4 of the Best Picture Subjects

If you’re getting into photography, then you probably have an artistic temperament. Using a camera as a tool is just the same as using a paintbrush and an easel. That is why some pictures have won Pulitzer Prizes in the past if they capture a subject with intensity and tell a story through that photo.

Nowadays, you can be an artist with your smartphone since virtually every phone comes with a camera. You can use that camera to take pictures you can feature on your social media accounts, but you can also take photos to satisfy your artistic leanings.

You might decide you’re going to become a photographer, and that’s what you’ll do with your life. Whether you use a more traditional camera or a smartphone, there are certain subjects that always seem to captivate audiences. Let’s talk about a few of those.

Sunsets and Sunrises

It’s hard to say when some people decide they want to be visual artists such as photographers. Perhaps you might realize you like capturing stories with pictures if you see a car wreck, and your first move is to grab your camera rather than reaching out to a car accident lawyer.

This does not mean you’re callous. It indicates that you’re capable of finding beauty everywhere, even

in tragic scenes.

Once you start seeking out your photo subjects, though, you might find that sunsets or sunrises are the perfect choices. Many photographers feel drawn to taking pictures of them, and some of them get up early every morning trying to get that perfect shot.

A blood-red dawn or a golden sunset can seem like the ideal way to start or end a day. If you can capture a sunset or sunrise shot that features brilliant color and majesty, you might use that as a collection’s centerpiece.

Interesting People

You might take to the New York or Los Angeles streets in search of interesting people who you can shoot with your camera. These might be staged shots where you approach someone and ask to take some pictures of them. You may also choose not to notify the individual before you shoot them, so the shot seems more natural and less contrived.

If you shoot someone without their permission, you might need that if you’re going to publish the shot and profit off of it. Remember that if you go out after some candid photos.

You might choose to do a series about the police, homeless people, or any other population segment that interests you. Just remember that some people don’t like you taking their picture, so try to respect their wishes.

Animals

Animals and the natural world are also great photography targets. You might head to your local park and attempt to get some shots of the birds in your area. Maybe you’d like to shoot other wildlife, like squirrels, deer, skunks, or raccoons.

Animals can supply you with endless photography opportunities, but you need to watch out for some of them as well. Approaching a buck to take its picture might seem like a good idea until it decides it wants to charge at you. Male deer can be temperamental at certain times of the year, so keep that in mind.

You can always shoot domestic animals as well. If you have a particularly photogenic dog or cat, you can practice by taking some shots of them.

It’s probably not likely you can sell those shots to any publication, though, or feature them in any collection of your work. Most people don’t consider that kind of photography interesting or original enough.

Plants

You can shoot plants if you feel like you can make the shots compelling enough and make them tell a story. If you live close to the California redwoods, you might venture into the woods to get some photos that show the trees’ remarkable height and beauty. You could head to your local arboretum and shoot some of the flowers and butterflies.

You need to be very careful if you go far into the forest looking for some excellent plant shots, though. If you venture far off the beaten track and lose yourself, you might never find your way out again.

Photography can be a calling, just like being a painter, sculptor, novelist, etc. As you get better at it, you might feel like this will be your sole income means, or else you might do it on the side as nothing more than a hobby.