15 Indoor Photography Ideas to Get You Inspired

Last Updated on Mar 08 2024

If you’ve been looking for sources that would provide some inspirational indoor photoshoot ideas, you’ve come to the right place. Grab a pen and take some notes because these are some of the best options to get those creative juices flowing!

The 15 Indoor Photography Ideas to Get You Inspired

1. Family Portraits

Family portraits will never go out of fashion, and the way you can shoot them is almost endless from candid to posed and everything in-between. All that’s required is some good lighting, a reasonable camera, and a few other pieces of equipment.

One thing about family portraits is that post-processing is vital in their production. Especially if the end goal is to produce professional-looking images.

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2. Food Close-Ups

People love taking and seeing pictures of food. We even have studies that have gone as far as proving that looking at a wide variety of images containing food triggers the release of ghrelin, the hunger-causing hormone.

But you have to work on your angles if you wish to produce quality images. Don’t assume one camera angle will automatically work for all images. Remember, every dish has its own unique features.

To enhance clarity, the subject is best lit from the side or back. And to deal with the shadow effect, you’ll need a reflector at the front.

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3. Steamy/Rainy Windows

You don’t have to feel blue just because the weather is gloomy. As they say, when life gives you lemons, grab whatever you need, and start making lemonade. Or in this case, grab your camera, and start taking those Instagram-worthy window shots.

There’s something about these pictures that makes you appreciate nature a little bit more. Just make sure your depth of field is shallow enough to blur out all the background noise and the focus is on the rain patterns.

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4. Fireplace Shots

A lot of people are drawn to fire. And that’s not surprising considering fire has a way of facilitating relaxation. To top that off, we usually associate fireplaces with spaces that encourage social behaviors.

Capturing fire shots is not difficult yet the results are great. If you utilize a fast-enough shutter speed you’ll be able to freeze the flame’s motion. How fast the shutter speed needs to be will depend on what you’re planning to shoot. Take some test shots using 1/250s and keep adjusting until you get to what you want.

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5. Macro Vegetables & Fruits

Macro photography is a branch of photography that focuses on taking close-up shots of the miniature world. Its main goal has always been to let people see the world through a different lens. For the images to be considered macro, the object has to appear bigger than the life-sized equivalent.

To accomplish this mission, your essentials have to include a tripod, macro lens, and flashgun.

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6. Retro/Vintage Item Photography

Do you have any retro items stored away in the attic? Perhaps a vintage watch? We know you thought you were only holding onto them for sentimental reasons, but they could be useful if you’re looking to create still-life shots that are able to radiate a nostalgic vibe.

Sepia will come in handy here. It’s the soft, reddish-brown tint that you always see on photos that look vintage. If you can access this filter, you could use any available image editing program that would yield the same effect.

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7. Bokeh

Bokeh is simply the soft, out-of-focus blur trend that has exponentially grown in popularity over the past few years. This effect requires a very wide aperture and a fast camera lens. The room you’ll be working in should be spacious as the distance between the light and the object has to be wider.

You could also work with bokeh overlays if you’re not skilled enough to construct that background. Download the overlays online, and then incorporate them into photoshop.

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8. Levitation Shots

We know you’ve already come across pictures with objects that appear to be floating or defying gravity. But did you know you can produce the same effect indoors? It’s a simple concept of layer masking, and the only program you need is Photoshop.

You’ll first have to take a picture of the space before adding the object or props. Then take a second picture with the object, and a third one with the props included. Once you’re done, merge them all using the software, to create an image. Edit out any suspension material, and voila!

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9. Splash Images

Splash images are just images showing splashes of water. But even if you consider yourself a resourceful person, it will be extremely difficult to capture these images without a studio strobe or flashgun. A transparent container will also be necessary, as well as an object that will be dropped in water to produce the splashing effect. Use a tripod to enhance stability and don’t forget to shield the camera from splashes!

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10. Freeze Motion

You’ll have to rely on your camera settings to achieve this effect. Freeze motion is exactly what you think it is—you get to stop any movement going on with the object while focusing the lens to take the shot. The aperture and the shutter speed have to be in sync for this to work. Otherwise, you won’t successfully create a sharp image.

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11. Psychedelic Soap

Psychedelic soap images are a product of macro photography, as well. And you can tell this branch of photography is quickly becoming popular, seeing as these images are now being used on billboards, as abstract wall art, and as electronic wallpapers.

You’ll need a durable soap film to take these shots. The kind that can only be made using glycerin and a small amount of liquid soap. Your tools have to include a macro lens and a dark fabric background.

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12. Smoke

There’s something mystical about photos that have smoke in them. And getting diverse pictures is never a problem seeing as the smoke can be moved around using a fan. What we loved most about this idea is the fact that it can be done by anybody. The editing is child’s play, and you can use the sharpening brush if the smoke is not as detailed as you would have liked.

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13. Cloned Images

This method of photography has been around for quite some time now. Fortunately, old does not necessarily mean outdated. There’s so much you can do to create something that no one else has created before. Just set up your camera, configure the timer, and let your creative juices flow.

The first photo should be a photo of an empty scene. It will be the base that you’ll use to merge all the shots that you’ll take in different poses.

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14. Water Drop Art

This idea is a lot more technical in comparison to the ones that we’ve shared above. You’ll first have to find a way to hang a small container from the top, with liquid in it. The liquid is a mixture of water and Xanthan gum—a food additive.

Our container should have a tiny hole to allow droplets of water to pass through. Remember, timing will be everything here. If you’re not fast enough, you won’t be able to get even a single shot. Your flashgun setting should be at its lowest power.

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15. Flower Pictures

If you have a garden, but it’s too cold to go outside, you could just pick a few flowers and bring them into the house. Then set up your apparatus and start taking photos. Alternatively, you could order a small bouquet from your favorite florist and keep yourself busy.

Taking pictures of flowers doesn’t really require any advanced skill on the part of the photographer. If you’re passionate, you could easily take shots that resemble those of an experienced professional.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How are sharp photos taken?

Lowering the ISO setting will give you a sharp focus. If that doesn’t work, take different shots of the object at various ISO settings, and see which one works best for you. Trial and error is a great method of figuring out some of these things at times. So don’t get frustrated.

What’s the secret to making amateur photos look like professional photos?

The secret is in the light you’re using, the filters you’re applying, and the equipment itself. Some cameras have powerful lenses, while others don’t. Also, if you’re working in low-light conditions without the right settings, your shots will never look good.

What’s the best indoor photography lighting?

We have seen people work with natural lighting, and their photos came out great. If your lighting is sufficient, but the images still look less detailed, recalibrate your aperture. The aperture is your lens’s diaphragm, and its primary purpose is to let in light. A low aperture might just fix your problem, as it will keep your exposure brighter than before.

Final Thoughts

Do not let other people convince you that the studio is the only place you can take good photos. With the right ideas, you can produce quality images in the comfort of your home. That being said, the rules of photography still apply—irrespective of the location.

Read More:

• 34 Conceptual Photography Ideas to Get You Inspired
• What Is Exposure? Photography Basics Explained

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Featured Image Credit: Piqsels