Photography is an art that is not everyone’s cup of tea. It would be best if you have some practice to make it perfect and become a professional photographer. You should learn some photography ideas for beginners that help you discover the techniques that could lead you towards clicking excellent photographs without any flaws. No doubt, practice makes a man perfect, so you should keep trying, learning, and clicking random photos and follow some useful photography techniques to enhance your photography skills. Improved photography skills will let you click amazing pictures and allow you to increase your fan following and earn some money.
This article has provided you with some amazing photography ideas that are considered best for noobs, i.e., the people learning photography skills. These are very easy ways to click photos, but still, it will be a challenge to click perfect images. Before acting upon these photography ideas, you should make sure that you are comfortable holding a camera. You must be confident when you hold the camera for clicking pictures, and your hand should not shake. Plus, you should always click the photos from a camera you are comfortable with. Enhancing your photography skills will help you capture every moment you enjoy.
- Top 30 Photography Ideas for Beginners
- 1. Get a Starburst
- 2. Blurred Background
- 3. Choose Gorgeous Portraits
- 4. Capture Still Life Images
- 5. Rule of Thirds
- 6. Capture Image from Above
- 7. Capture your Family’s Pictures
- 8. Shoot Self-Portrait
- 9. Consider Crowd
- 10. Capture Moving Vehicle’s Pictures
- 11. Try Animals
- 12. Flowers Images
- 13.Capture Sunset and Sunrise
- 14. Fireworks
- 15. Lovely Weather
- 16. Consider Capturing Cityscapes
- 17. Shoot at Night
- 18. Consider Panoramic Picture
- 19. Use a Long Exposure
- 20. Capture with Reflections
- 21. Clean Rooms
- 22. Shiny and Modern Cars
- 23. Capture Textures
- 24. Capture Some Toys
- 25. High-Speed Photography
- 26. Shoot a Refractive Photo
- 27. Capture Family Events
- 28. Coffee Pictures
- 29. Click Food Pictures
- 30. Capture Splash Shots
- BONUS SECTION: Photography Tips and Tricks for the Beginners
Top 30 Photography Ideas for Beginners
The beginners are always looking for easy ways to lead them towards professionalism. Here are some of the best photography ideas for beginners that will help them to enhance their photography skills:
1. Get a Starburst
What is this?
Getting starburst is considered one of the best ideas for beginners as it provides great effect to your images. It is like a pattern of rays or lines that radiate from any light source, such as the sun. You can make the image eye-catching and attractive when shooting in the sun to create the starburst effect.
What you’ll need?
You need a small aperture to get a starburst effect in your images. You need to reduce lens flare by partially blocking the light source, i.e., the sun. The purpose is to reduce its intensity. If it is difficult to block the sun, you can capture the image with the sun low on the horizon. Make sure the lens are clean and the filters are removed. In short, you can create this effect by pointing the lens at the sun or any bright source of light.
2. Blurred Background
What is this?
Clicking the images with blurred background is one of the best and common photography ideas for learners. The photos with the blurred background are the ones in which the background is unclear, but the main subject is clear and focused. You can grab attention to your subject by blurring the background. Some people do it by using editing software, but you can also do it with any lens that you have.
What you’ll need?
First, you need to select the aperture priority mode and the smallest f-value if you are using a DSLR camera. Come closer to the subject and make sure the background is far away from the subject so you can easily make it blur. Hold the camera still, focus clearly on your subject, and click the photo.
3. Choose Gorgeous Portraits
What is this?
You need to choose gorgeous and attractive portraits to capture images as a beginner. It means you aim to capture the personality of an individual or a group by using effective posing, backdrops, and lighting. This type of photography can be clinical or artistic.
What you’ll need?
For portrait photography, a large window with some natural light looks perfect, but this light is not coming directly from the sun. You need a longer lens and alter the aperture to capture such images. You can click window portrait images if there are many big windows in your house that guide the light towards you. The photographer should have the window at his back to bring the light onto the subject’s face. More shadows will be added to the image, giving it more dimension and depth.
4. Capture Still Life Images
What is this?
You can capture creative images with the help of still life photography. It involves items that do not move and stay still in their place, such as a bottle, vase, skull, etc. This type of photography also involves capturing cooking items, food, decorative items, etc., that do not move independently.
What you’ll need?
First, you need the things that are still and a Speedlight. Adjust the intensity of light and focus on your subject. Close-up and macro lenses will help to click creative still-life images. You should make sure that the sunlight is not directed towards the subject. Click the photo when the light is soft and even.
5. Rule of Thirds
What is this?
The rule of thirds is best for beginner photography as you need to imagine that your picture is divided into nine equal sections, with two vertical and two horizontal lines. This method places the subject in the right of the left third of a picture by leaving the other two-thirds more open. It helps you to click well-composed, compelling and attractive images.
What you’ll need?
To create a pleasing composition, you will need to place your subject on the right-third or left-third of the frame. Turn your camera’s rule of thirds grid to capture images using this photography rule. Focus on the subject before shooting.
6. Capture Image from Above
What is this?
Capturing the image from above means clicking the photo from a great height from the subject. The image should not be clicked by standing in front of the subject; instead, change the angle and switch the camera up a bit. It will let you click on interesting images.
What you’ll need?
You need to switch your camera up a little bit from the usual angle. Get above your subject, focus on it and shoot down! If there is a sunny day, you can capture the shadows above that will add a twist to your images. If the subject is lying on the bed, you can capture the image by sticking the camera to the ceiling. Make sure you capture the whole subject in such pictures.
7. Capture your Family’s Pictures
What is this?
Family pictures may include the images of your parents, siblings, husband, wife, children, etc. You can capture their amazing moments, especially the mood swings of your kids. You can use your camera to capture their emotions and lovely moments.
What you’ll need?
For capturing the family pictures, you need a good quality camera. It can be a DSLR or your phone’s camera. Make sure you do not turn the flashlight on when capturing the images of children because it might affect their eyes. The same is the case with older people; they do not click their pictures with the flashlight on. Use natural lighting to click perfect family pictures.
8. Shoot Self-Portrait
What is this?
Self-portrait photography means clicking your own photos but not selfies. It is like a person capturing a photo of himself by himself using the back camera of your phone or DSLR. This picture is better than the one on your driver’s license or passport.
What you’ll need?
You need a high-quality camera to capture self-portrait pictures. You need to turn the timer on to click such photos. You may also need a stand used to carry the camera where you place your camera by selecting the right angle and setting the timer. The image is clicked automatically. You can also shoot self-portrait images in the mirror by holding the camera in your hand.
9. Consider Crowd
What is this?
A crowded place can be defined as a place where there are many people. You can capture pictures of the people that are partying. It might be a bachelor party, wedding ceremony, prom night, dance at the bar, or another party. Capture the moments’ people are enjoying.
What you’ll need?
You need to visit a party, use your camera and capture the crowd without focusing on their faces. You can capture the hands of the people when in the air while dancing. Make sure you use a wide lens to capture the crowd. Such lens must have the widest range of about 24mm. Moreover, avoid built-in flashlight because it results in creating unflattering images.
10. Capture Moving Vehicle’s Pictures
What is this?
The moving vehicles may include a fast-moving car, bus, train, etc. You can capture a perfect image when the vehicles are moving at a fast speed, and you capture the smoke coming out of them. This type of image also includes focusing on the moving object and blurring the background.
What you’ll need?
First, you need to slow down the shutter speed to capture the moving vehicles. Do not forget to pre-focus the shot and get ready for your subject to enter the frame. After two or three tries, you will get the perfect shot. You can try capturing the image in bursts to maximize the chance of capturing your subject, i.e., the moving vehicle.
11. Try Animals
What is this?
Animals are a part of nature, and capturing their images is good for beginners. It is one of the easiest ways to learn photography skills. You can never go wrong with photographing the animals. Click their candid images.
What you’ll need?
You need to focus on the eyes of the animals while capturing their images. Make sure the animals fit in the frame. You can get the best results from extremes go either standing back or getting up close. Focusing on animals’ eyes let you capture amazing picture as they are considered great focal points.
12. Flowers Images
What is this?
The flowers are considered the best part of nature. You can capture the images of the flowers present in your house or a park or garden. You can either capture the picture of only one flower or multiple flowers blooming together.
What you’ll need?
For capturing the attractive images of flowers, you need to focus on the center of the flower. Try shooting the flowers with bright colors. Make sure you simplify the background and fill the frame. Use a macro lens for capturing flowers’ pictures. It would be best to capture the water droplets on the flower by focusing on these droplets.
13.Capture Sunset and Sunrise
What is this?
Capturing the sunsets and sunrise is the best way to enhance your photography skills. When you wake up early in the morning, capture the moment when the sun is rising. No doubt, it seems very beautiful. Moreover, capture the moment when the sun is setting, and the nighttime is going to start.
What you’ll need?
First, you should set a reminder for the time of sunset and sunrise to capture these beautiful moments. Clean your lens and sensors before capturing the images. Do not focus on the sun because the best sunset pictures have the effects of the sun rays on nearby objects. A digital camera is best for sunrise and sunset pictures.
14. Fireworks
What is this?
Fire is a unique element for beginners who want to learn photography and become a pro photographer later. You can capture the images when you lighten the fire using the woods. You can also capture the moments when people are playing with the fireworks. Fireworks are devices that are used for entertainment and aesthetic purposes that display light and noise.
What you’ll need?
You need a digital camera or a mobile device that has a high-quality camera. Plus, you need to get on the spot early to capture the fireworks. Wide lenses are best for capturing fire images. Using a tripod is best for shooting the fireworks in D-movie mode. You need to set your camera to a low ISO, and the aperture should be f/11. Set the camera to Bulb instead of choosing a shutter speed.
15. Lovely Weather
What is this?
Lovely weather can be considered the day when it is a cloudy day or about to rain. You can capture the images of the sky or buildings showing nature and the lovely weather. Click the pictures on a rainy day, snowy day, windy day, etc.
What you’ll need?
If you are capturing the images of rainy weather, make sure your camera bag is dry. Wear a poncho or keep a camera bag with you that will protect your camera from rainwater. You may also need a tripod that helps create a dramatic effect on your images. Plus, it also eliminates the risk of camera shaking. Make sure you use a higher ISO value for coping with the low light. Fast shutter speed is best to capture lovely weather pictures.
16. Consider Capturing Cityscapes
What is this?
A cityscape can be defined as the visual appearance of an urban area or a city. You should capture the pictures of the busy city when there is traffic on the roads. You can also capture the images of the city at night when all the lights are lightened up. It is the most beautiful view of a city.
What you’ll need?
First, you should find a good and suitable vantage point. You need to focus on the elements that are making the location unique. You can also focus on the corner of any building and take some amazing shots in the blue hour or golden hour. Use a low ISO and small aperture.
17. Shoot at Night
What is this?
Shooting at night is one of the coolest methods to click the beautiful images for beginners. It becomes difficult to click the perfect picture when there are too many colors in the background and the subject. So, it is best to click the images at night to consider capturing the images of beautiful buildings, bridges, parks, etc.
What you’ll need?
First, you need to choose a dark place to click amazing photos. It is recommended to use a tripod and slow shutter speed for capturing night mysteries. You can also capture the light trails and traffic lights in the night using your camera. Consider landscape angle to click such pictures.
18. Consider Panoramic Picture
What is this?
A panoramic image can be defined as a picture captured with a wide-angle technique. The image is captured either vertical or horizontal. This effect allows you to capture the scene that cannot fit in the frame. In other words, a panoramic picture is one that is super wide.
What you’ll need?
First, you need to open camera settings on your mobile device. Choose Panorama and hold the phone steady. Touch the shutter icon and pivot in only one direction. If you have a DSLR, you need a tripod to click the panoramic image. Use wide-angle lenses for panoramic photography. Move the camera right and left in vertical mode and ensure you are far away from the subject.
19. Use a Long Exposure
What is this?
Long exposure can be defined as a photography technique in which the shutter of the camera is left open for a long period. The resulting image captures the trail of moving objects in front of the camera. You can apply this technique to capture road pictures.
What you’ll need?
You need to turn your camera’s mode dial to Bulb or Manual shooting mode. Make sure you use slow shutter speed to get a long exposure. You can use the self-timer of the camera or a cable release for taking the image without blurring it. Rivers, fountains, waterfalls, and oceans are best for long exposure pictures.
20. Capture with Reflections
What is this?
Mirror images are considered fun to capture. Capturing the pictures with reflection lets you enhance your photography skills where the reflection of the buildings or nearby items is shown in the water. You should capture the reflection as well as the real buildings near the water.
What you’ll need?
You need to select a perfect thing that could reflect a lot of light, such as water. A perfect reflection is unnecessary, and you can also click the pictures with a blur reflection of the subject. Use the polarizer filter when capturing reflections pictures. Try to get close and get to as low of an angle as possible.
21. Clean Rooms
What is this?
Clean rooms always attract people towards it. The images of the tidy rooms and apartments look clear and eye-catching. No doubt, a clean room is an achievement for a person because no one has enough time to keep the apartment clean due to a busy routine.
What you’ll need?
First, you need to clean your room but if you do not have that much time, find a small area of your apartment, clean it and capture its images. You can also capture the image of your gaming PC setup, a huge dining table, or a table next to the window. Make sure you use a wide lens to capture this kind of image. Shoot in front of a bright window and embrace cleanliness.
22. Shiny and Modern Cars
What is this?
The shiny cars and other shining vehicles catch the people’s eye a lot. If you want to learn photography skills and attract your followers to your photography, you should capture images of modern cars that look amazing.
What you’ll need?
For this purpose, you need to find a new and shiny car. If you do not have one, capture the pictures of your friend’s car or go to the showroom for this purpose. It would be best to capture the pics of a shiny black car with a digital camera. Choose the background carefully as it would be best if it is sunset time of sunrise. No angle is specific for car photography.
23. Capture Textures
What is this?
Capturing textures is included in abstract photography, which involves capturing the lines, curves, and textures. You can capture the images of the surfaces and areas that contain some interesting textures, colors, and patterns without including the larger context that could identify the exact location of that area.
What you’ll need?
To capture the textures, you need to use a macro lens. You need to focus on the unusual shapes. You need to get close to the specific area you want to capture and focus on the subject. It would be best to find innovative ways to look at an object to be viewed in different contexts. You can also use abstract photography techniques to convey a particular message.
24. Capture Some Toys
What is this?
If you have kids in your house, there must be kids in it. You can capture the images of the toys by arranging them so that they do not create a mess. Capture the image of the toys of your kids. You can also capture the image of your kids when playing with the toys. In this way, you can capture the moods of your kids as well.
What you’ll need?
Make sure the background is not messy. A soothing background seems perfect for shooting pictures of the toys. Consider natural light for clicking such images as you can place the toys near the window from where the sunlight could be directed towards the toys. Turn the flashlight on, get near the subject and click the image.
25. High-Speed Photography
What is this?
High-speed photography can be defined as capturing the past moments in just a fraction of seconds that it sometimes becomes difficult for our eyes to see. Common examples of this kind of photography include moving a train at fast speed, bursting a balloon, etc. You can capture your favorite subjects that are moving fastly. It is like freezing a particular scene in motion and recording it with your camera.
What you’ll need?
The best way to click the picture of a high-speed object is to use the Burst mode present in the camera. You need to set the camera to high-speed burst mode and change its mode to manual mode. Make sure the shutter speed is 1/125. You may also need to attach the master flash with the camera.
26. Shoot a Refractive Photo
What is this?
Refractive pictures are those that are captured with a refraction effect. It includes the images where the light is bent in water, glass, or any other surface to make the subject look larger than its original size. The object may also seem very small than its actual size of distorted. These are images that can be mind-bending, creative, and eye-catching.
What you’ll need?
You need to set the shutter speed to 1/250s to click refractive images. Ensure the camera ISO is set to 640, and the flashguns are around 1/32 power. The aperture should be set to around F11. When the light hits the background, it will refract through the drops of water.
27. Capture Family Events
What is this?
Capturing the images of family events is one of the best photography ideas for beginners. You can capture the photos of your family members that may include your parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, siblings, cousins, etc. These images share a very positive vibe and are very easy to capture.
What you’ll need?
You need to gather your family members in a single place. It can be the dining table where all the members gather to have dinner together. Make sure all the people are talking and enjoying with each other when you click the image because you should capture the happy moments. Make sure the aperture is between f/2 and f/4. A wide lens will be perfect if you click the picture of a single member.
28. Coffee Pictures
What is this?
Clicking the images of coffee before drinking it is also a good photography idea for beginners. You can show your creativity in coffee art and share it with your friends and followers. If you do not like drinking tea, you can click the coffee pictures of others, such as your friends. Latte art of the coffee is very famous for letting you draw different shapes at the top of the coffee.
What you’ll need?
You need to shoot the coffee picture at your lowest aperture. You might also need a ripple maker to make shapes on your beverage, such as coffee. An angle of 45 degrees is preferred for coffee photography. You can also move the coffee cup and shoot it from different angles, but make sure you focus on the beverage.
29. Click Food Pictures
What is this?
You can click the pictures of the food you eat. No matter if it’s homemade food or fast food. Food photography is considered the best way to learn photography skills for the foodies. They are fond of eating no matter what type of food it is. It might be Chinese, Thai, Desi, etc. You can also click the fruits, vegetables, and dry fruits images.
What you’ll need?
You need to set the ISO to the lighting conditions around you. It would be best if you set to aperture to f/4.5 to f/8. You should set the shutter speed at most 1/40th of a second. Make sure you use a tripod to click food images. Never forget to focus on the food and keep it in the center of the frame.
30. Capture Splash Shots
What is this?
Splash shots are the ones when you throw something into the liquid, such as water or juice, and no drop comes out, but the water drops go upward. It only happens if you throw a solid object into the liquid. It would be best if you chose an effective background.
What you’ll need?
You need to prioritize the shutter speed for capturing the splash shots. You can set the shutter speed to 1/1000 of a second. Make sure you use Manual mode if you want to control the light source. To capture the splash shots, fill a container with water and put fruit like an apple. Make sure you set low ISO values and use smaller F-stop numbers like f/8. Throw a solid object into the container and click the image to capture the splash shot.
BONUS SECTION: Photography Tips and Tricks for the Beginners
Use an Existing Camera
Buying a new camera is not important to learn photography skills. You should use the camera you already have. Undoubtedly, modern cameras provide better results, but they are very costly. The entry-level in the photography field is DSLR which lets you capture amazing and beautiful images. You must know about the camera setting and must have creative skills that should not be limited to a particular camera.
Focus on Light
One of the most important things to consider to capture amazing photos is to focus on the light. Make sure the light is good if you want to capture a good picture. The intensity of the light must be balanced between the background and the subject. So, you should pay attention to the softness and direction of the light. Make sure the light is not too harsh.
Know The Right Time to Use Flash
You should know about the right time to use the flashlight. Not all images require a flashlight, such as capturing the images of children in daylight does not require a flashlight. No doubt, the flashlights are considered best to get some extra light. You can fill the shadows using a gentle flash. Do not direct the flashlight towards the subject; instead, direct it towards the ceiling or the wall so the light can spread in the room.
Try Something Innovative
You should always try new ways of photography and try innovative ideas. More photography experiments result in making it more exciting. It becomes boring to take similar photos repeatedly, so you should try something creative from time to time. Try macro photography and some lighting techniques to enhance your photography skills.
Spend Time with Other Photographers
If you want to learn photography skills and become a professional photographer, it would be best to spend some time with other photographers. Notice the techniques they use to capture the image. Check the angles they set while clicking the photo. Learn new photography techniques and tips from other photographers.
Capture What You Love
You should capture the images of the things you love. For example, if you are a nature lover, you should click the pictures of nature such as waterfall, mountains, rainy weather, snow, etc. It will let you focus more on photography, and you will capture those images with a heart, which will add more value to the pictures. Similarly, if you are a foodie, capture the images of the food you love.
Pay Attention to Reflections
You should pay great attention to the reflections and capture such images because they create an amazing effect in the picture. So, you should make great use of reflections. For example, capture the mountains’ images near water and include the shadow in the picture. Consider capturing photos of the lakes, swimming pools, wet roads, etc.
Use Window Light
Using natural light is one of the best tricks to capture your amazing pictures. You can sit in front of the window from where the light is directed towards you and capture the image. Ensure the photographer has the window on his back and the light is not too harsh on the subject. Moreover, you can turn off your room’s lights are use the window light to capture your portrait pictures.
Clean Camera Lens Before Shooting
You should always clean the camera lens before capturing any picture. The lens becomes dirty when not in use, and if you do not clean it, it does not let you focus on the subject and do not let you capture clear images. Make sure the camera lens is not smudged, dusty, or dirty. If the camera is not clean, you might not focus on your subject and click a remarkable picture.
Enjoy Capturing Pictures
Photography is an art that is supposed to be enjoyed. So, you should always have fun when clicking the pictures. If you enjoy clicking photos, you will learn amazing photography skills continuously that will let you become a professional photographer. Capturing the images is very meaningful as it reflects how a person sees certain things. Plus, it also shows your creativity.
Do Not Use Cheap Filters
If you want to avoid blurry pictures, you should not use cheap filters. It is because the pixels do not remain the same after the application of cheap filters. If you do not want the image’s resolution, sharpness, and clarity to get affected, you should not apply useless and cheap filters to your captured images. Some filters add too many colors to the image that make it fake, so avoid using such filters.
Focus Before Shooting
If you are interested in capturing attractive and compelling images, do not forget to focus first. For example, if you are capturing the image of the fruit, place it in the center of the frame, focus on the subject and click the picture. You can also blur the background by focusing on the subject, making the picture more attractive and eye-catching.
Conclusion
There are several photography ideas for beginners out there that can be followed to enhance photography skills. The main thing is to practice a lot because it is a skill that can be enhanced with a lot of practice. You should capture all the moments you live for practice, such as visiting your relatives, partying with friends, exploring nature, etc. If you are an introvert, capture the images of your household things such as your dining table, flower, teapot, food, tidy room, etc. There are multiple tricks that can be used to learn photography as it is an art, and you must be enjoying it.