Looking for some guidance as a beginner photographer? You’ve come to the right place.
Here are nine simple ways to spark your imagination—and the best part is, you can do them all without leaving your house. You don’t need to take costly vacations or go out in the harsh weather; all you need to do is set up shop at your kitchen table, have your camera ready, and get ready to have a fantastic time!
See also: 10 DIY baby photo shoot ideas
10 Best photography ideas at home for beginners
01. Food photography
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The best-looking food always attracts the most amateur photographers. Selling stock photographs of food is a potentially profitable business, and the food photography field is massive. If you want to start taking photos of your meals at home, you can. The importance of proper lighting cannot be overstated. Light from a window, especially a sidelight, is ideal. Light from an off-camera flash source should illuminate the food from behind; however, you should bounce this light back (using a reflector) to eliminate shadows.
Pay close attention to the setting. Effective standard still-life backgrounds include a clean white lightbox. However, you can also have fun with textured backdrops such as canvas or cloth. Don’t select the backdrop at random; make sure it complements the cuisine you’re photographing! Prepare your meal with care. Food stylists are used by the greatest professional food photographers, but the rest of us do not have this privilege. Instead, you must painstakingly compose your meal into a beautiful arrangement.
02. Still life photography
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You don’t need a lot of equipment to get started with still-life photography, which is a plus since it’s a fun way to put your creative skills to the test. The “Egg Challenge” is an excellent illustration of this. Using a run-of-the-mill egg as the target, you should search about the home to see what you can find, such as bits of fruit or books, and set a goal for yourself to see how many unique photographs you can take using those items. It’s a fun way to spend some time, put your talents to the test, and stretch your creative muscles all at the same time.
03. Wine glass photography
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When properly shot, wine glasses have a stunning appearance. First, gather a few wine glasses, and then set them down on a surface that is reflecting (plexiglass is best, but you can try a mirror or even a piece of glass). you should position your camera so that it is looking through the glasses, and you should put a sheet of white paper or another piece of white paper behind the scene. Position an off-camera flash such that it illuminates the white backdrop, then take a picture.
It will take a little bit of practice to get the exposure just right, but if you can manage to completely black out the backdrop while maintaining good exposure on the wine glasses, the final product will turn out beautifully.
04. Bottle photography
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There is a good chance that you already have at least one kind of liquor stowed away somewhere in your home. Bottles are one of those goods that are not too difficult to shoot; you don’t need a lot of special equipment, and you can make the shot as straightforward or inventive as you wish.
05. Splash photography
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Why not give splash photography a go if you’re feeling a little bit more adventurous and don’t mind getting your hands a little dirty? In its most basic form, splash photography requires nothing more than a single light source, some type of diffusing medium, and a liquid of your choosing.
If you want to take some basic yet powerful splash photos, you can try shooting some water splashes, wine splashes, or even paint splashes. Or, if you are interested in exploring further options, why not try introducing some new spectacles or products?
06. Window photography
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To take stunning pictures, all you need is a wide window with some natural light flowing in (but NOT direct sunshine), and, ideally, a backdrop that is free of clutter.
Your subject will have even lighting on their face, smooth, creamy skin, and stunning catchlights if you position their face into the light (such that you, the photographer, have the window at your back). If you are just starting out, you will find it easier to have your subject face towards the light. In addition, you do not need to be concerned with the position of the shadows.
Because this kind of light, known as “flat light,” does not provide the most dramatic results, you should relocate your subject so that the window is to the side when you are a little farther along in your trip. This contributes to the creation of additional shadows on the face, which in turn serves to give the face a greater sense of depth and dimension.
07. Water droplet photography
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You can try your hand at yet another entertaining and artistic endeavour by blasting water droplets on glass. You will need to raise a glass sheet, and then slide an appealing backdrop behind it. This is similar to the oil-water notion that was explained before.
To make water droplets, first, cover the glass with windshield water repellent, and then use a water dropper to make a pattern of water droplets in a pleasing design. Place your camera so that it is looking down on the glass, get up close, and shoot a lot of stunning pictures! Alter the setting every once in a while; by doing so, you’ll end up with a wide array of breathtaking photographs.
08. Light spiral photography
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Light-spiral photography is an interesting and entertaining kind of photography that produces stunning results. You are going to need a totally black room, a tripod (to hold your camera motionless while you are shooting), and some kind of light source that is linked to some rope. (If you do not have access to a tripod, you can always position the camera so that it is pointing upward on the ground.)
After that, reduce your shutter speed to around 30 seconds, begin rotating your light source, and then snap several pictures with your camera.
09. Flowers & plants photography
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Another go-to activity for amateur photographers is taking pictures of the flowers in and around our house. Flowers and plants make for wonderful subjects due to the rich and brilliant hues that they possess. You can go up close to the subject to get a better look at the small details, or you can include them in images that also include other subjects.
10. Pet photography
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You can always depend on a man’s best friend if locating real-life people proves to be too tough (or if you are living at home and your parents do not want their photographs taken). Photography techniques for a pet are the same as those for any other subject, with composition, focusing, and exposure as the most important, and subject engagement being the most challenging.
If you put your cat or dog in the correct spot and pull out your camera, it won’t take long for it to approach the lens and give it a good sniff. If you try to leave, they’ll just follow you. Provide your pet with a distraction (toy), so they won’t be thinking about the camera.
FAQs:
Can I learn photography on my own?
Self-teaching is a good option if you want to pursue photography as a hobby. Mastering photography fundamentals like exposure, aperture, shutter speed, and more takes a lot of effort and trial and error. A camera and some accessories are a good place to start while you hone your craft.
How much should I invest in photography at home?
You may put up anything from Rs 50,000 to Rs 3,00,000 to start learning photography at home. After mastering the fundamentals with a prime lens and a basic tripod, you could consider expanding your equipment with specialised lenses. Lenses might cost anything from Rs 20,000 to Rs 1,00,000.
What do I need to begin home photography?
In addition to a great camera, you will need lenses, flashes, batteries, excellent picture paper and packaging, lighting-controlling lights and screens.
What three elements constitute an excellent photograph?
The three most important factors in photography are light, subject, and composition.
How can I make my house photographs seem professional?
The best approach to ensure that your photographs seem professional is to alter them to some degree. A simple check of the white balance and exposure, noise reduction and sharpening, and the addition of some contrast and saturation may do wonders for a picture, especially if it was captured in RAW.