Emily Clancy

Photography Prompt Generator & 118 Prompts

I’ve started to take photos more consistently, after overloading during February and nearly no photoshoots in March. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to stay consistent with at least one shoot per week, but I have a feeling that the Visual Arts Club I’m in right now is a large reason for my sudden consistency.

There’s something about not only having a deadline and peers to present to, but also being given a prompt so I know what I have to work on for the week photography-wise. While I have a list of photoshoots I want to plan for the future, I feel like it’s not really the same as being given a random prompt and being told to create something from that word or phrase. Realizing this, I decided to create a way to continue these random prompts for after my club ends or whenever I feel inspired to practice photography but don’t know what to shoot.

If this sounds like you, and being given a prompt is exactly the push you need to get back into photography, keep reading. I’ll also share my current list of prompts I have, and feel free to take inspiration from any of them!

One of my favorite things about being given a prompt is I just have to make do with it. I have to be creative about a prompt that isn’t obvious at first glance, and figure out a way to make it work according to my own style. The difference between a randomized prompt and choosing from my list of photoshoot ideas is exactly that: I have to choose. Take the choice out of it, and I think it will actually spur me to be more creative. And, of course, if I really don’t like the prompt I can randomize again.

There are a bunch of different ways you can get randomized prompts. I decided to download an app, because that’s what is easiest for me, but there are also a bunch of random word generator websites that serve pretty much the same purpose. The app I decided to download is just called “Random”. I’m not sure if it’s on the Android app store, but you’re sure to find something similar.

This app has a bunch of different functions, such as coin flipping or dice rolling, but I use the “List” function. Some of the other functions might be helpful for inspiration as well, such as the “Quotes” or “Color” functions.

All you have to do is create a list, add words or phrases to the list, and then you’re good to go! That is the one caveat of this method: you have to insert your own prompts. I found this easy enough to do, however, with a few Google searches on prompts and additions from my existing list of photoshoot ideas. This can actually definitely be a benefit, because it restricts the random prompts to things you would actually want to do or have the necessary props/settings/outfits for.

I definitely recommend this method, but if it’s not for you, there’s plenty of other ways to get prompts out there. Monthly, weekly, and yearly challenge printables are available with a quick web search, clubs often post prompts for their members, and there’s always the good ol’ “open-a-dictionary-to-a-random-page-and-create-a-photoshoot-based-off-the-word-your-finger-lands-on” method.

Let me know how you find inspiration for your photoshoots, and what methods work or don’t work for you in the comments below! Until next time!

And don’t think I forgot… Here’s my current list, though I’ll be trying to constantly add to it.

  1. Black
  2. White
  3. Orange
  4. Green
  5. Air
  6. Earth
  7. 50s
  8. 60s
  9. 70s
  10. 80s
  11. 90s
  12. 2000s
  13. 2010s
  14. Punk
  15. Anger
  16. Hippie
  17. Love
  18. Sadness
  19. Joy
  20. Jealousy
  21. Envy
  22. Gluttony
  23. Pride
  24. Soft
  25. Wrath
  26. Autumn
  27. Spring
  28. Winter
  29. Summer
  30. Academia
  31. Ballet
  32. Old Hollywood Glamour
  33. Isolation
  34. Key
  35. Entry
  36. Understanding
  37. Ignorance
  38. Railroad
  39. Trail
  40. Reflection
  41. Texture
  42. Magnification
  43. Deformed
  44. Sign
  45. Art
  46. Leading Lines
  47. Forgotten
  48. Curiosity
  49. New
  50. Straight
  51. Scared
  52. Tall
  53. In Between
  54. Stripe
  55. Comfortable
  56. Bright
  57. Circle
  58. Lucky
  59. 3 of a Kind
  60. Simplicity
  61. Hands
  62. Ears
  63. Lips
  64. Window
  65. Loving
  66. Obsession
  67. Guilty
  68. Evil
  69. Laughter
  70. Bokeh
  71. Negative Space
  72. Fatherhood
  73. Motherhood
  74. Mentor
  75. Roman
  76. Greek
  77. Parisian
  78. Up
  79. Down
  80. Feet
  81. Empty
  82. Print
  83. Shallow
  84. Grounding
  85. Falling
  86. Folds
  87. Wrinkles
  88. Time
  89. Space
  90. Light
  91. Stranger
  92. Vintage
  93. Gossip
  94. Spill
  95. Tradition
  96. Habit
  97. Smoke
  98. Library
  99. Sleeping
  100. Waiting
  101. Eating
  102. Sorrow
  103. Barbie
  104. Rock and Roll
  105. 27 Club
  106. Rockstar
  107. Washed Up
  108. Stickers
  109. Statue
  110. Album
  111. Movie
  112. TV Show
  113. Magazine
  114. Book
  115. Blurred
  116. Abstract
  117. Missing
  118. Soft

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