Where to Find Great Photographic Opportunities

If you have more than a passing interest in photography, you may be looking to expand your photo album with more diverse and interesting photos. I love taking pictures at concerts, birthday parties and other family gatherings, but I am often on the look out for new opportunities. You may be too.

These opportunities can be as close as your own backyard or as far away as the other side of the world. Since most of us don't get to travel around the world on a regular basis, your own community might be your best bet.

People

People always make interesting subjects for photographs. You may be surprised at how many strangers will happily allow you to take their photo. You don't want posed shots however; look for the more candid or natural shot. People in their own environment make for great opportunities.

Large community events are a great opportunity to catch people within their passion. These make for interesting and bold photographs. Choose a single subject or shoot the crowd. Look for interesting angles for a different perspective. Try to frame a shot that captures the mood of the festivities around you.

Children

Youngsters always make great subjects. Children under the age of five or six are often uninhibited in their actions. If you wait for just the right moment, you can capture that state-of-mind in a photo. When children are photographs in moments of discovery or imagination, the photo will speak for itself.

Architecture

Great photos are all around you, just waiting to be taken. The wonderful thing about the homes and businesses around you is they all have a unique personality all their own. Opportunities come in the form of the tallest skyscrapers or the saddest, neglected backyard shed. Each has a unique opportunity for an interesting photograph. Look for an interesting angle or feature and make that the focal point of your photograph.

Nature

If you do live in rural areas, you may find inspiration for photographs all around you. Go for a hike or go for a drive in your car. Find a spot that looks interesting and explore it through your camera's lens. Sit, lie down or climb to find interesting angles and settings.

You don't have to live in rural areas to take nature photographs. Look for a park in your neighborhood. Even the smallest of parks will have opportunities for interesting shots. Sit quietly in your backyard and wait for nature to come for you. Birds and squirrels may get close enough to photograph quite easily.

Water

Visit a lake or river near dawn or sunset. On the right day, the rising or setting sun will cast a beautiful spectrum of colors upon the water's surface. You may have to experiment before you find the best way to capture the magic in these moments.

A waterfall shot with your camera on a tripod, set to a long shutter speed, can produce interesting shots. Give it a try. Find the bend in the river or the local waterhole and explore your photo options.

Anywhere

You can find photo opportunities in just about any location, even in your own home. Look for patterns or groups of objects and experiment with angles to find the best shot. Lie on the floor at the bottom of your stairs and study the scene before you. Do you see anything interesting? If you do, shoot it! Patterns, light effects, and unusual angles can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary though the lens of a camera.

Wrap Up

As with any new endeavor, great photography takes time and practice. There may not be one great secret that will help you take interesting photographs that are visually pleasing and thought provoking, but with a little practice you can find what works best for you. Great photographic material is all around you; you just have to look for it.