Give Yourself Focus With Assignments, Themes & Photography Projects

Whenever I’ve lacked focus and inspiration, the answer has always been to set myself a new photography project.

Have you ever been stuck for photography ideas? If you have, you’re not alone. It’s not a pleasant feeling. There’s this creative thing you want to do, something you enjoy immensely when it goes right, but you can’t find the inspiration or the motivation.

When I think about the times this happened to me, I realize that it was down to four reasons:

I was at home. I was so familiar with my surroundings that it was hard to see the photographic potential in anything. I needed to look at things with fresh eyes, but I couldn’t. Photography is easy when you’re traveling and everything is new and exciting. It’s not so easy when you’re in your home town.

I lacked an interesting subject. Not because interesting subjects weren’t around me, but because I couldn’t see them. Or I was aware of them, but didn’t have access.

I didn’t have a specific focus. I’ve always been a generalist. The advantage? I can write articles and books about many aspects of photography. But the disadvantage is that I’ve lacked a focus on a specific genre of photography, and haven’t taken anything deep.

I had other things pulling my attention away from photography. This was the case in the first years after my son was born. For the first time in decades I didn’t have the freedom to do what I wanted, when I wanted. This made it much harder to find time for photography (and still does).

What I’ve learned: set yourself photography projects

Being stuck is a sign that something has to change. In some ways it’s a good thing. It forces you to make changes and find new things to photograph.

That’s where photography projects come in. I hope that doesn’t sound daunting. A photography project doesn’t have to be a complex, long term undertaking that demands time, money and determination to complete. It can, if that’s what’s right for you at this time. But to be helpful, a project should challenge you without being too difficult. If you can’t do it, you’ll get discouraged and give up. It has to be doable.

Projects can be as small and simple as you like. For example, if you’ve never tried close-up photography before then how about making some photos of flowers in your garden? Or in a local park if you don’t have a garden?

It doesn’t have to be difficult. You just need to set yourself a goal. Something like “to make three good photos of flowers that look as if they belong together”. In other words, you use a similar photography technique and developing style for each photo. You think of them as a set, not as individual images.

If it helps, don’t think of it as a project. Use other words instead. If it isn’t a project, maybe it’s a theme? Or perhaps you’re setting yourself assignments, or even mini-assignments, with briefs? This is one of the reasons I wrote my assignments books – to inspire readers to find something interesting to photograph in their own backyard, and help them view their neighborhood with fresh eyes.

Projects, assignments and themes are all ways of giving yourself something to aim for, and developing a thematically linked body of work. Professionals set themselves projects to learn new skills, make new contacts and give themselves something creative and positive to do in quiet times. But you don’t have to be a pro to benefit. Projects help you become a better photographer, no matter what your level.

Benefits of photography projects

Hopefully I’ve piqued your interest, especially if the idea of setting yourself photography projects is new to you. Here are some of the practical benefits of photography projects.

Photography projects help you develop new skills

I made the photos illustrating this article as part of a personal project photographing people’s backyards. Here’s how it works. Here in the UK, we have an organization called the National Garden Scheme. During the year over 3000 private gardens open to the public to raise money for charity. All you have to do is turn up, pay the entry fee (which goes to charity) and enjoy the garden. This project led to the Hidden Worlds assignment in my book 52 Flower, Garden & Nature Photography Assignments.

This project has developed my photography skills. I’ve learned to make decisions quickly. There isn’t much space when you’re in a suburban garden with twenty other visitors. You have to make photos quickly, before somebody steps in the way. You have to be minimal with your gear (I usually take one camera and one lens). Most of the gardens are only open for a few hours. You have to work with the weather that you’re given, whether it’s rain or blazing sunshine. You have to find the essence of a garden, the most interesting things to photograph, quickly. You need to think about composition and light before you lift your camera to your eye. It’s almost like reportage.

Photography projects give you something to aim for

A good photography project is more than just photography. It’s about setting yourself a goal and completing it. It could be modest goal, like visiting a garden and creating three good images over the course of an afternoon. Or you might have a goal of creating a PDF monograph, a zine or a photo book. It can be as ambitious as you like. Setting and completing goals changes you as a photographer and as a person.

Photography projects can be long term

Once you’ve committed to a project, and the idea of taking a series of photos over a period of time, you realize it’s not just about today. It’s about what you do tomorrow, next week and next year. Your perspective changes. You start thinking long term.

Another benefit is that you can compare your newest photos with older images. You get to see how your skills and ideas progress over time.

For example, I started photographing flowers 18 months ago. Then I began photographing gardens. When I look back at those photos I can see how my understanding of garden photography has developed and evolved. I can visit a garden now and make photos that I didn’t even see when I visited it a year ago.

You can have several photography projects on the go at the same time

That’s right, there’s no need to work on one project at a time. You don’t have to be single-minded or serious about your projects. They should be fun, and that means you can have several ongoing photography projects (or themes or assignments) to work on. It’s just a matter of what excites, inspires and intrigues you.

You can give projects up when you feel that your time with the subject is done. Whether it’s a completed goal, fading interest or something else captures your attention, you have complete freedom to move from one project to another.

Projects let you explore a subject in-depth

One way of taking photos is to visit somewhere for a day or two, taking photos of the scenery and anything else that catches your eye. That might help you take photos of landmarks and other well-known scenes, but it’s not an in-depth exploration of a place.

Imagine how much more depth you can get if you have time to explore somewhere on a deeper level. In my case I’m getting to know my local gardens, and appreciate how they change over the course of a year.

That’s not somebody who’s here on vacation can do. But it’s something that’s much easier when your subject is closer to home. That’s why projects are such a good way of getting more out of your home town, or nearby places within convenient traveling distance.

Projects help you work within constraints

By definition, a project is a constraint. A brief defines the subject of your project, along with all the things that are not your subject. This gives you focus, a goal and something to aim for. It’s a different way of working than turning up and making photos of whatever catches your eye. You’ll make better photos with a goal, a good brief and razor sharp focus than you will when you give yourself permission to make photos of anything. It may sound paradoxical, but working within constraints helps you be more creative.

Further reading: 52 Flower, Garden & Nature Photography Assignments

Hopefully the ideas in this article (plus my photos from the Hidden Worlds project) show you how assignments are a great way to improve your photography. The important thing is to set yourself a brief that helps you get the most from your photography session. It gives you focus, purpose and liberates your creativity.

That’s why I wrote my new book 52 Flower, Garden & Nature Photography Assignments. It has enough ideas and inspiration to keep you busy for a long time to come. Click here for the details or here to check out my other assignments books.

Just curious? Click here to download a free 20 page sample.