Sometimes, especially when in familiar surroundings, it can be difficult to think of things to photograph. It's all been done before and there is little to motivate you. In these cases, start to think broadly.

Try these 3 easy steps to expand your creativity.

- Step 1: when in familiar areas, look around at everything that is there for example, suppose you were in a park: look for birds, squirrels, different types of trees, colours, textures, people – kids, parents, lovers - benches and seats, vendors, litter and litter bins, fences, bushes and boundaries, play areas, grasses and flowers, woodland, dead and decaying matter, paths, fountains, lakes and pools, activities (skateboarders, skaters, bikers), cars, kites, clouds, lighting patterns, hollows and crevices, moving objects, patterns and shapes, things growing and sprouting, calls, picnics, wind effects, puddles, gestures, people concentrating on things, things above you, things around your feet, gardeners and other workers, things in the distance (office blocks, houses), monuments and statues, gaily coloured things, cyclists, streams and rivulets, bridges, swings and roundabouts, neglected things, crumbling things, rocks, tended gardens, kiosks, groups, unusual items, dogs running, dogs jumping, dogs playing, ice creams and lollies (Popsicles), drains, covers, sports, families.

- Step 2: Start taking pictures of selections of these things.

- Step 3: Congratulate yourself on being able to collect so many image possibilities from one very familiar and often-visited environmental area.

Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com

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