I think of myself as a writer who photographs. Images, for me, can be considered poems, short stories or essays. And I’ve always thought the best place for my photographs was inside books of my own creation.

Sam Abell

When I was a photography student at SCAD, I spent 6 weeks in Europe with my university taking photography and art history classes. To get outside the classroom and roam the landscape of foreign places was exhilarating. As an artist, stepping into these unknown spaces was an assault on my senses in the best possible way sending my imagination stimulated, buzzing. 

One particular photo professor, Tom Fischer, would task us with daily shooting assignments. These directed prompts challenged me to photograph subjects and moments that otherwise I’d not consider. In fact, many of the images I created because of this assignment turned out to be some of my favorites from that time of traveling. 

Over the years, I’ve continued to use many of the prompts when I travel. I want to encourage you to do the same. No matter where you are in your photography journey. You can use any camera or phone camera. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you are observing life around you. Your photos will tell the story.

This list is inspired by the one I was given as a photography student. The photos you make are your own interpretation of the title so there is no right answer.

• Mirrors and windows Look for moments of reflection in mirrors and windows. You’ll be surprised at the images you capture when you begin looking for them.

• Document your personal space. Photograph your hotel room every day and at different times of the day. Notice the way the light plays on the bed, in the space.

• Enchanté (nice to meet you). I am always people-watching. This is about casting moments of encounters with other people.

• Light and Dark. Look for moments of contrast in light. See how it changes the feel of a place.

• Out of Place: You can discover all kinds of moments that seem out of place if you look for them.

• A private moment in a public place. I love this one. Capture an intimate moment in a public space. An example: someone reading a book outside a cafe, a couple in a corner caught up in a conversation. Museums are especially great for this.

• Matching colors. This is fun when you can find how subjects match their environment.

• Ironic juxtaposition. A kind of visual technique usually played for laughs. It features an inanimate object, such as a sign or billboard, and something in or of the real world. While the sign is making one very clear statement, the real thing will be portraying a reality that is completely different in nature.

• Ancient vs. modern. Find space where the two collide. This doesn’t have to be contained to only architecture. Athens is an especially fun place to photograph this one.

• Meet a Stranger. This can feel intimidating but I am always amazed how often when I ask someone if I can photograph them - they say yes.

• A secret place in the village or city. A hidden courtyard. A tucked-away cafe. A second-story bookshop. Finding these places is always feels like a huge win. Like you’ve uncovered something the rest of the world is unaware of. While in Athens a few years ago, I happened to turn down a tiny alley. It opened up to a building with several floors of rooms and a bar on the rooftop. I had the most amazing view of the Acropolis. Only locals were hanging out.

• Isolation through composition: Isolate an object or person and make that the subject of your image.

• Look up. I especially love doing this in a forest. Composition of the canopy of trees over

• A picture within a picture. This is a fun one when you can find this playing itself out.

• Scale: Find ways to show a play on scale and size

• Framed. Look for lines to create a perfectly framed image.

• Food Scenes. Don’t just take photos of the food you at but look for ways to see photo scenes almost like a still life.

• Make an anti-postcard for a specific town or city. We get caught up in capturing “postcard” moments. What is your idea of an anti-postcard image to illustrate a city or town?

• The journey is the destination. Create images on the way to where you’re going. Get creative. Maybe it’s a moment of your kids passed out in the backseat. Maybe it’s waiting on the train and you capture a scene on the train platform.

• Self-portrait. This is not a selfie. Set your camera or iPhone to timer mode and create a self-portrait. You’ll be glad you did.

• Empty space. Capture a space without people.

• A re-photograph. Photograph from the same camera position as a famous historic image. Cities like Paris, Florence, and London are great for this one.

• A re-interpretation. Your vision of the location of a famous historic photograph. What is your take on an iconic image?

• Words and Pictures. Capture a scene where words tell the story in the image.

• Très heureux! This means overjoyed! Maybe it’s your child eating gelato for the first time.

• Street Art. I find these spaces fascinating to photograph especially in how they interact with the environment, the people, and the buildings around them.

• On Break: When you spend a day walking around a city, you will often notice people on break from their job. They’re usually on their phone, taking a smoke break, eating or reading a book. This can make for interesting compositions.

• The Decisive Moment. The documentary photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson coined the term. He said, “The difference between a good picture and a mediocre picture is a millimeter”. He went on to say that “To me, photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as of a precise organization of forms which give that event its proper expression.”