Of course, you could say "I'll fix that in post" – but let's be honest: anything you can correct beforehand will save you a lot of work later when editing.

Today I'm going to give you an exciting and interesting method for training and sharpening your eye for detail. And the best thing about it: you can use this method anywhere – on a walk, on the way to work, on vacation. The fun works in three simple steps:

Find a subject – Set off – Take photographs

First, think of a topic you would like to explore on your way to work, on your walk or while strolling on holiday. It can be absolutely anything. A few examples?

  • Green doors (or any other colour)
  • Arrows and shapes that represent arrows
  • Objects that look like faces
  • Cracks in the environment (streets, walls, fabric, etc.)
  • Certain patterns and lines
  • Objects with numbers on them (I would leave out house numbers, though, as that's too easy)
  • And so on and so forth

Have you chosen your theme? Wonderful! Then set off and keep an eye out for things that match your theme. Whether you take a camera with you or photograph everything with your smartphone doesn't matter in this case – the important thing is that you consciously pay attention to your theme along the way. By walking through the streets with this awareness, you will notice things that you would never have noticed otherwise. This will help you develop your eye for detail – but also your awareness of your surroundings.

And the best thing about this method is that you can always use it when you're out and about. Whether planned or spontaneous. On my last walk, I spontaneously decided to do another round on the theme of ‘arrows and everything that forms an arrow shape’ for this post. You can find examples here in the post.

A little bonus tip: to get more out of this exercise, don't just photograph the objects, but try to stage them creatively. This will also help you practise and train your image composition skills.

And here are a few sample series to boost your creativity:

Cracks in road traffic

Cracks Cracks in the asphalt
Cracked Asphalt with Debris A close-up, shallow depth of field shot of rough, cracked asphalt pavement. The focus highlights the coarse texture and fissures, interspersed with small pieces of natural debris like dry leaves and twigs, and a distinct yellow cigarette butt. Muted grays dominate, conveying urban wear.
Cracked Pavement Surface A detailed, low-angle perspective of a weathered light grey pavement or concrete surface. A prominent, dark, zig-zagging crack runs from the foreground towards the blurred background, with smaller fissures visible. The textured surface indicates wear and age.

You'll find eyes everywhere

Objects with numbers

Neue Donau Kilometre Marker 15 A weathered concrete kilometre marker, labeled 'Neue Donau Km. 15,0' with the '0' in red, stands on grassy ground beside the tranquil blue waters of the New Danube. The stone marker has visible cracks. In the soft-focus background, green banks with trees lead to distant buildings under a clear sky.
[Translate to English:] Zahlen [Translate to English:] Rote 4, auch eine Markierung auf der Donauinsel

And here are the promised arrows