light as possible.
32. Polaroids
Polaroids offer a timeless feel and give photos a natural frame. When creating a collection of polaroids, be sure to switch up your angles and perspectives. Try a few upclose shots of objects along with macro shots of mountains and lakes.
For polaroids with human subjects, allow for plenty of natural light and aim for candids.
33. Letters/Signs
With any inanimate object, the challenge with photography is to bring it to life. With letters and signs, try to enrich the shot with the surrounding scene whether it’s greenery or a neat light fixture. Angle your lens in a way that makes the lettering most striking.
Build a full photography project with at least five to ten different signs.
34. Action Shots
To nail a clear action shot—for sports, animals or anything else—the most important aspect is to be prepared. Consider pre-focusing your shot, so when the subject enters the frame, you’re ready.
Because it may take several shots to capture even one solid photo, shoot in short bursts for a few seconds at a time. Keep extra space at either edge of your frame to allow for your subject’s movement.
35. Abstract
Fundamental to abstract photography are lines and curves. The shapes you highlight will guide the viewer’s eye to a certain engaging element. To get up close and personal with an object or design, use a macro lens. With the macro, your photo composition will have clearer resolution and sharpness. Complete your project by gathering a collection of abstract photo pieces.
36. New Lens
Your camera equipment plays a large role in your work as a photographer. Your tools, like your lenses, can fundamentally change the structure your art.
To sharpen your skills, try using a single lense for an entire month. Ideally, the lense will be new to you—allowing you to master the new tool and broaden your photography skills.
37. Architecture
Photographing architecture—whether modern or classic—presents unique challenges. Consider capturing an array of building styles for your portfolio and don’t forget to mix up your angles. Vary your shots by choosing a different weather conditions and times of day.
Through your diversity of shots, you’ll have richer story of the buildings’ relationship with the environment.
38. Thankful
To enhance your gratitude and happiness, consider completing a thankful project where you take one photo every day of something you’re grateful for. From flowers to pets to family members, find subjects that have personal meaning to you.
By capturing what you’re thankful for, you connect deeper with the people, places and things that surround you.
39. Sunday Mornings
Whether you’re enjoying a cup of coffee or a good book, snap a photo every Sunday morning for one month or a year. Capturing everyday occurrences through photography is a form of artistic journaling, helping you to document life’s big and small moments.
40. Top View
The angle of your shot makes all the difference in how appealing and engaging it is. Try a series of photos where your perspective comes from the top. Amp up the creativity by getting higher for your shoot and using a wide angle lens.
A busy environment, like a packed street or active household, can become a striking composition when using a top view perspective because it offers necessary distance from the cluttered setting.
41. Guilty Pleasures
We all have foods and activities we love despite feeling that they might not be held in high regard. Perhaps your guilty pleasure is cream-filled donuts or binge watching reruns of your favorite sitcom.
Collecting images of your guilty pleasures will likely bring you humor and levity, knowing that these items are a part of you, but they don’t necessarily define you.
42. Silhouettes
Forming a distinct contrast between light and dark, silhouettes highlight one or multiple subjects. Ensure your subject is backlit with the sun behind them. The best times to shoot silhouettes are in the morning or late evening.
Build a stunning image by setting the scene with open space, like in a field or along the beach. Set up your camera angle facing the sun, then ask your subject to stand between the sun and you. Play around with the exact angle until you have a strong contrast.
Create a collection of photos shot with prism filters on your lens or by placing a prism in front of your lens. The light that dances off of the prism will add creative effects to your photography by dispersing light before it hits the camera. Secure your camera on a tripod so you can have your hands free to play with the prism and lighting.
Prism photography can include large subjects like nature scenes and architecture or smaller objects like books and candles.
44. Symmetry
Finding subjects that offer you symmetry is the foundational step for this photography project idea. Look for symmetry in architecture and nature, but don’t leave out human and animals subjects. Smaller details, like hands or feet, often make for the perfect symmetrical photo.
Bokeh photography is denoted by one unique characteristic: a blur produced in the out-of-focus area of an image. The blur, produced by a lens, helps direct the focus of the photo. A fast lens is necessary to achieve this technique, with at least an f/2.8 aperture.
With a wide open lens, you can create bokeh with subjects like butterflies, humans and fencing around a baseball field. These photos are perfect for framing around your home .
46. Action Figures
Due to their size, action figures are easy to rearrange and shoot from multiple angles. Bring the scene to life by having the figures interact with each other. If you’re looking for an extra challenge, tell a story through your action figures, like one you would find in a comic book. Include action shots against a simple backdrop.
47. Steel Wool
Although it may seem like steel wool photography would require expensive equipment, it is a surprisingly inexpensive technique. For this project, you’ll need the following: a camera, lens, tripod, shutter cable, steel wool, string, stainless steel whisk, lighter and protective gloves. In a dark location—away from combustible items and other people—burn steel wool that’s loosely packed in a whisk.
As the steel wool burns, spin the whisk either vertically or horizontally to create the desired effect. The burning will only last about ten seconds, so you’ll want to set up for at least five seconds of exposure time. Steel wool photography creates wild and interesting images, but be sure to follow safety precautions to avoid hazards.
To enhance your skills and test out a nifty shooting technique, try macro photography on tiny subjects like insects, match-heads and flowers. Keeping your budget in mind, choose a magnification lens that lets you make super small items appear larger than life. For your macro project, vary your subjects.
Consider nature’s smallest members, miniature household items and up close shots of human elements for your portfolio.
49. Double Exposure
Double exposure, also known as multiple exposure, is a technique that combines two images in a single image. By using double exposure, you can create a distinct effect like a mirror image or ghost-like presence. The layering technique can be done with or without photoshop, depending on your equipment and skill set.
50. Escapism
Photography, like any type of art, can be a form of escapism. Through the camera, we can create images that help us step out of reality and into our daydreams. Prepare for your escapism photography project by thinking of your ‘happy places’ or locations you go to get away.
After brainstorming, head to one of those locations and shoot scenes that offer a mystical aura—whether it’s birds fluttering in the forest or the clouds lifting off of the mountains.
51. Shadow Art
Just as light is a critical element to photography, so is darkness. With shadow art, the focus is placed on the subject as it blocks light from reaching a surface, like a sidewalk or table. Experiment with the angle, distance and size of your light source to alter the intensity and scale of your shadows.
Consider humans as your subjects, but inanimate objects, too, like musical instruments, buildings and action figures.
52. Texture
From brick walls to tiled roofs to wooden fences, textures are all around us. Complete a photo challenge where you take one shot of a textured surface every day. Turn on your auto focus to ensure the object is in perfect focus. Adjust your distance from the subject based on how much detail you want in your image. This idea is perfect if you’re also looking for creative Instagram photo ideas .
Aim for a ninety degree angle when you shoot the image so your texture is lined up straight with the camera.
53. 365 Wardrobe
On each day of the year, snap photos of your clothes before you begin the day. Arrange them differently—sometimes orderly, sometimes more carelessly—to gain a sense of how your mood changed from day to day. Remember to include accessories like purses, shoes, belts and headbands.
54. Suspend Time
Photography is a powerful art medium: it can even pause time. Whether you’re suspending an item with a fishing line or taking a shot of someone jumping, you can create the look of time being stopped. Start this photography project by choosing three items or people you’d like to suspend.
55. Balloons
Bursting with color or more neutral tones, balloons make for versatile props. Let helium balloons off into the sky and capture photos as they float up. Surround the birthday girl with balloons in an otherwise empty room. Or tie a balloon to a child’s wrist and photograph them as they wander through a park.
56. Hotel Carpet
If you travel frequently, the hotel carpet project may be the right kind of fun for you. Next time you’re walking through a hotel lobby, glance down at the carpet beneath your feet. All sorts of patterns and colors are used in hotel carpets across the world. Take a snapshot (ideally at a 90-degree angle) of each carpet for a collection that will help you remember all of the places you’ve been.
Across neighborhoods and cities, doors provide insight to each home’s character. For this photography project, set out on an adventure to collect as many styles and sizes of doors as possible. Choose a macro approach, where the whole door makes the shot, or go micro by narrowing the frame to door handles and styles of wood.
58. Juxtaposition
To build juxtaposition in your photographs, place two opposite subjects next to one another. Like a blue ocean and a green forest, the contrast between the two is noticeable yet stunning. Types of juxtaposition might include a person and their shadow or a thin item next to a thicker item. For this photography project, try several contrasting subjects or locations.
Photos full of irony can be humorous or thought-provoking. Maybe you snap an image of a tow truck hauling another tow truck or you notice a descriptive sign in a place that doesn’t quite seem to fit. When it comes to ironic photos, a keen eye is needed along with a quick wit.
60. Fairy Lights
Fairy lights make for beautiful focal points. You can wrap the lights around a tree, weave them between human subjects or fill mason jars with them. Build a larger scene by ensuring no backdrop distractions are present or capture the fairy lights up close.
Regardless of what subjects and scenes you decide to shoot, proper exposure is crucial.
For this photography project, choose smoke as your primary accent. Incense sticks are easy to use and allow you to play with various colors. Your setup should ensure ample ventilation for the smoke to escape the room. Some photographers merge two photographs (one of the smoke and one of the object) to design a special scene, like one of a toy train blowing smoke or a tea kettle steaming.
62. Vintage Cars
From sporty models to classic town cars, vintage vehicles never go out of style. Look for vintage makes at car rallies and exhibitions, although sometimes you’ll come across them in your everyday happenings. The golden hours, right after sunrise or right before sunset, are ideal for shooting cars. Highlight specific parts, like bumpers, trunks and hoods for diverse perspectives.
63. Faces In Things
You’ve probably seen images that double as a face and another object. In this photography project, you’ll create a similar effect. Take a close look at nature, food and furniture to locate hidden human faces. Compile as many faces as you can, and see if your friends can guess what’s in the images.
Alter your perspective by shooting your subject through a picture frame. The frame technique works best outdoors where you can place ample distance between your lens and your subject. Consider creating scenes with a woman standing on the beach, a tree in an open field or a tall building at the end of a street.
65. Reflections
Any body of water—like a lake, river, pond or swimming pool—can act as your reflective tool for this photography project. You’ll want to avoid direct light on the water to eliminate glare. Practice using reflections on waterfront cityscapes or mountains overlooking a lake.
66. Take My Hand
When you can represent human connection in photography, the emotion of the image is strengthened. Head out on a hike or stroll through a garden to practice photographing two hands linked together.
67. Picception
A relatively new technique, picception images incorporate another camera or photo into the shot. It can be a picture-in-a-picture style or something more subtle like a photograph of someone taking a photograph. While often informal, picception shots can be formal if intentionally designed.
Often eye-catching, neon photos provide a stunning mix of light, shape and color. Whether you’re on the Vegas strip or exploring your hometown at night, take photos of neon signs with your camera’s evaluative meter exposure setting. Choose a low ISO of 200 or 100 to avoid noise. Be sure to place your camera on a tripod for stability.
No matter which photography projects you decide to complete, remember to enjoy the process and save copies of your photos. Design a themed calendar or metal print to showcase your results.
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These 13 Cool Photography Themes Will Motivate Your Work
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Sometimes it takes a little inspiration to get going with photography. Here are 13 of the coolest photography themes to inspire your photographic practice.
Exploring Photography Themes
In photography, a theme is an overarching concept that a photographer adheres to. From black and white photography to night or aerial photography .
Using photography themes is a great way to inspire creativity .
For any artist, working within a theme can change your artistic perspective . It’ll show you new possibilities and solutions to creative problems.
Choosing photography themes also sets you in a decisive direction. It adds authenticity and depth to your body of work and allows you to focus your creative energy.
1. Black and White
Black and white photography (whether it be film or digital ) has a unique beauty . It is one of the oldest and broadest photographic themes out there.
Highlighting form and shape , a black and white theme removes the distraction of color . It reinforces the subject matter and the photographic process.
You could focus on a particular subject or photograph a range of different genres.
Either way, black and white photography unites a succession of photographic images. It ties them together in a visual narrative that emphasizes the building blocks of photographic practice.
Through evolution and culture, color has developed strong ties with our emotions .
Red is linked with passion and love. Blue is the color associated with sadness.
Color photography speaks to our visual understanding of the world.
By focusing on color as a theme, you are appealing to our innate sense of the visible spectrum.
Texture describes the touchability of the environment we live in. We can instinctively develop a sense of how textural something is just by looking at it.
Think of old walls, stones, grass, textiles. Capturing texture cultivates an exchange of information that crosses the boundaries of verbal communication.
Sometimes, to tease out inspiration, a new perspective is needed.
Aerial photography involves the use of an aircraft or drone . You want to capture the world from a bird’s eye view.
We spend most of our lives on the ground, looking up. Aerial photography as a photographic theme provides an interesting approach to depicting the world around us.
It may not sound exciting, but the possibilities of lines are endless once you start to look.
Curved, straight, colored, jagged, leading, broken. Lines behave in a multitude of ways, providing the eye with a path to follow throughout the image.
Try capturing jerky lines to provoke an energetic reading or cool curves to denote a sense of fluidity.
If you are feeling stuck in a rut, adopting a photographic theme based around nature can be really beneficial.
Not only is a nature walk good for your mental health, but it can reveal captivating photographic opportunities too.
A natural theme encompasses a wide range of subject matter and techniques. This means there is plenty of room for creativity.
Set a goal to go for a walk in nature for an hour or two with your camera and see what the natural world has in store.
Defined by the repetition of elements in a photograph, pattern can be found both in nature and in man-made forms.
Photographing patterns draws attention to the fascinating similarities and juxtapositions that make up our world.
Even a group of images based on disrupted patterns cultivates a theme through the subversion of repetition.
Keep an eye out for repetitious details (colors, shapes, specific subjects) that can tie an image together.
It’s amazing how much of our environment is ordered and disordered by pattern.
Macro photography centers around revealing the intricate beauty of our surroundings.
Whether you have a macro lens, a set of extension tubes or reversing rings , you can do macro photography. Use it to explore the make-up of the natural and urban environment.
Try restricting your macro theme to a specific subject. Use insects, flowers or eyes to create a visual study of the unnoticed or unseen.
Food provides us with the energy to go about our daily lives. It also makes for tasty photography themes.
Food can be photographed in a studio , at home or out and about. This makes it a great photographic subject.
It’s also a good excuse to cook/bake/buy yourself some delicious (and visually appealing ) chow.
You could even try flat lay photography. Document the ingredients going into your meal. Bon appetit!
10. Self Portraits
As photographers, we take a lot of photos of people, places and things. But it’s rare that we’ll take the time to turn the lens on ourselves.
Self portraits are a great theme to adopt if you’re looking to work on your portraiture technique . You’ll be able to apply practical skills to a readily available model .
What better excuse to let your light shine both in front and behind the camera?
11. Abstraction
Abstract photography lacks an immediate association with the visual world.
Instead of photographing figurative subject matter, abstract photographers rely on things like light, color, and texture to impart an emotional impression.
Abstraction is a great theme because it’s free from the tethers of the literal.
This means that there is plenty of room to experiment. You can boundaries and capture something unique and visually engaging.
Street photography as a theme can be a challenging but rewarding experience.
Master photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson , Vivian Maier and Saul Leiter have all worked predominantly in the field of street photography .
Offering insight into everyday life, street photography will hone your reflexes, as well as your photographic eye.
Night time photography covers a wealth of photographic techniques and methodologies .
Light trail, star trail , or even street photography can come under the heading of night photography.
Ramp up your ISO , lower your shutter speed , open your aperture , bring a flash , or embrace ambient light . There are numerous ways to combat or embrace dark conditions.
Night time photography makes use of the darkness as a tool to articulate the properties of light.
If you’re ever in need of creative inspiration, or you want to change up your photographic practice, themes are a great way to get things started.
You may re-discover old photographic methods or learn something completely new.
Either way, photography themes are great fun. Pick something from this list and get shooting!
looking for more photography inspiration? Why not check out these articles on how to make a Photography Zine or starting a photography club next!
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22 Photoshoot Theme Ideas (for 2023)
Life changed drastically in 2020, continued to evolve throughout 2021, 2022, and took us into 2023. Our personal lives were impacted, and so was our art – but in the midst of it all, new ideas and interesting trends blossomed.
Here are 22 photoshoot theme ideas for 2023 , all of which are designed to keep you artistically inspired!
Photoshoot Theme Ideas:
Photoshoot Theme Ideas
1. diversity and unity.
Spending time in a pandemic caused much of society to think deeper about a lot of larger issues that plague humankind. This darkness led to unity, and we began to look to our neighbors for community.
With art imitating life and life imitating art, look to diversity and unity as a photo theme in 2023. Show how we are all in this together – and that together is how we make it through.
2. Spacey Projections
These days, many of us look to the stars and wonder about what else might be out there. New technology has added much to photography; we can now incorporate projections and computer renderings into our work.
Why not be inspired by the vastness of the universe and create some spacey projections? Combine images of outer space with portrait subjects, still life subjects, and more!
3. Renaissance Vibes
Looking to the past is always a useful endeavor. The beautiful look of Renaissance Europe is becoming popular, especially as many of us reconnect with old hobbies, like going to Renaissance festivals! So for your next photoshoot, bring out the corsets, puff sleeves, and beautiful embroidered fabrics.
You can combine modern culture and dashes of Renaissance fashion for a great result.
4. Mysticism
The world is shrouded in mystery. Why not turn it into a themed photoshoot?
Even if you’re not someone who personally engages in mysticism, the theme offers so much creative freedom! You can use props, smoke machines, lights, and so many amazing styles to capture jaw-dropping portraits. It’s a great way to break out of a creative funk, plus it’s just a lot of fun.
5. Bold Color
Color is bold, color is energy, color is excitement, color is happiness! All four things can really add so much to your photography. Experiment with bold backdrops, bold hairstyles, and bold makeup. Go wild with those colors!
6. Quirky Products
Let’s get quirky! In 2023, personalities are on full display, and you can see a lot of this in flat-lay product photography. This theme pushes you to think outside of the box. Don’t be afraid to do something weird!
Who cares what people think, right? Breathe funky life into ordinary things.
7. Vintage Throwback
Throwbacks are trendy on social media, primarily because we enjoy living through the past. Grab a vintage camera or play with editing to bring back that retro feeling in your next photoshoot. And when setting up portraits, look for lots of brown and orange tones, and use a flash without a diffuser. You might also consider converting your images to sepia or black and white.
You can see this theme in a lot of current branding photography! Nostalgia is a powerful thing.
8. Let There Be Plants
Slowing down gives you time to become one with nature and appreciate its beauty. Why not create an entire series where plants are as important as your portrait subject? Ask your model to pose with plants, then shoot through flowers and branches to create unique images.
Play with both shallow and deep depth of field , and see what you can create!
9. Natural Beauty
Filters were a popular trend for a long time, but these days, photographers and Instagrammers are more interested in natural beauty. The organic. The everyday.
So try capturing people as they truly are! Highlight that natural beauty!
10. Naps Are Great
For years, we’ve been wanting to normalize naps, and now we have! There are so many fun and silly ways to capture the glorious feeling of a nap, so play around with this enjoyable photoshoot theme idea.
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You can use pillows and blankets to create new compositions, and you can add in some funny poses for some awesome shots.
11. Geometric Light
Geometry has long been prevalent in visual art (humans really thrive off of repetition!). So to make things more interesting, stop capturing traditional portraits and start adding geometric shadows to your photos!
There are lots of ways to achieve this, many of which can be done at home:
- Project a pattern onto a wall or your subject
- Cut out a stencil and place it in front of a light source
- Use blinds in front of a window on a sunny day
12. Cowboys Are Back
In recent months, people have started to focus on their roots and have even become interested in living off the land – an interest that suggests cowboy and western fashion! There really is such incredible beauty in a life of hard work, honor, and pride.
Go out to a ranch and capture life in the wilds of America.
13. Reality Warped
What even is reality, anyway? Mine recently became warped and still hasn’t totally recovered! Take advantage of this feeling, and use unique objects and photo techniques to warp the viewer’s perception of the world.
Try coating a pane of glass with vaseline, then shoot through it. Or maybe throw on a creative filter and have fun coming up with experimental shots. Whatever you do, make it distorted!
14. Capture Ordinary Life
The ordinary became extraordinary during the pandemic, and now that more things have reopened, it’s marvelous to be ordinary. You can capture so many storytelling images that focus on the everyday!
Related Post: Maternity Photoshoot at Home Ideas
15. From Ground Level
Changing our perception is always a good thing, and the beauty of photography is that we can provide audiences with a brand-new vantage point . Why not capture life while lying on the ground? Everything looks different from below!
16. Loving Your Job
Not everyone loves their job, but if you find someone who does, you have to document it! So many passion projects remained unfulfilled during the pandemic, but now it’s time to dive back in. Capture the love of work and those who hustle to keep doing what they love.
17. Chasing after Exploration
If you spend too much time at home, you might start to crave adventure – and where better to find adventure than in the great outdoors? Plan a photoshoot with an exploration-based theme. Show your subjects running across the fascinating landscapes of our world.
It’s also a great excuse to get outside and find something new!
18. Peer inside the Crystal Ball
Lensballs are always fun to play with – and if you haven’t used one in your photos, then you definitely should! Invest in a great lensball , and capture a series of shots in which you peer through its round sphere.
For the best photos, take a look at what others have done and try to come up with ways to make your own lensball photography unique!
19. Activism
How do you reach a place of unity and diversity? Through activism and dedication to spreading a message. That has become such a bold theme lately, and it’s one that matters deeply; why not use artwork to share the messages that matter to you?
20. Paint and Cameras
Mixing traditional art with photography is becoming popular, and it’s building a bridge between two often-separate worlds. Did you know that, for a long time, photography wasn’t even considered art? The medium had to fight hard to earn that title, and to this day, some people don’t consider photography an art form.
Why not merge the two together? Play with paint, play with cameras, and see what you can create!
21. Desert Vibes
Deserts are filled with wonder, they suggest relaxation, and they offer an endless landscape full of beautiful sand. Plan a photoshoot that focuses on capturing desert isolation, one that includes a single portrait subject or maybe just the sparse desert scenery.
Bonus tip: Aim to shoot during the golden hours! Not only will the weather be better for everyone involved, but desert sunsets are also a sight to behold.
22. Blurring Reality with Motion
Certain unique photo techniques are coming back into style, including long exposures that feature beautiful motion blur.
Just set your shutter speed to a second or two (if there’s a lot of light, you may need a good neutral density filter ) and have fun experimenting!
Enjoy Your Themed Photoshoot!
The world is filled with amazing photoshoot theme ideas, and we hope you’ve enjoyed our 22 favorites! Let inspiration take you wherever it may lead, and keep that creativity flowing throughout 2023. Enjoy!
About The Author
Anabel DFlux
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10 Photography Theme Ideas That You Must Try 📸💄
Photography is one of the most exciting and creative fields. Professional photographers use various innovative and unique ideas to stand out.
Though you may use similar subjects and similar settings, you can change the whole game and the feel of the images by slightly changing the photography theme ideas.
It’s almost magical that one photography theme can convey a different story while another entirely changes it.
Suppose you’re a beginner or even a professional photographer. In that case, there are a few trending photography ideas that you must leverage to give your images a different style, different feel, and a different story effortlessly.
In this article:
- Black and White
- Cozy and Vintage
- Bright Yellow
- Faceless Portraits
Top 10 Trending Photography Themes Ideas
We all know how appealing monochromatic themes look. They are eye-catching, soothing, and adoring.
However, the all-red is one of the photography themes trending the most these days.
You can find it in top magazines, social media, product photography, and more.
Maybe it’s so in trend because its relevance to most things is elegant and exciting.
Love, danger, boldness, vibrance, and energy could all be displayed by a photographer using this single-colored theme.
You must have seen magazine covers with a lady in an elegant red dress, with matching red makeup, red pointy heels, red background, and holding a bright red cherry between her fingers.
Such posters and covers almost immediately catch one’s attention.
If you’re a beginner, I can bet that if you include these trending photography ideas in your portfolio, you’d be able to add something powerful and effective to strengthen your profile.
Along with this, it is also necessary that you carefully capture your subject. Since everything from the background to props would be red, your viewers might be distracted by your subject.
Thus, it may require a little patience and practice to master this art.
Using different shades of red may help distinguish between different objects.
2. Black and White
Black and white have been trending in photography for decades now. It is one of those photography ideas that are evergreen.
Whether you’re a product photographer, wedding photographer, or any other – black and white images are a staple.
And, I don’t believe that the black and white photography theme will go out of trend anytime soon. It’s just gaining more and more popularity every day.
Professional photographers use such ideas to reflect an old or vintage feel in the photographs.
The Black and white photography theme is most common when the subjects are women.
As the black and white themes add elegance and grace to the image, the women’s portraits and women’s model photographs are usually taken in black and white themes to add more beauty and sophistication to them.
3. Cozy and Vintage
Most recently, the images frequently seen online are cozy and vintage.
You must have seen many photos with an intentional grainy texture, faded colors, and distortions.
Such images look like they’ve been taken from an old camera.
But the truth is photographers use several filters and photo editing techniques to give images a uniquely cozy and vintage look.
Most of the time, you’ll see such trending photography themes in street photography, candid, landscape, and family photographs.
Many apps can help normal users capture a scene with a vintage feel and have millions of downloads.
Capturing photos in this photography theme makes them appear more precious, expensive, and delightful.
If you’ve been a photographer for a long time, you must’ve come across at least one client asking you to use ‘bubbles’ as their photography ideas.
Bubbles are a trending photography theme, especially when people are looking for something that can enthusiastically fill their precious moments with life.
Using bubbles reflects joy, life, zest, and bliss.
This is among those photography ideas mainly used for events like weddings, birthdays, baby showers, and bridal showers.
You may also find the use of these themes in carnivals and happy street events.
Many makeup product industries use this theme in a contradictory bold photoshoot of their models and products to add a dreamy effect.
It plays a great mix of something very delicate against something very bold and robust, like the shopper’s personality.
No matter if you’re shooting outdoors or indoors. It also doesn’t matter which season it is.
You can use this trending photography theme to achieve any season-based setting.
From top magazines to popular influencer channels, you can see a theme based on seasons everywhere.
Autumn, spring, summer, winter, or rain. Such trending photography ideas are highly lucrative and also mesmerizing.
Have you ever seen an indoor setting with props like fake autumn leaves, snowflakes, or fresh flowers?
Season-themed photography is ubiquitous and popular in fashion, makeup, and skincare photoshoots.
Fashion designers usually demand themes based on the seasons for which they’ve designed the clothes.
When models are on the runway in their summer dresses or winter outfits, the theme has to match accordingly.
Similarly, opt for the relevant theme when makeup or skincare products need to be used in a particular season.
You must’ve seen the photos of models presenting a winter moisturizer dressed and photographed accordingly.
It’s pretty thoughtful and necessary to use these season-based photography ideas.
In simple words, it’s the blurred, out-of-focus lights. But trust me – this effect is just breathtaking!
Beautiful and elegant as it is, this trending photography theme is adored by everyone.
You can achieve this effect by keeping the camera right in front of the tiny lights, using a fast lens, and keeping your camera set with the widest aperture.
It is simply aesthetically appealing. Such kinds of photography ideas are prevalent in street light photography, nighttime photography, couple photography, and sometimes candid photography.
Panning photography is one of the exciting and trending photography ideas.
The effect it gives may look photoshopped. However, it’s not.
What you do here is that you capture a subject in motion where it is reflected as if there’s motion in speed.
Usually, the subject is in focus, and the background is blurred out.
Again, this feeling is not achieved by any photo editing software but during the shoot itself.
If you want to leverage this trending photography theme, you’ll need a monopod or a tripod, different from usual camera settings, patience, and a lot of practice.
8. Bright Yellow
You can’t just beat the energies of yellow. It’s bright, sunny, full of life, and energizing.
It’s perfect for summer photography and can easily be used as the season’s theme.
Sunflowers, a yellow mini summer dress, and a solid yellow photography backdrop are enough to glue your viewers.
This is one of the best trending photography themes that you can use for social media, photography websites, and physical images.
Pastels are trending everywhere. In fashion, in makeup, and now in photography.
This is also one of the in-demand and trending photography ideas.
You can find celebrities wearing pastel-colored clothes and music videos created on pastel-based themes.
The recent trendy music cover of Taylor Swift’s album lover can be seen bursting with pastel colors.
And the not-so-long-ago music video of Sia’s Thundercloud also has a similar pastel effect.
Thus, we can say that pastels are in trend and ready to steal attention.
10. Faceless Portraits
There’s no explanation for how rapidly this trending photography theme is growing.
Faceless portraits are exciting and have been in trend for several years.
They are more artistic and dreamy. If we take the example of a music video again, the video of Cheap Thrills would be the best example to explain its purpose.
It’s fascinating how photographers use different trending photography themes to reflect different ideas and feelings to the viewers.
Being a photographer – amateur or professional – you must keep up with trends.
There are hundreds of trending Photography Ideas and themes from which you can take inspiration and capture unique masterpieces.
If this article helped you, or even if you have more trending photography ideas, do share them in the comments, and I’d love to read them.
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Why and How to Choose a Photography Project Theme
What is a photography theme.
A photography theme – sometimes called a prompt – is a visual element you look for when you shoot. The idea is that it runs through and links the individual pictures in your set or project. What that prompt is, is entirely up to you.
You could also shoot a photography project using one piece of equipment:
The four images below are from a set I shot with the theme circles in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Why choose a photography theme?
You still need the pictures to be good, and so still need to be selective and think about composition, but this is what helps you to refine your eye and improve your standalone shots too.
How to shoot a good set of photographs
Another piece of advice: if you’re struggling to think of a good theme for your project, think about what interests you outside of photography. You might be into classic cars, or street fashion, or Asian typography.
When can I give myself a photography theme?
Even if you build it up casually as an ongoing thing, think where you’ll be with it in a few years time. Think of the book you could put out or the gallery you could put on with your work then.
… p.s. if you have any experience with shooting a themed photography project yourself, let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter . 🙂
2 thoughts on “Why and How to Choose a Photography Project Theme”
Another could be alphabet photography. Find something that represents a letter of the alphabet and then when you are ready, and have finished editing them, put it in a collage.
Absolutely Blake, that’s another good suggestion and idea for a project. They really are endless. 🙂
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Photography Series Ideas
Photography series are seen in a range of unusual styles, but why do so many photographers and Insta bloggers like them so much?
Series photography can help you unlock your potential, improve your photography skills and find your style. This method can be used by photographers of any genre. Here are several photography series ideas that will help you achieve incredible results.
45 Photographic Series Ideas to Inspire
If you are taking your first steps in photography, then photo series projects will be a great start. You can concentrate on one goal and get a consistent series of creative photo ideas . By shooting conceptual photography series, you are growing as a photographer.
1. Take Two Photos to Tell a Story
If you want to tell a story or emphasize similarities, you can create a collage of two shots called a diptych.
This genre will be especially interesting for those who like experimenting with contrasting themes, colors, and various design solutions. Take a look around and you will find many cool photographic series ideas for your diptychs.
You can use elements of architecture, people's faces, nature, various emotions and feelings as the basis for your photo projects.
2. Use Captions or Drawings
If you like to document fleeting moments and write stories, then adding text to your pictures will be a great solution. It can be friends' signatures, wedding capions for photos , quotes, some kind of memory, etc. If typography is not your thing, then try to write ordinary scribbles.
One of the most interesting photography project ideas is to draw things in interaction with the people you shoot. For example, when making a photo series for a family album, you can draw a cartoon character talking to the children.
- Check out more Instagram photo ideas .
3. Take Photos of the Same Place in Every Season
Another good idea is to shoot the same place at different time periods. This can be a bit challenging since you have to photograph the subject under various conditions.
Capture the subject over a long period of time. The longer it takes, the more brilliant the results you get. It can be either one day (for smaller projects) or a whole year.
- Learn more about landscape photography .
4. Capture Different Periods of Your Pet’s Growth
Pets change so fast. That’s why a cool series of photography can be dedicated to the life of your kitten, parrot, puppy, or other pet. Such series of pictures take a long period of time, but the results will be pleasing you for years to come.
5. Shoot Photos of Photos
Take a photo of a photo to emphasize the surroundings. It is absolutely simple: to save money on developing photos, you can use digital pictures. Take Polaroid shots or printed photos to illustrate the changes in a person, create surreal scenes, or show the beauty of your favorite locations.
This type of series photography will help you create peculiar optical illusions and experiment with compositions.
6. Food Scenes
This is one of the best photography series ideas with food. Find a set of model figures to use when shooting. One of the best options would be Hornby 00 gauge figures .
The set has many poses, so it allows you to realize a lot of ideas. You can also purchase Preiser miniatures. The main task is to create a story. For example, you can capture a scene with a climber on a mountain talking with your colleagues below.
- Read about other food photography ideas .
7. Shoot Minimalist Landscapes
Create a series of landscape shots instead of trying to get everything in one frame. Remember to set a long exposure. Use a symmetrical method if you want to make an accent on the simple look of the frame. It is also possible to apply a square crop to embody your ideas photo project. To avoid the difficulties with long exposures and be able to use them at any hour, you should include a strong ND filter in your equipment kit. A tripod helps you prevent camera shake.
- Use a Tiffen 77mm Variable Neutral Density Filter to take a photo of clear water.
8. Show a Tiny World
Shooting toys and models in a real-world situation is one of the most popular photography series ideas. You can easily realize it. Just choose a small prop and carry it with you to take photos in different situations.
Make sure you are close enough to the model to blend it with the rest of the scene. Remember to use a flash if the subject is in shadow. In this way you will add fill-in lighting.
9. Create A–Z pictures
Avoid shooting stock images depicting letters in road signs and shop fronts. It’s better to pick up shapes and objects resembling the alphabet. Consider such photo series examples like the curve of the rivers creating an S-shape or the frame of swings forming the letter A.
10. Depict Numbers 1–100
This idea photography series is similar to the previous one. You can capture objects illustrating the numbers 1 to 100. Pay attention to your surroundings and you'll find it's possible to photograph elements which add up to every number or objects resembling numbers.
11. Include Faces in Interesting Places
Among the many interesting photography series ideas, this one is definitely worth your attention. But to achieve it, you'll need to train your eyes to notice the ‘faces’ which are formed by usual objects; for example, a pair of bath taps or anything like that. Check the Faces in Places blog to get a dose of inspiration.
12. Use Light Orbs
Your photo series can benefit from light painting. Take a string of battery-powered LED lights and wrap them around a hula hoop. Then spin it in front of a tripod-mounted camera. In case you are taking a picture of yourself, consider the self-timer function. You will have time to pose yourself well before the exposure starts.
- View more night photography ideas .
13. Use Mixed Techniques
This sketchbook was done for an AS Photography project and it presents the topic of "Unknown and Forbidden".
Mixed media photography techniques will easily add another dimension to your shots. Also, they can assist in exploring conceptual photography series ideas.
14. Redraw a Part of a Frame
This technique resembles the previous one. However, it involves more than using just painterly colors or textures in a picture. Look at the example on the left.
Part of the digital picture was erased and then replaced with an image painted by hand. Many students have great drawing and painting skills. Using such techniques is a nice opportunity to show your own talents.
15. Place Objects on Top of Images
This technique becomes more and more popular for realizing creative photo shoot ideas. Retaking shots of shots is similar to scanning. Feel free to use this method when the nature of the added elements can’t be scanned. It will be also suitable when you are eager to use alternative angles and other techniques to change the picture more.
16. Take Pictures with a Monochrome Lens
Many photographers do not pay much attention to black and white shots. However, such pictures have great creative and emotional potential. Create a monochrome series of photo to emphasize contrast and expose feelings. Thanks to this kind of series, you can take a fresh look at your familiar environment and improve your creative abilities.
- Find inspiration from amazing examples of black and white photography .
17. Shoot Water Drop Splashes
This is one of the best creative photo shoot ideas to provide you with incredible results. Fill the liquid container, start moving, and then let a few drops fall through the hole. Take a picture of the splash.
Make sure you have correct shutter speed settings to get perfect results. I recommend that you try this combination: two flashguns with the settings set to 1/128; the aperture should be set to f/22. To get a more viscous liquid, use water with xanthan gum.
18. Indoor Splash Photos
To realize this series photo idea, you need to stock up on the necessary props and equipment. You should have a colored background. Don’t forget about a flash with the ability to be controlled remotely.
A transparent container and a tripod are also important. Arrange everything and then put the flash on the container. The camera must be mounted on a tripod.
Adjust the following settings: ISO is 200, an aperture is f/8, and shutter speed should be at the maximum. Throw the subject into the water and capture it.
19. Play with Smoke
Still-life photogs love using smoke effects while shooting. However, I suggest going beyond the usual frame and working on one of the photography series themes in Photoshop with the use of shapes.
The next step is to apply the blending tool to Screen and reshape the image using the Warp Transform. Go on until you create a new picture from a series of smoke shots.
- View more about smoke bomb photography .
20. Experiment with Cross-Polarization
The essence of this series photos idea is to use a specific effect that we can observe when polarized light affects some plastics. For this project, you need to have two polarizing filters. I recommend using a piece of polarizing film as one of them.
Place the film in front of a single light source or on a lightbox. If you do not have polarizing film, you can use the screen of your computer or iPad. As a rule, such screens have a built-in polarizing filter.
Create a white document so that it fills the screen and use it instead of the film. Next, you should position the circular polarizer on the lens and move it until you see colors in transparent plastic objects.
- Use a Tiffen 58MM Circular Polarizer to achieve this effect.
21. Icy Flowers
Put the flowers in a plastic reservoir with de-ionized or distilled water. It is possible to buy de-ionized water at home appliance or auto stores. To prevent flowers from floating, you must affix them to the surface or add weight to them.
Freeze the containers and then remove the pieces of ice. Put them in a transparent glass or bowl and place it on a white sink or dish. Arrange everything so that the light is reflected from below.
- Check out more creative still life photography ideas .
22. Create Oil Abstracts
Create unique abstracts by capturing oil floating in water. This method is based on the distorting qualities of bubbles and oil and their ability to emphasize colors. This is one of the simplest photography projects for beginners.
You should put some drops of oil in a glass container with water. The dish should be 25cm above the surface. Lay the colored paper underneath and light it with a flashgun.
23. Take Close-Ups in the Kitchen
Use the space of your kitchen to create a close-up photo series. There are many reflective surfaces that can be used as a background for your pictures. Thanks to a low depth of field, you can take awesome shots even with the most ordinary things.
For example, you can create a stunning triptych that you can use as a decoration in the kitchen. However, before shooting, you should definitely consider how good everything will look together.
24. Use Light Trails
Create an unusual still-life picture series by using light trails. Take an ordinary torch and remove its end so you expose the bulb and get more direct light. Stick a colored sweet wrapper to it with electrical tape.
Shutter speed should be set to 30 seconds. The aperture is approximately f/8. Before you press the shutter, you should begin moving the light source.
25. Landscape Projects
Take some landscape photos while walking to bring to life your incredible photography series themes. You need less than half an hour to get enough fragments for your composition.
Do not use complex settings and filters. Also, do not take a tripod with you. Set Aperture Priority mode and capture everything that attracts you.
26. Starlight Sceneries
Without a clear sky, photographing star landscapes is almost impossible. Try to choose a time when there is no moon in the sky. This way, you can get detail in the entire sky in one exposure.
You must also take care of the required shutter speed as it affects the blurriness of the picture. In this case, I recommend taking pictures in Manual mode.
Two-second shutter speed and high enough ISO will also contribute to the quality of your starlight photography series ideas. The aperture should be at least f/4 but f/8 is preferable.
27. Find Textures
To get a great series of photos, you don’t need to look for places and objects for a long time before you start shooting. Take a look around. You can find inspiration even in the parking lot.
Bring your DSLR camera with you and you can see a lot of interesting textures, shapes, patterns for your projects.
28. Benefit From Optical Illusions
These types of photography project theme ideas are based on playing with the perception of objects of different sizes in one picture. Capture the subject so that it seems as if he/she is interacting with someone or something significantly larger than him.
Place the second object in the background to get the desired effect. To enhance the result, use a small aperture.
- Check out more photo manipulation ideas .
29. Think of 360-degree 3D Panoramic Shots
Innovative technologies make it possible to perform different digital picture manipulation techniques using cameras. For instance, you can combine numerous images taken from various angles into 360-degree pictures. Pay attention as some devices have two different lenses to produce a 3D effect in series photos while others feature only one.
30. What About Aerial Photography?
If you are looking for creative photography project ideas, then kite aerial photography certainly deserves your attention. It involves lifting a device with a kite using a DIY or purpose-built ring.
In this case, the shutter is triggered automatically or remotely. Such a technique is quite challenging and not very safe. However, it allows you to experiment with different camera angles and height. As a result, you will get attractive pictures similar to those by Pierre Lesage.
- Check out the best aerial photography drone for ideas like this.
31. Try a Tilt-Shift Effect
This photography list of ideas includes the 'toy-town' effect. You can get it applying an expensive tilt-shift lens or using Photoshop (PS). Just open PS and blur everything except a small area in the picture. To make the photo look more convincing, photograph the scene from a high point on a cloudless day. In this way, you can accentuate the village look of the model.
32. Steel Wool on Fire
Many famous photo series involve using fire. But make sure you have no flammable objects by your side. Shoot only in an open area. Weave thin wire wool into a metal whisk and fasten this to a chain.
Next, set the wool on fire and spin it. Ask some brave volunteer for help and prepare a tripod. Set an exposure of about 15 secs at f/11 and ISO 100.
- Use Red Devil Steel Wool to achieve a similar effect.
33. Alternative Car Trails
A car may help you realize photography project theme ideas. You can take photos from a moving car at night when your friend is driving slowly along a well-lit road. The exposure should be 30 seconds. Fix the tripod to the passenger seat. Use a remote release to trigger the shutter.
34. Subtle Motion Effect
For this idea you need to prepare a series of animated GIFs featuring subtle motion. Of course, such an option requires working in Adobe PS as well as capturing videos rather than pictures. Anyway, the result will be impressive.
Prepare a tripod, which must remain still during shooting. Select a scene where shifting objects are looping or continuous.
Such a trick will help hide the start and stop points in the finished video. A subtle movement like a breeze blowing the leaves on a tree will be great.
35. Achieve a Lo-Fi Look
You can easily bring to life any photography series themes using Lightroom or Photoshop. But if you want to achieve a more authentic look, then think of the style you want your pictures to have.
Lo-fi effects can change any shot in an interesting way. They work well with plain, graphic subjects that are very simple to recognize.
36. Try the Time-Lapse Technique
Not all shooters have time to practice time-lapse photography regularly. But you should try it to understand what results you can expect.
37. Experiment with Burn Photographs
High school students have a wide choice of photography assignment ideas. They can also experiment with scratching or burning negatives before or after printing shots.
Look at the pictures taken by Lucas Simões . He targets the faces and leaves a single eye. Mind, using such dangerous techniques is possible only with care and under the supervision of a teacher or adult.
- Read more about famous photographers .
38. Join Pictures
Lisa Kokin prepares an interesting series of photos. She takes various unrelated pictures and stitches them together. The shooter fabricates a relationship and creates a fancied life using this technique.
39. Use a Wrap of Torn Plastic
Try to realize photography series ideas in an unusual way as Jessy David McGrady does. He takes a plastic sandwich bag with a hole torn in the side. Then the shooter places the ring of plastic around the camera lens.
He leaves rough and slightly crunched edges. They are visible through the viewfinder but do not hide the whole image. As a result, the picture acquires a seductive and ethereal atmosphere.
40. Consider Using a Prism
A series photo will look even more interesting if you place a prism or a convex lens in front of the camera. As a result, great reflections, ‘bokeh’ and distortions will appear.
Mind that the results are always unpredictable, but when they work they look impressive. All in all, you will be able to play with light and color, producing more unusual photos.
41. Try to Unfocus Lights to Get ‘Bokeh’
Takashi Kitajima likes creating a unique series photo. The shooter takes urban landscapes photos of Tokyo at night. As a rule, the composition features only one focused area that is surrounded by glowing 'bokeh'.
It is achieved in various ways, using different lenses. Bokeh appears unintentionally in the background.
42. Through Visible Handheld Lenses
These pictures were created with the help of circular lenses. The shooter distorted and inverted crowd scenes through them. The lens frame becomes the main compositional element. It creates blurred and abstracted figures which are split into strokes of undefined color.
43. Create a Vortograph
Alvin Langdon Coburn was one of the first shooters who took abstract shots and presented a sequence of photos that tell a story. Such a picture is called a vortograph and is taken through a triangular tunnel of three mirrors.
44. Experiment with Projecting Shots
Pictures can be combined not only digitally. It is possible to project one shot across a three-dimensional form to create a close interaction between two separate scenes.
As a result, the projected photo becomes blurred because it bends around a 3D form. Deciding to project pictures onto people is a cool way to boost your abstract photography skills.
45. Explore Underwater Photography
Everyone who is searching for sequence photography ideas can get an incredible dose of inspiration looking at Elena Kalis’ works. Her fantastic quality of underwater pictures will help you discover more abstract photography ideas.
- Learn underwater photography tips .
46. Always Edit Photos Before Posting
No matter what photos you took, always use Photoshop (skin retouching, digital drawing, background replacement) and Lightroom (color correction, adding text or frames) to enhance photos before posting in Instagram or another platform.
If you don't have time or skills to make it on your own, outsource photo editing to professionals.
FREEBIES for Editing Series of Photos
One of the most important aspects of photo series is consistent image post-production. You will be able to achieve it easily with the help of the presets and actions presented below.
Black and White LR Preset "Brighten"
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Check your email to download freebies. (approx. 1-2 min)
Apply this filter to urban pictures. It perfectly matches cityscapes, making an accent on buildings and skyscrapers. Regulating basic parameters, it provides fantastic results.
Lightroom Cross Process Preset "Cold"
Lightroom cross process presets will appeal to shooters who want their series photos to have slight shadows as well as soft textures. These are cold and moody filters that reduce warm photo tones. So, choose this preset for street style images or pictures where a sudden moment is captured.
Lightroom Film Preset "Toning Warm"
If you want to make children's series of photos, fine arts, and women’s portraits look warm, then select this filter. It adds gentleness and a special coziness to the picture.
Fashion Action Photoshop "Brighten"
You can transform a boring pic into a real masterpiece with this action. Thanks to it, colors will become brighter and balanced.
Free Photoshop Action Matte "Chocolate"
With chocolate toning, narrative photography series will become warmer, softer, and more atmospheric. You can achieve such a result with this PS action. A chocolate shade matches well with portrait, wedding, fashion or kids' shots.
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Although there are an infinite combination of topics for themes, there are two basic types of themes in literature: major and minor. A major theme is the central message of a story.
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