As with any hobby or practice in our lives, it’s easy to let your photography fall . . . well . . . into a bit of rut. It happens. Don’t get discouraged! Over the years we’ve tried different things to push our creativity during these moments. This chapter is all about challenging yourself and stretching your skills as a lifestyle photographer. Pick a challenge or tip that interests you and go for it!
Diptychs are pairs of images displayed together. That’s it—simple! In fact, it’s so simple you may be thinking, “What’s the big deal?” And you’re totally right. But think of diptychs as a cocktail of photos: simple ingredients that when paired together create something more interesting and flavorful.
Pairing images can add a lot of strength to the overall design. Choose images that complement each other in some way, images that when put together make you think. Sometimes when you display images together they become more artistic or tell more of a story than when viewed on their own.
You can create diptychs in all sorts of ways. You can use photo-editing software to digitally pair your images. You can get an iPhone app that does it for you. Or you can create them the old-fashioned way, using nothing more than scissors and glue. Whatever your method, pair photos that complete each other and add more interest to your display.
pair a photo of yourself with a favorite interest
A diptych is a pair of images displayed together.
The same idea behind a diptych can be used to create a triptych (three images displayed together) or a polyptych (more than three images). Just use the same methods you would for traditional diptychs. As with diptychs, these help images become stronger by combining them with other photos in an artistic way. With three or more images, you can be more literal or tell a longer story, almost like a short comic strip.
Here are a few simple rules of thumb when choosing your images.
CHECK THE COLORS. Make sure all colors complement each other. Your images don’t have to “match,” but the viewer’s eye should smoothly travel from one image to the next.
VARY THE LEVEL OF DETAIL. Keep some images simple and others more detailed. If you use all detailed images, it will force your viewer to recognize each image as separate instead of part of a whole. You want your final collection to feel fluid, rather than made up of separate components.
COMMUNICATE ONLY ONE SIMPLE IDEA. You could create a triptych showing three details of your outfit. Or you could use two images of raw ingredients and then an image of the final baked product. Whatever the case, keep the idea simple.
Use three or more images to tell a short story.
try something playful!
A photo taken from above can have a whimsical feel because it’s a view we do not usually get to see.
This concept is super basic: find a way to get above your subject. This could mean using a stepladder, a chair, a picnic table, a stairwell, a ledge, levitation (okay, maybe not levitation), or any raised area. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when trying out different angles or levels to photograph from. And as always, be safe.
Before you climb into position, be sure to arrange your subject, whether arranging food on a plate or draping your subject’s hair around her head. Also, pay close attention to how the light is falling on your subject. This angle may be quite different from what you are used to, so check for any harsh or unwanted shadows.
Turning images upside down forces us to look at them in a whole new way. Once your subject is in a position you don’t normally see it in, your eye can evaluate it and see different aspects than before. For example, you will easily be able to see how balanced a photo is by flipping it. Not every photo needs to have symmetry, but balance helps us get acclimated to an image. It invites us in. If you find yourself ho-humming at your photos, flip them upside down and see what you think! Not every photo will benefit from this treatment, but the exercise can stretch us to view our photos in a new way.
To flip your photos, use photo-editing software or simply rotate them by hand and display them in their new position. Try it with a few photos you already have and see what you think!
Our friend Katie is looking just gorgeous in this upside-down (and from above) photo!
Using upside-down photos every now and again can add a lot of variety to your work.
Costumes aren’t just for kids! When you think of costumes, you probably start thinking about Halloween or getting dressed up for a school play. Those can be fun for a photo, especially with kids. But costumes can also be simple, stylish, and super inexpensive. For example, making a mask from painted cardboard or even just wearing a formal vintage dress can be a fun change.
Remember to keep it simple. Use only a few colors to avoid looking too busy or dressed up. Costumes may feel a tiny bit silly, but they can truly add an otherworldly element to your next photo shoot.
Adding a wig will totally change the look of your subject and possibly inspire him or her to feel like a different person.
This pipe cleaner crown took only minutes to make but adds magic to Stacy’s portrait.
If you love looking through old family albums, you probably already have favorite old photos of family members or friends. Having this point of inspiration can give your next shoot a whole new level of focus. Here are two ways to re-create an old photo.
GIVE AN OLD SUBJECT A NEW SPIN. Find an old photo and try to duplicate the look and feel of the photo with a new subject. We used Elsie to re-create an image of our grandmother. They are two peas in a pod, so it’s fun to have these photos to display together.
USE THE SAME SUBJECT YEARS LATER. Why not re-create one of your parents’ wedding photos on their thirtieth wedding anniversary? You don’t have to be in the same location or have them wearing the same clothes; just try to mimic the look and feel of the original photo.
our grandmother is so stylish 
Our grandmother, Corina, is our style icon, and she and Elsie have many similar personality traits. We love re-creating old photos of her.
Challenge yourself to have fun with color! Look around your home, neighborhood, and city to find colorful walls. Look through your closet for colorful outfits. You can even consider creating your own colorful backdrops (see this page to this page).
Once you find color, get creative with using it. Remember, you can choose what colors make it into your photos and which do not. Normally, it’s best to use colors that you are naturally drawn to or that complement each other. But for this challenge, feel free to break the rules! Don’t be afraid to use colors that clash or to mix multiple colors together. Every photo may not be perfect, but it’s good to stretch yourself creatively and try new things.
Vivid colors add life and energy to your pictures. Look for pretty colors as you photograph your world!
Photographing color can be as easy as capturing the pattern on your bright dress, or snapping a picture of citrus slices as you prepare cocktails for friends.
This challenge is similar to our costume challenge in that the purpose is to try something new, something you would not normally do. We all have styles we are comfortable with, but for this challenge, take a cue from your favorite style icon!
You can make this as extreme as you like. Choose a current or past style icon—a model, actress, rock star, whatever—and model your or your subject’s look after that person’s. It doesn’t have to feel like a costume! Use your icon’s makeup technique or hairstyle to spice up your photos.
Twiggy inspired!
Stacy channels the 1960s darling Twiggy.
Try something glam-rock inspired!
When we first started taking photos, we were still using film cameras. At that time, black-and-white photos were extremely popular and often looked even better than color. We still enjoy black-and-white photos but often forget to use them, as we just love how colorful digitally processed photos can be.
Taking black-and-white photos strips away the distraction of color and allows you to focus on the negative and positive spaces in your photos. Composing your photos with the negative and positive spaces in mind—in other words, thinking about the spaces between subjects and how subjects are placed in the frame—can create a lot more tension. Tension is a different and artistic way to add interest to your images, as well as fill them with emotions such as urgency, peacefulness, and intimacy.
Change the feeling of a photo simply by making it black and white.
This is a lesson in allowing yourself to make and enjoy “mistakes.” One of the best outcomes from taking extra photos during any shoot are all the mistakes, called outtakes. These photos can be fun and interesting, capture genuine emotion, and add a lot of life to your photo collection.
This challenge is a little different because it’s not about taking photos, really, but about examining our finished photos. Usually we look for those few perfect images where the light hits our subject just so and everything looks in place. But sometimes it’s the little off details that make a photo fun. Maybe your dad made a silly face during a family portrait session or your hair blew in your face—these are the unexpected and fun photos that happen with outtakes. Examine your next shot and look for beauty in the mistakes.
sometimes outtakes are beautiful, too
Always review the outtakes from your photo shoots; you may be surprised to find a few interesting, though not-what-you-where- going-for, photos.
We control the focus of our photos through our framing, cropping, and formatting choices. Usually there is a clear and expected focal point: a face, a flower, and so on. But sometimes it can be fun to focus on something unexpected. This can be a way to challenge yourself to see and notice new things. Find the beauty in not taking the obvious photo.
Here is how to practice this technique. First, take a photo. Now look at your image and notice the things around your subject (such as a coffee mug sitting on the table in front of her). Take another photo focusing on this new focal point. Try to find a flattering way to show off this object, instead of your original subject. You may be surprised at how this change in focus adds variety and interest to your shoot. These unexpected-focus photos may not be the highlight of your albums, but they will help create a fuller picture of your beautiful life.
By focusing on the treat, rather than the dog, we gave this photo an unexpected twist.
Instead of focusing on your subject’s face, focus on something unexpected, such as these coffee mugs.
Here is another way to add something unique to your photos: add a painted element. You can paint on skin or inexpensive clothing. If you are working with kids, it can be fun to go crazy with paint, maybe even letting them choose the design or do some painting themselves. When working with adults, keep your concept simple. In this photo of our beautiful friend Sarah (this page), we added a painted-on scalloped edge to the top of her dress, mimicking a fashion trend.
You can also use Silly String to mimic the effect of paint, as we did in this photo. Ask a friend to help, so one of you can spray the string while the other takes the photo.
This photo makes the viewer do a double take as you try to figure out if the scallops are a dress or a painted-on feature.
Have you ever been too afraid or embarrassed to get the photo you wanted? It can be a little intimidating to take photos in public. Here are our top three tips for taking photos in public.
WHEN IN DOUBT, ASK. In some situations and places, it’s not clear whether taking photos is allowed. Most museums have signs letting patrons know if photography (especially flash photography) is allowed. If no sign is posted, it’s best to just ask. We own a small vintage boutique and we have customers ask all the time if it’s okay for them to take photos. It’s a polite gesture, and once you’ve gotten permission, you’ll feel much more comfortable snapping away.
WORK ON SUNDAY. Sundays and holidays are great days to scout locations, take photos outdoors, and use pretty building walls. If a business is closed, it will be easier to pose by their wall without disrupting their place of business.
USE YOUR JUDGMENT. If you’re not comfortable, skip it. There’s no point posing for your photo if you or your subject doesn’t feel comfortable, as this feeling will probably show through your expression or body gestures.
don’t be shy about taking photos in public!
Taking photos in public doesn’t have to be intimidating.
