1. Know your surroundings and embrace them.
This takes time but get to know your area very well. Put on the adventure mode and head for long walks in the neighborhood. Look for interesting subjects: check every street, park, forest, beach or any location that seems worth checking out. I have found some of my absolute favorite spots by accident when exploring aimlessly around my home area. You’ll save a ton of time on the weekends if you already know where to go in advance.
Photo by Teppo Tirkkonen
2. Wait for special conditions.
When you have found your favorite locations, keep coming back to them. The chances are that the location turns into a whole another place when the season and the weather changes. This way, you don’t always have to go to a new location but instead work out something different from what is familiar. Take notes while exploring: Look at how the light is hitting during that time of the year – or maybe it’s the way the ice starts to build on the rocks at the beach. Keep track of the small changes in the environment.
Photo by Teppo Tirkkonen
3. Start chasing the light.
Start chasing light instead of places. Train your eye for light and shadows. Come up with abstract photos and look for shapes. The great thing is that light is everywhere so you’re not attached to any specific location. Let your imagination run free and play around with unusual compositions. I often used to practice photography at home by playing around with my coffee mug in lights and
shadows. I learned a lot about light even I didn’t truly realize it back then.
Photo by Teppo Tirkkonen
4. Build your own photos.
If you feel like you have nothing to shoot: build the photo you’ve always wanted to see and utilize props to tell the story. This is a great exercise for the weekends! Keep an eye on the small details (like the sparks in this photo), composition and the feel. Does it feel authentic? If not, why? Ask yourself these questions until you figure out the answers and achieve the photo you visioned.
Photo by Teppo Tirkkonen
5. Go have fun!
Don’t set too high expectations for your weekend photography in terms of making amazing photographs: Instead, go have fun with friends, make a campfire on the beach or go on a bicycle trip around the town but keep the camera with you on these everyday excursions. Tell the story. Even if you don’t get stunning shots, you still had a wonderful day and plenty of stories to tell later on.
Photo by Teppo Tirkkonen
I hope you can find value in these tips!
Best, Teppo Tirkkonen
