I RECOMMEND THIS TO EVERYONE FOR PRACTICE AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT!


1. Using a sequence of pictures, create a visual
diary of ‘5 minutes’ in the life of a friend or
relative. Try to make sure that each image is
linked to the next so that the story flows more
like a collection of stills from a movie rather
than a bunch of individual pictures.

2. When shooting hand-held in low light, try
using your flash together with a long shutter
speed. The flash will freeze part of the frame
and the long exposure time will create a sense
of movement. This technique is often called
‘flash-and-blur’.

3. Shoot a series of architectural details
concentrating on strong shapes, textures and
colors. Then, select a single image and, if
you are a film user, print it several times the
correct way round as well as reversed. Arrange
the prints to form a reflecting kaleidoscope
composition. Digital users can achieve the
same results by copying the original picture
several times and then flipping several of the
photographs so that they are mirror reflections.
The various pictures can then be arranged into
position to form the kaleidoscope.

4. When next on holiday, try making a ‘joiner’
of a famous landmark. Instead of trying to
capture all of the texture, color and detail of
the site in a single image, use a series of pictures
that focus on various aspects of the scene. After
returning home, montage the pictures together,
either as prints or via the computer, to produce
a rich visual description of the landmark.

5. Produce a series of pictures showing: (a)
slow subjects – elderly people, milk floats,
tortoises, fat animals, etc., apparently
whizzing along; (b) fast subjects made to
appear stationary or moving very slowly.

6. Walk around a fairground or lit trafficfilled
street at night, holding the camera with
its shutter open for 3–5 seconds (at f16, ISO
100 film or setting). Include plenty of pinpoint
lights. Keep the camera still for part of each
exposure.

7. Make a series of abstract images of the
human figure. Consider the possibilities of
focus, movement, blur, reflection, refraction
and shooting through various semitransparent
materials.

8. Create ‘hysiogram’ patterns. In a darkened
room, rest your camera on the floor facing
upwards, focused for 1 m and set for f8 (ISO
100 film or setting). Suspend a pen torch
pointing downwards so that it hangs 1 m
above the lens, on nylon cord firmly anchored
to the ceiling. Make the torch swing freely in
various directions within an area about 1 m
square for 30 seconds with the shutter open.

9. By combining two or more images,
construct a photograph of a fantastic
landscape.

10. By means of a double exposure, produce
either a double profile portrait or show the
contents of a household appliance (crockery
in a dishwasher, for example) inside its closed
opaque unit.

11. Make an imaginative series of five
pictures on one of the following themes.
Either: (a) the tree as a dominant element in a
landscape; or (b) railway and/or road patterns
as a visual design feature.

12. Using three consecutive frames, carefully
shoot an accurate panorama showing part of
the interior of your room. Then use all the
rest of the film, or space on the memory
card, to shoot a loose ‘joiner’ of the whole
room. Assemble the two results
appropriately.

13. Create an interpretive photographic
sequence of four to six pictures illustrating
your concept of either: (a) transformation; or
(b) harmony.

14. Shoot several interior scenes and
landscapes, then use montage to combine
the foreground of one with the background
of another to give an inside/outside fantasy
scene.

15. Using a montage of images, illustrate
one of the following themes: the mob; stairs
and entrances; family ties; street-wise; ecology
rules!

16. Photograph three ureleated items under
similar lighting conditions – bright, direct or
soft, diffused light from the same direction
– import all three photos into Photoshop or
Photoshop Elements. Using the layer structure
of the program and eraser or masking
techniques montage the different subjects
together in a single document.

17. Photograph a series of flowers against
plain backgrounds. Convert all pictures to
grayscale, paying particular attention to
ensuring that the contrast present in the
original photo is retained after the conversion.
Digitally tone all the pictures and add some
texture before outputting the final images as
a small series.

18. Find a location with an old world feel.
Photograph a historical object or costumed
portrait sitter within the environment. After
downloading the photograph, add a vignette,
some texture and then convert the picture to
grayscale before finally toning the photo sepia
color.

19. Photograph a series of pictures where
one common colorful object features in a
range of locations. After downloading the
photos to the computer work your way
through each of the pictures selectively,
converting all of the images except the object
to grayscale.

20. Photograph either a landscape, cityscape
or shopping mall. Download the photos and
then remove all color from the pictures. Next
try to recreate the look and feel of the scene
by adding the hues back into the pictures
using the hand-coloring techniques detailed in
this part of the book.



Also check out one of the best young photographers, the talented miss Sanja Knežević:

[link]



Have a nice and creative day!