Loss of enthusiasm due to Covid?

Though it never resulted in great works of art, I always liked shooting company functions like lunches and parties and such. We don't do much of that anymore and with social distancing it's hard to get shots of any kind of interaction. Today's newspaper actually had a small photo section illustrating how one could find bits of color and interesting things even when it's dull, dead and grey. Well, yes, they found some berries and a guy fishing on a bridge, but overall not terribly inspiring; you see lots better images right here every week. What we call macro photography used to be called tabletop photography. I think my dad has a book by that exact name. I live in a house full of junk but still have trouble finding interesting objects. Probably just too close to all the stuff because I know other people find it fascinating. Or horrifying.

One could document social distancing interactions and behaviors. It’s more subtle and could even be a kind of challenge. The molds are ever being broken.

used to be

… is over.

Edited December 10, 2021 by samstevens

I' m currently ultra reluctant to shoot people, since I don't want to depict cutting corners around mask mandates or recommendations.(By accident, if such anthing should happen...)

I' m currently ultra reluctant to shoot people, since I don't want to depict cutting corners around mask mandates or recommendations.(By accident, if such anthing should happen...)

You are hardly likely to influence many people to not follow the rules by taking a few photos. Here in the UK all the people in intensive care with Covid have chosen to ignore all the information regarding the benefits of inoculations. Possibly due to lack of education about all the ailments that have been eradicated by jabs, Polio, Smallpox, Diphtheria, Scarlet Fever, Rubella and many more.

I' m currently ultra reluctant to shoot people, since I don't want to depict cutting corners around mask mandates or recommendations.(By accident, if such anthing should happen...)

You realize, of course, that a lot of folks you used to shoot in public were cheating on their wives or husbands, playing hooky from school, or involved in some other form of possible transgression, lol. :)

 

My philosophy when shooting people in public … nothing ventured, nothing gained.

 

Or, as Milton Berle once quipped … “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

OP... covid mess up my street work in NYC. I'm old and 30 years in the darkroom wrecked my lungs, so not taking any chances riding the subway. Then in April of '21 I injured my plantar fascia and could not walk much. If you can't walk, street work is kinda tough. 9 months later and foot is still bad. I can walk a few blocks on a good day then it hurts the rest of the day.

 

I do lots of archival work, scans and working with cine' film. VHS archive, audio archive. No shortage of work for me. Plus, I have 9 years of my own photos that need looking through.

 

A few years ago, on a rainy Sunday I went into B&H. shot infrared flash for about 20 minutes out of boredom. Not caught once. Maybe I can get to in in 2022. If not, they are all backed up on SD cards, HDD, Blu-ray disc and M-disc.

 

Here is a film I just found on a 'pig in a poke' reel. I scanned it a few days ago. The Segregated Swimming Hole. It was faded Anscochrome, so turned it B&W.

 

The Segregated Swimming Hole D. D. Teoli Jr. A. C. : D. D. Teoli Jr. A. C. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

 

I just need a sponsor to by me a 16mm sound scanner. All I have is a silent 16mm scanner. Optical sound can be recovered with it, but it is very laborious to do it. I write to art philanthropists...but never get a reply.

 

Later tonight I hope to put up Christmas Eve's. An 'art students' film.

 

...Happy Holidays to all!

If you can't walk,

JOEY SOLOMON

ADAM SUMMERSCALE

"injured my plantar fascia" assuming you mean you developed "plantar fasciitis" A visit to my podiatrist for an injection about once a year provides relief for me, though YMMV.

 

With respect to covid, I go through periods of relative calm and periods of depression and the amount of images I have taken is significantly less than before. It is exhausting to continuously weigh the risk/reward of day to day activities, and have far less engagement with the world and in photography, than in the pre covid times. Living with about 20 million other soles in the NY Metro area means I can't avoid people unless I just stay home. Still I can't complain since so many people have (and continue to have) far more difficulties than me.

The time of year can have a lot to do with it. In fact, there's something called seasonal affective disorder which is caused by the lack of light this time of year, and manifests itself as a kind of malaise, and depression. The Covid thing might have a little to do with it as governments worldwide are milking the epidemic for all it's worth to get their populations accustomed to authoritarian rule. In any event I would suggest doing indoor still life's during these months just to stay in the photographic game.

as governments worldwide are milking the epidemic for all it's worth to get their populations accustomed to authoritarian rule.

The disinformation you spread is a combination of ignorance and malevolence and can’t be left to stand.

 

Governments are following science and most citizens with brains appreciate the efforts being made to maintain public health and save lives.

 

You may actually get the chance to live under the fist of an authoritarian regime sometime, at which point you’d know the difference between that and public health policy, though I suspect you’re too far gone into lies and conspiracy theories ever to have a clue.

Today's newspaper actually had a small photo section illustrating how one could find bits of color and interesting things even when it's dull, dead and grey. Well, yes, they found some berries and a guy fishing on a bridge, but overall not terribly inspiring; you see lots better images right here every week.

 

Second appearance of "dead and grey", found also in your OP. In this season I enjoy photographing the dead and grey trees, their twigs and branches form interesting patterns, like abstract art, and also the morning mist and lowing sky and clouds...and anyway a lot of my photography is bw.

 

I knew a nature photographer who was no longer able to visit the locales he loved to photograph due to age and injury, and he just wasted away, depressed, despondant. Some photographers are like a species whose genome has become over-specialized. If their food source vanishes, they become extinct as all variation has been wrung out of them.

 

I hope you are just experiencing the common blahs of the season.

Good points. I'm a long time black and white photog, though not for a while, and I appreciate a good monochrome print. Not sure how many around me do anymore. You've given me an idea. Maybe set the digital to monochrome and wander about a bit. Should be even easier because the EVF will display monochrome. Thanks!

 

(Have to be careful today as we're expecting 50 mph winds.)

I Appreciate a special photo.

 

I cannot think, that is, anything sadder, than a sad person, talking about the wonders of their latest camera.

 

They never have anything , to offer,, photography

 

Full of Bs

Show me the photos,

 

And of course, we will be waiting, to the end of time, for them, to offer a single photo..

 

Wonder why?

a thought.

 

And a photo.

 

Would you expect anything less.

Edited December 11, 2021 by Allen Herbert

Common, photography, is fun and enjoyment.

 

A golden oldie, for your enjoyment.

 

[ATTACH=full]1411207[/ATTACH]

Me, all digital.

 

but sort of scary, what a Leica, and 35mm lens can do with film.

 

Straight form the camera.

Just curious, as this thing drags on do any of you feel less enthusiasm for the visual? In the past I might seek out casual landscapes or common objects that I thought could make a nice image. Now, unless something really wows me, I don't seem to pull out the camera at all. Certainly not interested in going anyplace where people congregate. The time of year probably doesn't help, fall is over and winter hasn't begun so everything is dead and/or grey. If it weren't for documenting things for reports at work, I'd be shooting near to nothing. Am I alone?

Conrad, You say you document things in photo form from work. I use to do that in construction by shooting progress photos. But then, I could take artistic shots of workers doing their jobs or interesting architectural shots. Maybe you can combine both too? What kind of work do you do?

I was one of the first to be vaccinated and boosted in Wisconsin courtesy of the VA hospital here in Milwaukee so I haven't let the virus slow me down photographically at all. I pretty much follow the advice of Dr. Michael Osterholm, one of the world's leading experts on epidemics based at the University of Minnesota. I take reasonable caution when in public, especially in rural areas where there is skepticism about vaccines and science in general. I live in the city, avoid crowds and am able to pretty much photograph things that interest me. It helps that I am retired and have a wife that let's me hit the road to explore new photo opportunities when I get the urge. I fully realize that I may still get the virus even though I am vaccinated, boosted and cautious but know that if I do it will be much less severe than if I wasn't vaccinated. I have postponed some international trips because of the virus but it makes me want to explore more of America.

Conrad, You say you document things in photo form from work. I use to do that in construction by shooting progress photos. But then, I could take artistic shots of workers doing their jobs or interesting architectural shots. Maybe you can combine both too? What kind of work do you do?

I do engineering type work on very small devices, usually the size of a pocket watch or smaller. There would certainly be some decent shots of people doing assembly and test, save for one thing. Every bench is enclosed on the sides and against a wall. About all you can see are people's backs! I've done my fair share of that sort of thing and should probably do more. I enjoy macro work and do quite a bit of that at work. I regret not having taken many shots at previous jobs, at companies now long gone, especially of buildings that no longer look anything like they did.

I'm lucky in that being a disabled person I am used to carrying on with photography against a background of limited mobility and periods of isolation. You either give up or do what you can. I've taken a lot of photos from my car and now I have had more pricks than a pin cushion, sorry very old joke, I can once again document friends and family. These snaps mean a lot to me at this time, honestly my attempts at arty shots do not. The recent birth of a grandson gives me all the incentive I need to take photos. Christmas greetings to you all, Charles.

Right now, winter weather in southern Ontario is a bigger mood-killer than Covid. Shot as much over summer and fall as capacity limits, social distancing, and reasonable restraint allowed. I did miss summer outdoor car shows(all cancelled)and regular meet-ups with a few friends for Sunday morning photowalks in downtown Toronto. Instead, there's newfound pleasure in exploring small towns I usually drove around or through without stopping. No complaints.