Newbie: What to shoot?

[hjf]

Hi guys, I'm a newbie photographer in a small city. I got a D3000 a few months ago, and i have a 18-55 and a 55-200. But I dont know what I can shoot!

I live in a young city (130 years), which is simply plain and boring: all the roads are in a perfect grid, all the buildings are new and simple (40ºC/104F in summer drastically reduces your choice of construction materials and colors), there's a nearby river but there's nothing interesting around it - and it's in a dangerous area of the city.

There are no graffiti or stenciled walls - not big enough to make it worth capturing.

The city is also small so it doesn't have a highway. People are of course usually not friendly or willing to cooperate. We're in a draught season now and there are no nice flowers, grass is full of brown patches (though it's raining right now. I guess tomorrow everything will be green again for a couple of days).

I thought of photographing some birds, but there are only sparrows, pigeons and kiskadees (i think someone told them I got the 200mm lens and now they don't show up here anymore!)

I also don't have my own means of transportation (that means I just have a bicycle) so I can't go too far. But there's not a lot to see really. Just an endless, perfectly smooth plain with no lakes, rivers, streams. Nothing but grass far as the eye can see (and maybe some trees in the horizon). Oh yes, and a perfectly flat horizon.

Despite these limitations I have made a few pictures I'd like to share, they're on my flickr page. There is a picture of a bridge. That one was made in a city not far from here. It's much older (over 400 years old) and much more interesting. I don't really know that city and I don't have a local friend to "guide" me (this is South America. I don't want to get robbed, and yes it IS that bad, if I walk around with my camera, chances are it will be stolen from me).

So considering all these odds against me what can I shoot? Any ideas?

 

[Geaux]

Go out and take something boring and put a artistic spin on it ... thats the great thing about photography!

 

[Stormchase]

Well with what you said, Be safe out there and watch your back walking around with $$ on your butt.
The bridge looks pretty cool and It looks like your finding things to shoot. Always look around. Just walking around without your camera look at things in a Photogenic type of way. Look up, Look at the ground. Look at people, Poverty. Capture where you live and how you just explained it. Not saying dark allys in the middle of the night but something like people living there everyday lives. Let TPF inspire you. Read posts on here and see how they are commented on. Shoot a lot of pictures and somewhere in there you will have a keeper!
Be safe and Shoot! Hope it help a little ..

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Shoot anything and everything that you find interesting, in a thoughtful way.

Some photographer said "theres ten interesting things to photograph, within ten feet of you, at all times."

 

[Opher]

If you are really stuck and really cant find anything (but you can) you can shoot texture... can turn out cool and useful in post later on.

 

[Breaux]

Some suggestions:
1 - find a friend that's willing to pose for portraits
2 - if the colors around you are drab and uninspiring, try black & white
3 - challenge yourself to take a photo that really captures the feel of the endless flat grassy plain, or of drought season, or the dull sameness of a modern town, etc.

 

[Chamelion 6]

Everyplace has a story. The things that look exotic to you look plain and boring to the people that live next to them. You don't see anything interesting around you because it's so familiar.

You told us about your home in words, the trick is to tell us about your home in pictures. Find the extraordinary in the ordinary. Look at everyting from a different angle than you normally would. I guarrentee there are interesting shots all around you.

 

[gsgary]

This guy has made it big shooting boring stuff, not that i think it's boring shooting the benal is very hard

 

[orb9220]

Yep seems you are looking at the world thru a non-photographer eyes. Everything and anything when you notice them can be captured in a thoughtful,interesting way. Start to train your mind to look for the unusual around you. Constantly look down,up and to the sides. Change your perspective by getting close to the ground to up on a ladder.

I have captured interesting geometric lines and symmetry on everyday objects from fences,windows,pencils and other repeating geometric shapes like marbles. Or Color symmetry of compliment or clashing colors and shadows.


Red Blast by orb9220, on Flickr


High Key Wall & Lights by orb9220, on Flickr


Ready to Ride by orb9220, on Flickr

Always start to look around you and see the items our minds usually pass over without a second thought. Who knew that rusty hinge on a barn door or that stepped on rusty coke can could be rendered in such an interesting captivating way? Well the photographer Did! first by noticing it.


Nifty Fifty Blur by orb9220, on Flickr


Turntable Mix by orb9220, on Flickr


Red Berries Bobble by orb9220, on Flickr

The world is full of wonder and interestingness! You just got to learn to see it!
I am on flickr and it's free for posting images and full of groups to join. Whether Canon or Nikon.
And many have challenges,ideas and just looking at other images gives you ideas of what to look for.
.

 

[photocist]

thanks for that video.

 

[hjf]

Thanks guys, some of the posts here have been very inspiring. I will try to see what I can come up with

 

[Aerin328]

Hjf, I also live in a relatively drab location, but as mentioned by the other posters, I have found that if you look hard enough there are always interesting subjects to shoot. Condition yourself to look for photographic opportunities wherever you are, whatever you're doing. Or make your own opportunities with what you have. Like for instance, I think my wife thought I was nuts the other day when she came into the kitchen and I had set the tripod over a bunch of fish oil pills that I poured into a strainer. lol Luckily for photographers, light, shapes, textures, and colors are indeed everywhere!

Orb9220, I just love the first pic "Red Blast" you posted above. What was the shutter/ f-stop on that? How different were the colors in the original pic?

 

[orb9220]

Camera Nikon D80 with Tamron 17-50 f2.8
Exposure 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 50 mm
ISO Speed 200

Used I believe the Yesteryear preset in lightroom 3 and custom curves adj.
Here is first which was B&W


Blast in the Dark by orb9220, on Flickr
.

 

[Aerin328]

Orb, awesome. Thanks for the status on the "Blast in the Dark." I actually just bought the same Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 lens. 1/500- interesting. Thanks!

Hjf, I thought of this post when I got up this morning around 6:00 AM to wander for 2 hours to shoot anything I could before my family got up. Ended up in a cemetery- usually lots of neat things to shoot there, and I'm sure your town has one!

 

[Amreldeib]

I think any thing a round you could be a great picture for example: you can take a shoot of trash can in a way that makes it looks great,you also can shoot any animal or bird, you just have look to the any thing around you from a different angle, good luck