A Source of Photography Inspiration

Officially known as ‘physalis alkekengi,’ Chinese lantern plants may look perfect for autumn photos due to their orange color, but they actually bloom during the winter and dry during the spring. Regardless of which season you use them, though, they’re an eye-catching prop, especially in simple, still life photos.

Sticky notes seem to be a universal source of inspiration for photographers going through a 365 project. Their bright color, simple shape and practical purpose make them endlessly useful for every kind of photography.

To anyone who’s terrified of spiders: you probably shouldn’t look at these pictures. With their red spot, jet-black body and dagger-like legs, Black Widows are the stuff of horror movies. No matter what kind of photo you take, they always come out scary.

In cooking, garlic can make a wonderful addition to practically any dish. In photography, these simple bulbs continue to offer diverse possibilities, from the papery skin to the luminescent clove.

Baseball season will be beginning soon, and if you get a chance to attend a game, you’ll have plenty of time to practice taking pictures while waiting for the innings to begin, the pitcher to throw the ball, the batter to walk to the plate…

Dyeing Easter eggs: that messy, hand staining activity all kids enjoy, followed of course by the traditional hunt on Easter morning. In the end, kids get jelly beans and chocolate, and mom and dad get to consume hard-boiled rainbows for the week following.

To put a sense of magic into a picture, all you need is a sparkler and a bit of long exposure photography experience. If arranged just right, the glowing sparks can give a plain person superhero skills, turn a troublemaker into an angel, or make a muggle seem like a wizard.

Although cats can’t actually fly like birds do, their ability to leap incredible distances can make them seem like flying animals. Especially if you get a shot of a cat jumping mid-air, there seems to be little difference between them and floating creatures from outer space.

The old stained glass windows you find in churches are like a medieval form of photography. It’s as if someone made a photograph by hand and put it on display with a little help from the sun.

The Hindu festival of Holi has many names, depending on where you live: Phagwah, Doḷajātra, Dol Jatra, Basantotsav, and the Festival of Colours. Regardless of your country or language, though, Holi is always a spectacular and wild event.