Salt Shaker Press: Photographic imagery

Here is a list of 100 command prompts for photographic imagery, categorized by creative and technical goals.

Compose the shot using the Rule of Thirds.
Use leading lines to guide the viewer's eye to the subject.
Fill the frame entirely with the subject's face/details.
Use a "frame within a frame" (e.g., a window, doorway, or arch).
Shoot from a very low angle to make the subject look heroic or dominant.
Shoot from a high angle (bird's-eye view) to show scale or context.
Capture the subject's reflection in [water/a window/a mirror].
Use negative space to isolate and emphasize the subject.
Find and photograph symmetrical patterns.
Break symmetry to create tension.
Focus on a repeating pattern in the foreground or background.
Use a "Dutch angle" (tilt the camera) to create a sense of unease or dynamism.
Create a composition with a clear foreground, middle ground, and background.
Get closer to the subject than you normally would.
Photograph the subject from the back, looking out at a view.
Align multiple subjects on a diagonal line.
Balance the main subject with a smaller element in the opposite corner.
Use the "golden ratio" (Fibonacci spiral) to place the subject.
Shoot through an object (e.g., leaves, a fence, a crowd) to add depth.

Shoot during the "golden hour" (just after sunrise or before sunset).
Shoot during the "blue hour" (just before sunrise or after sunset).
Use harsh, direct midday sun to create strong, hard shadows.
Find and photograph "dappled light" (light filtering through trees).
Create a silhouette by placing the subject against a bright background.
Use backlighting to create a "rim light" or halo effect around the subject.
Use a single, small light source in a dark room (chiaroscuro effect).
Find and photograph a subject in soft, diffused light (e.g., an overcast day or shade).
Use a reflector to fill in the shadows on a portrait.
Take a long-exposure shot to blur motion (e.g., water, clouds, car light trails).
Take a fast-shutter-speed shot to freeze motion (e.g., a splash, a bird's wings).
Intentionally overexpose the image for a high-key, bright, airy feel.
Intentionally underexpose the image for a low-key, dark, moody feel.
Capture a lens flare from the sun.
Photograph a neon sign at night, capturing its glow.
Use a flash to overpower the sun and create a dramatic, dark-sky portrait.
Use "split lighting" (one half of the face in light, one in shadow).
Use "Rembrandt lighting" (a triangle of light on the cheek).
Capture a "catchlight" (reflection of light) in the subject's eyes.

Use a wide aperture (e.g., f/1.8) to create a very shallow depth of field (bokeh).
Use a narrow aperture (e.g., f/16) to keep everything in focus (deep depth of field).
Focus on a detail in the foreground, letting the background blur.
Focus on a subject in the background, letting the foreground blur.
Use "selective focus" to draw attention to one specific part of the scene.
Create a "focus pull" (for video) or rack focus shot.
Manually focus on the subject's eyes in a portrait.
Use a tilt-shift lens (or effect) to create a miniature-world look.
Use a narrow aperture (e.g., f/22) to create a "sunstar" effect from a bright light source.

Use a slow shutter speed (e.g., 1/15s) and pan with a moving subject to blur the background.
Capture motion blur from a moving object (e.g., a train, a person running).
Photograph light trails from cars at night.
Capture the motion of stars (star trails) with a very long exposure.
Photograph "silky" or "milky" water (e.g., a waterfall, ocean waves) with a long exposure.
Freeze the motion of a drop of water splashing.
Capture a "zooom burst" by zooming the lens during a slow exposure.
Intentionally move the camera during the exposure (ICM - Intentional Camera Movement).

Create a monochromatic image (using only shades of one color).
Shoot a high-contrast black and white photo.
Shoot a low-contrast black and white photo.
Find and photograph complementary colors next to each other (e.g., red/green, blue/orange).
Find and photograph analogous colors (colors next to each other on the color wheel).
Isolate a single, bright color against a neutral or dark background.
Create an image with a warm color palette (reds, oranges, yellows).
Create an image with a cool color palette (blues, greens, purples).
Photograph an object with a "pop" of color.
Adjust the white balance to make a scene feel intentionally warmer or cooler.

Photograph an "establishing shot" that shows the entire scene.
Photograph a medium shot that shows the subject and their environment.
Photograph a close-up that shows the subject's emotion or detail.
Photograph an extreme close-up (macro) of [an insect/a flower/a texture].
Capture a candid, unposed moment of emotion.
Photograph a person at work (environmental portrait).
Tell a story with a sequence of three photos (triptych).
Photograph a "decisive moment" (a fleeting, perfect alignment of subjects).
Photograph an empty space that implies a human presence (e.g., an unmade bed, an empty chair). 7D. Capture a "juxtaposition" (e.g., old vs. new, rich vs. poor, nature vs. industry).
Photograph an abstract image (focusing on shape, color, and form, not the subject itself).
Photograph a minimalist scene with only one or two elements.
Find a "found object" and photograph it as if it were a sculpture.
Capture the "human element" in a landscape (e.g., a small person, a distant cabin).
Photograph a "street portrait" of a stranger (with permission).
Photograph a pet's personality, not just its appearance.
Photograph the "behind the scenes" of an event.
Capture a feeling of "solitude" in a single image.
Capture a feeling of "joy" or "chaos" in a crowd.

Create a "flat lay" (shooting objects from directly above).
Shoot a "puddlegram" (a reflection in a puddle). 8Example. Create a double exposure (combining two images in-camera or in post).
Use a prism to bend light and create rainbow effects.
Shoot through plastic wrap or a sandwich bag for a blurred/distorted effect.
Use forced perspective to make objects look larger or smaller than they are.
Create a "bokehrama" (a panoramic image made of multiple shallow-depth-of-field shots).
Photograph a subject through a crystal ball (which inverts the image).
Use a drone for an aerial "top-down" abstract shot.
Use steel wool spinning for a light-painting effect. 9Date. Photograph a "ghosting" effect with a long exposure and a moving subject.
Use a very high ISO for an intentionally grainy, "film noir" look.
Create a "tiny planet" (360-degree panorama edited into a sphere).
Shoot on expired film for unpredictable color shifts and grain.
Create a "glitch art" photo by intentionally corrupting a digital file.
Project an image onto a subject or wall and re-photograph it.

Salt Shaker Press