10 Visual Challenges to Boost Your Creative Photography

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1. Visual detox

For one week avoid using your phone. Rather, slow down and look around yourself to cultivate a more curious eye.

Learn more: How to make more artistic photos (YouTube)

2. Beauty in the mundane

You don’t need to live in an exotic location to make beautiful photos.

Assignment: For one week, only photograph everyday or commonly found objects, but in an artistic way.

Experiment using a flash, different angles, and unique perspectives.

Learn more: Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Street Photography

3. Be like a kid and have fun!

Tap into your inner child and treat photography as playtime.

Assignment: For the day, take your child, young family member, or your friends’ kid to share a photography adventure day together.

Instructions:

Give the child a camera to shoot with.
Photograph like the child. Only shoot what you find exciting or interesting.
Practice building your childlike curiosity, by showing the child interesting things to photograph.

Learn more: How to shoot like a child

4. Creative constraints

Limitations will boost your creativity!

Make a list of 3 commonly photographic habits you would like to change.

Assignment: For one month, do the opposite of your 3 “bad” common habits in photography.

This challenge will help you get outside of your comfort zone, to identify and maximize photography opportunities you might not normally take.

Examples:

If you only shoot in black and white, shoot only in color.
Don’t just shoot traditional compositions, shoot nontraditional and dynamic compositions.
Don’t only shoot during the day, experiment shooting at night.
Don’t only shoot from a distance, shoot closer!

Learn more: The beauty of creative constraints in photography

5. Analyzing through drawing

Sketch photos to deconstruct them. Use this to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your photos.

Assignment: Pick a photograph you like that was shot by yourself, or from another photographer. Sketch the photo with the lines, shapes, and forms.

Use this challenge to discover the elements which stand out to you in order to make better photos in the future.

6. Picture perfect

Draw your idea of a “perfect” photograph.

Choose your ideal compositional lines, subject spacing, perspective, and any other elements which are interesting or important to you.

After you finish your drawing, walk on the streets and try to identify and photograph a similar scene.

Learn more: Deconstructed: Saigon ERIC KIM Photography Compositions

7. Artistic purpose

You are not just a photographer; you are a visual artist with a goal.

Revitalize your artistic passion by reminding yourself why you make art.

Identify your reason for why you make visual art.
Reflect: What are the goals you would like to reach through your art?
Proudly share your answers by writing your reflections in a blog posts, through a YouTube video, or by sharing your answer on the ERIC KIM FORUM.

Learn more: The Purpose of Human Activity is to Make Art!

8. Look, don’t see.

Instead of simply glancing at images, look at images to analyze them.

Assignment: Buy a photo book and spend a full day analyzing every photograph.

Reflect what makes each photograph “work” and what you would have done differently if you shot the same photos.

Tip: Feel free to sketch the photos to further study each image.

Learn more: How to Visually Analyze Your Photography Composition

9. Living in color

Understanding color theory will give a stronger impact to the message in your photos.

Learn the basics of color theory to make better color photos.

For example, choose your favorite color then try to do the following:

Shoot monochromatic colors
Shoot analogous colors
Shoot complementary color schemes

Learn more: Color Theory For Photographers

10. Make a project out of it!

Inspire yourself and others by pursing your own photography projects.

Choose a photography challenge from this article and turn the photos you shoot into your own photography book! Do this by compiling your best photos from each challenge, and add your drawings, notes, and ideas to explain your working process. Use the book to inspire another artist.

Learn more: Free E-Book: The Street Photography Project Manual

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