Hello fellow Bloggers. Ms Reagan has compiled this list of tips for taking quirky photos. We think it might be good fun for your Photo of the Week project. Read through them and see if there are some ideas which tickle your creative fancy.

I saw the challenge last week that Ms Murnane has set year 6 and 7 - A Photo a week. Wow! this is a really great opportunity for all of you to learn some awesome things about imaging (and maybe yourselves). I have decided to share some of my favorite photography tips so perhaps your images will become a really great way for you to express yourselves.

  • Get close. Getting close to your subject matter is a great way to show all the detail without having things that distract the viewer in the background.
  • Be spontaneous. Have fun, try and make things not too fake and staged. (Think cheesy grins)
  • Make sure there is light (but not too much). Too dark or light photos are really hard to improve even in Photoshop.
  • Experiment. Try and put coloured plastic things - even tissue paper - over the flash.
  • Try from a different angle. A different viewpoint often sets a photo apart from other images.
  • Try not to have your subject right smack in the middle of the photo.
  • Don’t think too hard about your photo, just push the button. It helps keep things spontaneous. (see tip no. 2)

These little tips can help you to really get interesting images out of your camera, regardless of if its a digital mega pixel wonder or a simple 35 mm happy snapper.

For some real experimentation try to shoot some or all of the following:

  • Take a photo of your feet in every different place (room) you step. Challenge -For the whole weekend!
  • Take a separate self portrait with each of your hats(beanies, baseball, summer) on, close up. Challenge- change your eye position in every shot and make a flick book of the photos. (printing required)
  • Climb a tree (or get up high) and take a photo of your backyard. Challenge- get a shot of someone playing hopscotch in your yard from up high.
  • Take a close up of your dog, horse, cat, goldfish (whatever) with something over the flash to change the overall colour of it. Challenge- sneak up on your pet unawares and surprise them.
  • Get a close up portrait of your mum. Challenge- over the table at breakfast time, while she enjoys the cup of coffe or tea you just made for her.
  • Take your camera every where and search for something unusual. Challenge- finding something truly unusual to photograph.
  • Take photos without looking through the viewfinder. Challenge- taken from beside your hip pocket.
  • JUMP. Challenge- the snapshot subject should be in mid air.
  • A photo of your best milk moustache, portrait, head/shoulders close up. Challenge- no challenge this is just funny.
  • A shot inside the school bus as someone gets onboard. Challenge- get the bus driver in the shot too.
  • Air guitar time! A shot of you playing air guitar with gusto! Challenge- as Angus Young of AC/DC (or some other rock legend)
  • Poke a face, (otherwise known as gurning) Challenge- Show us your best horriblest face.
  • Pieces of you. Take some shots with only bits of you in them, ie. your hands as you write, your eyes as you read, your teeth as you brush them, etc. Challenge- another flickbook to be made here.
  • Gumboots. A must have in country life. Challenge- Puddle stomping (you must keep your camera dry, try putting it in a plastic bag)
  • Cartwheel/handstands. Great fun, look great, Challenge- get the subject in movement.
  • Wild colour. Find something that is just outrageously coloured. Challenge- Get a close up with lots of contrasting or dull colours around it