Avoid going for the glaringly obvious solution. For example: if you are to use a photograph (even if it is a good photograph) use painting instead. Create new surprise.
I'm Tushar, a graphic designer based in New York City. This blog is a collection. It's a collection about the stuff that interests me and I keep it here for reference. This way it can also be shared. If you happened to come to this blog by chance, I hope you find something that sparks your curiosity. You can see my design portfolio at: tushargupte.com