Creative blocks and boring photoshoots are inevitable, but they don’t have to be a constant part of your life. One of the easiest ways to overcome them is to play a variety of photography games.
This list of 12 awesome photography games is perfect when you need a kick of inspiration. Some will challenge you to think outside the box, while others will simply relax or entertain you.
12. Photography Games: Guess Where a Photo Was Taken
There are various ways you can approach this game. You can take photos of your area (or another country) and let your friends or followers guess where they were taken.
To take this to the next level, take close-up photos of details in a location and ask the players to guess what exactly the object is.
If you want to play on your own, you can use websites like GeoGuessr to figure out where specific images were taken. There are different categories to choose from, including the whole world, Europe, the United States, or specific countries.
This guessing game will teach you about the world, improve your knowledge of travel photography, and may even inspire you to start a bigger photography project of your own.
11. Photography Pictionary
This is a fun and easy game for photography lovers. Draw different photography-related objects on a whiteboard.
You can come up with things to draw or pick random words from a hat. Players have to guess what you’re drawing before you’re done.
Here are a few photography terms that might result in silly or creative drawings:
- Portrait photography
- Shutter
- Tripod
- Cheese (in terms of smiling)
- Pinhole camera
- Photoshop
If you want this to be more challenging, set a timer for 30-60 seconds for every turn.
Both entertaining and educational, Photography Pictionary can inspire everyone to get creative with their drawing skills.
If there are a lot of beginners in your group, you can use this as an opportunity to teach them about special photography terms.
10. Life Is Strange
Video gamers, this one is for you! Life Is Strange is a graphic adventure video game available on almost every platform, including Android, PlayStation 4, and iOS. You can download the first episode for free on Steam.
As a player, you’ll be able to make choices that will affect the rest of the game.
The story follows Maxine Caulfield, a photography senior who can go back in time and change her life. She gets involved in the disappearance of her fellow student and predicts that more devastating events are waiting ahead.
The story revolves around daily events, mental health, abuse, and more.
Throughout the game, you’ll have opportunities to take photos using Maxine’s analog camera. These will end up in the game gallery and give you rewards. Every achievement is related to specific photography terms.
While this game isn’t exclusively tied to photography, it’s a good excuse to dive into a fictional world and use your knowledge of photography terms to earn achievements.
9. Take Photos for a Specific Theme Every Week
This is a fun and flexible photography game for those who want to get creative and challenge themselves at the same time. Every week, you’ll get a specific theme that you need to use in your photography.
This game usually lasts for a year, but you can shoot for as long as you like.
You can come up with your own terms, use ideas online, or join a Weekly Theme Project group. Here are a few ideas:
- Routine
- Identity
- Stars
- Nostalgia
- In love
- Soft focus
The terms tend to be very general, so you’ll have a lot of room to experiment with all kinds of ideas. As you shoot, you might come up with new shooting techniques or angles that will help you develop your style.
8. Photograph the Same Object From Different Angles
Limitations are effective because they force you to make the most of what you have. In photography, they’re the perfect way to take your photography to the next level and teach yourself to look for potential in everything.
The only rule for this game is to find an object and take photos of it from different angles. If you want, you can give yourself a photo limit. Your job is to make each photo as interesting and as unique as possible.
You can experiment with different apertures, shutter speeds, etc., so that each photo looks like it was taken at a different place or time.
7. Photograph Your Family in Order From Oldest to Youngest
This is a game that will help you preserve your memories and spend quality time with your family. You can turn this into a family photo project that everyone can be involved in!
All you have to do is take photos of every member of your family. Once the photos are ready, you can print them or store them in an online gallery.
They can be ordered from oldest to youngest, or vice versa. The point is to take candid photos of everyone you love.
To make this experience fun for everyone, you can ask members of your family to take photos themselves. This is a fun project for adults and children alike.
6. Gurushots
Gurushots is a contest-oriented game with interesting rewards, including features in magazines and exhibitions.
Contests are updated almost daily and cover a wide variety of themes. To join a contest, all you have to do is read the rules carefully and upload a specific amount of photos.
Once you submit your photos, other users will be able to vote for them. There are different achievements you can earn throughout the voting process, all of which will help you level up from a Newbie, to a Rookie, to a Challenger, and so on.
Once you reach Guru level, you’ll be able to make contests of your own.
You can pay for Swaps, Fills, and Keys to increase your chances of winning, but it’s possible to enjoy the game without paying at all.
5. Shoot From the Hip
Many candid and street photographers like to shoot from the hip to take unusual photos. By taking a step away from your normal techniques, you’ll be able to think outside the box.
You might even discover new ways to approach specific subjects.
You can shoot from the hip or take photos with your eyes closed, though the first option is much safer. Shoot in locations that are full of life, such as events, weddings, or family gatherings.
To capture as much of an environment as possible, use a wide-angle lens.
4. Take Photos in B&W Mode Only
Limiting yourself to one piece of equipment or technique can get boring. To spice things up, limit a specific feature in your camera, such as the mode you shoot in.
This way, you’ll be able to freely adjust all of your other settings and challenge yourself at the same time.
The rules are simple. Shoot in B&W mode only. If this sounds too easy, you can take the challenge yourself to take 50 photos in black and white, or take one photo in B&W and the next in color.
When you see a world without color, you might start to notice and appreciate new elements. Contrast and composition will feel different, which might lead you to new ideas and projects.
Most importantly, you’ll be able to have fun with your camera!
3. Take Photos Using One Camera App on Your Smartphone
Smartphone photography is incredibly popular today, so why not make a game out of it? This is an unconventional approach to photography that will help you loosen up and find inspiration.
Your job is to find one camera app (not the standard one on your phone) that you can take photos with. Once you’re ready, shoot the things you usually photograph with your professional camera.
You can use filter apps like Snapchat to take humorous photos, or try something with advanced features, like Manual for iOS or Camera MX for Android.
2. Re-Create Your Favourite Photo(s)
Stealing ideas is definitely not a good idea, but don’t let that stop you from re-creating your favorite photographs. You can even re-create film stills, sketches, or paintings, depending on your creative preferences!
Re-creating art is fun because it takes away the pressure to be original. Your main goal is to learn from the artist’s techniques and figure out how they achieved a certain look.
You can then use this newfound knowledge to take original photographs in the future.
If the photographer has online tutorials, ebooks, or a YouTube channel, learn from them as much as you can. You might not find all of their tips useful, but you’re guaranteed to find something that will change the way you look at photography techniques.
If you want to post your results online, ask the photographer for permission, make sure you credit them, and clearly state that this is a re-creation of their work.
1. Snapshot
Snapshot is an indie adventure game available on Windows and Mac.
It follows Pic, a robot that has to go on an epic adventure with his camera. The camera is the only tool you can use throughout the game. You use it to photograph, remove, and replace obstacles to help Pic get to the next level.
You can also rotate what you photographed to interact with parts of the world. For example, you can photograph a fireball, rotate the picture, and throw it at a pile of boxes to clear the way.
While this game won’t teach you anything about photography, it will help you combine it with puzzle games in a meaningful way.
Conclusion
There are all kinds of photography games out there, from immersive video games to fun group activities that can help you bond with your friends.
By letting yourself have fun with your camera, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your passion even more.
We have a great post on using symbolism in photography to check out next!
