{"id":157365,"date":"2020-04-17T14:38:38","date_gmt":"2020-04-17T21:38:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=157365"},"modified":"2020-05-22T10:32:05","modified_gmt":"2020-05-22T17:32:05","slug":"photography-tips-to-keep-your-creative-juices-flowing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/photography-tips-to-keep-your-creative-juices-flowing","title":{"rendered":"5 Photography Tips to Keep Your Creative Juices Flowing"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve caught myself daydreaming about long trails, sweeping vistas and mountain breezes more than a few times during the last month I\u2019ve spent physically distancing. As a travel photographer and the host of the REI video series, In Our Nature<\/a><\/em>, I\u2019ve been lucky enough to observe and photograph many beautiful places.<\/p>\n

Nature photography is something I\u2019ve loved since I was a teenager. When done mindfully, it brings me into the present moment, connects me to the outdoors and helps me see my environment with fresh eyes. If you\u2019re like me and you love taking photos, you might be missing the chance to step outside with your camera or smartphone. Remember: Even during social distancing, you are still creative.<\/p>\n

One way I\u2019m trying to remind myself of this is by bringing my outdoor photography into my home. You don\u2019t need to be a professional photographer or own an expensive camera to do this. Want to give it a try? Here are five ways to practice outdoor photography indoors.<\/p>\n

Create miniature outdoor scenes<\/h3>\n
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The pancake canyon from the author’s #ErinsGreatIndoors<\/a> series. (Photo Credit: Erin Sullivan)<\/p><\/div>\n

Let me ask you something a bit quirky: Are there outdoor scenes you can imagine right now? What if you could create them using objects in your home? And what if you did just that, then photographed them? That\u2019s exactly what I\u2019ve been doing the past couple of weeks, and it\u2019s brought me so much joy. I\u2019ve created a pancake canyon<\/a>, an icy river<\/a> with pillows, and a gelatin lake complete with asparagus trees. You don\u2019t need figurines like mine to do this\u2014I\u2019ve seen tons of creative iterations. Check out the hashtag #OurGreatIndoors<\/a> on Instagram for inspiration from creators around the world.<\/p>\n

Take a self-portrait with your gear<\/h3>\n
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I friggin love gear, so I wrote a My Favorite Things post. Like Oprah. But better cuz it's gear. \ud83d\udc49 Link in bio<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by Erin Sullivan<\/a> (@erinoutdoors) on