At this time, people across the globe are practicing social distancing. No parties, no outdoor adventures, no coffee dates. Everyone is hunkering down indoors, making photographic opportunities very scarce.

During this time, I really wanted to do something during this time to help people. Focusing on photography, I asked myself: What is something photographers could do from home? How can I help inspire others who might be bored, lonely, or stressed? So I decided to combine two of my favorite things and share them: Photography and Lists. I decided to make photo inspiration sheets for those who want to keep taking pictures, and help them during this time of isolation.

I encourage you to pick one of these areas to focus on, and keep it in mind the whole time you are participating in the challenge:

1. Stock Photography: Take pictures with the intent of uploading it to one of the stock photography sites. If you chose this route, keep asking yourself what would make this photo good to sell? How could someone use this in their product or business? With stock photography, you want to make sure there is not a lot of extra elements, or noise, in the image. You will want to avoid including any logos or brands in these images as well. The advantage of shooting for stock – you may be able to make a little extra money while stuck inside! 🙂
2. Technical Improvement: This is good for those who want to work with their camera settings. This is a good time to get really familiar with a variety of settings on your camera. For beginners, work with your shutter speed, aperture, and focus. For intermediates, work with white balance, color saturation, and any of the other settings you can find. There is a whole world to explore with your camera settings!
3. Technique: Try stepping outside your normal shooting method. I tend to favor macro shots, so I would try backing up and getting a bigger picture of my shots. Try different angles, lighting, and subjects.
4. Abstract: Try taking the photo prompts, and give them a new twist. One of the challenges is “Abstract Ideas,” so that might be a good one to start with. For the portrait challenge? Try taking a picture of a shadow in a portrait position. The sky is the limit! And if you have a really good lens, you can go beyond that. 🙂
5. Documentation: For this, the goal of the photos would be to document this time in your life as it is. Capture what the world is like right now, during the pandemic. It could be valuable historical documentation for future generations.

After you decide where you want to focus, find the photo sheets down below. There are 7 altogether, enough for a full week of photo fun.

Stay healthy and happy everyone! I hope you enjoy partaking in these challenges as much as I did making them. 🙂

-Amanda