Let’s face it: being a self-employed photographer is hard work. Constantly being on the lookout for clients, working irregular hours with tight deadlines, doing your best to satisfy the pickiest of clients… There’s only one reward that makes it all worthwhile: practicing your beloved art of capturing the perfect moment. A great way to step out from your routine and to feed your inner creative beast is by exploring the world through your lens. Asking questions and answering them with images. Raising issues and solving them with your art. That is the foundation that lies beneath creative photography projects, to which shutterbugs dedicate themselves out of pure passion.

On top of providing a must-have creative outlet, passion projects will bring attention to your work, spread the word and potentially land new gigs for your photo biz. Feel like you could use a shot of inspiration before bringing your own concept to life? Look no further than this collection of über creative photography projects, all created by talented Wix users.

01. Skyler Knutzen, Years Young

Inspired by the people and places around him, Skyler Knutzen, a young photographer and videographer from Iowa, says he often leans toward human stories. In a recent project (or as he beautifully calls it - “Photo essay”) titled Years Young, Skyler explores what people of 60+ wish to accomplish when they get older. The series of black and white headshots accompanied by the interviewees’ answers results in a powerful and thought-provoking outcome.

02. Marcos Alberti, 3 Glasses Later

“The first glass of wine is all about the food, the second glass is about love and the third glass is about mayhem”. That’s the saying Brazilian photographer Marcos Alberti wanted to explore in his half-glass-full project. What originally started as a joke amongst friends, grew into a series of images of people from various backgrounds proving that the saying above goes deeper than any wine cellar. The project was so relatable (that’s exactly what yours truly looks like after 3 glasses of wine!) that it went viral and gained Marcos vast worldwide exposure.

03. Aaron Sheldon, Small Steps are Giant Leaps

Documenting his 3-year-old son’s journey exploring the world, Aaron Sheldon’s project Small Steps are Giant Leaps is about reminding parents about their main mission on planet Earth. Aaron hopes his images will “remind moms and dads who may be losing their patience in line at the grocery store or coffee shop that their kids aren’t just acting like fools - they are exploring new frontiers”. A parent’s job is to co-pilot and provide valuable guidance to make sure they navigate safely and unearth their world to the fullest. No wonder the project gained a lot of attention from various media: placing a kid in an astronaut’s costume in everyday life situations shows the parenting world from a whole new perspective.

04. Lexey Moore, Paws For a Cause

Lexey Moore is driven by her passion to help stray animals find homes through photography. Volunteering with multiple shelters and rescues in her area as a photographer, she will spend as long as it takes to capture the personality of every pup and kitten to help them find a home. The tight connection between her passion project and her day job as a pet photographer couldn’t have been more beneficial. She is gaining both expertise and exposure for work in her own photography niche.

05. Cheeky Ingelosi, Melancholy – a Girl Called Depression

When Janelia Mould, aka Cheeky Ingelosi, was suffering from depression, she managed to see beyond the blackness through her lens. Depicting the inner and outer world of depression, her conceptual work penetrates deeply into the viewers’ soul, especially those who have experienced a similar situation. By sharing Melancholy – a Girl Called Depression with the world, Janelia bravely opens a taboo subject for discussion, while offering some comfort to those who need it most. You can read more about her journey in this captivating article about photography vs. depression.