Beating The COVID19 Blues With Indoor Photography

Try indoor photography to beat the COVID19 blues which are more prevalent than the virus at the moment.

Not everyone has the virus, but nearly everyone is worried, anxious or at least concerned about COVID19.

You know the best advise at this stage, wash your hands, keep your distance, and stay indoors when you can.

If you’re staying indoors because you have to, or choose to, you can make things easier for yourself, with indoor photography.

On this blog there are some projects which involve indoor photography or working on photographs inside. 

Check out these; photograph fruit, photos from different  angles, photograph a glass shadow, aquarium fish, and one colour photography.

And these also; making repeating patterns, upside down reflections, make comics with photographs, and make mirror photographs.

Below I have some more suggestions, with photos, of indoor photography to take your mind off COVID19.

You can start by just pointing your camera at items in place around the house.

A bedside lamp

Indoor photography means staying inside and taking photographs of what’s in there, or what you can see through a window.

This is simply a bedside lamp that was left on top of a locker, right beside a bed.

It was almost the exact same colour as the wall behind it, and was actual unposed one colour photography.

A stool casually left around

It was left in front of an amount of vinyl albums that were my most treasured possessions before CDs arrived. 

The CDs were on some shelves above these, reaching right to the ceiling.

The purpose of the stool there was to reach and access the CDs on the higher shelves.

What’s on a counter top

You can look at what’s left on a counter top and photograph some or all of it.

It might be interesting to focus on one thing and use what’s behind it as a backdrop.

If you use a large aperture setting you can throw what’s in the background out of focus.

This was shot at f/5.6, if you went wider to f/4 it would be more out of focus.

A modern still life 

When we think of still life, it’s easy to visualise the great paintings over several centuries.

However anything that doesn’t move is acceptable as part of a still life photograph.

That can include cans and jars of salt, honey and anything else available. 

A thematic still life

You can set up still life displays, based on a theme, like this one on art, and photograph them.

This shows an art book, about the artist El Greco, along with some ink and paints.

It doesn’t matter what the theme is, just gather what you can around the house, and go from there.

A simple illusion shot

You can try this shot with a ring, or a bracelet which I used here, because it was easier.

Open a book where the leaves rise a little from the centre before falling away towards the edges. 

This is basically any book that doesn’t have leaves that open completely flat.

Place the object standing up, with the light behind it, and it will cast a heart shaped shadow towards you.

I used a telephone directory, with two sheets of printing paper over it, so you can see the print through them.

A record spinning on a turntable

Some of these sample photographs I’m using to give you ideas are not very new, like this one.

There was a time when every almost house or apartment had a record-player, but they’re not that common now.

If you do have access to one and some vinyl records, it’s a fun shot to try.

Use a tripod and set the two second timer, and shoot at as fast a time as possible.

It may take a few goes, but you have the time, and you’ll enjoy the shot you get.

Represent yourself in a still life

This is an idea I got from a magazine, to assemble items that you like and photograph them.

Three of my favourite things are photography, football, the soccer variety, and my music collection.

Here I have some camera gear, Galway United match programmes, and a variety of CDs I’ve collected over the years.

See what you can find to illustrate what represents you and your interests, or your personality.

If there are toys handy

Perhaps you have children who have toys, and if you have, they will have lots of toys.

You can have hours of fun photographing some of them, perhaps more than the kids have playing with them.

It might be a more peaceful shoot if you use toys that are no longer being played with.

Photograph postage stamps

I used to collect postage stamps when I was younger, and while I haven’t for years, I still have them.

Sometimes I like to take one or two out and set them in front of a camera.

You can zoom right in a get a photo of them much bigger than they actually are.

It’s called macro photography, and there are special macro lenses, but I shot this with an ordinary zoom lens.

Also photograph coins

Coins can also be collected, and photographed, like these Euro coins in this photo.

I never collected coins, these are just the contents of a pocket, and went straight back in.

Before you eat a meal

A meal is somewhere between a naturally occurring, and a posed photograph.

The meal, this one at least, was prepared to be eaten, as it was, but was also set out like this.

Food, whether in the form of a meal or not, makes a great subject for photography.

Fruit is photogenic

Fruit is a great subject to  photograph, giving plenty of colour, and compositional possibilities.

This photograph, is a simple one of two types of fruit, with contrasting colours, on a plate.

While a very simple subject, it has plenty of colour and shape, making a pleasing photo.

Use a lot of fruit

You can use several types of fruit, and a plateful of each in a single photograph.

In this photo I’ve included lemons, oranges, red apples and green apples, each variety on their own plate.

As an alternative to including the whole plate, I’ve just shown part of the fruit filled plates.

Macro shots with fruit

Some fruit such as grapes and blueberries are small so you can take macro shots of them.

With this can make fill the frame with them which will present them as much bigger than they actually are.

You don’t need a macro lens, I’ve used a cheap macro filter here which is fine for experimenting with. 

Try something different

You can have more fun with photography when you try something a little different.

Placing a knife and fork along side a plate of fruit makes it look like a cooked meal.

Off course you can eat them like this, but it looks a little different.

Indoor photography through a window

Indoor photography can include outdoor subjects once you have a window where you’re confined, and I hope you do.

You can start with simple subjects that are naturally out there, like this clump of daffodils.

These are seasonal, but in all probability there is something growing within sight, unless you live in a city centre.

If you do, there is probably even more to see and snap through a window.

An autumn scene

I shot this through a window also, and it shows some leaves with their autumn colours, and some without.

Russet coloured leaves are beautiful, it’s such a pity that they only signify the near arrival of winter. 

They still look lovely regardless of what they promise, whether shot as outdoor or indoor photography.

There are birds everywhere

I live on the edge of town so when I see a bird through a window, it looks like this.

This is a thrush on a patch of grass seen through a window at the front of the house.

Birds are so much more visible than wild animals, I suppose they can fly off easily.

Wood pigeon

I got this photo of a wood pigeon through the back window, on an ivy covered wall.

These are a lovely bird to photograph as they stay where they land for some time.

When they land on this wall, they often do in groups and stay for several minutes.

I may not have time to get out a camera, but with one ready, I can get several shots.  

Shoot what passes

You can also focus on and shoot what passes in front of your window during the day.

This is one of the many cars that passes on a road to the side of our house.

It may not be directly in front of where we live, but it’s easy to shoot through a window.

People pass also

Sometimes I point the camera and shoot the people that pass by all day long also.

I prefer to shoot people from behind, like this, because I have no interest in who they are, just the photo.

We live close to a University so there are a steady flow of students for most of the year.

Some others just walk for exercise, and others like a accompany a dog, who insist on their walk.

Even when it snows

I shot this curious looking group of people passing by during a snowy period some years ago.

If you keep a camera nearby and ready to fire off a shot, interesting people can pass at anytime.

Sometimes you can’t resist

I prefer to shoot people from behind, but sometimes you see a photo opportunity that’s simply irresistible. 

This might be a run of the mill shot where there’s plenty of snow, but it’s rare here.

In recent years a day like this is a once a decade event, so you can’t wait for the next one.

A car rally might pass

One passed our house on the 5th February 2012, which included this car.

It’s an annual event and had passed previously, but to date it hasn’t come this way since.

I had decided not to photograph it and didn’t look for a good vantage point.

However as it approached I changed my mind and shot it through a back window.

All I wanted was to get sharp photos of fast cars, and I got plenty of them, including this.

These are a few suggestions for indoor photography should you have to, or want to isolate yourself for some time.

If you’re still bored, I’m open to a guest post and you can get in touch through this contact form.