How to Make the Ordinary…

Extraordinary
Written by Selina Kauenhofen
See Differently

Look around & try to find

ways to apply different
composition techniques in
your own home.
Get Close…
An interesting way to show the
form and texture of an object is to
take a picture from much closer
than how you would usually look
at it. Fill the frame as much as
possible and try to keep the focus
on that object only, avoid
distracting backgrounds.
 …Now Closer

Getting even closer to your subject forces you to pay attention to just
that small area of it. This often ends up in the photo having an abstract
or artistic look. You might even see the object differently once you
focus on just one aspect of it.
 Move It
A pro of photographing in your own home is you can move things the way you want them. If the lighting is better in your
kitchen, for example, move your object in there. Set up backgrounds, use lamps, etc. For this image I used a light box with a
black background and fluorescent lighting.
 Change Your Perspective
Angles
Photographing everyday objects from
angles you wouldn’t normally view them
can give them a unique feel. Taking a
picture from the top, sides or bottom of an
object can make us see it differently, even
though we may see it daily. You can also
use depth of field from different angles to
focus the viewer on certain bits of the
object.
Environment
You can also get this effect by putting an
object in an environment you don’t expect
to find it. A battery in the garden, clock in
the bathtub, etc. Absurd combinations can
provoke a lot of thought. Bright colors and
different lighting can also prove to be
interesting environments for your
photographs.
Feel It
(with your eyes)
This is where texture comes into
play. Zooming in on an object with
an interesting texture can make for
a unique photo. Lighting and
angles are also important here, as
anyone can take a close look at
something, but a photo from a
different angle with curious
lighting takes it a few steps further.
 Pictures Tell Stories

Everyone knows one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. What

might seem like just a cup might have been a gift from a relative that
has now passed. Even the simplest of objects may have meaning
behind them. Whenever photographing such treasures, you want to
convey emotion. Take photos from different angles, use background
props, show the object in use.
 Play Away!

Keep photography fun! Take photos you enjoy taking,

photograph things that interest you. Play around with techniques
and subjects, get creative.