Think you live in a boring area and have to wait to travel somewhere better to get great photographs? Think again! It may seem like the grass is greener on the other side, and even if it is, that doesn’t mean there aren’t artistic photo opportunities all around you. Some might even be closer than you think. And the great thing about the digital age is that you can click to your heart’s content without the worry of film processing and fees. There’s no excuse not to take advantage of what your locality has to offer.
From landscapes to people to wildlife, here’s how to open your artistic eye and find beautiful photo opportunities wherever you call home.
Uptown,
Downtown
Have you ever looked at old photos of your town? Interesting, right? But what if the photographer at the time didn’t think that particular area was worth capturing? You wouldn’t have anything to compare to the modern city you know. So go ahead. Contribute to tomorrow’s archives by photographing what your city/suburb/neighborhood looks like now. Future generations will thank you.
The
Wheel of the Year
Your local nature scene has a unique way of
displaying itself throughout the year. Capture it in all its beautiful (and
sometimes not-so-beautiful) moments from spring to winter. What does each
season look like? Does your area have wildflowers? Blossoming trees? Snowy
sidewalks? You could even take a photo of one subject throughout the seasons to
see how it changes.
Local
Festivities
Is there a festival or fair that’s big in your area? How about the smaller celebrations? From farmer’s markets and art strolls to music fests and SXSW-type happenings, there are probably plenty of get togethers to enjoy and photograph.
From
Your Window
Challenge yourself to take photos from the
windows in your home and/or office. Although the scenery may not seem to change
much, you might end up capturing an interesting wildlife photo, and at the very
least you’ll be able to see how the light throughout the day changes how the
subject shows up in the image.
Related: What is the Blue Hour and How to Photograph It
Nature
Walks
City parks and recreation departments often offer nature walks and tours through local parks and gardens. Take advantage of these free outings to get some interesting photos and learn about your area’s natural flora and fauna.
Macro
Everything
Get up close and personal with the objects
around you: food, flowers, insects, fabrics, books, artwork, jewelry, whatever
you can find! Get close, then get closer and see how the subject transforms
from recognizable to what is that?!
Some of these ideas and opportunities may seem
obvious, but they often get overlooked when our schedules are packed, we have
tunnel vision, or when we get a case of wanderlust. When you have some
downtime, feel in a rut, or long to snap photos in exotic locales, look around
you first. Because when you think about it, what may seem boring and old hat to
you may be another photographer’s dream.
