Have you ever felt stuck? I have, and it always seems like if I just take one tiny step, I can get unstuck. Photographically speaking anyway. 

I keep a running list of photo assignments, which some people refer to as themes. My list is mostly focused on nature photography since that is where my heart is, but if you Google "photography themes" you will find endless lists of ideas for any photography genre. 

Having and referencing a list of assignments is nice way to keep myself moving when I get "photographers block". It reminds me to try different things so I don't get stuck in the habit of using the same lens, same angle, same composition, same perspective, etc. I'm always adding to this list and when I am on a photo trip, I'll go through it every night and think about possibilities for the next day, then again in the morning before I head out for sunrise. I find it keeps me thinking about different opportunities more than if I didn't do this. Occasionally, I'll try to complete as many assignments as possible in one trip. That keeps me really motivated!

I have these grouped into different categories and while many of these fall into more than one, my OCD compelled me to put each in one group. This is just some of the assignments from my list with a photo representing how I fulfilled each assignment. 

Spoiler alert - This blog post is going to be an easy read. :)

Tools & Techniques

  Light painting

  Star Trails/Starry nights

  High Dynamic Range (HDR)

  Focus stacking

  Panoramic

  Fisheye

  Macro 

  Telephoto (70-300mm)

  Extreme Telephoto (>300mm)

  Tele-landscape

  Wide angle (35-50mm)

  Ultra-Wide angle (<35mm)

  Close up wide angle

  Zoom exposure (warp speed)

  Fill the frame

Lighting

  Sunburst, Into the sun

  Back lit / Silhouette 

  Atmospheric stacking

  Side light

  Twilight

  Sunrise

  Moonrise

  Golden hour

  Non golden hour

Theme 

  Monochrome

  Winter monochrome

  Warmth

  Mysterious

  Teamwork

  Longevity

  Peace/tranquility

  Perseverance

Subjects

 Forest floor detail

 Animal tracks

 Patterns: [Ferns, Trees, Rocks]

 Textures

 Motion/movement: [grasses, waves, water]

 Abstracts

 Reflections

 Stormscapes

 Cloudy days

 Birds in flight   Flocks, herds, and schools 

 Contrasting landscapes

 Stillness

 Dry

 Snow and Ice

 Winter fog and mist 

 Close to home 

 Fall wildlife

 Cloudscapes

Composition

 Leading lines

 Rule of thirds 

 Negative space 

 Balance/symmetry 

 Triangle / groups of 3

 Framing a subject

 Look up

 Worms eye view

 Magazine cover

 Wildlife in motion

Well, there you have it: a handy little list of assignments to boost your creativity. I hope this has given you some ideas for creating your own assignment list . . . and more importantly, checking off the assignments!