A PHONE · A WINDOW · TEN MINUTES

6 easy photos you can take at home

You do not need a scenic trip or a new camera. Pick one idea below, take two pictures and change just one thing between them.

Start with a mug

Before you start

Wipe your phone's lens, use the normal camera mode and tap your subject to focus. Try daylight near a window. If a picture looks too bright or dark, use your phone's brightness control before taking another.

Keep both versions long enough to compare them. You are looking for one visible improvement, not a perfect photo.

Illustrative ivory mug beside a window, with light across one side and shadow on the other — One ordinary object, one window. This example is an AI-generated teaching illustration; use your own camera photo for a challenge entry.

1. Give your mug a different view

You need: A mug or cup and a window.

First photo: Put the mug on a table near the window. Take a photo at the height of the mug.

Change one thing: Move a little to the side and take another. Compare which view makes the handle and background easier to see.

See the window-light examples

2. Find a shadow

You need: Light falling through a window, blinds or a chair.

First photo: Look for a clear shadow on a wall or floor. Photograph the pattern from where you are standing.

Change one thing: Move closer so the shadow fills more of the frame. Keep the version where the shape is easiest to spot.

Try the light-and-shadow prompt

3. Make one piece of fruit stand out

You need: An apple, orange or other food you already have.

First photo: Place it on a plain plate or cloth. Take a photo from above.

Change one thing: Lower the phone to the side of the table. Does the new view show the shape better? Try a step back if the camera cannot focus.

Explore camera height

4. Notice a tiny detail

You need: A towel, leaf, woven basket or piece of wood.

First photo: Move close enough to see the surface, but keep it in focus. Tap the detail on your phone screen.

Change one thing: Try the same surface with window light coming from the side. Compare how the small shadows show its texture.

Try the small-wonders prompt

5. Find two things with one colour

You need: Two everyday objects sharing a colour, such as a blue book and blue socks.

First photo: Photograph them together against a quieter background.

Change one thing: Make a second picture with more space around them. Which version makes the shared colour more obvious?

Try a colour-echo exercise

6. Look for a reflection

You need: A mirror, a window or a polished spoon.

First photo: Choose one object and photograph its reflection. Check whether your phone or something distracting appears too.

Change one thing: Change the camera angle a little. Compare a photo of the whole object with one showing mainly its reflection.

Explore reflection photography

Which picture should you keep?

View both photos at the same size. Ask: can I see the subject clearly, is anything distracting at the edges, and what changed when I moved? Choose the picture that best shows your idea.

Try today's challenge

Beat AI gives you a new theme every day. Check the current theme before entering: these six exercises are practice ideas, rather than six separate live competitions. Enter an original photo you took, or vote on available human-versus-AI matchups without signing in.

See today's theme