Unlocking Creativity with a Simple Egg (or Anything Else You Have Lying Around)

One of the best creative triggers I know is the question: “WHAT IF...?”

I learned this back in my ad agency days, and it’s still one of the quickest ways to break out of a creative rut. Here is how I turned it into a fun creativity technique that I teach during my mobile photography workshops for teams.

The concept is simple:

👉 Pick up your smartphone.

👉 Find any small object around you.

👉 Challenge yourself to photograph it in unexpected ways.

To show you what I mean, here are some example shots I usually share during my sessions.

Say you’re in the kitchen, opening the fridge, and you see some eggs.

Ask yourself:

🥚 What if I put it on top of a lamp? (Pro tip: double-sided tape helps avoid disaster. I learned this the hard way.)

💡 What if I capture it as if it were a lightbulb?

🪺 What if I use a toilet paper roll as a nest?

👁️ What if I look through that same roll and capture a selfie?

And so on… until you feel that creative spark.

Yes, I know, eggs are getting expensive, so maybe I should stop suggesting this. But you don’t have to use an egg (though it does make things fun). Simply keep asking the same question.

🍝 Waiting for water to boil? What if you assemble a pasta face and take a portrait shot?

🍦 Bored in the bathroom? What if you turn your towels into a vanilla sundae? (Sprinkles optional.)

You get the idea.

How Does This Help You at Work?

Fair question.

Let’s say you need to solve a creative challenge, but you’re feeling stuck. Before diving in, take 10-15 minutes to reset your brain with this exercise. Get into creative mode first. Then go back to work.

This is why team-building workshops that focus on creativity, like my hands-on mobile photography sessions for teams, can be such a game-changer.

Whether your team is meeting in person or working remotely, these virtual team-building activities bring a fresh perspective, making creative problem-solving more natural and fun.

I promise, your perspective will shift. And if it doesn’t, DM me, and I’ll share another technique that could be a better fit.

Final Thought: Gear Doesn’t Matter

All the example photos I share in my workshops were shot at home on my old iPhone SE (1st gen). For my Android crew, that’s a 9-year-old phone. Not flexing, just another reminder that your creativity is what matters most.

So, pick up your phone. Find an object. Ask “What if?” And start shooting.

And if you want to take it further, check out my smartphone photography team workshops — perfect for corporate teams, remote teams, and in-person events looking for a unique, hands-on creative experience.