photography assignment sheets

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Want an easier way to learn photography without reading a lengthy camera manual or sitting down at a computer studying techniques? These assignment sheets are hands down the fastest and most active way to grasp key concepts of photography. Think of them as see and do cards.

Or maybe you’re needing some inspiration to kick start your photography again? With 100 sheets, you are sure to pick up skills you never learned previously.

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These Photography Assignment Sheets discuss specific photographic topics (100 in total), then provide you with suggested camera settings so you can go out and start capturing great images immediately.

Print the Assignment Sheets or download them to your mobile device and take with you when out in the field

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Here’s a run down on some of the topics covered

• Long Exposures
• Astrophotography
• Macro and Close Up Photography
• Flash and Lighting
• Sports (indoor and outdoor)
• Bird Photography
• Animal and Pet Photography
• Learn how to capture the moon in all phases
• Capture bolder colors in your images
• Composition
• Key camera settings, ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture
• High Key and Low Key Photography
• Water Drops & Splashes
• Old School Rules that still work today. Sunny 16, f/8 and f/11
• Learn how to handle harsh lighting or high contrast scenes

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Understanding ISO – Aperture Explained – Mastering Shutter Speed

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Photographers Field

Exploring the photographic field, 27 engaging photography exercises for beginners to learn from {free pdf}.

Many times we start our photography journey with just noticing things around us. What we should also do is to start learning different ways to communicate through our images. If you didn’t yet hop on the 52 week photography challenge , we have added these 30 engaging photography exercises for you to develop your skills during the next few months.

Table of Contents

Why Should You Do These Exercises ?

The question actually is, why shouldn’t you?

Have you been monitoring your journey as a photographer, and what kind of changes have you been seeing?

When you decide to start moving to the direction of intentional practice, the development will follow.

27 Engaging Photography Exercises

Every exercise will force you to inspect your images from a different perspective, so try to focus on only one exercise at a time.

These exercises vary from photographic ones to ones that will have you inspecting your work as an artist. Each of them is essential in learning new ways of creating images.

1. Photograph something you love

This can be anything you decide. It can be an event, a place or an object. You can also choose to photograph people, but since it might require more effort than choosing to photograph other elements, we recommend you get back to it once you’re mastered to be comfortable with your camera.

2. Photograph something round

This is pretty self-explanatory. We have alot of organic and non-organic round shapes around us, so the framing will ultimately determine what round objects you let into the image.

3. Photograph someone close to you

Family members, other relatives or friends. People you already feel comfortable being with. See how directing them and having the access to be close to them might affect your way of photographing.

4. Photograph an object / subject that is moving

Running people, passing by cars or other vehicles. Can you use your cameras setting so that you stop their movement – or on the other hand – set them so that the movement is visible and can be seen in the final image?

5. Learn to use negative space

Negative space is an important element when creating your image; it gives more stillness and room for other elements to pop up in your work. How you decide to compose it, is up to you. In landscape negative space is a natural way of creating imagery, but how can you add it to let say, portraiture?

6. Focus on an object in the frame

Once depth of field is nothing new to you, start implementing the focus point only on the subject you want to emphasize. You will be able to truly bring the focus point to the elements that you want to show. This is a highly effective way of photographing, especially if there is surrounding noice in your frame.

7. Play with shadows

In this one try to focus not on the object itself, but on the shadows that the objects / subjects have. What kind of shapes can you find, and are they even more interesting that the objects itself? Can you frame them in a way that creates an abstract image?

8. Shoot analog

Many photographers say that photographing with a digital camera might feel convenient, but also steals the image of it’s moment. Since there is no rush in taking the image or no surprise whether you’ve had the shot you were looking for, you will approach it differently. At least at some point, try to photograph with an analog camera, and see how your approach changes. The best film cameras to start out as a beginner, are listed here.

9. Create a self-portrait

We are quick to photograph others, but what if you turn the camera to yourself? You can better practice lighting, but self-portraiture is a great way to start accepting ourselves as we are, without judgement. You can also practice as long as you feel like it, since theres not pressure in succeeding.

10. Play with reflections

Take a walk and look around; notice any mirrors, ponds or glass windows? They can be a great tool for seeing the world differently. Using them as self-portrait elements or just reflecting two different surfaces into one image.

11. Analyze your images

If you can, print out your favorite image you’ve made and look at them critically; what are the main themes you like to work with? Do you have a specific way of composing the elements in your images (ie. always horizontal / vertical) ? Are you great at photographing people, or are you more intrigued by moments or small details in your life? Looking deeper into what you’re good at and what you like to focus on, can determine better who you are as a photographer.

12. Use objects to frame your image

It’s called ‘frame-within-a-frame’ – look for elements which you can use as a frame within your image: branches of trees, window panes or doors can all work when framing your main object / subject in the image. But you can get creative and use a cut out fabric or a cardboard to create this frame.

13. Look at things through shapes and lines

Once you manage this one, it will support your photographic journey in every image you’ll ever take. When looking at great photography locations, noticing how the surrounding elements will play out in your images will determine whether they will work or not. Seeing lines immediately or noticing if the place already has an organic shape which you can use in your images, will help you to better build impressive images.

14. Create a photo essay

Creating a photo essay is another great way to find your visual language. How do you form a story through images, what kind of different images are you combining to tell an intriguing story? Try to shoot 5 images alternating between different angle of views and practicing composition.

15. Use less light in your images

When starting out photography, we often think the image is created around the light. Which it essentially is, but tweaking the amount of light you let in, is what can drastically change the mood the image. Shed only a beam of light on your subject or or let the light be reflected from an illuminating surface like screens, will give just enough light to build interest.

16. Learn to read the light in the space

Eventually this will be essential if you don’t want to always guess what settings you’re going to adjust when you’re about to shoot. Being able to look around you to verify; what is the main light source in the room and how or if you’re going to fill it with any additional light. And if not, how are you going to set your camera to support the lighting circumstances that are present.

17. Try to shoot black and white

For the aesthetic purposes and the feel of film, it’s quite nice and is definitely worth a try. Black and white film will also let you understand the importance of color, once it’s absent, you will notice how the viewer focus will move once the colors are not colliding with each other. Will they focus more on the narrative in the image instead of reading the colors ?

18. Create a theme before you start photographing

One way of shooting is this intuitive way of noticing details and thins you want to take a picture of. Another way is to plan ahead; what elements are you looking for to photography, and why? This is also much needed if you’re planning on doing a photoessay, or possibly even small commission job – staying ahead with knowing how you create the storyline.

19. Create a new photo by cropping

Some days you’ll notice later how you could’ve created an amazing image if you you’d go closer to your subject or object you were shooting. Instead of starting to crop the images and not moving an inch closer, try to crop it the way you’d like the image to be. Then next time, use this image as a guideline to go closer and create the actual image.

20. Recreate a photo you like

Maybe don’t choose the most ambitious one as your first picture, but do choose one that for some reason you feel is well created or -lighted or just sparks your interest in some way.

21. Learn to create a moodboard

If you want to plan more on what you photograph, creating a moodboard will bring you more focused view on what it is the photos are going to look as whole. We often just want to photograph without much thought, but it brings another level of reward once you see the end result of multiple ideas come into one.

22. Use a disposable camera in one day

This has a similar effect then photographing with an analog camera, except that you cannot do fancy settings or think much about the images. Disposable cameras will not give you the best quality in images but it will give its own feel to them. Photograph one full roll in your disposable camera and see what comes out. To find the best disposable cameras, I’ve made an extensive list for them here . For additional challenge; create small photo essays of the images you make.

23. Photograph something abstract

We are prone to trying to find meaning in our images, but what if you decide that there isn’t any and just look for things that you find aesthetically pleasing? It can be texture, color collision or just something you turn into nothing specific.

24. Choose a spot to photograph from

Trying to find new ways of looking at the same things; choose one spot you create 3 images for 3 days in a row. You can direct your camera upwards or downwards, or however you see fit. But do not change the spot you’re photographing from. Think about the time you shoot the images at and if they differentiate from each other.

25. Photograph a person without any faces

If you feel you’re not familiar with photographing people just yet, start by photographing them without showing their face. This will let them be at ease but you will also find it easier to access their space when you do not have to think too much about identifying them in a specific way.

26. Create a fictional journalistic image

Having even the slightest interest for journalism and the visual aspect of it, this will work as a stepping stone in understanding how journalistic images are created. Usually, of course these events are actual, but how a photographer decides to portray the event is always a responsibility and it can change the viewpoint of how the viewer will see it. Create a fictional happening and build an image that could easily be published in your local paper.

27. Go closer

This was almost covered in one of the earlier exercises, but is such an important aspect of photography overall that it needs to be underlined. As much as changing your viewpoint changes the content of your images, so does the distance you have between you and your subject. As Robert Capa once said: “If your photographs aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough”.

These photography exercises can be found in the free PDF below . Follow your development and how you perform these exercises.

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15 Photography Assignments to Challenge and Inspire

By Tata Rossi 23 days ago, Amateur Photography

Photography assignments allow you to experiment with something you have never tried before and play around with different photographic approaches. With such an assignment, you will challenge yourself and develop your skills.

15 Ways to Make Photography Assignments

This list of photo assignments consists of 15 points, so I am sure that you will find the idea to your liking.

1. Self Portraits

The first task is a no-brainer: just take a self-portrait picture each day. Don’t forget to use a tripod and shutter release aside from regular shooting with your arm extended and holding a camera.

Since you will be the model, feel free to unleash your creativity with all sorts of make-up, outfits, poses until you figure out a proper look. Remember to use props as well. Then share your shots with the world via social networks or the dedicated Flickr and Twitter groups.

2. Color Challenge

Here is one of the greatest color photography assignments for the urban environment photos . Bring the camera with you and take pictures for several hours. Pick a color (or ask a friend to choose it for you to complicate the task) and photograph subjects of the chosen color only.

Once you are done, you will find yourself seeing this color everywhere! Then pick the best shots and merge them into a collage or mosaic in Photoshop .

3. After Dark

Practice with night photography and try taking pictures after dark. In case you are outside the city, you may shoot moonlight or star trails. While being in the city, capture light trails of vehicles or buildings with the light-up windows. Regardless of the location, experiment with light-painting by means of long exposure photography and moving a flashlight across areas of the scene.

4. Crop or Rotate All your Photos a Specific Way

One of the best photography practice assignments is to neglect your comfort zone and try something new for a change. For instance, if you have a tendency to snap the same kinds of photos, you should modify their perspective.

Try an approach to cropping or rotating your next 50-100 shots that differs from your regular one. Play around with square photos, 180° rotation or whatever else you can come up with. Once you get out of the familiar artistic routine, you will be able to perceive the world from another angle and get creative.

5. Quit Social Media Temporarily

Social networks can serve as an excellent source of photography inspiration or lead to a complete lack of it. If you use social networks without critical thinking, you may start comparing yourself to other photographers, which will be a total waste of time and effort.

While it may be one of the hardest photography assignments these days, taking a hiatus from social networks is highly important. Log off your Instagram account for some time or uninstall apps that leave you in a bad mood.

In case your job requires staying online on a daily basis, devote some of your time to non-Internet tasks, like taking pictures or gaining knowledge on photography. I suggest taking some online photography courses .

6. Shoot Every Day for a Month

If you wish to become a better photographer , you shouldn’t stop shooting. By taking pictures constantly, you will receive more feedback and will be interacting more actively with the world.

One of the most widespread photography class assignments is to take one picture each day for a month. Do it with the help of the smartphone, DSLR camera or any device that can photograph. But don’t take meaningless pictures just because you have to. The shots you take should resonate with you in one way or another and be valuable to you.

The Zen masters suggest that you have a “daily practice.” When we repeat something, we become closer to recognizing the “truth”. You may read a great number of photo theory books , but you won’t be able to shoot properly. Only through practice, repetition, feedback and constructive criticism, you can grow as a photographer. Remember that this assignment is about forming a habit, not about taking a perfect picture each day.

7. Experiment with a Completely Different Genre

The array of photography genres is truly vast. Underwater photography , glamour, smartphone, landscape photography , portrait photography – that’s only a beginning. If you feel like you are losing interest in photography, switch to another genre.

Try staying away from your primary photography genre for a while. In case you shoot portraits, go outside and capture the area where you live in. If you are involved in photographing pets , play around with self-portraiture. By getting familiar with various photography genres, you are widening your photography horizons and gaining new knowledge that may come in useful one day.

8. Put Together a Photo Album

We live in a digital world, and even nowadays’ photography comes mostly in a digital form. We constantly find ourselves sharing our photos online. It is a rare thing to print photographs, even touch them, let alone create something physical out of them.

That’s why one of the greatest photography tasks is to compile a photo album. You can buy one at a store or online. Print the desired shots in the small 4×6 size. I suggest collaborating on this task with your friend, child or partner. Think of the main idea, theme or story of the album. Put all the printed shots on a surface and consider how you will lay them out in an album, how you will pair them and in what sequence.

No wonder that our parents and elderly relatives used to create a photo book together. It is a nice way to preserve precious memories in a physical form and bring back the moments that we sometimes tend to forget over time.

9. Take Creative Self-Portraits with a Friend

While you may enjoy your own company while taking self-portraits, you may feel bored or lonely after some time. In this case, you can implement one of the most entertaining photography assignment ideas and take self-portraits with a friend (pets are welcome as well!).

Don’t forget to think through the poses, set up the tripod and find the perfect photography light. As you will be engaged in all these activities, you will be able to get a hang of a photographer’s workflow. Then, when it comes to a real photo shoot with the clients, you will be more skilled at dealing with the camera and lights.

10. Attend a Photography Workshop

Photography workshops is an excellent investment in your education as a photographer and one of the most helpful beginner photography assignments.

Pick a workshop that is dedicated to the topic relevant for you. Thanks to workshops, you will get not only theoretical but also practical information. Also, you will have your questions answered by real professionals.

11. Photograph the Same Person or Object Every Day

In case you aren’t as excited about photography as before, try capturing one and the same person or object each day for a week or month. Similar to the smartphone photography challenge, as a result, you will realize the importance of having the freedom to photograph anything you wish.

While snapping pictures of the same object, you will boost your lighting skills. To make the shots differ from each other, don’t hesitate to play around with various types of lighting and photo editing apps .

12. Go a Month Without Using Social Media

Being the photographer of the 21st century, you may find yourself in the never-ending trap of feeling the need to post photos on social networks each day. It all turns into some sort of addiction – all you crave is likes, comments and new followers. If you don’t receive the online praise you need, your photography stops making sense.

In fact, photography is something you should pursue on your own. What truly matters here is your personal thoughts on your shots, not the opinion of users online. Simply uninstall all the social network applications from the smartphone (you can bring them back once the assignment is over). Posting photos and looking through photos of others is prohibited.

If you manage to stay away from social networks for a month, you will acquire a clearer purpose of your photography work. Besides, you won’t be so obsessed with the imaginary social network competition that everyone seems to be involved in.

13. Shoot with a Limited Amount of Equipment

Regardless of whether you are an experienced, amateur or a beginner photographer , you are likely to be after all sorts of photography gear to enhance your results.

How about photography assignments where you have to use a restricted amount of shooting equipment? You can photograph strictly with one camera body or camera lens . There is no need to do it for an entire month.

For this assignment, I suggest coming up with a plan, and do it, for instance, only once a week. Working with the same gear every day will give you more flexibility in both the creative and physical aspects of the process.

So, in case you deal only with a zoom lens, you will have to experiment whenever you shoot indoors . With a wide-angle lens only, you will need to work on cropping and correcting distortions.

14. Limit Yourself to X Photos a Day

Similar to the previous assignment, limiting yourself to 10, 20, 30 or more shots per day, week or month will help you realize what your true creative needs are. Besides, with a photo limit, you will understand what subjects or scenes you are more inclined to photograph.

Another benefit of a photo limit is that it will bring more patience and creativity into the process. You won’t be able to take numerous pictures of one place, so you will be forced to risk and play around with various perspectives.

15. Take Photos with Your Smartphone Camera Only

Take pictures only with a smartphone camera for a week. For better results, download a top-notch camera app and try to figure out all of its settings. A modern smartphone will help beginning photographers get acquainted with the technical side of the shooting process.

To complicate the task, I suggest recreating some of your portfolio photos with the smartphone camera. With this assignment, you will learn all the intricacies of shooting with a smartphone and may even start taking shots not only with a standard camera but with a smartphone one as well on a regular basis!

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STORE > 100 CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY ASSIGNMENTS

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100 Creative Photography Assignments is like a photography workshop in your pocket. It’s filled with over a year’s worth of creative ideas, briefs, assignments and projects that will help you grow as a photographer.

It’s also an inspirational guide that puts the creativity back into your photography. Each brief is designed to get you looking at familiar things in new ways. Most of the assignments can be done close to home, so there’s no need to travel to exotic places.

The book is structured into twenty broad themes, with five assignments for each theme. There’s enough ideas here to keep you busy for a long time to come!

100 Creative Photography Assignments is written for you:

• The assignments encourage you to explore the world and find interesting subjects in ordinary places.
• With 100 assignment ideas there are plenty that will appeal to you.
• It’s easy to read. The book comes in three formats – PDF, ePub and Mobi for Kindle so you can choose the one that is best for your device.

What you will learn

The aim of  100 Creative Photography Assignments is to help you grow as a creative photographer.

As you work your way through the assignments you’ll start to see connections and themes. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of what creative photography means to you, and how you can develop your ideas and interests with long term projects.

You’ll discover how to look back at photos you’ve made in the past and see how they can fit creative briefs, and how they can guide you to new ideas and projects.

You’ll also learn what to do when you feel stuck or at a creative crossroads. With 100 assignments to choose from you’ll never run out of ideas again.

The story behind the book

A few years ago I got stuck as a photographer. I didn’t know what to photograph, how to find an interesting subject or how to move forward. Finally, I decided to set myself a project photographing craftspeople – people who make things with their hands. I started by contacting a local artist and potter to see if I could photograph them at work. Both said yes, the project got started, and I found my way forward.

Now, I realize the breakthrough was giving myself an assignment with a clear brief. And I wish I had given myself more briefs, and seen how I was surrounded by interesting subjects. I just had to look at familiar subjects differently, and make an effort to photograph them.

So I put together a set of 50 black and white assignments in a book that was published last year. It was so popular that I decided to write another book, with even more assignments. The aim is to give you the same spark of inspiration that I gave myself all those years ago.

I wrote this book imagining that I could go back in time and give it to myself ten or twenty years ago. I would have been a more purposeful photographer and built a much better portfolio of work. Now you can benefit from the lessons I’ve learned.

Creative Photography Assignments: Themes & Projects (bonus ebook)

Your purchase includes Creative Photography Assignments: Themes & Projects , a PDF that shows you how to develop the assignments into long term themes and mini projects that are easy to tackle. There are several examples from my own photography, showing how the assignments benefit experienced photographers as well as less experienced ones.

Download your copy today

Click the Buy Now button to make your purchase and start reading your copy of 100 Creative Photography Assignments right away. Payment is by PayPal or credit card.

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I’m so confident that my ebooks will help improve your photography that I give you an unconditional guarantee. If, for any reason, you’re not satisfied with your purchase just let me know within two months and I’ll refund the purchase price in full, no questions asked.

The Assignments bundle

Save money with the following bundle:

Buy 100 Creative Photography Assignments and  The Magic of Black & White: 50 Assignments together for just $20 .

Sample pages

Here are some sample pages from the book.

100 Creative Photography Assignments ebook

Title: 100 Creative Photography Assignments

Length: 126 double page spreads (plus 18 page bonus ebook)

Words: approx 16,600 (plus bonus ebook)

Format: PDF, Epub and Kindle Mobi 8. You can view the PDF of 100 Creative Photography Assignments using the free Adobe reader software on any PC or tablet. You can also read it on the iPad using iBooks – it has been optimized for iPad viewing. You can read the epub or mobi versions on tablets and smart phones.

Introduction How to use this book

Trees Ruins Seasonal color Urban trees In the forest Lone tree in the landscape

Sea (or lake) Sunset Architecture and the sea People and the sea Landscapes and the sea Blue hour

Color Color contrast Single dominant color Subtle color Orange and blue Cram color in

Frames Bowls and plates Frames and people Windows and doors Hands Framed by color

Texture Antiques & vintage items Portraits Explore your neighborhood Weathered surfaces Metal

Flowers Keep it simple Flowers in context Botanical gardens Fading beauty Indoor flowers

Buildings On the outside Interiors Street art People Reflections

Your local neighborhood In the area Ruins and abandoned buildings Historic buildings Urban decay Sheds, greenhouses, garages and home offices

Sky Cloud patterns Active skies Stormy skies Moon Silhouette

Vintage Markets, museums and stores Chance finds Vintage cars At home Modern vintage

Black & White Tonal contrast In the street Unusual subjects Capture character (place) Capture character (portrait)

Urban skylines Shoot at night The big city Small towns and cities A famous view People

Light and shadow Last light Embrace hard light Indoor shadows Bright subject, dark background Shadow as a frame

Gardens Wide view Pots and planters Details Greenhouses People and gardens

Everyday objects Signs Abandoned furniture Through the window Laying around Numbers

Composition Minimal composition Pairs Groups of three Selective focus Limited color palettes

Mood A sense of place (twilight) Warm light Cool colors Bad weather A sense of place (gritty reality)

Portraits Hobbies Color driven Colorful characters Low light portraits At work

Landscape Road signs The intimate landscape The nondescript landscape People in the landscape Fading horizons

Cultural life Relationships and connection Cultural celebrations or activities The magic of childhood Local life Subcultures

10 Photo Assignments to Inspire and Challenge Your Skills

Liz Masoner is a professional photographer and she shares her tips and techniques on photo editing and how to photograph nature, portraits, and events with film and digital cameras. Liz has over 30 years of experience and she is the author of three books on photography.

The best way to learn photography is to practice, though sometimes you can get stuck in a rut and not know what to shoot. That is why photographers love assignments; they give us a purpose and an idea of what to photograph. 

Why Are Assignments Important?

Self-assignments are key to any photographer's growth. Even professionals with decades of experience will work on personal assignments that they may never get paid for. The goal of any self-assignment is to spur creativity, solve problems, learn new techniques, and challenge yourself.

As you start out in photography, you're probably filled with excitement and ready to shoot anything you can. That being said, sometimes a little direction and guidance are necessary.

Below, you will find ten photography assignments. Each covers a new topic, skill, or concept and they were chosen to help you learn how to see as a photographer. They are meant to be a personal challenge that you can complete at your own pace and with no outside judgment, simply as a means to practice and improve your photography. Hopefully, you will learn something new with each assignment and be able to use that in every photograph you take in the future.

Remember when composing your images to keep in mind the basics: the rule of thirds,  shutter speed , aperture,  depth of field , and  exposure .

Assignment #1: Up Close

This assignment encourages you to get close and personal with your subject. It is an exercise in viewing a common object in a new way and examining its finer details.

• Choose an object that you see or interact with every day.
• Focus on a small part of it, get as close as your camera will allow you to focus, and shoot away.
• Try to capture different angles and unusual lighting to add to the mystery of this tiny world.

From the whiskers of your cat to a fragile Christmas ornament, and even common soap bubbles, there is an entire world that we often overlook because we don't get close enough.

Assignment #2: Motion

Photography is a static medium which means that it doesn't move. Conveying a sense of motion is often crucial to capturing a scene or emotion and it is an essential skill for photographers to practice.

The goal of this exercise is to understand how shutter speeds can be used to convey motion.

• Choose a subject or series of subjects that will allow you to convey motion in your images.
• It can be slow motions, like that of a turtle, or fast motion, like a speeding train.
• Blur it, stop it, or simply suggest that there is motion in the photograph.

Challenge yourself to capture the same motion in different ways. For instance, you might go to a race track and stop the movement of the cars completely in one image, then leave the shutter open and allow them to blur out of the frame in the next. 

Assignment #3: Shadows

Shadows are everywhere and they are vital to photography because this is the art of capturing light. With light comes shadows and when you begin to look at shadows as a photographer, your world will open up.

• Take a look around for shadows and record them with your camera.
• You could show the shadow as the total focus of the image. Perhaps the shadow is incidental to the subject.
• Is the shadow natural or created by flash?

Shadows are integral to creating depth in a two-dimensional medium such as photography. Take some time to seriously explore the "dark side" of the light.

Assignment #4: Water

Water is everywhere in photography and it presents many challenges. There are reflections and movements to work with and in this exercise, you will take a deeper look at water.

• Find water anywhere: lakes, streams, puddles, even the glass on your kitchen table.
• Pay attention to reflections and use them to your advantage in the photographs. Use this opportunity to get familiar with a polarizing filter (a very useful tool in your camera kit) so you can accentuate or eliminate reflections.
• Play with the motion of a stream or the crashing waves. Notice the difference between stopping the flow of water and allowing it to blur to create a real sense of movement.

Be sure to make water the subject and not an accent to the image. Water alone is beautiful and mysterious and your challenge is to explore all of its potential as a subject.

Assignment #5: Leading Lines

A classic assignment in photography schools, 'leading lines ' is a popular and fun subject. The goal of this assignment is to learn how to direct the viewer to your subject using lines.

• Choose a subject then look around for lines in the scene that you can use to 'lead' the viewer to the subject. 
• Find an interesting line then determine what the subject of your photograph is.
• Remember that lines can be man-made or natural. For instance, the yellow line down the middle of the road or a tree branch. Even a person's arm can be a leading line of their face.

Use this assignment as an excuse to take an afternoon photo excursion. Walk downtown or in the woods and look around you for interesting lines that lead the eye to a subject. There is an amazing assortment of lines out there in the world and once you begin to see them, you won't be able to stop. 

Assignment #6: Perspective

How do you normally stand when you shoot? If your answer is straight up like a 5-foot-something human being then this assignment is for you. The perspective assignment challenges you to view the world from an entirely new perspective, which in turn gives the viewer a new look at the ordinary.

• Take another afternoon or evening for a photo excursion wherever you like.
• This time, every time you find something to photograph, stop!
• Ask yourself: How would a squirrel see that tree? How would a robin view that birdbath? How would a snake view that log?
• Take your photographs from very high or very low angles. Get on your belly or stand on a chair, whatever you have to (safely) do to get the 'right' angle on your subject.

If you pay attention to professional photographs, many of the images that have the WOW factor are photographed from extreme angles. People enjoy these photos because they've never seen an object from that viewpoint. It is new and unique, and you can train yourself to shoot with this in mind.

Assignment #7: Texture

You may have captured a few textural details in the 'Up Close' assignment, but this assignment takes that to the next level. The goal in this one is to study textures and forget about the object itself: the texture becomes the subject. You will also begin to realize how light affects the appearance of texture.

• Find a few objects that have very detailed textures like trees or rocks, even knit sweaters or woven rugs.
• Photograph them as close as your lens will allow.
• Use different angles and capture the same texture as the light changes. Notice how the different lighting directions and camera angles can change how much texture appears.

Textures are all around us and many of the best photographs in the world play up the textural element. This assignment should teach you how to recognize and accentuate those elements in your photos.

Assignment #8: Color Harmony

Color is important to photography because the world is full of color. This exercise requires a bit of study in color theory, which you will then put into practice in your photographs.

Do you remember art class in elementary school? You may have learned that yellow and blue make green, but color theory goes beyond that. There are cool and warm colors, complementary and contrasting colors, neutral colors, and bold colors.

It can get quite complicated, and photographers should have a basic understanding of color so you can use that when composing photographs. You don't have to study color like a painter would but can use tricks used by interior designers to influence your color decisions.

• Once you have an idea of color theory, take another photo excursion and put what you've learned into practice.
• Capture photographs with the primary or tertiary colors.
• Look for complementary colors then contrasting colors to photograph.
• Try finding a scene to photograph that is filled with neutral colors, then one that uses a bold color to 'pop' from the scene.

This is an advanced lesson, but one that any photographer working with color images will find useful. As you practice working with colors, it will become second nature and you will know how to work with color to change the feel of your images.

Assignment #9: Emotions

Take a photo of a person smiling or scowling, right? Not so. The intent of this assignment is to convey emotion in photographs  without  a face.

• Take photographs that express each of the basic emotions: happy, sad, and mad.
• How would you express the feeling of anger with no person? What about happiness? Sadness?

This is a purely conceptual assignment, but it is important to be able to relay emotion in your photographs and you might not always have a person available to do that with. Challenge yourself to think deeper about this one.

Assignment #10: Don't Look!

Are you ready to put your photography skills to the test? In today's world of digital cameras and the ability to see image captures right there on the LCD screen, photographers are losing some of the skills needed to visualize a photograph.

In this assignment, your challenge is to shoot as if you were using a film camera. That means that you will not look at the photographs you've taken until they are downloaded on your computer. Instead of relying on the camera's screen to see if you 'got the shot' you will rely on your instinct and knowledge, just like photographers did before digital photography. Can you do it?

• Plan a photo excursion to a particular location and permit yourself to photograph only 36 images (a roll of 35mm film).
• Turn off your camera's LCD screen so it does not show you the image after you have taken it.
• If you cannot turn off the camera's screen, cut a piece of thick paper and tape it over the screen. Use masking or painter's tape so you don't leave a residue on the back of your camera.
• Go out and shoot your 36 frames, thinking carefully about each image because you don't have an endless number of shots. Bonus points if you turn your camera to completely manual settings for focus and exposure.
• Don't peek at your photos until you get home and download them.

How did you do? Were you able to get good exposures on your own? How did it feel to be 'blind' and not know how your image turned out right away? 

This is similar to what it is like to shoot with film and it does require you to think harder about every image you take. Next time you shoot, slow down and pay attention, pretend that the screen is not there and rely on your own skills to create a great image. You will be a better photographer in the end.

More from The Spruce Crafts

• Introduction to Photography: 8 Tips for Beginners
• A Brief History of Photography and the Camera
• How to Make a Beautiful Silhouette Drawing
• The Best Online Drawing Classes of 2024
• An Introduction to Photography Exposures
• Easy Drawing Lesson for Beginners
• Ideas for Drawing and Painting
• How to Control Depth of Field With F-Stops in Photography
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DIGITAL PHOTO MENTOR

Photography tips, tutorials and guides for Beginner and Intermediate Photographers.

10 Creative Photography Assignments to Inspire You Into Action

by Andrew S Gibson | Last Updated: November 8, 2022

Finding interesting things to photograph can be one of the most difficult things for a photographer to do.

You’re surrounded by potentially interesting subjects, but you might not realize it if you’re stuck for inspiration. I have been stuck, so I know what that feels like.

The good news is that the world is full of interesting ideas and subjects. All you have to do is find the good ones and develop them into personal photography projects that work for you.

Of course, wouldn’t be easier if you could find lots of ideas in one place?

That’s why I wrote an ebook called 100 Creative Photography Assignments . It gives you lots of ideas for projects that you can do close to home, without traveling to exotic locations.

The book is structured into 20 broad themes, with five assignments for each theme.

To give you a taste of what’s in the book, and to help you get inspired into action here are 10 of my favorite assignments. (The theme for each is shown in brackets after the assignment number and name)

Assignment 3: Urban trees (trees)

Humans have planted trees in formal gardens for centuries to bring nature into towns and cities. Photographing trees in urban environments gives you something that is different than traditional landscapes.

How can you explore the juxtaposition of man-made and natural items?

In the photo below, the tree, which is obviously well-cared for fits in perfectly with the historic home. The two go together, as intended.

But in other situations, you might find a jarring contrast between the natural and urban environments. That is called juxtaposition and it can make for some really striking images.

Assignment 8: People and the sea (or a lake)

How do people interact with the sea?

The sea has strong links to leisure, sport, and industry, all of which have plenty of potential photographically. Think beyond simple photos of people on summer holidays. How can you explore the relationship between people and water in more depth?

Another approach is to show scale and photograph people in a way that shows the vast size and scope of the ocean. Yet another is to show people battling the weather, perhaps fishermen at sea.

Assignment 20: Framed by color (frames)

Some frames are visual rather than literal. One way to make a visual frame is to look for compositions where the main subject is surrounded by a solid block of color, as in the photo below.

This is another assignment that tests your observational skills. It also has the potential to make an interesting series. What happens when you group a set of photos that use color as a frame together?

Assignment 24: Weathered surfaces (texture)

Old buildings of all descriptions are made of materials with interesting textures. The definition of old is relative, your chosen building might be hundreds of years old or just a few.

The important thing is that it looks old. That means visible signs of weathering, like the metal wall and wooden door frame in the photo below. Some texture surfaces, like rust, also have interesting colors that you can use to your advantage.

Assignment 31: On the outside (buildings)

One approach to photographing buildings is to include as much of the building as possible in the frame. But what happens if you take another approach?

Have you ever stopped to notice the interesting things that people put outside buildings?

In Italy, I found a shrine on the outside of a colorful red building in Venice (below). In the United States window boxes and mailboxes are commonplace. Nearly everywhere you go you’ll see plants in pots outside people’s homes.

All these items make potentially interesting subjects and have the potential to be turned into an interesting series.

This assignment gets more interesting when you do it in different places, and compare the things you find outside buildings in one place with those in another location.

Assignment 39: Urban decay (your local neighborhood)

Some buildings can look good for centuries if they’re well maintained. But others soon fall into decay, especially if they’re not kept up. Look for the beauty in decayed or run-down buildings.

You expect older buildings to be in a state of disrepair, especially if you live in a country that has plenty of ruins. But more modern, urban decay can be just as interesting.

Why do modern buildings fall into disrepair? What stories do they tell about their neighborhoods, towns, and cities?

Another approach to this idea is to photograph urban decay in other countries, and then compare the results with what you capture in your local area.

Assignment 54: Capture the character of a place (b/w)

The absence of color gives you another way of capturing the character of a place. Yes, it’s true that in some areas color is an essential part of the essence of the place. But in others, it’s less important.

Working in black and white gives you a chance to see through the colors and get to the essence of a place. Visually speaking that’s texture, contrast, and tone.

But in another way, black and white images seem to help you see further and deeper. They’re moody, atmospheric, and timeless. Use these characteristics to create a set of photos that capture the character of a place.

It’s also an assignment you can do when you travel. It’s easier because you get to see everything with fresh eyes. But for a real challenge try it in your local neighborhood, where familiarity can prevent you from seeing things that might be obvious to newcomers.

Assignment 62: Embrace hard light (light and shadow)

In this assignment, your brief is to photograph a scene on a sunny day when shadows are falling across the subject in an interesting way.

Look at the way the sun casts shadows across the scene during the day. How do the shadows move as the sun moves across the sky? Do the shadows make interesting shapes?

For example, in the photo below the shadow falling across the building comes from a neighboring house and you can clearly see the chimney.

Assignment 71: Signs (everyday objects)

We’re surrounded by signs – signs that tell us which way to go, what to do, that advertise to us, state the name of a business, or tell us about roadworks.

Signs are designed to be informative, but they can also tell a story. Signs in the American mid-west look different from signs in New York City. Signs here in the UK look different from the ones in rural France. Old signs have character and tell you something about the place.

What interesting photos can you make using signs?

Assignment 94: People in the landscape (landscape)

Some landscapes are empty or void of visitors. But others are closer to large population centers and therefore you’re more likely to see other people there in the scene. The idea of a pristine landscape untouched by man is appealing, but it’s also interesting to see how people interact with the scene.

One way to approach this assignment is to use people for scale. A human figure can anchor a composition and show the width and breadth of the landscape. A small figure in the frame emphasizes the size of the landscape, and the idea of people being small compared to the beauty of nature.

The photo below juxtaposes two elements of human interaction. The stone pillar is part of a Neolithic settlement, and the people on the right are modern visitors who came to see it.

Taking it further – traveling and exploring your archives

You’ll get the most from these assignments if you make new photos for them. They’ll get you thinking about your local neighborhood – and areas a little further afield – in a new way.

The beauty of these assignments is that most of them are repeatable. You can select your favorites and use them as themes to follow when you’re traveling away from home.

You might also find that you can go through your archives and find photos that match a particular assignment. It’s an interesting exercise because you’ll start to see themes and connections that you didn’t realize were there.

For example, I have photos that fit Assignment 39: Urban decay from Alaska, Chile, and my hometown (see above). And I can continue to explore this theme when I travel to new places as well.

These ideas are explored further in Creative Photography Assignments: Themes & Projects, a bonus ebook that comes with 100 Creative Photography Assignments.

100 Creative Photography Assignments

Buy 100 Creative Photography Assignments now for just $14 USD.

Buy it now and get out there taking photos!

Note from Darlene: This is perfect if you want to get out there doing some photography. But maybe due to covid, finances, or other circumstances you can’t currently travel. Look no further than your front door to get started! To really challenge yourself do the 100 assignments one a day for the next 100 days!

About Andrew S Gibson

Andrew S. Gibson is a writer based in England’s southwest. His interest in photography began when his parents bought him a Ricoh KR-10m camera more than 20 years ago. Since then, he’s taken photos in over 60 countries, studied for a degree in photography, and worked as Technical Editor for EOS magazine. Today, he makes a living helping people make better photos through ebooks and photography courses.

Learn Photography Basics

Yes, you can learn to take better photos! It’s my passion to help you learn the photography basics and take better pictures. It’s also the same reason I teach workshops, do photo travel tours, and have online photography courses available.

Enroll in our free photography basics for beginners course, or 12-part portrait photography course , also free.

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Photography cheat sheet: Depth-of-field decisions

Four typical subjects and suggestions on how to get depth of field spot on

Scroll down for your cheat sheet

Depth of field can be a tricky thing to master, and if you're starting out in photography the concept can seem somewhat daunting. 

If you only tend to use one single lens and you take the same kinds of images, you may appreciate what kinds of setting give you the results you want. 

Once you start to capture different subjects, perhaps experimenting with different lenses or camera systems, you may soon get lost. 

For example, a landscape image captured with a wide-angle lens at f/11 can look completely different from a close-up shot taken with a macro lens at the same aperture. 

The main reason for this is that the camera-to-subject distance will be vastly different between the two images – and this is one of the key ways depth of field can be controlled. 

In such a situation, you need to use a smaller aperture to get the same kind of results when shooting closely to the subjects as you would when shooting further away. 

You also need to pay attention to exactly where the camera is focusing, as this makes difference too. The extent to which things appear sharp in front of and behind the subject varies as you focus to different distances.

• Photography cheat sheet: how to understand f stops

If you're trying to focus on a single subject further away, a long focal length combined with a wide aperture is a good idea as the combination will help you to isolate your subject from its surroundings. 

A long focal length also makes it appear that you're getting much shallower depth of field than you do with a wide-angle lens. What's actually happening here is that you're capturing very little of the background, which is effectively being stretched out further than if you were using a wide-angle lens for the same composition, which in turn makes this area appear more blurred. 

The four examples on the cheat sheet have been designed to give you pointers when you find yourself in common shooting situations. They show you the result of using a particular combination of aperture and focusing distance, relative to your subject. 

Every shooting situation is different and so you shouldn't feel you need to stick to these ideas slavishly. But, if you're a little lost, it might give you the hand you need to end up with the image you want.

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The former editor of Digital Camera World, "Matt G" has spent the bulk of his career working in or reporting on the photographic industry. For two and a half years he worked in the trade side of the business with Jessops and Wex, serving as content marketing manager for the latter. 

Switching streams he also spent five years as a journalist, where he served as technical writer and technical editor for What Digital Camera before joining DCW, taking on assignments as a freelance writer and photographer in his own right. He currently works for SmartFrame, a specialist in image-streaming technology and protection.

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7 Skill-Building Photography Exercises That Really Work

Anyone can take a photograph, but taking a great photograph? Difficult. These photography exercises actually work.

Despite how easy it looks, photography is hard, with three learning curves to conquer: the technical aspects of the camera, the theory of light and shadows, and the actual composition of a photo (sometimes called "seeing the shot").

That last part is the hardest thing for beginners to grasp. Composition has an artsy component that can't be easily taught. It must be discovered by the photographer themselves.

Fortunately, there are photography exercises that can help "develop your photographic eye". And with practical experience being the only guaranteed way to understand composition, these are the most effective photography exercises we've found.

1. Crop Someone Else's Photos

Great photography starts with the eye, not the camera. This means it should be possible to develop your photographic eye without ever touching a camera or lens. And it is! For this photography composition exercise, all you'll need is one of the easy-to-use photo editing programs like Paint or GIMP.

First, learn the fundamental rules of photo composition . You don't have to know every single one of them right now, but you should know at least one, as this exercise will force you to put these rules into practice. We recommend starting with the Rule of Thirds .

Next, go to a free photo-hosting site like Flickr or 500px and download a bunch of images to your computer. (The easiest way is to right-click and "Save Image As"). Any kinds of images will work, but this exercise works best with portraits and landscapes.

Now, open one of the images in your photo editing program of choice and start cropping. Try all of the standard aspect ratios, including 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9. Try cropping vertical photos as horizontal, or horizontal photos as vertical. Move the subject around. Be creative.

The point is to experiment and see how different crops can change the look and feel of an image, and how certain crops are more aesthetically pleasing than others. This experience is invaluable when you start framing your own shots through the viewfinder.

NB: You can play around with someone else's images, but do NOT upload them or republish them on the internet in any way. That would be a violation of copyright law unless you have express permission from the image's original owner.

2. With One Subject, Shoot 10 Photos

Here's a common mistake made by newbies: always taking photos from the same height and from the same angle. It's natural to stand up straight and take snapshots from eye-level, but that's boring. After all, everyone knows what the world looks like from eye-level.

If you want your photos to be more compelling, change things up. Capture the world from unusual angles and positions: viewpoints that are foreign to most people.

This photography exercise helps train your sense of angles. First, find a subject. Any subject. It could be a stove-top kettle, a pet dog, a fire hydrant, a herb garden, a manhole cover. Anything works.

Then take 10 photos of it. No two photos should be alike. Try looking directly down at it. Then try looking directly up at it. Shift the angles. Look at the front of the subject, then the back, then the sides.

The possibilities are countless, and even the smallest tweaks to the angle can have a large impact on the resulting photo. Do this for hundreds of subjects and you'll start seeing angles everywhere you go without even trying.

Related: Photography Terms All Photographers Should Know

3. With Three Objects, Shoot 10 Photos

In some cases---like landscape, astronomical, and street photography---the idea is to capture scenes in the moment as they are. In other cases---like portrait, food, and product photography---the idea is to construct your own scenes.

As you imagine, this isn't easy. There are many factors to juggle such as lighting and background, but one particular aspect that newbies find difficult is how to position multiple subjects within the frame.

That's what this photo composition exercise is about. Find three random objects, such as action figures, fruit, bowls, candles, plants, or whatever else you have to hand. It doesn't matter if they're related to each other or not, although it will be easier if they're all similar in size.

Now position them however you wish. Think of it as if you're composing the objects for a photo shoot (that is what you're doing, after all). Do this 10 times, rearranging them in different ways each time. Over time, this will stretch your creative muscles and develop your eye.

4. With One Lens, Shoot 1,000 Photos

The focal length of a lens controls more than just the zoom factor of a shot. Yes, all things being equal, an 18mm lens requires you to be closer to the subject than a 50mm lens or an 85mm lens. But different focal lengths can evoke different feelings from a photo, too.

For example, the wide angle of an 18mm lens comes with a lot of distortion, which can produce a comical or whimsical effect. On the other hand, a 200mm lens has a compression effect that makes the photo seem flatter than, say, an 85mm or 50mm lens.

In short, different focal lengths require different approaches when composing shots. That's why we recommend mastering one kind of lens at a time, preferably starting with a 50mm prime. Read up on the common camera lenses and when to use them .

For this exercise, all you have to do is stick with one focal length for your next 1,000 photos. It's easiest with a prime lens, but if you only have a zoom lens, just pick a focal length and leave it there. Switch to another focal length when your 1,000 photos are complete.

By the end, you will have a better understanding of how to use the different focal lengths at your disposal to achieve the shot you're after.

5. Hula-Hoop Photo Walks

Creativity is often seen as something that's infinite, and full of possibilities. And while there's technically nothing wrong with that, the truth is that creativity needs limits and constraints to really flourish.

If you've ever felt like you wanted to take photos but didn't know where to start, where to go, or what to shoot, then you'll know what I'm talking about. Restrictions are good, and that's how this photo exercise is going to unlock your creative potential.

Take a hula hoop and go outside. Toss it up into the air, then let it bounce and roll around until it eventually comes to a stop. Now stand inside the hula hoop, take a look around, and shoot 10, 20, or 50 photos of anything. But try to make them good.

When you're done, toss the hula hoop into the air again and repeat the process. If you don't have a hula hoop, just pick a random direction and walk a random number of steps to find your next spot. Pretty soon your creative juices will start flowing, guaranteed.

6. Weekly Photo Challenges

Weekly photo challenges are popular on the internet, but different photography communities have different names for them: Photo of the Week, 52 Photos Project, Sunday Photo Prompt, etc. The key is to take 52 photos over the course of one year.

Ideally, you'd take part in some kind of community version of the challenge because this gives you a chance to see the photos of other participants, and a chance for others to critique your work. But if you'd rather do a personal challenge instead, that's fine too.

Sometimes each month has a theme, but not always. It's up to you how you want to do it. We recommend setting a regular weekly deadline and sticking to it. Need inspiration? Check out 52 Weeks Photography Challenge , 52 Frames , or 52 Weeks of Photography .

7. Recreate Someone Else's Photos

Once you feel a little more comfortable behind the camera, you may want to try recreating photos that others have shot. Browse Instagram, Flickr, or 500px, pick a few that seem within your skill range, and have at it!

The goal here isn't to make an exact 1-to-1 replica of your source material, so don't be discouraged if you can't get that far. Rather, this photography exercise is meant to get you thinking in ways you haven't considered. To push you outside your comfort zone.

At first, your imitation photos will look like garbage compared to your source photos. That's normal. Keep at it, however, and you'll start to see fast improvements. Along the way, you may even start to discover your own voice and sense of style as a photographer.

Photography Is a Long But Rewarding Journey

Don't expect to unlock your photographer's eye overnight. It's a gradual process that could take weeks, months, or even years before you really start to "see" photographs before taking them. But the journey is well worth taking, so don't give up!

If these photography exercises weren't enough and you need even more ideas, then we highly recommend checking out these free lessons to learn the basics of photography .

Premium Lightroom & ACR Presets, Photoshop Actions, and eBooks For Photography Enthusiasts Premium Lightroom & ACR Presets, Photoshop Actions, and eBooks For Photography Enthusiasts

4 free landscape photography guides and assignments to improve your shot.

FREE: Six Post-Processing Secrets Webinar

If you struggle to create images you're proud of in Lightroom or Photoshop, this class is what you've been waiting for! Limited spots are available! You will also receive a free gift just for attending 👍

Diving into the world of photography is both an art and a journey. While reading is crucial, the real magic happens when you’re out in the field, camera in hand.

To guide you towards improving your landscape photography, we’ve curated four free guides that offer valuable insights, coupled with hands-on assignments to transform your learning into practice. Let’s get started!

1. Landscape Photography with your Smartphone

Key takeaways.

A common misconception is that smartphone photography requires no skill. However, it can be harder to take a great photograph with a smartphone because you have fewer tools to work with. The essence of a good photograph lies in the thought process of the photographer, not the equipment.

Great photography can be achieved with a smartphone, but it requires the photographer to push their thought processes further and delve deeper into their skillset. Learn to pre-visualize your landscape photographs when using a smartphone and understand the relationship between capturing and post-processing.

Try this Assignment

Choose a landscape scene that you find appealing. Using only your smartphone, capture the scene, keeping in mind the limitations and strengths of your device.

After capturing your shot, use a post-processing app (like Snapseed, as mentioned in the guide) to enhance and finalize your image.

Remember to focus on composition, story, and how you can use post-processing to overcome any limitations you faced while capturing the shot. Write down and explain the thought process behind each decision you made during post-processing.

Download now →

2. 7 Easy Tactics for Better Coastal Landscape Photography

It can be important to shoot during the Golden Hour or Blue Hour. These times of day offer changing lighting conditions that can enhance the overall mood and feel of the photograph. Get accustomed to shooting from before sunrise or until after sunset to capture the best lighting conditions.

While the sky, especially during Golden or Blue hours, can be captivating, it’s essential not to neglect the foreground. Scouting a location can reveal interesting foreground elements that can add depth and interest to the composition, making the photograph more engaging.

While coastal landscapes are often celebrated for their vibrant colors, there’s a unique charm in black and white photography. You should play with your images in post-production and explore the effects of black and white. Sometimes, intending to shoot in black and white can lead to even more compelling results.

Choose a coastal location and plan to visit during the Golden Hour or Blue Hour.

Focus on capturing the changing lighting conditions, ensuring you pay attention to both the sky and the foreground.

After capturing your shots, select one image and convert it to black and white in post-production. Explain your choices in composition, lighting, and post-processing.

3. Landscape Photography: A Short Guide

One of the challenges in landscape photography is translating the three-dimensional world into a two-dimensional medium. Our brains perceive depth based on the information our eyes provide, but a photograph is inherently flat. To create the illusion of depth in a photograph, we have to use compositional techniques. To capture the vastness of landscapes, we have to learn how to “create” the information that the brain seeks, primarily through composition.

The choice of lens can significantly affect the outcome of a landscape photograph. A wide-angle lens can create a sense of expansive space, while a telephoto lens can bring subjects closer, creating a sense of intimacy. Understanding the effects of different focal lengths and how they can push or pull subjects is crucial for landscape photography

A common mistake for beginners is not having a focal point in their landscape photographs. Regardless of how spectacular a scene might be, it’s essential to have an element in the composition that captures the viewer’s attention. Without a focal point, the viewer’s eyes might wander aimlessly around the image. Objects that stand out due to their shape, color, or pattern can serve as effective focal points.

Choose a landscape scene that offers depth, such as a path leading into the distance, a series of mountains, or a river winding through a valley.

Using the compositional techniques discussed in the guide, capture the scene in a way that maximizes the illusion of depth. Experiment with different lens choices to see how they affect the perception of depth.

Be sure to analyze your shots and identify the techniques you used to create depth. Write a brief explanation of your compositional choices.

4. Essential Equipment for Landscape Photography

While any camera can be used for landscape photography, certain features can enhance the technical quality of shots. Factors affecting image quality include sensor size, megapixel count, and dynamic range. A larger sensor generally results in better image quality due to its ability to capture more light. Additionally, having a camera that shoots in raw format and offers full manual control is beneficial. For those using interchangeable lens cameras, starting with a kit lens is fine, but eventually, you might consider wider lenses for expansive views or medium telephoto zooms for subject isolation.

This is especially true for long exposures and HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography. Long exposures can create dramatic effects, such as turning running water into silky ribbons. HDR, on the other hand, involves combining multiple shots of varying brightness to achieve a single image with details in both the darkest and lightest areas. A sturdy and durable tripod will help to ensure stability and protect the camera.

ND (Neutral Density) filters decrease the amount of light entering the camera, allowing for creative manipulation of exposure. Graduated ND filters are half-dark and help balance the brightness of the sky with the ground. Circular polarizers reduce reflections and glare, adding contrast to the sky and sometimes allowing the camera to see through water

Choose a landscape scene that offers a mix of bright skies and darker grounds.

Using an ND filter, capture the scene with a long exposure to create a dramatic effect, especially if there’s moving water.

Next, using a graduated ND filter, try to balance the brightness of the sky with the ground.

Finally, use a circular polarizer to reduce reflections and enhance the sky’s contrast.

Take a look at each photo you have captured with each filter, and note the differences and the impact of each filter on the final image.

Further Resources

Are you ready to push your creativity and stretch your skills in landscape photography? A great resource is the Landscape Photography Creativity Prompts from our friends at Photzy! These 5 creativity prompts include over 20 assignments for you to dive into and get out into the field. Read all about these prompts here.

About the Author: Sandra Hunter

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Monochrome – A New Book from Peter Dazeley

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Photography is a skill that requires constant practice and experimentation, so if you want to improve you need to constantly work on it. Here are some DIY mini-project ideas that you can do anytime.

Know Your Camera The longer you hold the camera in your hand, the more you memorize the location of the buttons and their configurations using muscle memory. For photographers working outside the studio, this skill is really important. You should always know where each button is without thinking about it. You can achieve this by holding and using the camera as much as possible.

So use your home camera and try to change as many settings as you can during this practice period to get used to the feel, position, and button configuration. You should be able to change all camera settings without looking at it. This will help you use and set up your camera faster and take more photos in less time.

Don't forget to read the instructions too. There are many options that you will learn and find very useful if you read the manual. If necessary, watch Youtube videos related to your camera to see what it can do that you thought was impossible before.

Create better composition You can practice composition with almost anything you have at home. Keep in mind, though, that most subjects you find will be stationary, and you won't get much better at shooting the same thing over and over again.

Try practicing composition on non-stationary subjects such as your spouse, children, parents, pets - anything that breathes and moves in the house. You might annoy them a bit, but they'll get used to it eventually. Since they'll be unpredictable and moving all the time, you'll have to constantly readjust yourself to compose correctly, which will allow you to hone your composing skills.

You can almost do the same with stationary objects, but try to compose the shot as quickly as possible this time around. And, of course, after each shot you can switch between multiple objects so you don't get too used to the angle and position.

Try macro techniques Chances are there are at least ten small items on hand right now as you sit at your desk and read this article. There are plenty of opportunities to improve your macro skills using these items while you're sitting at your desk wasting time on the internet.

Take a few of these objects and create a cool scene to photograph (which also allows you to practice conceptual photography). Practice handheld focusing and high magnification handheld shots. You can even practice macro lighting using flashes on table stands. The possibilities are endless in this area, all you have to do is practice.

You don't even need a macro lens. Start by using macro filters or close-up filters or try reverse lens macro. You can even use lamps and other lights in your home to illuminate your subjects. Use the reflective surfaces for creative shots and if you head out to your garden you're sure to find more insects, flowers and leaves that can make good macro subjects. Also, this is the best time to try to learn focus stacking.

Improve editing To get good at editing, you can research new ways to edit something, new processes, and maybe even different workflows. This way you will gain experience in this area and possibly improve the quality of your images and post-processing techniques. Also, it will help you optimize your workflow by getting used to it and eliminating any bottlenecks you might have.

If you're not used to editing your black and white photos, you can give it a try. It can help you develop a creative eye and help you learn to see particular details in black and white. You can also learn to focus more on lines, patterns, textures, tones, shadows, etc. of a scene and create powerful images that will captivate viewers for longer.

Maintenance of your equipment Your camera and equipment should be maintained and cleaned from time to time. It's pretty easy when you're at home and have the luxury of time and a clean workspace. You won't have that luxury on the pitch, so it's essential to know what you're doing and how.

When cleaning your equipment at home, be sure to become proficient. Make sure you can clean your camera, lens, and other accessories as quickly and thoroughly as possible. If you can properly clean your camera (even using the wet process on your sensor), you'll end up saving time and money by avoiding service center visits and being without your camera when it's needed.

Apart from your camera and lenses, you will also need to clean your tripod as most of the time it gets dragged through mud, dirt sand and also salt water if you are shooting near or at the beach. Over time, the parts and the material itself wear out and render your accessories unusable. So be sure to clean and lubricate the tripod and monopod. Also take the time to frequently attend to your other tripod-like accessories.

You will learn something new every time, gain experience and improve. All you need is the will to do it. You will notice the differences and improvements in just a few days.

How to teach photography to beginners

All successful photos have three things in common. Do you know what they are? It’s not the correct aperture, exposure and focus distance. Neither is it a suitable camera, lens and tripod. What about the successful use of hyperfocal distance, ISO invariance and ETTR? No! The three variables that matter most in photography are simple: light, subject and composition.

Light Photography is light. Without it, you couldn't take any photos, let alone good photos. The quality of light varies from photo to photo, but in all cases it is what gives your images their underlying structure. You can't get more fundamental than that. You've probably seen photos with beautiful light - photos that would otherwise have been rather ordinary. What makes light so important to the final quality of your photos? The character. In its simplest form, light is an emotion. The feel of your photo will be very different depending on the lighting conditions: hard light, soft light, warm light, cold light, and everything in between. Each type of lighting conveys a different emotional message, changing the character of your final image. While there are other ways to convey emotion in your photo, light is one of the most powerful.

If you've never thought about light, go out and take some pictures. At some point, you'll find yourself capturing a scene with spectacular lighting conditions, and you'll realize that taking great photos is almost easy. But what is exceptional lighting? There are so many possible conditions that you can encounter. Which are the best? While I think there are some really spectacular and particularly special lighting conditions - which I'll get to in a moment - the truth is that any type of light can be ideal. Indeed, in itself, "good light" means nothing. On the contrary, "good light" is light that makes your photos look the way you want.

A few types of light are special enough to be researched as often as possible, as they are particularly good for a wide range of subjects. The most important, at least for outdoor photos, is the golden hour - the times of sunset and sunrise when the sky is filled with stunning colors and the atmosphere filters the light into a soft glow.

Similarly, foggy conditions often make for interesting photos, simplifying the scene in front of you and bathing the world in soft, cool light. The same goes for thunderstorms, which make the sky intense and the world dark. Additionally, clear moonlit nights, which can make a landscape look mysterious and eerie, and for "blue hour" - the time of night close to golden hour, but where the sun is well below the horizon, and where everything has deep blue and purple tones.

The quality of light depends on the conditions you encounter, and it's not always something you have the power to change. However, for particularly important photos, you always have the option to wait and capture something amazing when the lighting conditions improve. The best lighting conditions in the world - even in an ordinary field - are far better than the bland lighting of Yosemite Valley. Every photo needs light; every good photo needs good light.

Subject When most of us take a picture, we do it because something caught our eye. This "something" is, unsurprisingly, your subject. If you're describing a photo to someone else, the subject is probably the first thing you'll say. "It's a picture of a mountain with snow blowing through the air." "This is a picture of a whale I saw last year." "It's a photo of my friend." As humans, we think of the world in terms of subjects. A powerful documentary touches us by what it shows us and how it shows it, but most people don't notice the "how". Indeed, a good subject can captivate your viewers, and other parts of an image - including crucial elements, even light - can take a back seat. This is also where the technical aspect of photography comes in. How do you represent your subject? Do you want to isolate it with a shallow depth of field or do you want everything from the foreground to the background in focus? Will your photography be sharp and detailed, or impressionistic and blurry? Every technical decision is really just a creative decision on how to represent your subject in the best possible way.

So when choosing the right subject for a photograph, you have to think about the future. What would the ideal photo of this subject look like, and how can you achieve it? Visualize the end result and do whatever you can to make it happen.

Composition Finally, the third crucial element of any photography is your composition. Composition is, quite simply, the arrangement of the elements of your photograph. It encompasses the position of the camera, the relationships between the elements of a photo, and the subjects you emphasize, downplay, or completely exclude. Composition is how you tell your story. A "good" composition is one that effectively tells your story, without distraction or confusion. Your viewers don't have to get lost in a convoluted mess to figure out why you took this photo. Composition is the stage of the game where you ask yourself "how". How can you convey the beauty, excitement, darkness, intensity, sweetness or any other emotion of a scene as perfectly as possible? How can you arrange the elements of your photo so that the image is successful? A good composition emphasizes the most important parts of a photo, while minimizing what detracts from the image.

As you can imagine, composing is a very personal subject, with many different elements, way more than I could cover in a single article. For the sake of simplicity, I will only touch on them briefly:

Simplicity Your photo should convey exactly what you want, and as few elements as possible should distract from your emotional message. If there are distracting elements in your photo, or elements with different moods and emotions, find what you can do to improve them.

Eliminate anything that can harm the quality of your photo; change your position or framing to lessen the effect. Even if your goal is to take a chaotic and distracting photo, you should do so as clearly and unambiguously as possible, without "non-chaotic" elements that tell a different story. The best way to fix most photos is to exclude as many unnecessary (or harmful) details as possible.

It doesn't just mean deleting them in Photoshop. Although post-processing can play a role here, it is far from the most important. If you haven't mastered the art of simplifying photos in-camera, it's a stretch to believe that the Spot Correction Brush can save the day. Some unwanted elements can slip into your frame, and that's okay. You rarely come across a "perfect" scene without distractions or problems. But if you're aware of these issues in the field, you've come a long way to fixing them as much as possible.

Balance Every part of a photograph attracts some degree of attention - some parts more than others. Bright, saturated colors and high contrast tend to catch the eye of your viewers, for example. The same goes for engrossing subjects or unusual things in a photo, just like in the real world. It's a matter of balance. When taking a photo, be careful where you place the elements that attract a lot of attention. If the left and right halves of your photo have the same visual weight, the composition is said to be balanced; otherwise, it is an unbalanced image.

Neither is good or bad. You can take good photos that are balanced and good photos that are unbalanced. Either way, this decision has a major impact on the underlying sentiment of the photo, i.e. its moods and emotions. A balanced composition looks calm and peaceful. An unbalanced composition, on the other hand, draws more attention to one side of the photo, resulting in a more tense and dynamic result.

Breathing Room When taking photos, each subject should have their own breathing space, or personal space, in the composition, unless you have a specific reason not to. When two subjects are close together, or against the edge of your photo, the result can be disconcerting. This advice is pretty self-explanatory, but you'd be surprised how often I see shots fail because they overlooked something so minor. An otherwise fantastic mountain photo can look completely contrived if placed too close to the top of the frame or, even worse, cut off completely.

Interconnectedness Good photos work because the elements of your composition work together rather than fighting each other. In some cases, it goes even further, achieving what is called interconnection. Sometimes different parts of the same photo have deeper similarities than they appear at first glance. For example, you can photograph a tree shaped like a distant mountain, or your subject wearing a shirt that matches the color of their eyes. Perhaps the simplest example is that of a landscape perfectly reflected in a pool of water. Such patterns give the picture a purpose, even if not all viewers consciously notice this connection. The idea is to make your image feel like a singular, unified whole, where the reason you took the photo is clear. This level of interconnectedness won't always happen, but when it does, the results can be very powerful.

If you master these three variables - light, subject and composition - you will have mastered what is perhaps the most important part of photography: figuring out how to convey your emotional message. Good photos touch us because they impact our emotions and resonate with us on a deeper level. The light creates a strong atmosphere; a subject gives your viewer something to relate to; the composition structures a photo to complete your story. In this article, I have of course only scratched the surface. In fact, no matter how hard you study these subjects, photography is an endless ocean. There is no "end point" to fully understand the creative aspect of photography. It is always possible to learn more. This is what makes photography so rewarding. Light, subject and composition are things you can only really learn by going out there and taking pictures, then critically reviewing your work and seeing how you can improve. So when trying to take the best photos possible, focus on creativity. Yes, the technical aspect of photography is always important; as I mentioned a moment ago, every technical decision is also a creative decision. But you have to back up a "technically good" photo with something more powerful. Ultimately, it's your emotional message, born out of the decisions you make every time you click the shutter.

Practice photography book

A source of ideas and knowledge is a good book. But it can be difficult to choose from the many popular photography books. We've created this list of great books to help beginners and enthusiasts get to grips with photography. Take a look for yourself and see which book suits you best.

The Photography Ideas Book by Lorna Yabsley Published by ILEX in partnership with the Tate group of museums, this dynamic book dissects and reimagines the art of photography, ultimately offering lessons in how to look with fresh eyes. Each page is devoted to a mini description of an artwork and an explanation of a specific concept used to create it, including perspective, multiple exposures, glitching, collage, and scanning. All of these pages explore brilliant photographic processes while shedding light on dozens of exciting photographers working today.

BetterPhoto Basics by Jim Miotke This is an excellent technical book that seeks to demystify the often overwhelming world of photography. Perfect for beginners, it covers common camera controls, explains the basic concepts of aperture, shutter speed and focal length, and provides tips on focusing, lighting and composition. It also contains practical exercises as well as sections with more advanced instructions, making it an ideal book to develop your skills as you progress through your photography journey. Many inspiring photographs will help you understand how all these techniques can be combined, not only during shooting but also in post-processing.

Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson Veteran photographer Bryan Peterson explains the fundamentals of light, aperture, and shutter speed, and how they interact and influence each other. With a focus on finding the right exposure, even in tricky situations, Understanding Exposure shows you how to get (or lose) image sharpness and contrast, freeze the action, and get the best meter results, while also exploring filters, flash and light.

Authentic Portraits by Chris Orwig Taking a portrait is not an easy task. In fact, it is an art form in its own right. Chris Orwig is a past master in this art and shares his wealth of knowledge with you. The techniques are refreshingly simple and quickly build confidence. Whether it's finding subjects, preparing yourself, or encouraging your subject, this 400+ page book of portrait photography tips and information has it all. If you want to take soulful and meaningful photos, and not just snapshots, this book is for you.

Extraordinary Everyday Photography by Jed Manwaring and Brenda Tharp The driving force behind this book is the concept that beauty can be found all around us, and that you don't have to travel across the world to get "the picture". Authors Brenda Tharp and Jed Manwaring offer captivating lessons with titles such as "Practicing to See Everyday" and "Photographing at Dusk" to inspire readers to see the familiar in new ways. In plain language, they describe how one can find unexpected pleasures by getting up close, focusing on details, and creating abstract views. They also provide exercises to help you apply what you've learned to your own environment.

Photographers on Photography: How the Masters See, Think, and Shoot by Henry Carroll If you like to learn from the best, consider reading this guide, which highlights approaches from the pros. It is packed with interviews, images and quotes from photographers such as Dorothea Lange, Saul Leiter and Wendy Red Star, which explore their ideas, concerns, motives and methods. Whether you're interested in commercial work, photojournalism, or concept art, you'll come away with a greater appreciation for the artistic process — and some inspiration for your own practice.

The Art of Photography: A Personal Approach to Artistic Expression by Bruce Barnbaum It can be difficult to master the technical aspect of photography, but it is even more difficult to develop your own artistic voice. In this rhapsodic text, photographer Bruce Barnbaum explores approaches to image-making, explaining why large photos work, how color and composition contribute to emotion, and how a single moment can be interpreted in limitless ways. There are some handy tips, like shooting the film and presenting the image, but it's mostly a guide to help you harness your technical skills for maximum creativity.

The Photographers Eye by Michael Freeman Design is the most important factor in creating a successful photograph. The ability to see the potential of a strong image and then organize graphic elements into an effective and compelling composition has always been one of the key skills in photography. In this book, photographer Michael Freeman explains how digital photography has brought a new and exciting aspect to design, with instant feedback from a digital camera enabling immediate evaluation and improvement. This has had a profound effect on the way digital photographers take pictures.

Advancing your Photography by Marc Silber Marc Silber interviewed some of the best photographers in the world and learned their secrets for amazing composition. Today, he brings their wisdom to you in an easy-to-understand manual. Too many photographers reach a certain level and struggle to progress. We are bombarded with so many videos, books and people telling us what to do that it can be overwhelming. Marc wrote Advancing Your Photography so you can have an easy to read manual to take with you. All of his advice is based on decades of photography and the deep wisdom of the fantastic photographers he's interviewed.

Good Pictures by Kim Beil This book takes a fascinating look at how we got to where we are today in photography and why we use the tools we use. You've probably never thought about why we have thumbnails and where they come from. But you will feel much closer to photography after reading Good Pictures.

Picture Perfect Practice by Roberto Valenzuela If you're frustrated and overwhelmed by the challenges of real-life locations and executing a big picture, or just want to become a better shooter but don't know where to start, Roberto Valenzuela's Picture Perfect Practice gives you the tools and information you need to finally become the kind of photographer you've always wanted to be: the kind who can confidently enter any location, in any lighting condition, with any any subject, and knowing that you can create stunning photographs that have timeless impact.

The Photographers Guide to Posing by Lindsay Adler When you're shooting people, you can have great composition, perfect light, and the right camera settings, but if your subject doesn't look good, if the pose is bad, the shot won't make it. Posing is truly a crucial skill that photographers need to possess in order to create great shots. If you're looking to improve your ability to pose your subjects, whether men, women, couples or groups, The Photographer's Guide to Posing by best-selling author and photographer Lindsay Adler: Techniques to Flatter Everyone is the perfect resource for you.

Fast Track Photographer by Dane Sanders Competition in the photography industry has never been fiercer. In this guide, renowned photographer Dane Sanders reveals that the key to success is to stop worrying about what other people are doing and focus on your most powerful resource: you.

How I Make Photographs by Joel Meyerowitz With nearly 60 years of photography experience, Joel Meyerowitz knows a thing or two about cameras and shares some of his top tips for creating engaging and beautiful images in this book, How I Make Photographs. Joel Meyerowitz is considered one of the most respected street photographers of all time. In this book, he lays out four key concepts that will help you better capture your world.

• How to use a camera to own the streets.
• Why you should always look at the world with a sense of possibility.
• How to put your subjects at ease
• The importance of being playful and finding a goal that suits your personality.

Magnum Contact Sheets by Kristen Lubben This groundbreaking book features a remarkable selection of contact sheets, revealing how Magnum's most celebrated photographers capture and edit the best shots. Addressing key questions in photographic practice, the book sheds light on the creative methods, strategies and editing processes behind some of the world's most iconic images. This book is less action oriented than others on this list and focuses more on the stories of the photographers who took the photos. It is a must-read book.

The Art of Photography: A Personal Approach to Artistic Expression by Bruce Barnbaum It can be difficult to master the technical aspect of photography, but it is even more difficult to develop your own artistic voice. In this rhapsodic text, photographer Bruce Barnbaum explores approaches to image making, explaining why large photos work, how color and composition contribute to emotion, and how a single moment can be interpreted in limitless ways. There are some handy tips, like shooting the film and presenting the image, but it's mostly a guide to help you harness your technical skills for maximum creativity.

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Each winning entrant will receive a personalized Award of Excellence, milled from solid aluminum, and award certificates issued for firms, individuals and clients.

CA’s Award of Excellence is one of the most-coveted awards in the industry. If chosen, winning places you in the highest ranks of your profession.

2020 Photography Jury

Ayse Bali , creative director/cofounder, Rafineri, Istanbul, Turkey Jason Baron , creative director of photography, BBC Creative, London, United Kingdom Dilip Vishwamitra Bhatia , photographer, Mumbai, India Amy Ditchman , senior vice president/group creative director, FCB Global, Chicago, IL Marc Gafen , editor, Capture magazine, Sydney, Australia Cameron Gibb , design director, Blackwell&Ruth, Auckland, New Zealand Lisa M. Lewis , creative director, Lisa Lewis Design Collective, Los Angeles, CA Janet Michaud , creative director, Janet Michaud Design, Washington DC Christine Ramage , vice president of photography, AMC Networks, New York, NY Mark Zibert , photographer/director/cinematographer, Method Inc, Toronto, Canada

What to Enter: Information on eligibility, categories and fees. How to Enter: Information on preparation of entries and forms. Photography Competition FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions about applications and file formats. Student Category FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions about submitting student entries.

What To Enter Any photograph first published or produced from March 2019 through March 2020 is eligible. Entries may originate from any country. Descriptions in English are very important to the judges. Submission of entries acknowledges the right of Communication Arts to use them for publication and exhibition.

Photography Competition Categories: These categories are judged by the Photography jury and will appear in the Photography Annual. For a list of fees, please download the category PDF :

Advertising: ads, posters, music and product packaging, etc. Books: covers, jackets, interiors, etc. Editorial: consumer or trade magazines, newspapers, etc. For Sale: posters, prints, greeting cards, licensing/stock, gallery sale, online store, etc. Institutional: company/association publications, annual reports, catalogs, client websites, blogs, etc. Motion/Cinematography: time-based media for film, television, video or web, etc. Self-Promotion: promotion for illustrators, design firms, ad agencies, art schools, printers, paper companies, etc. Unpublished: experimental/personal work not published. Student Work: illustration or animation created for school assignments.

Entries must be registered no later than Midnight (Pacific Time), March 6, 2020. Entries registered after that date require a late fee of $10 per entry. No entries can be registered after March 20, 2020.

Each photograph is a single entry. Campaigns or series are limited to five photographs and must be created for the same project.

How to Enter All competition entries are processed through our online competition system.

Before you begin the process of entering a competition, please have the following information and materials ready. This will make the process go quickly:

• Your contact information for registration and notification. • Title and basic credits for each project. •  Digital files of work you want to submit. See below for file specs.

Entries can be submitted in the following formats:

Digital Images:  Must be RGB in JPG format with a maximum file size of 2MB.

Motion/Animation Entries:  Must be in MOV, MP4 or MPG format, with a maximum file size of 500MB.

All entrants grant Communication Arts the right to reproduce work selected in the Illustration Competition on the Communication Arts website and in materials used to promote the magazine, the competition and/or future related promotions.

Forms and Entry Fees

Once you have completed the registration process, a PDF with an invoice will be generated.

We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and PayPal through our online competition system. Charges for your entry fees will appear on your statement as (“Commarts Competition Fees”). We also accept checks, international money orders and wire transfers. Make checks payable to Communication Arts . Non-United States contestants wishing to pay by check must send a check in U.S. funds drafted on a U.S. bank. Please include a copy of your invoice with the check or money order. Please note on wire transfers: We require an additional fee of $25 (U.S.) to cover fees charged by the banks to process the transfer. If you would like to pay via Wire Transfer, please contact us at  [email protected]   for bank information.

Refund Policy All entry submissions are final and entry fees are nonrefundable.

Mail  checks  to:

Communication Arts Photography Competition 110 Constitution Drive Menlo Park, CA 94025-1107 USA

(Via United States Mail, FedEx, UPS, etc. Entrants submitting from outside the U.S., please use an international courier.)

Notification of Acceptance Only accepted entrants will be notified within two months after the final deadline date due to the number of entries we receive. Complete credits and any necessary material for the best possible reproduction in the Annual will be requested at that time.

Questions If you have any other questions, you can reach us by:

Email: [email protected] Phone: (650) 326-6040 Fax: (650) 326-1648

FAQs Can I get an extension on the deadline? After the March 6, 2020 deadline we will accept entries for two weeks but a late entry fee of $10 per submission is required. No entries can be registered after March 20, 2020.

Do you offer a cash prize? We do not offer a cash prize. The winners are featured in one of our annuals distributed worldwide, in both print and digital editions, and on commarts.com, assuring important exposure to the creators of this outstanding work. Each winning entrant will also receive one personalized Award of Excellence, milled from solid aluminum, and printed award certificates for all creative contributors.

Can I submit my work via e-mail and just include a credit card number with it? No, we do not accept entries via e-mail. All entries must be registered using our online competition system.

Will you confirm receipt of my entries? Once you register your entries on our online competition system and select a payment method you will receive a confirmation email.

How do I edit an entry that has already been submitted? ​If you need to change anything about your entry, please contact us at [email protected] and include your entry set number.

Can I enter one project into multiple categories? Yes, as long as the project fits in each category you want to enter.

Can I enter my work as a series? Yes, but all work in a series must be part of the same campaign. When works are submitted as a series they are judged together as a group. The overall strength of the series depends on each individual piece and its function within the campaign.

Can I enter work in the single and series categories? Yes, you can enter work as a series and the individual images as single entries.

If my entry is accepted, what will you use for reproduction? If your work is accepted we will request high-res reproduction materials at that time.

I have a single brochure/poster/self-promo piece that has several photographs on it. Why is it a series and not a single entry? The judges of the Photography Competition are only judging the photography, not the typography, design or art direction. (Entrants who want the design or art direction of their pieces to be considered should enter them in the CA Advertising and Design Competitions.) Each photograph is a single entry. Therefore, a piece with several photographs must be considered a series. There is a maximum of five photographs in each series; if a piece is entered and there are more than five photographs on it, the five that are to be judged must be marked in some way.

Where do we put creative credits? We only need basic credit information during the judging process. If the piece is selected as a winner, we will ask for a full list of credits at that time.

I don't know which category to put my piece in? Choose the category that you feel best fits your submission. If we feel another category is more appropriate, we will move it; your work will not be penalized or disqualified.

We're waiting on the check from our accounting department. Can we have an extension? You can register your entries online now and select that you are sending your payment by check. When the check is ready, please send it with a copy of your invoice.

What rights do I retain if my work is chosen? You retain all rights to your images. If selected, you will need to grant us the right to reproduce the image or images for our online, digital and print-based publications.

How does the judging take place? Judges are not permitted to vote on work they were directly involved in. Each juror views a portion of all the entries independently, choosing “in” or “out” for each piece. A majority vote is required for a project to move from the screening round into the finals round. For finals, the judges view each project that was voted into the finals round independently, choosing “in” or “out” for each piece. After the judges make their selections, their votes are tallied. A simple majority is usually the minimum requirement for a finalist to be selected a winner.

When will we know if our entry was chosen? If your entry is chosen we will notify you within two months after the final deadline date. Because of the number of entries we receive, we can only notify people whose work is accepted.

Will you supply a receipt for my entry fees? Yes. Once you have selected a payment method for your entries, you will be able to download/print your receipt or invoice. If you need to access the receipt at a later date, sign-in to our competition system and under “My Account” click “Invoices”. You will be able to download and print receipts from any of our competitions you have previously entered.

Why don’t you accept print entries any more? We have recently upgraded our competition system to an online-only judging process and can no longer accept printed entries.

Student Category FAQ

What can be entered in the Student Work category? Any project created for a school assignment. Personal unpublished work must be submitted in the Unpublished category.

The work must be completely original and not utilize content owned by another copyright holder unless the entrant has been granted specific usage rights. If a student project is selected and documentation of specific usage rights cannot be supplied, the project will be disqualified. Communication Arts is not liable for any copyright infringement on the part of the entrant, and will not become involved in copyright disputes.

Is there a discount for student entries? Yes, there is a substantial discount for student entries completed as a school assignment. However, if work is entered after the initial deadline a late fee of $10 per entry will be added.

Can I enter one project into multiple categories? If the work is entered in the Student Work category, it cannot be entered in other categories.

Should I enter my video entry as digital images and upload the video? No. Do not upload screenshots of video entries. The jury will only judge the screenshots and not the video.

Questions about what to enter, how to enter and other frequently asked questions can be found in the Photography Competition FAQs .

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The  Sunnyvale Photographic Club  is an association of amateur and professional photographers whose purpose is to provide educational and social opportunities that increase their enjoyment of photography. See  About our meetings and joining and check our Calendar  to confirm location, date, programs. Visitors are always welcome.

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Cinematographer/Director of Photography Job Description, Career as a Cinematographer/Director of Photography, Salary, Employment

Definition and nature of the work, education and training requirements, getting the job.

Education and Training: — Degree in cinematography coupled with specialized training.

Salary: Median— $3,239 weekly

Employment Outlook: — Good

Cinematographers and Directors of Photography play a very important and creative role in film production. They work closely with the director and give a film its unique visual look and identity. Cinematographers and directors of photography primarily monitor the use of photographic and lighting equipment. The terms “Cinematographer” and “Director of Photography” are used interchangeably when the same person supervises both the camera crew and the lighting crew.

Cinematographers and directors of photography are expected to achieve visual effect in accordance with the instructions of director. They are responsible for the selection of camera, lens, filter, and film stock. They take decisions about framing and the mode of shooting. However, the degree of freedom that cinematographers and directors of photography enjoy depends on the director of the project. Some directors give precise instructions while others are open to experimentation.

Education and Training Requirements

Candidates interested in pursuing a career as a cinematographer and director of photography can opt for formal training programs that are offered by colleges and technical schools. Some national institutes offer the master degree in cinematography. It is also beneficial to have an educational background in the fields of art, drama, photography, or film and media studies. Cinematographers and directors of photography should ideally have a thorough knowledge of lighting techniques. It is also essential to have a basic understanding of painting, photography, and moving images.

However, more than educational qualifications, cinematographers and directors of photography need certain skill sets and qualities. These include an artistic vision, ability to conceptualize, creativity, attention to detail, and ability to both give and follow instructions.

Cinematographers and directors of photography have to gather experience by working under experienced professionals. Expertise in computer animation and digital editing may also prove to be of great help.

Getting the Job

In order to start out as a cinematographer and director of photography, one needs to first find the job of an assistant. Most of the motion picture producers have online websites and are listed in the telephone directories. It would do well to directly get in touch with studios and film producers. One can also contact unions of cinematographers and directors of photography since they often have information about jobs available in the industry.

Advancement Possibilities and Employment Outlook

Cinematographers and directors of photography usually start out by working as lighting technicians or camera operators. Others work as volunteers on film projects of small production houses. This kind of experience and exposure is extremely necessary in order to find better job opportunities. After the few initial years, they can begin working as camera assistants of reputed cinematographers until they are deemed experienced enough to be given individual assignments.

Employment opportunities for cinematographers and directors of photography are expected to increase by 11% in the next decade. Since most of the film production units and studios are located in Los Angeles or New York, there will be more options for cinematographers and directors of photography based in these areas.

Working Conditions

Cinematographers often work odd hours. They travel to remote shooting sites, and may have to work in outdoor locations in inclement weather. The job can be stressful at times because they are expected to understand precisely what directors want and create footage accordingly.

Only well established production houses offer full time employment. Most cinematographers work on a freelance basis.

Where to Go for More Information

International Cinematographers’ Guild 7755 Sunset Boulevard Hollywood, California 90046 http://www.cameraguild.com/

Motion Picture Association of America 1600 Eye St., NW Washington, DC 20006 http://www.mpaa.org/

IATSE General Office 1430 Broadway, 20th Floor New York, NY 10018 http://www.iatse-intl.org/home.html

American Society of Cinematographers 1782 North Orange Drive Hollywood, CA 90028 http://www.theasc.com/

Cinematography.com 120 State Avenue NE #260 Olympia, WA 98501-8212 http://www.cinematography.com/

Salary, Earnings and Benefits

The salaries of cinematographers and directors of photography depend on their experience and talent. Most of them work on a contract basis. Since contracts are drawn up based on assignment, it is difficult to predict patterns of income. Unions like IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts) provide wage guidelines for members.

Depending on the budget of the production, the kind of shoot, and the experience level of the cinematographers and directors of photography, the day rate can vary between $300 and $3,000. According to some records, the median annual salary of cinematographers and directors of photography is in the range of $35,000 to $75,000.

Only larger production houses offer employment benefits comparable with other industries. These benefits may include profit sharing, pension plans, sick leave, and life and health insurance.

Additional topics

• Clown Job Description, Career as a Clown, Salary, Employment - Definition and Nature of the Work, Education and Training Requirements, Getting the Job
• Choreographer Job Description, Career as a Choreographer, Salary, Employment - Definition and Nature of the Work, Education and Training Requirements, Getting the Job

Job Descriptions and Careers, Career and Job Opportunities, Career Search, and Career Choices and Profiles Communication and the Arts

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SacLaw Library

Www.saclaw.org, documentary transfer tax, identifying grantors and grantees.

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Adding or Changing Names on Property (Completing and Recording Deeds)

Templates and forms.

Warning about adding names

• If you are adding someone as part of a credit repair or loan deal, it may be a scam .
• If you add a name or sign a quitclaim deed, the grantee becomes an owner . You can’t change your mind without their signature.
• If you are adding an heir, you could use a living trust or Transfer on Death Deed instead of making them a joint tenant. This can avoid probate without giving up ownership while you are alive.

Any time owners make a change to the title of real estate, they must record a deed with the County Recorder. This Step-by-Step guide outlines the requirements and provides samples with instructions.

Related Guides

PCOR Tips: All recorded forms must be accompanied by a PCOR (Preliminary Change of Ownership Report). This guide has links to the form and tips on filling it out.

Affidavits of Death: If you are transferring Joint Tenancy property, Community Property with Rights of Survivorship, or Transfer on Death Deed property because someone has died, use the Affidavits of Death guide instead of this one.

Types of Deeds in California

California mainly uses two types of deeds: the “grant deed” and the “quitclaim deed.” Most other deeds you will see, such as the common “interspousal transfer deed,” are versions of grant or quitclaim deeds customized for specific circumstances. Since the interspousal deed is so commonly requested, we are including a sample in this guide.

A grant deed is used when a person who is on the current deed transfers ownership or adds a name to a deed. The grantor(s) promise that they currently own the property and that there are no hidden liens or mortgages.

Quitclaim deed

A quitclaim deed (sometimes misspelled “quick claim”) is used when someone gives up (waives or disclaims) ownership rights in favor of another person. The grantor may or may not be on the current deed. A quitclaim deed is often used in divorces or inheritance situations, when a spouse or heir gives up any potential rights to real estate. The grantor is giving up their own rights, if any, but not promising anything else.

Interspousal deed

An interspousal deed is used between spouses or registered domestic partners (“DP”) to change real estate to or from community property. Spouses/DPs can use grant or quitclaim deeds to do the same things, but the interspousal deed makes it clear that the transaction is intended to affect community property rights.

The deed I need is not on your list!

There are many other types of deeds, such as warranty deed, joint tenancy deed, easement deed, trust deed, etc. In some states, these may be considered separate deed types, but in California, these are usually just customized grant deeds.

In a warranty deed, the grantor promises to pay for any lawsuits or damages due to undisclosed ownership disputes. In California, title insurance usually covers such disputes.

Other types of deeds, such as joint tenancy deeds, corporation deeds, easement deeds, or mineral rights deeds, can be created by customizing our grant deed format by downloading the RTF (word) version from our website. Consult an attorney or come to the Law Library to research appropriate wording.

Step by Step Instructions

Locate the current deed for the property.

You will need information from the current deed. If you need a copy of the current deed, contact the Recorder’s Office where the property is located. In Sacramento, call (916) 874-6334.

Determine What Type of Deed to Fill Out for Your Situation

To transfer ownership, disclaim ownership, or add someone to title, you will choose between a “grant deed” and a “quitclaim deed.” Spouses/domestic partners transferring property between each other may choose an “interspousal deed.”

Here is a flow chart to help you choose:

Determine How New Owners Will Take Title

If there is more than one new owner, you are moving the real estate into or out of a  trust , or the new owner is married, the form of title can have important effects.

One, unmarried owner: leave blank

If there is only one new owner, and that person is unmarried, title can usually be left blank, although it doesn’t hurt to state something like “a single person” or “a widow” or the like.

More than one owner, owners not married: “Tenants in common” or “joint tenants”

• “Tenants in common” (When one dies, their heirs get their share; probate may be needed. Shares do not need to be equal. Any owner can sell or mortgage their portion.)
• “Joint tenants” (When one owner dies, the other(s) gets their share automatically. Shares must be equal. Any owner can sell or mortgage their portion, but it turns the title into tenants in common.)

If you leave this blank, the default is “tenants in common.”

Examples: siblings who inherit property together, business partners, couples who are not married or registered domestic partners (DP).

Owners are married couple: “Community property,” “community property WROS,” or “joint tenants”

• “Community property” (Both must agree to sell or mortgage the property. At death, a share goes to the surviving spouse/DP and another share to heirs. This will probably require at least a summary probate.)
• “Community property with rights of  survivorship  (WROS)” (Both must agree to sell or mortgage the property. At death, 100% goes to surviving spouse/DP, with no requirement of probate.)
• “Joint tenants” (When one dies, the other(s) gets 100%. Shares must be equal. Either spouse/DP can sell their portion. May receive less favorable tax treatment when first spouse/DP dies.)

If you leave the title line blank, or fill in something like “as husband and wife” or “as domestic partners,” it will be treated as “community property” and a share will go to any heirs instead of all to the surviving spouse/DP.

Owner is married, but property not shared: “as sole and separate property”

If only one spouse/DP owns the property (because that person already owned it when they got married, or it was a gift or inheritance), they can make that clear by using the phrase “a married man/woman/person as his/her/their sole and separate property.” Note : if any money earned during the marriage is spent to purchase, make mortgage payments, maintain, or improve the house, the community owns a share regardless of what it says on the deed.

Property is being transferred into or out of a trust

Many couples use trusts to hold their property. The contents of a trust are technically owned by the trustees. Therefore, when transferring property into a trust, the grantees are the “[name of trustees], as trustees of the [name of trust] dated [date trust was signed].”

When transferring property out of a trust, the grantors are the trustees, identified the same way.

See “ Forms of Title for Multiple Owners ,” below, for examples of how these are entered onto the deed.

Your choice of title can have many effects later, such as when you sell or refinance, if one owner falls into debt, if one owner dies, or if a couple divorces. Some examples of potential effects are:

• reassessment of property raising annual property taxes (since 2022, parent-child transfers are no longer always immune);
• higher capital gains taxes when an owner sells;
• how the property is divided in a divorce;
• whether the property can be liened or foreclosed on for one of the owners’ debts;
• ineligibility for benefits such as Medi-Cal;
• difficulty refinancing if one owner has bad credit;
• lack of eligibility for a reverse mortgage.

If you have questions about which form of title to use, talk to a family or estate lawyer or research your options at the law library.

Fill Out the New Deed (Do Not Sign)

You will find filled-out samples of each type of deed at the end of this guide.

The deed can be filled out online, typed, or neatly written in dark blue or black ink. You will need the following information:

• Assessor’s Parcel Number. (Find this on the current deed.)
• Document Transfer Tax amount or exemption code. (Calculate 1.1% of current market value, or enter applicable exemption.)
• Names of “grantors” (the current owner(s) signing the deed) or of the disclaiming party(ies). (Enter the name(s) as spelled on the current deed.)
• Names of “grantees.” (Enter all the intended owners, including any current owners who will still own the property). Important: If you add a name, that person legally becomes an owner. You cannot change your mind without their signature.
• Form of title the grantee(s) will use. (If no form of title is entered, this will be “tenants in common” for unmarried owners or “community property” for married couples.)
• The legal description of the property. (Find this on the current deed.)

Grantor(s) Sign in Front of a Notary

The notary will charge a fee for this service. You can find notaries at many banks, mailing services, and title companies.

The new owners do not need to sign.

Fill Out the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR)

The PCOR is required when property changes hands, to update the tax records. Turn it in at the Recorder’s Office along with the deed. You can download a  Sacramento version of the PCOR  from Cal Assessor e-Forms. Each county has its own version; contact the assessor’s office in the county where the property is located to obtain the proper form.

Record the Deed and File the PCOR at the Recorder’s Office

The Recorder’s Office charges a recording fee (currently $20/first page plus $3 for additional pages). Current Sacramento fees are available at the County Clerk/Recorder’s website . You may also need to pay the Documentary Transfer Tax or a $75 “Building Homes and Jobs Act” fee.

File Reassessment Exclusion Claim, if any, at the Assessor’s Office

When property changes hands, it is reassessed for tax purposes, often causing a sizeable increase in property tax for the new owner.

Certain transfers are excluded from reassessment, including:

• Parent to child or child to parent (“Prop 58 Exclusion” for deaths before 2/15/2022, “Prop 19 Exclusion” for deaths after 2/15/2022)
• Grandparent to grandchild (but not vice versa) (“Prop 58 Exclusion” for deaths before 2/15/2022, “Prop 19 Exclusion” for deaths after 2/15/2022)
• Transfers between spouses or registered domestic partners during marriage or as part of a property settlement or divorce
• Changes in method of holding title that do not change ownership interests (for instance, changing joint tenants into tenants in common)

If your transfer is excluded from reassessment, you may need to file a claim with the County Assessor. For more information in Sacramento, call the Assessor’s office (916‑875-0750) or visit the  Sacramento Assessor’s office website .

Common questions when filling out deeds

Some parts of deeds often need more explanation.

When property changes hands, the county charges a one-time tax of $.55 per $500 of the value of the real estate (1.1%). Some kinds of transfers are exempt. If yours is exempt, enter the Revenue and Taxation code that provides the exemption, and an explanation, then sign. If yours is not exempt, calculate the dollar amount and write it in.

Common exemption codes and explanations:

• Gift  (transferring property, or adding name to property, without compensation) : Code: “R&T 11911” Explanation:“Gift.”
• Living Trust  (transfer into or out of revocable living trust): Code: “R&T 11930” Explanation: “Transfer into or out of a trust”
• Name Change  (confirming name change after marriage or court-ordered name change): Code: “R&T 11925” Explanation: “Confirming change of name, the grantor and grantee are the same party.”
• Conveyances in dissolution of marriage: Code: “R&T 11927” Explanation: “Dissolution of marriage.”

Other exemptions may be available. See the list of  “Transfer Tax Exemptions”  on the Sacramento Recorder’s website.

Building Homes and Jobs Act Fee (SB 2)

There is an additional $75 fee on mortgage refinances and other real estate transactions that are exempt from Documentary Transfer Tax. Some exceptions apply. Contact your county recorder’s office to determine the total amount you will need to pay.

Grantor(s): The current owner or person transferring the property rights or part of the property rights. This is the person or people who will sign this deed.

Grantee(s) : List all people who are receiving property rights from the grantor(s). If the grantor is staying on title, be sure to list the grantor’s name as one of the grantees also.

It’s often helpful to include the grantors’ and grantees’ marital status.

Forms of Title for Multiple Owners

When there is more than one grantee, you will need to specify the form of title. It can also be helpful to do that if a grantee is a married person or domestic partner.

Here are examples of common title phrases:

• One owner, not married: generally no form of title is needed.
• John Doe, A 50% interest, Jeffrey Doe, a 25% interest, and Paula Smith, a 25% interest, as tenants in common
• John Doe, Jeffrey Doe, and Paula Smith, as joint tenants
• Pat Jones-Larsen and Jan Jones-Larsen, as community property
• Pat Jones-Larsen and Jan Jones-Larsen, as community property with right of survivorship (WROS)
• Pat Jones-Larsen, a married person, as their sole and separate property
• Janet and Lewis Campbell, as trustees of the Campbell Family Living Trust, dated January 3, 2017
• Elm Street Books, a partnership
• Janet Smith and Mark Baker, a partnership
• Acme, Inc., a Delaware corporation 
• Initech, LLC, a California Limited Liability Company

Here is a quick reference chart comparing common forms of title.

Name Changes: Updating Title after Changing Your Name

If you change your name (by court-ordered name change, marriage, or divorce), deeds made out to your old name should be updated. Make out a new grant deed from yourself ([new name], who acquired title under the former name [old name]) as Grantor to yourself ([new name]) as Grantee. For example:

Legal Description

This is the full description of the property, not just the address. It may be brief or very long and full of legalese. It must match the current deed  exactly .

You may want to photocopy the legal description and attach it to the new deed as an exhibit, especially if it is too long to fit on the page.

For More Information

Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder’s Office Sacramento County Assessor’s Office :

• Change in Ownership Reassessment Exclusions
• Proposition 19 (Changes to Parent/Child and Grandparent/Grandchild Exclusions)

DivorceNet: “ Interspousal Transfers vs Quitclaim Deed ” Self-help information about the differences between these two deeds.

At the Law Library

Deeds for California Real Estate ( KFC 170 .Z9 R36, Self-Help) This book, published by Nolo Press, a respected publisher of self-help legal books, is a guide to choosing the right kind of deed, completing the required forms, and filing them. It also discusses related legal issues such as disclosure requirements, community property issues, and tax and estate planning. It contains forms for most transfers of property.

Miller & Starr California Real Estate Forms (KFC 140 .M53) Sections 1:133-1:137 offer language for grant, interspousal, quitclaim, and easement deeds.

California Real Property Practice Forms Manual (KFC140 .A65 C34) A range of sample forms for specific situations such as easements, mineral rights, and more.

Below are samples of the deeds discussed in this guide.

PCOR Instructions and Tips In addition to your deed, you will also need to turn in a PCOR (Preliminary Change of Ownership Report). Download the Sacramento PCOR or obtain it from the county assessor where the property is located (the form is different in each county).

This material is intended as general information only. Your case may have factors requiring different procedures or forms. The information and instructions are provided for use in the Sacramento County Superior Court. Please keep in mind that each court may have different requirements. If you need further assistance consult a lawyer.