15 Photography Assignments of Different Places to Shoot

If you’re looking for photographic inspiration, shoot in these different places:

15 Places to Photograph

Some fun places you can shoot:

Bathrooms
Coffee shops
Subways/Bus/Public Transportation
Malls
Restaurants/Bars
Hotels
Gas stations
Home
Elevator
Parking lots
Park
Beach
Grocery store / supermarket
Suburbs
Gym

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1. Bathrooms

Is a urinal a piece of art?

Marcel Duchamp with his ‘fountain’ said “YES!”:

A random place we can find lots of inspiration to make photos are bathrooms (restroom, W.C., toilet).

You can find interesting color-combinations, reflections in the mirrors. Experiment using a flash, and shoot in color:

Or if you’re feeling really risky, also photograph people in public toilets:

Suit toilet

Inspiration from Robert Frank’s “Americans”:

2. Coffee shops

Either shoot candid street photography inside coffee shops, or approach strangers you find interesting and shoot ‘street portraits‘ with permission.

Worst-case scenario you don’t get any good photos, but at least you get your cup of joe!

3. Subways/Bus/Public Transportation

Shooting subways and public transportation can be nerve-wrecking. But I suggest to pretend like you’re shooting something else– something behind your subject. Avoid eye contact.

Good inspiration is ‘Subway’ by Bruce Davidson.

man subway suit turnstile

4. Malls

If where you live is hot, shoot inside a mall. Technically you’re not allowed to shoot in a mall, but in this circumstance, I think it is better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.

This means, pretend to be a lost tourist, and just take photos. If someone asks you to stop, just apologize, stop, and move on.

Santa Monica, 2011 mall

5. Restaurants/Bars

My New Year’s resolution in photography is to not leave my house without my camera around my neck.

You can find some of the most fascinating people to photograph when you’re going out to dinner with your partner or friends, or even when you’re at a bar. Once again, you can shoot candidly without permission (experiment using a flash), or asking for permission and trying to elicit some sort of reaction.

6. Hotels

Shoot inside hotel lobbies, outside of hotels, or even inside your hotel room when you’re traveling. This will be good if you’re a consultant, living on the road, or simply being a tourist.

Man in suit in San Diego hotel lobby. He owned the hotel.

Hotel room lobby. Istanbul, 2014

A Suit in front of a hotel lobby. NYC, 2014 // ERIC KIM

7. Gas stations

Good for us Americans (or anyone else who spends a lot of time driving). When your car is parked and filling up, photograph inside the gas station parking lot, inside the convenience store, or even your partner inside the car (waiting for you).

Another idea: embark on your own photography road trip, and remember gas stations are some of the best places to shoot.

8. Home

One of the basic tenants of ‘personal photography‘ — photograph your loved ones, and make photos at home.

This is good when it is winter-time, to stay inspired to shoot even when at home. Photograph portraits of your partner, kids, loved ones, shoot random stuff inside your home, or even selfies of yourself.