Over exposed... in a different way

Sask2005

Hi people

I live in a city of about 350,000 which is borded by sea on 3 sides and has lots of green bush and hills with flat areas. I take about 250 photos a week as a hobby not counting my hobby photography business (but that's another story). I am finding I am bored with my surroundings. I have run out of subject matter. This is reinforced when I see the amazing pics on this site from more interesting parts of the world. My question is:

If you can't leave your city / town to take photos how do you find new photos to take inside your city / town?

Can anyone suggest ideas?

Thanks
bruce

ziggy53

Bruce,


I suggest trying macro and close-focus photography to get the creative thoughts working again. Also think about different lighting, i.e. late-in-the-day "sweet" lighting, "painting" with light and multiple flash each have particular attributes and properties which can keep you busy.

As we (Northern Hemisphere) approach Winter, and more time indoors, projects like a photo inventory, either for insurance or just for fun, can be tremendous time consumers.

Extremes in aperture and DOF can create new scenes as can distance compression with long focal lengths.

Time exposures!

What you are experiencing is not at all unusual. I'll bet other folks here have many other suggestions.

ziggy53

binghott

if i were you, i'd probably be shooting on the coast all the time. could you catch sunrises on one side and sunsets on the other?

Shay Stephens

Nobody can run out of subjects.
Ok, so you have shot all the easy stuff. Now the real work begins. Roll up your sleaves and get ready to stretch your imaginaton, learn to see what is right in front of you and everyone else, yet no one sees. Remember, familiarity breeds contempt. If you want to progress, you are going to have to break out of your bubble in order to discover the world of opportunity that surrounds you.

Sask2005

Thanks to all for your suggestions. I shoudl have mentioned that our skies are usually either light blue, totally white with cloud or flat and dull. But I will try the ideas - thanks again. Bruce

gtc

suggestions
dont limit yourself to heroic landscapes-there is more to photography than that

i have recently been shooting reflections-if you look you will find them everywhere.

the macro idea is good too-how about macros of small sea life in rockpools? or abstract macros? the inner world of macro is very large indeed.

how about shooting people too?

maybe nudes?

heres a reflection which could be taken anywhere.

Sask2005 wrote:

Thanks to all for your suggestions. I shoudl have mentioned that our skies are usually either light blue, totally white with cloud or flat and dull. But I will try the ideas - thanks again. Bruce

twido

Sask2005 wrote:

Hi people

I live in a city of about 350,000 which is borded by sea on 3 sides and has lots of green bush and hills with flat areas. I take about 250 photos a week as a hobby not counting my hobby photography business (but that's another story). I am finding I am bored with my surroundings. I have run out of subject matter. This is reinforced when I see the amazing pics on this site from more interesting parts of the world. My question is:

If you can't leave your city / town to take photos how do you find new photos to take inside your city / town?

Can anyone suggest ideas?

Thanks
bruce

I envy your predicament.
Wisconsin in the winter: cold, gray, windy, too much indoors. Nothing to do but watch LOR.

My immediate thought is to go get some new eq. and experiment with that.
Try what the nice folks above have mentioned.
When all else fails, have a couple of beers. IMHO, but be safe.

USAIR

Yep sounds like you shot all the easy stuff

Here's a thread thet might help look at all the landscape stuff
Go to the boards and look at some of the photos that have been posted don't even read just look at the photos.
Here's some
Canon
FM
DPReview

Also look at the local book store look at some of the photography books and mags too.

Here's what I do
I like city shot and landscapes so...

I pick a town and pick just one lens (no bags of photo equiptment) and get there in sweet light and just walk around shooting.
With me it doesn't take long and I'm in the zone
Shoot the store fronts the skylits'signs,street lights,hydrants,people lots to shoot.
Same with the country stuff too

Good luck
Fred