Creative Sunday Practice #7

Some objects seem too ordinary to deserve a second glance until you actually slow down and look at them. This week’s Creative Sunday Practice focuses on one of the most overlooked items in any home: toilet paper.

At first, it feels almost deliberately uninspiring. But that’s precisely why it works. Subjects like this force you to observe instead of relying on familiar tricks. Toilet paper is essentially a collection of geometry, repetition, texture, shadows, and soft curves wrapped into a simple everyday form. Once you treat it as a photographic subject rather than a household item, the creative possibilities start to open up.

Where to Begin

If you’re not sure how to approach it, start with a few simple directions:

🧻 Look straight down into the roll and study the spiral.

🧻 Explore the rhythm created by stacked rolls or by placing several side by side.

🧻 Get close and capture the embossed texture as it reads surprisingly well on camera.

🧻 Unroll a section and play with folds, flowing lines, or layered shapes.

🧻 Introduce a background (bath mat, tiles, towel) to shift the tone of the image.

🧻 Observe how light falls on the paper and experiment with soft shadows or dramatic contrast.

None of these ideas need to be perfect. The point is to practice seeing to sharpen your attention, push past first impressions, and rediscover how ordinary objects transform once you give them more than a passing look.

A Few Notes from My Own Practice

Here some of my own iPhone shots on this page as reference points. Treat them as warm-ups rather than templates. Use them to spark a starting idea, then push your own observations further. The more you experiment, the more unexpected directions you’ll find.

Why This Weekly Ritual Matters

This series exists for one reason: to build a small but reliable creative habit.

Each Sunday introduces a simple prompt designed to help you:

• train your eye,

• notice visual structure in everyday environments,

• and strengthen your confidence with your smartphone camera.

If this week’s theme doesn’t immediately resonate, you can browse previous Creative Sunday Practice prompts for alternative starting points.