“Pick a theme and work it to exhaustion…the subject must be something you truly love or truly hate.”
Dorothea Lange
- What can’t you help but photograph? What are some of the common threads in the images you’ve made up to now? Think about this and mark down any ideas that come to mind.
2. Make a list of some of the best photo experiences you’ve had. Then look for links between them that might lead you to similar great photographic experiences to pursue in the future.
3. Do you have special access to an interesting place, person, or story through a personal connection or through work, relatives, or friends? Are there story ideas there?
4. Make a list of places near where you live that you like to spend time. Do any of these places have opportunity for photo projects? How do they change when viewed at different times of the day? Do you regularly pass by places that make you intrigued to see what’s there?
5. Make a list of photographers whose work you admire and see if any of the stories they pursue might be a direction you want to take. Look for small stories to develop into projects.
6. Come up with some photo shoots you think would be fun. It could be anything, anywhere; money is no object—let yourself go. Don’t think too much, just mark stuff down. Come up with a list of subject matter that you think will inspire you. It could be anything, anywhere, no limits.
7. Is there a group of people or a person you admire who might make a good day-in-the-life or portrait series? Are there issues you are passionate about where you can aim your camera to communicate and promote awareness of that issue?
8. Make a list of dream jobs for the future. They don’t even have to be photographic. Talk-show host, chocolate factory taster, anything. Any story ideas there?
9. Go to a place that has newspapers and magazines from around the world (they still exist) and/or explore the internet. Look for ideas to pursue from stories you find. If it’s not the specific story, maybe you can find a way to localize and work on a similar story.
10. Go to a big bookstore with a great photo book section and get lost in those shelves for a couple of hours and take notes.
11. Read the artist statement you’ve created and ponder potential story ideas that might come from it.
Do you have any suggestions you can add? Please do so in the comments…
