As an emerging surface pattern designer, finding fresh inspiration can sometimes feel like a challenge. But the truth is, there is inspiration all around you - you just need to know where to look for it!

What if the world around you, captured through the lens of your camera, could become the starting point for your next stunning design?

And what if I told you that you don't need to be a professional photographer or have expensive camera equipment. You just need to use what you have, such as a camera phone, experiment, learn a few simple skills and soon you will find a creative workflow that suits you.

Photography is not just a medium for capturing moments, it’s an incredible tool to ignite creativity and fuel the pattern-making process.

Here’s how you can incorporate photography into your workflow, discover new design possibilities and take your pattern designs to the next level.

Use Photography as a Visual Inspiration Board

Photography is a fantastic way to document the world around you, whether you’re on a walk through the city, at a botanical garden or exploring abstract textures in everyday objects. The first step is to capture anything that intrigues you:

Textures: Zoom in on the details of a cracked wall, woven fabric or tree bark. The texture can easily translate into a repeating pattern in your designs.

Colours: Look for interesting colour palettes in nature, architecture or food. Capture colour gradients or complementary colours for inspiration.

Shapes and Geometry: Notice the patterns in architecture or the geometry in flowers. These natural patterns can become the basis of more abstract designs.

Tip: Use photography terminology like "composition," "depth of field," and "framing" to help focus your lens on the elements that most inspire you.

Experiment with different Photography Techniques

Photography is an art in itself but you can capture images for inspiration without being a professional photographer and without having expensive equipment. Using different techniques can yield exciting results that fuel your design process. Here are some ideas to help you get creative with your camera:

Macro Photography: Get up close and personal with your subject. This reveals intricate details that might go unnoticed with the naked eye—perfect for creating organic, detailed patterns.

Flat Lay Photography: Arrange objects or textures in a flat, well-lit composition and photograph them from above. Flat lays are especially useful for creating mood boards and seeing how different elements can work together.

Double Exposure: Combine two different images in a single frame to create layered, complex patterns. This technique can be explored in post-editing and will open up new creative possibilities.

Fun Exercise: Choose a subject (like plants or street art) and experiment with macro or abstract photography. Focus on finding unexpected details—these may become the foundation of unique patterns!

Translate Photos Into Pattern Design

Once you’ve collected your photographic inspiration, the next step is to translate these images into a pattern. Here’s how to use your photos as the foundation for a new design:

Photo Editing: Use photo editing software (like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom) to manipulate your images. Adjust colours, contrast or blur areas to create intriguing visual textures.

Vectorizing Images: Use Adobe Illustrator to turn your photographs into vector images. This allows you to scale and modify the design for various applications.

Tile and Repeat: Start with one element from your photo (like a leaf or geometric shape) and create a tile pattern. Experiment with rotations, mirror images or resizing to see how the design evolves in different arrangements.

Tip: Don’t be afraid to use multiple photographs within the creation of each pattern. Isolate elements of interest, use them to build new motifs and then start creating the pattern from there.

And that’s how you can turn simple photographs into stunning patterns.

I’m certain that if you give it a try, photography will soon become part of your creative workflow.

Remember: Photography is a treasure trove of inspiration waiting to be explored!

By using your camera as a tool to capture textures, colours and shapes, you can add a whole new dimension to your surface pattern designs. The next time you go on a walk, take your camera along and challenge yourself to find beauty in the details—because those details can become the starting point for your next collection of patterns.

So, what are you waiting for?

Capture, Create, Repeat, and let photography fuel your pattern-making journey!

Are you inspired to grab your camera and capture some images and see where this new angle takes you?

If so, make sure you download this weeks free resource:

“Capture, Create, Repeat”: 10 ways to use photography to inspire pattern creation, without being a professional photographer or having expensive equipment.

Discover how simple photography techniques can help you build stunning patterns.

This free resource includes:

10 ways to incorporate photography into your creative workflow

Tips on how to achieve the best results for each exercise

Examples of how each technique can inspire, influence and enhance your pattern designs

Are you ready to get creative?

Download your "Capture, Create, Repeat" Resource (here) and get started!

Join me next time for "Stitch by Stitch: Uncovering the Creative Ties Between Sewing and Patterns"” where we will explore the creative synergy between sewing and pattern creation.

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See you next time,

Yvonne x