What do you do when your creative passion becomes professional competence?

[rokkor fan]

When I first discovered photography my passion was incredible. I took photos

all the time, got to understand everything about my tools, and how to use them

to achieve my creative goals.

 

Eventually, after many years I became a professional photographer with a local

studio, shooting weddings. I love my work and pride myself that I take lovely

wedding shots, but over the past 18 months I have found that I very seldom

actually shoot outside of work. I seem to lack that creative spark that once

drove me to take photos. Now everything has to be a "job", whether that's to

get the best holiday shots, or to get great shots of a friend's birthday party.

What I mean is that I need an external stimulus to pick up the camera - it's

not coming from inside.

 

Have you ever experienced the same? How did you re-ignite "the spark"?

 

Cheers,

 

Antony

[brucecahn]

I was in the same position about 15 years ago. I closed my studio to draw for a year. Drew up to 60-80 hours a week. Then I took another year off and did the same. Sold all the cameras and started painting. After about 7 years I bought "just one Leica". Then a Hass, then a 5x7 Deardorff, then an 11x14 Wisner. I used these cameras to make art. Pretty soon I had a camerastore. I was burnt out in my portrait studio. Now things are are interesting.

[bwcombs]

Amen. I don't shoot fulltime as a job, but have found that I shoot less and less for my own

enjoyment.

 

For me, to reignite the drive, I have to get away from the office (or studio). Be it a few

hours locally, a day trip, or extended time away, just go somewhere.

 

Just the other day, I had jury duty. As you know, the key word here is wait forever. As I was

sitting on the floor, outside a courtroom, I started seeing all these images. People,

strangers, leaning against a stark wall, the light was perfect, the view was surreal,

shadows, it had it all.

 

Now unfortunately, I did not, and could not, have a camera there. But I told myself, damn I

need to look for more shots like this, and take advantage of it.

 

That in a sense was a spark for me. Now I need to get my butt in gear and do something

about it.

 

Cheers to you too Antony.

[david_schwartz6]

Richard Misrach has spent hours looking out his window overlooking San Francisco Bay and taking the same shot over and over again -- in different light, different weather, etc. So, I look out my window overlooking a tumble of apartment buildings on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and see things daily that look just a little different. Augie Wren's Christmas Story by Auster is another example -- a man takes a photo at 12 noon every day for ten years, from exactly the same place looking at exactly the same scene. When the narrator looks through the 3000 photos of that same scene, and appears bored, Wren stops him and turns the pages back. He says -- "slow down -- you won't notice anything unless you slow down." And of course the narrator begins to see the world. My advice - metaphorically, orperhaps even literally -- is to look out your window, and begin to see things again. It doesn't require a "beautiful view." The view is really in your head.

[Matt Laur]

I think the key is to find something else entirely to be passionate about. You'll suddenly catch yourself wanting to bring your photography into and around that other activity. It took me diving into an entirely new sport/lifestyle (chasing wiley gamebirds around farms and fields with glorious bird dogs) to remember why I loved using a camera. The drive to shoot images, for the sake of shooting images, resurfaced for me as a natural part of discovering something ELSE new, wanting to document/celebrate it. It took an entirely new hobby/passion to help me turn my long-slumbering photography back into a companion passion to go with it. I'm sure this also happens when people have kids, or move to a new part of the world, or otherwise shake up their routine. But: go do something totally outside of your experience, and that for-its-own-sake creative spark may well reignite as a happy byproduct.

[sknowles]

I've never been a commercial photographer, working in other professions, so photography

is always a part-time passion for me. But there are times I put the bag down for other

things in life for awhile, when working (now retired) it may be for a few months, but now

(re)learning photography and learning digital and LF photography, it's rarely more than a

week, and I go out the door with the bag with the idea to shoot something somewhere

along the road of life. I continue to shoot for interest and passion, competence is another

matter sometimes, especially when there's no Starbucks to get a mocha and awaken the

synapses. For hiking or longer trips, the old work 1 quart thermos comes along with the

bags.

 

To keep the interest going, I borrowed Sam Abell advice for part-time photographers,

which is find 2-3 lifetime projects and focus on them for most of your photography time

and work, and then add miscellaneous short-term projects for variety. And always put

learning in the project, no matter how small or on the subject than photography. For that I

keep a list of small projects from ideas I see or read about.

[david_schwartz6]

Scott -- I had never heard that advice from Sam Abell -- what great advice! (He is one of my favorite color photographers.....very strong compositional eye.)

[pico]

Funny, but it's the opposite for me. Assignments to do work for other people maintain the spark. When things get rough, as they are right now, searching for grants creates the anxiety necessary to get going again.

[david_schwartz6]

I have said this in other contexts, but I agree with Pico here -- economic necessity is sometimes (often?) the mother of artistic invention.

[ellis_vener_photography]

"What do you do when your creative passion becomes professional competence?"

 

I work hard at keeping the creative passion alive.

[ellis_vener_photography]

start photographing people, places and things that you love or are drawn to. Go to museums.

 

No doubt about it: running a business can be just work

[moseley]

WOW!, This is great, for many years I assumed it was me who had fought this creative dip alone, what a great thread. I too took pictures every waking moment for many years , then worked as a professional press photographer where my creative juices soon seemed to dry up. Unless your very lucky, I think its inevitable that something you do for money will ruin the whole hobby and enjoyment aspect of it. Probably the loss of control, as a hobby we can shoot what and how we like, once you have an Editor or Client this changes. My advice to any Amateur photographers would be too keep it as a hobby, its also incredibly hard for new photographers entering todays market. Incidently it took me around 10 years to finally get my thirst back for capturing an image, i would recommend a trip to pastures new, Paris would be good and would soon have you reaching for your camera. Or alternatively find an attractive female model should do the trick!

[DickArnold]

I closed my photo business in 2003. I did weddings, PR, Newspaper sports, had a portrait studio and a darkroom. This was a retirement business that grew larger than I could handle. I was actually turning away business but I was pretty tired of shooting pictures. I got a D60 when I disbanded the busines and shot wildlife, showed pictures and won a few awards. But the flame was flickering and I haven't done much lately. But, at my advanced age, I bought a new XTi and 100-400 4.5-5.6 L and am headed out again to see what I can create. I do love the instant gratification in digital both in the display and out of my 13x19 printer. We'll see what happens. There is a swan in my gallery that I got with the new lens and camera.

[beeman458]

After forty-five years, I lost the passion, put the camera down and haven't found reason to pick it back up again. Other than the normal expected sadness and wonder, it tain't no thang to worry about.

 

In exploring this phenomenon, I've come to two conclusions, photography is like everything else, there's no purpose to it as it's purpose is manufactured (pseudo) and it's self-serving; entertainment and commercial. You've explored both avenues as you were first entertained and then you went commercial. Tain't much more to the whole ballgame.

 

Myself, I read what others have to say on the matter but only see other's who truly don't have a clue; so with no admission of the facts, they prattle on.

 

From my perspective, don't worry about it. So what if you've lost the passion. So what if it's a grind. Commercially, pick up the camera each and every morning as it's a job and give it all you got; your best. Don't worry about making shots at the end of the day, unless sharing works for you. I do pest control and sometimes even do some around the house or for family and friends, no charge. Sharing is nice.

 

You're hired for your skills and your equipment as much as you're hired for your talent and at the end of the day's work, put the gear down, have a stiff shot of some quality Single Malt and find something to do that has nothing to do with your work. Take a couple mile walk around the neighborhood, with the headphones on, looking down at the sidewalk the whole way, clearing your brain. Go have a dinner with a loved one or burn a steak on the barbi with a favorite beer. If you don't drink beer, learn. Get a good nights sleep, don't worry about what the next day will bring. In the morning, with fresh coffee in your arteries stimulating your brain, get in your vehicle and with all the honesty, vigor and enthusiasm you can muster, take a deep breath, drinking in all you can see, say one single word; "Showtime!" Start your car and enter the new day.

 

Hope the above honesty lends insight. Wishing you well as you explore this doorway in your life.

[kimberly_smith___anchorage]

Anthony,<BR><BR>

I'm sad to hear that you've lost that passion for photography. To be honest, I have never had it. I started the photography business knowing that it was a business, and not much more. I have other things in life that I have a passion for, house design, bridal design, baking...etc. That stays seperate from my business, I am not resposible for making anyone else happy with the things I love. Perhaps photography was your passion and love and you excelled at it, then made money so the focus was on what others wanted and what sold and not yourself.<BR><BR>

Photography is an art, is it not? Why then, do photographers try to take art, and subject it to a 9 to 5 job? Why not just photograph when the inspiration strikes, as most artists do?<BR><BR>

Although Andrew suggested a beautiful female model, I would suggest the most beautiful female of all: mother nature.<BR><BR>

Don't give it all up Antony, my husband and I have found many hours of inspiration and appreciation for your art and time helping others. Although, I think the red lizard skin on the XD is a bit much.<BR><BR>

 

Kimberly

[DickArnold]

Just a small answer for the cynics. I would rather take pictures than kill rats. I would rather fly aiplanes than take photos but after forty one years in aviation as a pilot and executive I got too old to do it. I wasn't too old to have a successful photo business after that or to run a consulting practice. So I did. I do my pictures now for MY satisfaction. They make nice decorations for my house and for my friends. I take satisfaction that, at 75, I swim four miles a week and lift weights. I learned a long time ago that it is is my job to do the best I can with what little I have left. My cat is posted in my PN gallery. It is my most visited picture and it has caused more interest here than any picture I have done in a long time. It is very, very sharp in large blow-up. Although I have sold others I will never sell it. I love the damn cat and I take pleasure every time I look at it and obviously so do other people. We have a motor home so I take pictures in conjunction with our travels. I thought about doing some more weddings (small ones) but I flinched at the thought. I still have my lights set up in the cellar and do passable portraits of those close to me. I wouldn't mind doing some sports. We were driving south in Maine today and as we went through small towns I pointed out the High Schools where I did one or more of several sports. I really enjoyed taking pictures of the kids and having a ringside seat. To each his own. But I still get pleasure when I do a really good picture, which is not too often these days. So not knowing the true facts, I'll just go to another thread and "prattle on". After all, ignorance is bliss.

[john falkenstine]

You re-ignite the spark by simply closing your studio on certain days, not taking ANY phone calls, and driving off to somewhere with a camera.

[stormchaser]

Owned by middle age. Owned with a capital P.

[beeman458]

"Eventually, after many years I became a professional photographer with a local studio, shooting weddings. I love my work and pride myself that I take lovely wedding shots, but over the past 18 months I have found that I very seldom actually shoot outside of work."

 

My wife had an interesting insight. We spoke about your thread and her comment was along the lines of (paraphrasing as I go); As a child, one plays with rollerblades and builds their skills. The person does it for fun in the beginning, skating up and down the street with mommy and daddy on their side. And from there, slowly progresses to competitive speed skating or the more aggressive form of skating, Roller Derby. If you think about it, it would be hard, after a career of professionally competitive and aggressive roller blading, to go back to simply going up and down the street with mommy and daddy on your side.

 

Just sharing my wife's view. Hope it gives you some insight.

 

Enjoy the profession cause life doesn't have to revolve around photography 24/7 unless suffering from OCD. Don't worry about photography as a hobby for there's always hiking, boating, camping, model planes, sailing, power boating, cooking, white water rafting, skiing (summer/winter), quilting, knitting, gardening, running, antiques, rehabbing property, fine dining, wine tasting, riding trains, driving around in a motor home...... :)

 

Another suggestion, buy a P&S and have the images processed at your local photo center.

[crowdspotting]

You can only photograph so many boxes of tampons before you realize it's not the level of satisfaction and creative expression they promised you in college.

 

I was a commercial photographer for many years, including a stint photographing products for a large retail chain's weekly newspaper inserts.

 

I left that gig, promptly. That was 15 years ago. I went into a completely different field of work, and didn't touch a camera for a long time.

 

Then one day, out of nowhere, the original, magical fascination returned. I've been shooting every day since then, but only for my own pleasure. I am my only client now.

 

For me, the ultimate deal killers inlcuded: the incessant pressure of needing to sell; the stress of continually having to please someone else (including the self-sacrifice of giving into clients' stupid ideas day after day); the sloppy rush to meet a product shot shift quota or a quarterly revenue figure.

 

I think being a photojournalist or travel photographer would be fun. I'd do that. But only if I get to pick the stories I cover, and the places I have to visit. See how that works? :-)

 

Jeff

[heniadis]

I was a childcare photographer for 1.5 years. That will be my only stint in professional paid portraiture photography. It sucked the creative spark right out of me, and like several have mentioned, I left the job and continued to photograph for myself.

 

Even so, The better part of last year I took no photos. 8 months without a shot. I didn't push myself, but recently, I've got the creative spark.

 

For me, it's something that waxes and wanes. I don't try to force it as I don't want to make the act of photography something I resent.

[snapshot1]

I just thank God I go to work every day doing a job I love. While I do not spend much time off duty with camera in hand any more, I find ways to be creative with subjects at work that gives me the same thrill as I had when I got my 1st SLR.

[wayne_naughton]

you gotta climb to the top of the tree before before you can see over the hill, Antony....try setting up an alternative portfolio of your most creative and experimental wedding work and try and convince your clients to go down that path.... otherwise i predict you'll be braindead in a couple of years.... oh and that's with absolutely no disrespect meant for the wedding/high st photographers on this board, it's just that it is a conservative, repititious field where it is next to impossible to step out of the square.... and still get paid unless you're perched right up there on top of that tree

 

wayne

[ellis_vener_photography]

here's what I did today:

 

I spent the day to day photographing a bowl of pears in different light, mostly daylight, as the light in our dinign room changed through the day. I didn't change the set up, move the camera, or change the aperture or ISO. Sometimes I played with the white balance setting on the camera. I think my wife ate one of the pears as a mid-afternoon snack. I took a couple of shots every hour or so, sometimes more often as the quality of light changed. I'm looking forward to downloading and reviewing the results tomorrow as a wind down after an important meeting in the morning, that I'm up late printing for right now.

[jacob_brown]

"Miami-Dade County allows photography in the courtroom as long as the camera makes "no more noise than a Leica M". "

 

An old wives tale, unforetunately.

 

http://reports.jud11.flcourts.org/Administrative_Orders/1-07-02-Procedures%20Special%20Interest%20High%20Visibility%20Proceedings%20REG.pdf