It's fun to take photos (otherwise, you wouldn't be reading this), but it can get boring taking photos with the same landscape / sunset / streetscape theme. Is there somewhere else you could be walking around with your camera?

Looking to take photos of something different? The following are a few ideas to get you thinking and moving.

Hidden Places

Have a think about the places you travel to daily, and the routes you use. There's a good chance that there's something interesting nearby that you haven't seen yet, within walking distance. Trees and buildings can block these places from view. Go and have a look one day in a likely place and you could very well find some unusual things- old statues, abandoned buildings, unusual structures and so on.

Hidden here can also mean hidden from pretty much anyone. Think of the various places near you where there used to be plenty of activity but where there's not much now, thus leaving the areas much as they were years ago, perhaps with nature starting to take over.

Buagsong in Cordova town is one of the best places in Cebu to capture breathtaking sunsets. The beauty of the place itself provides an amazing foreground.

In Cebu, particularly in the timid town of Cordova, there is one place where we used to have our photo session. We like it there because it has a good view of the sunset as well as it offers a variety of spots for us to roam around and experiment with our shots.

Here are some of my portrait shots from the place.

Abandoned Area

There are plenty of photos online of these sorts of places, but there's still the thrill of photographing one (or several) for yourself.

If you're going to go somewhere like this, remember that you may be trespassing, so remember to not enter any property that looks as if it's privately owned. Even if it looks like no one will mind you walking through it, remember that dilapidated areas can have hazards such as loose materials, or animals, or be a meeting point for people involved in various illegal activities. Always exercise caution.

The city of Lapu Lapu is just right after Cordova town. The city has undergone rapid modernization and you wont expect that there are still places that are left abandoned. This place has been a go-to place by most local photographers who wants a different approach on their photographs. I managed to spent an afternoon in the area and it was really worth the while.

Here are some of my shots.

Before or after a big event

Big events are all well and good, and don't hesitate to photograph them, but what about the before and after? A large enough event will probably have some of its preparations occurring in public view, and getting photos of the setting up and cleaning up, so long as you have access and are not getting in the way.

These photos may not be the sort that grab other people's attention, but they can certainly be interesting; and by choosing a topic that wouldn't otherwise be photogenic, it gives you another chance to hone your skills.

The first time I got the chance to cover an event was a concert by a local celebrity. Since I was a first-timer, majority of my shots are damn bad but made a couple of decent ones too.

The other one was with a local rock band, I was expecting a lot of headbanging but with previous experience covering such event, it was an easy one.

Final Notes

By choosing a photography topic you've never chosen before you'll learn new skills, which you can then apply to your photography of other subjects.

By taking photos of somewhere where few people go, or of something that few people really pay any attention to there's a chance you'll the first person to ever take photos of that little corner of the world.

_{Note: All photos above are owned by Herbert Kikoy.}