Photo Inspiration: 10 Tips When You Don't Know What to Photograph

Is your camera gathering dust? When you shoot, it's always the same subject, the same angle. This lack of inspiration affects everyone, whatever your level.

The good news? Inspiration isn't a fluke. It's a habit that you choose to develop. You don't need to travel far or buy a new camera to find the spark!

In this article, I share 10 tried-and-tested tips for breaking this deadlock and getting back in touch with the pleasure of photography. They work. It's up to you!

Do you always shoot with the same focal length? It's normal, we all develop our own habits. But it's also the best way of seeing the same thing over and over again.

Objective

Force your eye to break away from routine to rediscover familiar subjects from a radically new angle.

Exercise: 3 Focuses, 3 Looks in 15 Minutes

Choose a simple subject. You have 15 minutes. Photograph it using your three focal lengths (default focal length, Wide-Angle and Clip-on Macro).

Force yourself to get 3 photos that don't look the same:

• Wide Angle: Show the environment and the scale.
• Macro: Reveal the detail that no-one else sees.
• Default focus: Just capture it.

Profit

You can change your outlook in 15 minutes. It's the fastest way to unlock new ideas.

Tip: Are objectives expensive? I've got the solution

Budget is an obstacle. Fortunately, you can use your smartphone with clip-on lens kits (an external lens that clips onto your phone's lens).

It's the simple, affordable way to test what works best for you when it comes to photography!

Copying is bad, isn't it? Wrong. The greatest artists all started out by imitating those they admired.

The difference between stupidly copying and being intelligently inspired? Analysis.

Objective

Break down your masters' techniques to understand their visual language and quickly forge your own style.

Exercise: The 3-Step Method

• Choose 1 photo of a photographer you love.
• Identify 3 specific elements that move you (low-angled light, asymmetrical composition, emotion of the subject).
• Recreate your own version with your subjects, in your environment. (Example: Do you like the misty atmosphere of northern landscapes? Go out at daybreak).

Profit

You will understand the techniques of the masters without losing your own personal touch. You develop your visual culture while forging your own style.

Please note: Inspiration is not plagiarism. The idea is not to repeat the same photo, but to understand what moves you and transpose it into your own world.

Photography does not exist in a vacuum. Filmmakers, painters and writers also work on light, composition and emotion.

Why not tap into these creative worlds?

Objective 

Broaden your visual culture to unlock new ideas for composition and atmosphere.

Field exercise: Visual Borrowing

• Watch a film, browse a photo magazine or do some online research on an artist who moves you.
• Pick out 3 specific elements (colour, mood, composition) from the work.
• Reproduce this atmosphere in photos during the week.

Profit

You force your eye to observe differently and create powerful connections between artistic disciplines. Inspiration is everywhere.

Every photographer learns to avoid midday sun and to shoot at golden hours. What if you did exactly the opposite?

Objective

Use lighting conditions that are reputed to be «bad» to break your automatisms and discover new, striking graphic atmospheres.

Exercise: The Full Day Challenge

• Go out and photograph between 12pm and 2pm on a bright sunny day.
• Or try urban night photography without a tripod: increase the ISO and deliberately look for motion blur, or use a makeshift support to stabilise the camera.
• Take 10 photos only against the light or with strong cast shadows. Concentrate on finding the graphic interest of this light.

Profit

While everyone else is waiting for the sun to set, you find the magic in broad daylight. You stand out by mastering «difficult» conditions and turning constraints into strengths (hard shadows, soft focus).

Photographers who master «difficult» conditions stand out. While everyone else waits for the sunset, you find the magic in broad daylight.

Sometimes inspiration returns when you stop taking yourself so seriously. Dare to experiment with offbeat techniques, just for the fun of it.

Objective 

(Re)discover the fun side of photography and unlock your creativity using unconventional techniques, without pressure to achieve results.

Exercise: Offbeat ideas

• Try out one of these simple ideas at home or outside:
  Light painting: Draw with a torch during a long exposure.
• Double exposure: Superimpose two images (in post-processing) for a new story.
• Creative reflections: Use puddles, windows or mirrors to distort reality.
• Forced perspective: Create fun trompe-l'œil effects with objects in the foreground.

Profit

You experiment without stress. These «wacky» attempts are often the source of unexpected and surprising images that rekindle your creative impetus.

Simple concept: 1 photo a day of your daily life for 30 days. No artistic pressure, just document what you're experiencing.

Objective

Make photography an everyday activity and force your eye to compose with what you have at hand.

Exercise: The 30-Day Challenge

Photograph 1 micro-moment from your daily routine every day for 30 days (your smoking coffee, the light on your desk, your cat).

Profit

These micro-moments become your subjects. You create a regular discipline that forces you to deal with the ordinary and make progress even without constant inspiration.

Variants

Colour Challenge: A set colour each day (Monday = red, Tuesday = blue).
Fixed Time Challenge: One photo every day at exactly 5pm, wherever you are.

Still doing landscapes? Try portraiture. Still in the studio? Go out and shoot in the street.

Objective 

Revolutionise your outlook by stepping out of your comfort zone so that the skills of one kind enrich the other.

Exercise: The 7-Day Challenge

Choose a different genre for each day of the week:

• Day 1: Portrait
• Day 2: Macro
• Day 3: Architecture
• Day 4: Street photography
• Day 5: Wildlife
• Day 6: Abstract
• Day 7: Dead Nature

Profit

A portrait photographer who tries his hand at landscapes brings a human touch to places. You'll develop graphic rigour and a new sensitivity that will help you progress more quickly.

Having a structured project often boosts inspiration. Rather than shooting at random, you build a coherent visual story.

Objective 

Structure your photographic practice and develop your eye over time, telling a coherent story.

Exercise: The One-Month Contract

• Choose a specific theme (e.g. Coloured doors, Urban shadows, Portraits of trees).
• Set a target of 10 to 15 final photos over the course of a month.
• Develop consistency (same colour treatment, same format) to link images together.

Profit

Your practice becomes a real narrative project, not just a collection of isolated images. You develop a consistency and depth that will enable you to progress rapidly.

Ideas for accessible series: «Windows in my neighbourhood», «Urban reflections», «Portraits of trees», «Architectural details», «Market life».

Objective

Compensate for the drop in internal motivation thanks to a collective dynamic and regular deadlines.

Exercise: Find Your Community

• Join a community or group of photographers (Instagram, forum, local group).
• Choose a structured challenge with a specific theme and deadline (e.g. 365 Day Challenge, Monthly Challenge).
• Favour friendly communities that comment constructively on your work, rather than toxic likes competitions.

Profit

You force yourself to go out and shoot regularly. You get an outside view of your work and discover how others interpret the same subject, which feeds your progress.

Sometimes the best way to find inspiration is to let go.
Your creative brain needs breaks to regenerate. Forcing inspiration only amplifies the blockage.

Objective

Allow your mind to relax so that you can recreate better. Give your eyes a rest so that they come back fresh and curious.

Exercise: The Official Break

Put your camera away for 1 to 2 weeks.
Take a stroll without shooting, just to observe.
Live without documenting: read, watch films.

Profit

When you pick up the camera, your eyes will be fresh again. You'll be inspired again by subjects you used to find commonplace.

Quote to remember: «Doing nothing also means creating the conditions for something to come into being.

You now have 10 concrete ways to get out of the creative slump.

The 5 Simple Habits :

• Observe for 10 minutes a day without any equipment.
• Analyse 1 photo of a master per week.
• Test 1 new technique per month.
• Share your images for positive feedback.
• Alternate intense exercise with total rest.

Inspiration isn't a gift, it's a flame that's fuelled by action. Now it's your turn!

❓ FAQ : Your Questions About Photo Inspiration