by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

I’ve shared several posts about where to find images for your blog. But one thing I haven’t covered is a list of images you could take with your own camera. I’m always on the lookout for images that I could use to illustrate a post. In my mind, I have a list of things I always need.

Today I’m going to write that list out and share it with you.

Before I start though, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to be professional photographer to take your own pictures. You can use a fancy camera, a point and shoot, or even your cell phone. Personally, I use my Nikon point and shoot and my iPhone 6 to take a lot of the images you see on my site.

Things to look for that will build your library of images:

1. A Wall. It can be a brick, stone or any kind of wall. But when we’re talking about obstacles in a blog post, this can be a great visual.

2. A Gate. I have pictures of open gates and closed gates. Again, good images if you’re talking about traveling.

3. A Path. I have dozens of path pictures. I have paths in the woods, paved paths, paths that divide, paths that go downhill and paths that go uphill.

4. A Tunnel. This is great if you’re talking about the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s also a good way to illustrate going through tough times.

5. An Obstacle. I have pictures of a trail with a tree blocking the path. I also have pics of detour signs, roadblocks, etc.

6. Traffic Signs. Again, detour signs, Road Closed, Yield, Winding Road, etc.

7. Rain. I love pictures of rainy pavement, raindrops, even puddles. These can evoke emotions and illustrate lots of things, like saving for a rainy day.

8. Mirrors. For some reason, it’s really hard to find stock images of mirrors. I’ve solved that by taking my own. I just stand off to one side and click away.

9. The Horizon. I love taking horizon pictures. These are really good for illustrating posts about the future.

10. The Cross. If I see a cool cross, I usually try to snap a picture of it. And I try to find unusual angles, instead of just straight on.

11. Animal Pictures. I look for the opportunity to snap pictures of my dog and cat illustrating emotions. The one here is of my dog Jake napping. I can use this one to illustrate lazy, relaxing, etc.

12. Light Bulb. Anytime you write about finding an idea or having an idea, a light bulb is a great illustration. It can also be used anytime you refer to illumination.

13. Clouds with Sun Rays. These are great to illustrate faith and God.

14. Ripples in Water. These images are great when we write about the effect of something.

15. The Bible. Again, great for messages of faith. I take pictures of the book close, specific passages, and pages that have notes on them.

16. Words in the Dictionary. Some times it’s hard to find just the right picture. Instead, look the word up in the dictionary and snap a picture. You can manipulate the picture in www.PicMonkey.com and have a great blog illustration.

17. Computer Keyboard/Keys. Again, good for illustrating posts about writing. You can also take images that focus on a certain key, like Delete, Shift, a Question Mark, etc.

18. Typewriter/Typewriter Keys. This is great for us when we write about writing. You can even put a piece of blank paper in the typewriter and use a site like PicMonkey to add words to the paper.

19. Luggage. This is great when we’re talking about taking more than we can handle, carrying baggage, etc.

20. Exit/Do Not Enter Signs. These are great to illustrate posts that warn about something.

21. Doors. I take pics of open doors, partially open doors, closed doors, even locked doors.

22. Funny Signs/Objects. This is one I just took this week while we were on vacation at Universal Studios. I also have one from another amusement park that is a suspended net full of bricks. It has a sign on it that says, “A ton of bricks.”

23. Chain/Lock/Key. I use chain links when I’m talking about links (as in computer links). And locks and keys are always great images.

24. Fog. This is another great image to have in your library. It evokes a lot of emotion and can illustrate uncertainty.

25. Tools. Pictures of tools can be great illustrations. I have quite a few—from a simple hammer and nails—to tools on a workbench.

26. Winding Road. Another great image to illustrate a journey.

27. A Pen/Paper/Journal. This is another image that I use a lot more than I thought I would. It’s easy to set up and take yourself.

28. A Clock. Any time you’re writing about time, a clock is a good way to illustrate that.

29. A Foundation. This is another image that’s really useful and hard to find. So if you’re near a construction site and can snap a quick pic, do it.

30. Spring/Summer/Winter/Fall. We reference the seasons a lot when we write, so having images available to illustrate that is a big help.

31. Stairs/Staircase. A great way to illustrate change.

32. A Bridge. Like several others I’ve mentioned, a picture of a bridge is a great way to illustrate a variety of posts.

33. A Reflection. This isn’t necessarily in a mirror, it can be in a window, in water, anywhere.

34. A Window. Another staple for bloggers, no matter what the focus of your site.

35. Fire/Candle/Fireplace.All excellent for illustrating subjects like ignite, warmth, etc.

Two important tips when you’re taking & using these images: 

First: Always include your contact info on any image you took yourself. I use PicMonkey to add the following somewhere on the picture:

Image Copyright © www.EdieMelson.com

This does a couple of things. It reminds people that someone owns the image and it’s not just free to use without permission. It also is free advertising because it directs people back to my site, if the image shows up on social media anywhere. (NOTE: you can see my watermark in the first image on this blog)

Second: Think of composing the picture so there is room to add words to the image to make a meme. (Review: A meme is an image with words on it. The first image for this post is a meme.) Try to keep your background simple.

These are just some of the basic images I try to keep in a file of pics for my blog posts. There is literally no end to the list. But this should get you started and help you begin to look at the world around you from a new perspective.

I’d love to know what you’d add to the list. Be sure to leave your comments in the section below.

Edie Melson—author, blogger, speaker—has written numerous books, including her most recent fiction – Alone, and nonfiction – While My Child is Away. She’s also the military family blogger at Guideposts.org. Her popular blog, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month. She’s the director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She’s the the Social Media Director for Southern Writers Magazine, Social Media Mentor at My Book Therapy, and the Senior Editor for NovelRocket.com.