Take Ten: An easy personal photography project to try

Looking for a personal photography project but don’t have a lot of time?

Maybe a Take Ten challenge can help.

Whether you are just starting out or have been working in the industry for many years, there can be periods of time when you are not feeling very creative and a personal project can be just the key to jump start your creativity. But let’s face it, life is busy!

Finding the time needed to dedicate to a personal project such as a Project 365 or even a 30-day challenge can seem almost impossible. This is especially true if you have a session to edit or piles of laundry magically growing before your eyes.

Perhaps a Take Ten challenge can be the perfect mini-project needed to get you out of that creative rut without sacrificing too much time out of your busy schedule.

What is a Take Ten challenge?

When I do a Take Ten challenge, I pick a subject then try to create ten different images. Achieving a variety of looks can be done with changes in composition, angles, backgrounds, lighting and editing. My favourite genre for this type of challenge is still life, especially flowers.

You could do this project with any type of photography, though.

How you can achieve a Take Ten project.

For portraits, you could try different poses that you wouldn’t normally do with your clients. With your kids, get them to see how many funny faces they can make or let them choose their poses.

Change your point of view by getting down low on the ground or up higher for a different vantage point.

If you like food photography, try different ways to photograph the same dish. You could start with preparing the food to the finished product or take the hassle out of cooking and buy something pre-prepared from the store. Even something as simple as a packet of cookies can provide several photography options. The possibilities are endless!

How to make it easier on you.

I love using my iPhone for this type of challenge because I can take the images very quickly. Then, I edit them later when I find myself out of the house with some time to spare. Some of my favourite edits have happened in doctor’s waiting rooms and it helps to pass the time quicker.

All the images in this post were taken using an iPhone 5C and edited using the Snapseed, Mextures and VSCO apps.

My set up was done using a combination of either two black foam core boards or two white foam core boards as well as a wooden cutting board. Each image was taken in the same location in my house, on a coffee table next to a large, north facing window on the left of the subject.

As you can see, from clean and simple to textured and dark and moody, each image is different although the subject matter is the same.

If you find yourself struggling to come up with ten different images, try thinking smaller and use a macro lens. Capturing so many tiny details can create many more opportunities.

Adding props to your images can help to add to the variety, too. For portraits, think hats, wigs and costumes. For still life, your kitchen can be a treasure trove of supplies. Try using cutting boards, plates, and utensils. For smaller subjects, craft supplies such as scrapbook paper can make wonderful backgrounds.

Whatever you choose to do for your Take Ten challenge, remember the most important thing is to have fun!