Photography is a dynamic craft that many people view through a narrow lens. There's so much more to it than pointing your camera at something and clicking a button.

At some stage in your photography journey, you might find yourself getting bored of the images you take. If that’s happening to you right now, don’t fret—shaking things up doesn’t require too much effort.

Are you ready to make your boring photos more interesting? Keep reading to discover seven ways to do that.

1. Shoot in the Rain

Photo of a person in a rainy forest

Taking photos in warm, sunny weather can get dull fast. And while golden hour is an excellent time for utilizing the sun, it can become a little cliché. So, what’s the solution? Next time it’s raining, grab your jacket and take your camera for a walk.

Shooting pictures in the rain has several benefits. First of all, it’s easier to create a moody feel in your shots. Moreover, you won’t have to deal with harsh lighting like you would when doing a photoshoot at midday when the sun is out.

If you decide to take photos in the rain, consider the potential impact on your equipment. Use weather-sealed camera bodies and lenses where possible, and get your device a good rain cover.

2. Use a Lens With a Longer Focal Length

Photo of a person taking pictures with a tripod

When you’ve progressed beyond the beginner phase as a photographer, you’ll probably want to upgrade your kit lens. And if you’re ready to pick a focal length for your first prime lens, you might want to consider getting one with a longer focal length.

As a starting point, consider buying an 85mm lens or something similar. Although great for shooting portraits, these can create exciting results when used in an unorthodox way. For example, street photography with this lens can isolate a subject to provide a unique perspective—as you will see in the video below.

Just keep in mind that lenses with a variable focal length tend to be more expensive than prime lenses, so ensure you’ve saved up enough before purchasing one. Perhaps consider getting a second-hand one instead.

3. Take Your Photos Through Shapes

One of the simplest ways to change a viewer’s perspective is to take pictures through objects and shapes. You’ve got plenty of options, including:

  • Take off your lens hood and shoot through the cap.
  • Take photographs through gaps in a fence.
  • Shoot through door archways.

If you’re taking a picture of something that would generally be too far away, grabbing the image through a gap is an easy way to compress everything and fill up the space. Once you’re done shooting, you can tweak the composition by cropping the image.

4. Change Up Your Editing Style

Image showing the Lightroom logo on a Mac

As you go through the photography ranks, you’ll almost certainly use editing software like Adobe Lightroom at some point. Once you become comfortable following a particular post-production workflow, you might find it increasingly difficult to change your ways.

Over time, your art will naturally evolve. And if you’ve become bored of your editing style, consider mixing things up. For example, play around with the red, green, and blue sliders in the Calibration section if you use Lightroom.

Another powerful way to change the mood of your pictures is by using the color grading wheels. Experiment and figure out what you do and don’t like.

Related: What Is Adobe Lightroom and What Is It Used For?

5. Think About the Color Theory Wheel

Screenshot of the Adobe Color interface

Have you ever taken a photo of a scene that you thought looked interesting in real life, but later decided looks drab once it’s loaded on your computer? If so, it might have something to do with the color pallet of the image.

Many of your favorite photographers will think carefully about the colors they use and which ones work best together. They’ll frequently refer to color theories, which helps them match winning combinations.

Color theory is a complex topic that we can’t fully explain in such a short section. And to learn it, you’ll need at least several hours. However, getting started is pretty easy; you can refer to the free Adobe Color tool to discover matching colors you never previously thought of.

Related: How to Use Color Theory to Elevate Your Creative Projects

6. Include People in the Frame

Beautiful buildings, landscapes, and skylines might look great in real life, but if you take the same shot as everyone else, it could make your photography unoriginal.

An easy way to make your images look more intriguing is to include people in the shots; if you feel shy about taking photos of strangers, ask a friend. You can either do a full-on professional photoshoot or document your adventures with spontaneous snaps.

Try to think outside the box when doing a photoshoot with friends. As you’ll quickly notice on social media, many people do the same unoriginal poses (and in the same places). If you can, it’s worth scouting the locations you want to visit in advance, seeking unique perspectives.

7. Move Your Camera Close to the Ground

Photo of a photographer taking pictures

Many photographers make the mistake of taking all of their pictures at head height. But if you get into the habit of doing that, you’ll miss out on many opportunities to make your content look more interesting.

If you’re stuck for ideas, crouching down or placing your camera on the ground are easy ways to take the shot from an alternative view and angle. Plus, putting your camera on the ground has the bonus of providing extra stability.

Related: The Best Tripod Alternatives for Photographers

Taking photos from close to the floor poses several interesting creative opportunities. For example, you can take a picture of a landscape through grass, and you can grab shots involving puddles and curbs if you’re in a city.

Spice Up Your Photos

If you’re feeling uninspired by your photography, it’s time to switch things up. Often, we take “boring” photos because we’re not thinking about our surroundings and what we can use to our advantage.

Having read this guide, you should have some ideas to at least get you thinking about how to make your pictures a little more interesting next time you're out and about with your camera.