(jeff cua)
1. Do something different. If you shoot in the same place over and over again get out of it and try another place. If you shoot every week at the same time, change the time you shoot if not you will always get the same subject. Also change
your angle. If you shoot at eye level all the time, try to shoot kneeling or from bird's eye view. In other words, try something different and get out of your comfort zone.
2. See works of other. Go to a museum or a gallery and check out works of different artists. If you don't have time to go out, check out different photo blogs or online galleries, you may even check out magazines, and even watch movies to get inspiration. Join forum or clubs. Normally there are monthly contests in forums and clubs, by joining such contests you force yourself to shoot and will let out your creative juices.
3. Don't shoot. Yes! You read it right, don't shoot. Leave your camera at home, just go out and visualize, just look at the surroundings, find a subject and see how you would compose it. Ansel Adams recommends that photographers should learn to visualize because when you visualize your mind tends to play and you get more ideas.
4. Don't bring your favorite lens. Always carrying the same lens will give you the same results and same point of view.If you are a landscape artist, go out and bring a long lens, this will force you not to shoot landscape or you can but from a different point of view, in other words there is a great chance that you change your subject when you change your lens
5. Open up. Sometimes when we go out to shoot we already have an idea of what to capture or already have a set of composition techniques to use. It if fine to do research or have an idea of what to do, but don't end it there. Shoot, play and experiment, if you always have winning photos it only means that you have not explored beyond what is technically acceptable.
