10 Photography Prompts Inspired by William Eggleston

Eggleston, the master of color photography, has inspired generations of photographers. Let's explore 10 prompts in his style.

Smolder | Creative Studio

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Nicole Smolen

Oct 21, 2024

Ever since I first studied William Eggleston’s art in film school, I have been struck by his ability to transform everyday objects. His photographic style influences audiences to stay present, observe, and act on instinct. Instead of obsessing over every minute detail, it can be refreshing to point, click, and shoot without any expectations. The results can be quite surprising and revelatory. Lastly, Eggleston’s stills serve as a reminder to pause and appreciate the surrounding world. Even in the most mundane places, beauty can be found, if you are open to it.

Together, we will explore his life, legacy, and iconic style. If you want to leap and take a page out of Eggleston’s book, you can try one or all of the 10 photography prompts I’ve listed below.

“I only ever take one picture of one thing. Literally. Never two. So then that picture is taken and then the next one is waiting somewhere else.”

– William Eggleston

Who is William Eggleston?

William Eggleston was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1939, but his formative years were spent in Sumner, Mississippi. As a boy, he never stopped asking questions and experimenting with gadgets, even teaching himself how to play the piano.

Eggleston’s introduction to the world of photography came at 18 with the Canon Rangefinder. While spending time with his friend who worked at a drugstore photo lab, he witnessed America’s changing cultural landscape in the form of “family snapshots.”1 This inspired him to preserve his beloved home on film for future generations.

Although Eggleston never graduated after studying art for six years, he was exposed to photojournalism, Robert Frank, Walker Evans, and Henri-Cartier Bresson at university. The latter’s captivating street photography and unique approach—as outlined in his famous book The Decisive Moment—left a lasting impression on the young man.

During the 1960s, rich blacks and crisp whites dominated fine art photography while advertisements and amateur photo books were filled with vibrant hues. Eggleston ultimately forged a new path by boldly embracing color. When combined with his characteristic objectivity, the subjects in front of his lens came to life. Throughout the tumultuous decade, Eggleston fine-tuned his crafted and “produced thousands of photographs, focusing on ordinary Americans and the landscapes, structures, and other materials of their environs.”2

Eggleston later discovered that printing with a dye-transfer process, expertly showcased in high-end ads, gave him far more control over color saturation. Not long after, his visual identity exemplified this technique. In the mid-70s, Eggleston received The Guggenheim and The National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships. Since then, his photographs have been exhibited at prestigious galleries and museums across the country.

Today, Eggleston is best known as the pioneer of color photography. From the outside looking in, he documented familiar, sometimes banal, subjects like cars, gasoline stations, shop interiors, fridges, vending machines, and street barricades. Some might argue that his work is not worthy of worldwide recognition. However, through his lens, the “ordinary” world shone in an extraordinary new light.

Eggleston’s Style

Characterized by:

Striking colors
High contrast
Negative space
Unconventional compositions
Ordinary subjects
Eye-catching forms and shapes
Shadows
Large-format prints

If you can't see William Eggleston’s photographs in person, you can review many virtually across museum websites.

Yet, there’s nothing like holding an artist’s work in your hands. I currently own two of his books: William Eggleston’s Guide and William Eggleston Portraits. Many are available via online secondhand bookstores.