Trial lesson

The Creativity Box includes 15 different everyday motifs that we normally walk past without noticing.

Here you get a brief introduction so you know what to expect when you sign up.

To start off, I would like to briefly explain how the Creativity Box works.

The intention behind the workshop is to take the stress out of searching for subjects to photograph, because often you overlook the best subjects or focus on subjects that you have either seen in photos taken by other photographers or that you have successfully transformed into good photos in the past.

Search with a goal instead of aimlessly.

First, choose the subject that appeals to you the most from the 15 in the selection. Then focus on taking as many pictures of it as possible over the next few weeks, AND play to your creative side by developing interesting ways to capture it.

I chose one of the workshop topics so that you can get a feel for what to expect when you sign up:

Reflections

Reflections are everywhere. Once you start looking for them, you'll see them in your home, your car, and on every reflective surface you pass by, such as in shop windows.

There are several methods for capturing reflections and a few things you need to know to get good results.

Let's start with the different types of reflections you might be able to capture soon.

Water:

This often makes you think of a lake, with the landscape reflected behind it. You'll get the best results when the wind is still and not making waves on the surface (though this kind of reflection can look good too, especially if the backdrop contains a lot of colorful elements).

An easier-to-access version is to capture a reflection in a puddle, as you will encounter them more often in everyday life than lakes. You will notice that sometimes you see really cool reflections in puddles from a distance, but they disappear as soon as you get closer. Instead, only the sky can be seen in them. So the trick is to find a puddle that you can capture up close and that still reflects something interesting.

MirrorS

Record yourself in a mirror at home or take a hand mirror with you and hold it so that it captures something interesting in the reflection. It's easier to place your camera on a tripod and use a remote to focus on the reflection and take the shot.

Smartphones are also reflective, so either place them deliberately to reflect something of your choice.

Shop window

Another excellent way to use reflections in your photos is to use them to tell two stories in one image. This is especially achievable with a storefront or a window in your home. For example, stand in front of a café and photograph your friend sitting inside at the window. You will automatically capture the backdrop behind you as a reflection, thus capturing the inside and the outside in the same photo.

To get good reflections using this method, you may need to try different focus points, as your camera may not focus on something that is too shiny.

other Places and subjects to look for reflections:

• As mentioned earlier, water reflects windows, but so does any other shiny surface. The reflection doesn't have to be perfect. Sometimes a touch of the surrounding colors is enough to make your photo more interesting.

• Your car. There are reflective surfaces all over your car. The windows, the interior mirror and the exterior mirrors, as well as the paintwork.

• The ground after a rain shower.

• Anything made of metal.

• Your glasses or sunglasses.

• Eyes (you might need a macro lens to get close enough)

• Spoons

• Drinking glasses

• Shiny tabletops

• Aluminum foil

• Look up from your phone or computer 👀 and you'll see a reflective surface within a few seconds. This could be the star of your next awesome photo.
  
  
  

If you enjoyed this lesson, there are 14 more in the workshop for you to enjoy. Don't miss out.

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