10 iPhone Photo Challenges

In the last year we've noticed ourselves documenting more and more from our everyday lives with our iPhones. Here are ten creative challenges from Kinsey to help you get more creative when capturing moments with your mobile device! 

1. Use a blur effect. This challenge is great for showing viewers what captured your eye to take the photo to begin with. I love to see a blur effect on a photo where the focal point is something I wouldn't have initially noticed at first. It creates a fun spin on your photo that gives attention to detail! 

2. Play with sun flares! It's no secret that I'm a light fanatic. I can't hold back my excitement when I get to play with sun flares during a photo shoot. To create a pretty sun flare, take photos about an hour or so before sunset. Make sure to not directly take a photo of the sun, but more let the light leak in through the sides of the photo!

3. Use two filters to create a unique style of editing. I used Walden on instagram and Julia on Pixlromatic. This is my favorite "trick" to give my photos that extra boost of light and color. A great way to use two filters on instagram is to put your phone on airplane mode, put it through a filter once and post it, take it off airplane mode, and run it through a filter again. This way, it will only post the last photo!

4. Use a timer for a self portrait. I don't know about you, but I'm absolutely awful at taking photos of myself. I think I spend more time trying to find the shutter button than I spend actually editing the photo! What I like about using a self timer is that you can see what the frame is going to look like before you take the photo. To take a self portrait, simply prop your phone up, (we used a shirt) and snap away! Experiment with different angles, poses, and lighting. I use the Camera+ App to take self portraits. 

5. Take on the challenge of taking 10 photos throughout your day! Sometimes it might feel as if you don't have ten exciting, "picture worthy" moments in your day. This is where you really have to think outside of the box! Take photos of the little things that inspire you and bring a little perk of happiness to your day. Whether it's a cup of coffee in the morning, a pretty textile, or your new favorite shade of nail polish; take a photo! It's a nice reminder that with the hustle and bustle of life that you are surrounded by beauty! 

6. Try taking a silhouette photo by standing directly between the point of light and the camera. Once you've taken the photo, boost up the contrast with editing to make yourself appear darker and the light behind you brighter. 

7. Create a filter with your sunglasses. Simply hold your sunglasses in front of your phone and take a photo! This creates a pretty, warm effect without having to run it through a filter. It's also great for taking photos with lots of sunlight in them without your photo becoming washed out. 

8. Add fonts to your photo. Adding fonts is a fun way to share how you feel about a photo, your day, or to share something inspiring instead of just making it the caption of your photo. My favorite way to execute this challenge is by using a simple photo of something lovely I saw that day, (flowers, unique wall etc.) and adding fonts to create a focal point. Try and avoid adding fonts to photos that already hold a lot of content; you don't want your photo to look too busy! My favorite app for adding fonts to photos is Phonto! 

9. Make a collage. When creating a collage of photos, try to have an overall theme or word that describes your collage! I wanted to portray love in my collage so I put together an individual of myself, an individual of Josh's wedding ring, and us being mushy together. ;) When there is a theme to your collage, it creates a specific vibe for viewers!

10. Create a message! You can really think outside of the box with this challenge. We cut out letters in a magazine and laid them out in a message. Next time you want to send someone a sweet text, try creating a fun message to send them instead!

We hope you've enjoyed these creative challenges. Which one will you try first? xoxo! 

Comments

[Amy]

I'm so excited about the message idea! What a sweet way to greet friends! I've been reading your blog for a few weeks now and it's quickly becoming one of my top faves!

[Rae Veda]

These are so fun! Thanks for sharing. xo, rv

http://aneclecticheap.blogspot.com/

[Jean]

sometimes i wish i had a fancy phone for the camera, only! *sigh*

it's so funny because i've done that before -- using my sunglasses as a filter, but w/ a point & shoot....

self-timer, i am no stranger to that! <3

thanks for sharing <3

[elsie]

Thanks so much!

Jean, you can also take photos with an iPod touch! :D just a thought! Better than a point & shoot camera in my opinion.

XOXO. elsie

[Alicia]

Love the tips! Wasn't sure I could use two filters for a photo but now I do, thanks :)

[Claire M.]

This is a really great post!

I'm trying to take more photo's at the moment as part of an art project about documenting daily life, so no moment is too insignificant, it's about remembering all of the little details. This post has some great tips for making my daily recordings more interesting so thank you!

[Natasha Fatah]

Those pictures out if the field are just beautiful.

xoxo
http://natashafatah.blogspot.com

[Kate]

Thanks for sharing the tip about Phonto! I've been wondering how to do that easily!

Kate :)

http://agreatmanythingsblog.wordpress.com/

[Megan @ judeandthewalrus]

This was a really sweet post. Capturing the greatness of each day is really important to me, and these challenges will help make them more special.

Meganlee

[Bohemian Kate]

Thank you Kinsey! Great ideas, hopefully these ideas will work on my galaxy as well...I should think so!

[Erika]

Love the sunglasses as a filter...clever idea! My husband always tells me to put the phone away and enjoy life but I love to snap tons of photos...now we have tons of memories captured. But on the flip side of digital, we never print. I need to start printing some of these fantastic photos.
xo
E

[Bohemian Kate]

Btw Kinsey, how did you create the blur effect on your iphone? Did you use an app for it or is it a feature on the iphone camera?

[Ewa Prokopczuk]

I really love the challenge of taking 10 photos a day, I think that I will attempt it!

:) Ewa

http://ewalooksattheworld.blogspot.com/

[leah J. Lynn]

I'am so in, thanks for the inspiration

[Jenn B.]

I love the sunglasses as a filter, genius!

[hillery]

Loved this post even though I don't have an iphone/ipod so many cool tips though!

[Kate Bratt]

This is so great! I just downloaded Phonto- eee! a free font app! Woohoo! I'll be trying lots of these out. Fanks!

[My Style Canvas]

Thanks for the tips re: self portraits. For some reason it never occurred to be to use the timer on my phone.

[Savannah Marie]

I am horrible at taking pictures of myself as well. I can NEVER find that shutter button!

[Elise]

I love this!

So gonna do this with my iphone!x