October's theme is A Sense of Wonder, and I think it's a particularly fun one to explore through photography. There are so many things around us that are beautiful, surprising, interesting, or unusual, but we don't always think to photograph them.
I love taking pictures when I travel, especially when I discover an incredible view or visit a place I've wanted to see for years. But I also enjoy photographing interesting details, unusual things I come across, and the little discoveries that happen during an ordinary day. Sometimes I'll notice something that makes me pause enough to stop and look it up later.
I've also noticed how much more I pay attention to certain things when I'm with my grandsons. Children have a wonderful way of becoming fascinated by things adults barely notice. Spending time with them reminds me that there are interesting things to discover just about everywhere. This month's photo prompts are an invitation to look around a little more carefully and photograph some of the things that catch your attention.
October Photo Ideas for A Sense of Wonder
Here are some prompts to help you get started. You can use the entire list or choose a few that sound interesting.
Something that amazed you
Beauty in an ordinary place
An interesting detail you almost missed
Something seen from a child's perspective
A beautiful view or scene in nature
Something you've never experienced before
An unusual pattern, color, or texture
Something that made you curious
A place that exceeded your expectations
Something tiny that deserves a closer look
A moment of surprise or delight
Look for Wonder in the Details
I enjoy photographing details when I travel. Architectural features, interesting textures, colorful signs, flowers, patterns, and small objects can be just as interesting to me as the bigger attractions. You can do the same thing at home. Look closely at something in your garden, photograph the patterns in a favorite object, or notice how the changing seasons affect a familiar view.
One idea for October is to take a photograph of something you've seen many times but never really examined. You might be surprised by what you notice when you take a closer look.
I might be a little biased on this photo because I took it in Rome, but I love the pointed spikes of green, popping out of ancient rocks. I love all the textures together.
See the World Through a Child's Eyes
Some of my favorite moments with my grandsons happen when they become completely absorbed in something. It might be a bug, a rock, a new toy, a picture in a book, or something they discover while we're outside. I love seeing what captures their attention because it often makes me notice things I would have missed.
If you spend time with children, photograph what they're interested in, along with their reactions. You could take a picture from their height or focus on the object they're examining. And if you don't have children around, you can still experiment with photographing familiar places from a different perspective.
These pictures can be especially fun to look back on because they capture what someone found fascinating at a particular age.
Is there anything as magical as little hands grasping a cherished treasure? My grandson was thrilled to have his very own spooky marshmallow. I'm sure it tasted even better while wearing a witch hat!
Capture Something You've Never Experienced Before
Wonder often comes from seeing or experiencing something for the first time. It might be a new place, an unusual activity, a museum exhibit, a performance, or something in nature that you've never encountered before. I especially love those experiences when traveling. There's something exciting about finally seeing a place you've read about or discovering something you didn't expect along the way.
For this prompt, photograph something that was new to you during October. It doesn't have to be a major adventure. A new experience close to home can be just as interesting to document.
I’ve never liked fish or seafood, but I decided to try everything that was served to me at a chef prepared seafood experience in Hawaii. It was the finest and freshest of catches and the most beautiful presentation, but I still felt like gagging on almost every bite. There were a few things that weren’t too bad, but I’ve come to accept that there just isn’t a type of seafood that I like. There are a few mild fishes that I don’t mind too much, but I wouldn’t say that they are good either.
Notice an Unusual Pattern, Color, or Texture
I love finding interesting patterns and colors in unexpected places. Sometimes it's the way sunlight creates shadows on a wall, the texture of an old building, the colors in a flower, or an interesting pattern in nature. These little details can make wonderful photographs, especially when you get close enough to capture something you might not notice from a distance.
For this prompt, look for a pattern, color combination, or texture that catches your attention. You might find something interesting in architecture, nature, clothing, artwork, or even everyday objects around your house. Try taking a close-up photograph or experimenting with different angles to see what makes the detail stand out.
Photograph Something That Makes You Wonder
One of the things I like about wonder is how often it leads to curiosity. I might notice something unusual and immediately want to know more about it. That can send me off to research the history of a place, identify something I found outside, or learn how something works.
Try photographing something that makes you ask a question this month. It could be an interesting object, a historical landmark, a plant you can't identify, a piece of artwork, or something completely unexpected. Include the question you had and, if you find the answer, add that to your journaling too. I think those little discoveries can be a fun way to remember what interested us at different points in our lives.
This ceiling from the Vatican made me wonder how there can be such fine craftsmanship, especially without all of the modern equipment that we have today.
Photograph a Place That Exceeded Your Expectations
One of my favorite things about traveling is discovering places that turn out to be even better than I imagined. Sometimes I've read about a destination and looked forward to visiting it for years. Other times, we stop somewhere without knowing much about it and end up finding something wonderful. I especially enjoy those unexpected discoveries because they often become some of my favorite travel memories.
Think about a place you've visited that surprised you in a good way. It could be a beautiful landscape, an interesting museum, a charming town, a restaurant, or somewhere close to home. Photograph what made the place special, and when you document the experience, include what you expected before visiting and what made the actual experience so memorable.
I may never get over how beautiful Lanai, Hawaii is. I may also never go back, since you have to fly on a very small plane to get there!
Add These Photos to Your Memory Keeping
Once you've taken a few photographs, think about how you might use them in your scrapbook pages, journal, photo book, or monthly roundup. You could create a page featuring several little discoveries from October, tell the story behind one photograph that particularly amazed you, or make a list of things that caught your attention throughout the month.
I also like the idea of creating a page called Things That Made Me Wonder and combining photographs with a few questions, observations, or interesting things you learned. You don't need a photograph of every experience, either. If something amazed you but you didn't have your camera handy, write about it. A few sentences can preserve the memory just as well.
