If you’re looking for a fun way to grow as a photographer while nurturing your creativity, try a 30-day photo challenge. Each daily prompt focuses on something different, like lighting and composition, so by the end, you’ll have explored a mix of techniques. Every day has a different theme, so you can build a photography portfolio without feeling overwhelmed.
Photo challenges also help you see every day in a new light. A cup of coffee, a walk downtown, even your pet napping in the sun suddenly becomes an opportunity to experiment. Ready to uncover fresh ways to tell stories through your lens? Here are 30 days of creative photography prompts to guide you.
Day 1: Morning light
Kick off the first day of the challenge by shooting the morning light. The soft, warm glow of dawn is perfect for capturing dreamy, natural tones. Head outside right after sunrise or shoot near a window to let that light flood your scene. It’s a great way to make photos feel fresh and full of life.
Day 2: Reflections
Use this day to embrace reflections. Look for puddles, mirrors, or even glass windows that turn ordinary scenes into unexpected beauty. Get low on the ground for those perfect puddle shots, or capture a reflection in a mirror that tells a story of your space. Don’t be afraid to play with angles—sometimes the best reflection isn’t the one you expect.
Day 3: Black and white
Without color, you’ll have to rely on contrast, patterns, and textures to make your photos stand out. Look for strong light and shadow contrasts, like a sunlit street, to help create depth in a monochrome shot. Patterns in architecture and nature can also pop when stripped of color. Let simplicity tell the story.
Day 4: Street portraits
Start by politely asking someone for permission to snap their portrait. (You may be surprised by the number of people who say yes.) A 50mm lens is perfect for this if you have a DSLR camera. It lets you get close without being intrusive, creating natural, candid shots. Focus on the little details like expressions and gestures.
Day 5: Patterns in nature
Hunt for patterns in nature. Look closely at shells, leaves, or flower petals to find repeating shapes. Then, use your frame to highlight the repetition or how the pattern blends into the bigger scene. These details are an easy way to turn ordinary subjects into eye-catching shots.
Day 6: Motion blur
For this photo challenge, slow down your shutter speed to capture movement—cars zipping by, people walking, anything mid-action. Keep your camera steady (a tripod helps) so the background stays sharp while catching a dreamy motion blur. This simple trick makes awesome art out of everyday movement.
Day 7: Rule of thirds
Instead of centering your subject, use the gridlines to place it off-center, creating a more dynamic shot. Try placing a person on one side of the frame and leaving two-thirds open as negative space on the other. Whether landscape or portrait, the rule of thirds helps guide the viewer’s eye and aids in visual storytelling.
Day 8: Shadows
This challenge encourages you to embrace the interesting outlines of shadows. Shoot midday when the sun is high, or use a single light source to cast bold shapes across your scene. You can switch up angles, too, moving your subject closer or farther from the light to stretch or shrink the shadow.
Day 9: Everyday objects
Practice finding the beauty in everyday objects. Start by grabbing something simple, like a coffee mug or book, and capturing it with creative angles. Try side lighting for mood or overhead shots for a clean, aerial view. Ordinary items can look extraordinary when you experiment with framing them in a new way.
Day 10: Golden hour
You’ll want to shoot during the hour before sunset when the light is warm and soft. Use it to capture portraits with a dreamy feel or landscapes with long, dramatic shadows. You can also try shooting toward the sun for a hazy, backlit look. Pure magic.
Day 11: Silhouettes
Position your subject against a bright background, like a sunset or window with natural light, and lower the exposure to get that crisp, dark outline. The goal is to focus on the shape and form of your subject rather than the details. The strong contrast is perfect for dramatic shots.
Day 12: Leading lines
Look for roads, fences, hallways, or even a row of trees that naturally draw attention to your subject. Position your camera so the lines point into the frame and lead straight to what you want to highlight. It’s a simple trick that adds depth and a sense of movement to your photos.
Day 13: Food photography
Learn how to take great food photos by turning your mealtime into a photoshoot. Placing your plate near a window for natural light is an easy way to make colors pop. Another method is using an overhead angle for flat lays, highlighting textures that make the meal appear more appetizing.
Day 14: Water in motion
Kick your photo challenge up a notch by catching water in motion. Use long exposure to gather extended moments in time. This trick can capture quick liquid movement in a smooth, crisp shot. From pouring a glass of wine to waves hitting the shore, you can capture the beauty of this unpredictable subject.
Day 15: Symmetry
Use this day to seek out symmetry. It could be the clean lines of a building, a perfectly mirrored reflection, or nature’s aligned patterns. Center your frame to highlight that perfect balance, or try standing right in the middle of a path. Finding symmetry is all about creating harmony in your photo.
Day 16: Pet portraits
Give your furry (or feathery) friends the spotlight with pet portraits. Get down on their level to make the photo feel more personal and playful. Make sure you keep a stash of treats or a favorite toy handy to grab their attention. Whether it’s a cozy cat nap or a mid-zoom fetch, capturing pet photos teaches you the power of patience and timing.
Day 17: Architecture details
Zoom in on architectural details around you. Instead of photographing the whole building, focus on the intricate design elements—a patterned doorway, a winding staircase, an arch with character. Experiment with angles to emphasize symmetry or highlight repeating shapes.
Day 18: Minimalism
Keep your photo simple by using negative space and focusing on just one subject, like a single tree in a field or a lone coffee mug on a table. Clean backgrounds help the subject stand out, so look for blank walls, open skies, and uncluttered surfaces. The goal is to remove distractions to get one clear story.
Day 19: Candid moments
Keep your camera ready (smartphone camera, too) and wait to catch people mid-laugh, deep in thought, or casually chatting. No posed shots necessary—this challenge is about the in-between expressions that feel the most real.
Day 20: Street signs
Street signs can be surprisingly photogenic. Hunt for quirky shapes, bold colors, or funny symbols that show off your city’s personality. Work with different perspectives, such as tilting your camera up to include the sky. Traveling at the moment? Snap those signs, too. They’ll make for great stories later.
Day 21: Nature close-up
Use macro mode on your camera or zoom in to capture the tiny details that often go unnoticed, like raindrops on a leaf, patterns on a bug, or layered petals of a flower. Look for interesting shapes, colors, and textures that make these little moments stand out.
Day 22: Long exposure
Grab a tripod or steady base for your camera (photography tip 101) and set your shutter to stay open longer. Traffic trails and twinkling stars are great subjects at night. Start experimenting with five to 10 seconds, then adjust until you love the effect.
Day 23: Color pop
Pick one standout shade, like red shoes or a bright yellow door, and let it steal the show. Keep the background simple or contrasting so your chosen color stands out. Bonus points if you look for repeating pops of the same color to tie a series of shots together.
Day 24: Clouds
Whether they’re from a dramatic storm or fluffy cotton candy shapes, clouds can add mood and depth to your photos. For example, early morning clouds often give rich tones, while stormy skies can create a strong, cinematic effect.
Day 25: Hands at work
Hands tell powerful stories, from cooking and crafting to typing and building. Zoom in on those hands in action, capturing the movement and detail. Look for natural light to highlight the textures of skin, materials, or tools. Even in everyday activities like knitting or holding a pencil, hands are the best storytellers.
Day 26: Night photography
Step out after sunset for some great nighttime shots. Use a tripod and open your aperture wide to let in more light—perfect for glowing cityscapes and star-filled skies. You can play with longer exposures to capture light trails from cars or brighten star sparkles.
Day 27: Old and new
Challenge yourself by shooting contrasts of old and new. You can pair modern objects with vintage ones, like a smartphone next to a typewriter, or drastically different materials like shiny metal against weathered wood. Framing these opposites together tells a unique story of how the past meets the present.
Day 28: Textures
Get touchy with textures. Zoom in close to highlight the rough grain of wood, cracks in peeling paint, or softness of a fabric. Side lighting also works wonders here, casting shadows that can make the surface details pop. Think of it as letting your viewers “feel” the photo with their eyes.
Day 29: A favorite place
Whether it’s a cozy reading nook or your go-to coffee shop, show what makes your favorite place special. Start with a wide shot to set the scene, then zoom in on the little details—like the way the sunlight enters and warms the chair. Focus on those moments that make the space wonderful.
Day 30: Selfie collage
Wrap up the last day with a few expressive selfies. By now, you’ve mastered angles, shades, and lighting—all of which double as phone photography tips. Once you’ve got your collection, you can digitize the photos and turn them into cool canvas prints.
Showcase your photography skills with Mixbook
A 30-day photo challenge is all about consistency, creativity, and having fun behind the lens. From experimenting with light to capturing candid moments, each prompt helps you see the world in a fresh, new way and improves your photography skills along the way.
Now that you’ve got a month’s worth of photos, use Mixbook to convert the project into a custom photo book. Use it to pull together what you’ve learned and shot over the course of the challenge—mixing symmetry with golden hour light, pairing candid moments with reflections, and more.
Photo books are the perfect way to showcase your growth and share your story from the challenge. Start your project today and turn those practice shots into a keepsake you’ll be proud of.
