You don't always have to think of your pictures in the typical rectangle shape of a photo. You can veiw your subject through an object such as a tube and get some really cool results. One snowy day I was shoveling the driveway with my brother. He works for a company installing fireplaces and the cargo in the bed of his truck inspired me to take some photos. He had some random length sections of stove vent pipe. I noticed that the inside of some of these had snow in them and were very sparkley. I got out my camera (yes even while shoveling snow I carry my camera) and looked into the pipe like a telescope. I then asked my brother to take my picture through the other end. the result was a photo of my face that looked like I was in a tunnel.
Playgrounds can be a great place to find shapes. There are so many openings and colors that can inspire the creative photographer in all of us. We took my nephew Elijah to the local school which has a nice playground and there were these foot holes meant for climbing. I got underneath and had him peek through one of these openings and the result was a picture that really focused on his eyes and striking red hair. It is my favorite photo of him I have taken so far.
Another time on a trip to the playground with my daughter Lily. I was at the top of a tube slide with her getting ready to go down. Dad was at the bottom waiting and he took a picture of us up through the slide. It was a big blue spiral tunnel and then me and Lily at the top in this bright circle with the sky behind us. This was Lily's first time going down a slide and thanks to this picture I will always remember it.
So next time you have your camera out try to find something that you can look through to take your picture. You can frame your subject in some different shapes and take some interesting photos.