matt_m__toronto_ Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 <p>maybe it's the winter blahs or i'm not in the mood or i'm just plain lazy, but i've been finding it difficult to take any photographs recently. so the other day i went for a walk with a friend and forced myself to push the button a few times. <br> i don't think there's anything wrong with not shooting or forcing yourself to shoot. after-all it's just photography...we're not performing surgery or saving lives :)<br> i'm posting a few images, so feel free to add your thoughts on being in a rut or ways you may deal with it and feel free to post photos as well.<br> cheers</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_m__toronto_ Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 <p>1</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_m__toronto_ Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 <p>2</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_m__toronto_ Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 <p>3</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_m__toronto_ Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 <p>4</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakley Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 <p>I really like #1; #2 is for me a "near miss" - the action in the window is perfect; the outside scene doesn't emphasize or support it for me, though.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellis_vener_photography Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 <p>Tape the focus on your lens to it's closest focus point ( or ten inches if you have a lens that focuses that close) and work that way for a week.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Rowlett Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Good idea, Ellis. I go through this frequently. This winter, here in Anchorage I might add, has been miserable: Cold, windy, and cold. And our last summer here was rotten. I think we had one day that it got above 70F. So the photo-blues has hit me in earnest. For exercise, I always walk during my lunch hour, but many times my fingers and hands are just too cold to bring out the camera from hiding underneath my coat and scarf. To make matters worse, it always gets tangled up in my scarf. I sometimes force myself to press the button with varying results. Today it's about 7F but it didn't seem as bad as it has been, but I left my camera at home. Backups? We don’t need no stinking ba #.’ _ , J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolaresLarrave Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 My way to handle this is to scan slides, print photos and turn them into cards that I later send in the mail just for the heck of it. But then, I also finished a roll (forced) with one of my Leicas. Must admit that your winter blah results are better than any I may come up with. Thanks for posting them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronald_moravec1 Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 <p>I buy a few new lenses and wait for fresh snow and sunshine or spring flowers. Print the best ones from last year. There always seems to be new stuff to learn in Photoshop.</p> <p>I got an almost new Nikon FE2 so I can try out my Nikon lenses with film. I am not looking forward to results better than my Leicas. 90% as good I would be thrilled. Past tries with borrowed film Nikons were so so. </p> <p>I really like Plus X pan, but I am having trouble scanning it. 7.5 min in D76 yields a perfect neg for printing on #2 paper, but the highlights block on my KM 5400 scanner. Tri X and Delta 100 do not do this. So I mixed up a batch of D23 and found a time that lets it print on #2, 7.5 min @ 68, and by golly it scans ok too. This took up a few days.</p> <p>I got 4 books from the library on Photoshop, Illustrator, digital photography and started cleaning out my darkroom. <br> Back to analog and all the tech problems disappear. I still like my darkroom and film. But digi has some advantages like quick access. </p> <p>So I am saying don`t fight it and go with the flow and find something else to do. Spring is around the corner. It is like politics, just accept it.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil_parker Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 <p>"I really like Plus X pan, but I am having trouble scanning it. 7.5 min in D76 yields a perfect neg for printing on #2 paper, but the highlights block on my KM 5400 scanner."</p> <p>Ronald, have you tried scanning your B/W as a positive with the 5400? I have had good results with all kinds of B/W film, under and over-exposed (or badly developed) with the 5400 (first version). </p> <p>I use the Minolta software (Dimage Scan), scan as a B/W positive, adjusting the analog gain to make sure I'm not clipping. Then I invert it in PS and normally have to adjust the curve somewhat drastically. But this is the only way to prevent clipping with this scanner and the original software.</p> <p><br /></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josephbraun Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 <p>Hey Matt,<br /> In a rut? Join this site and check it out.. it's free like this one!</p> <p>http://www.tmelive.com/</p> <p>cheers,</p> <p>J</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prof-K Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 <p>I keep shooting...I waste a lot of frames, but I don't bother developing those (during these times)...unless I know there is a keeper...</p> <p>you might as well try a point and shoot digi and not bother with the technical side of photography for a while...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray . Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 <p> <p>If there are no outside interruptions, and usually even if there are, I rarely take even a day away from doing photography in one form or another. It's kind of like daily hygiene- not something to skip. Especially when you get old enough to realize you probably have only 20-30 years left on the planet, and also that there might come a day when you can no longer see or walk, then there is no time to waste.</p> <p>The first shot is kind of fun Matt, that should be enough to get you going!</p> </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicaglow Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 <p>Yes, interesting idea Ellis. I do a variation of this where I force myself to shoot with a longer or wider lens for a weekend (personal stuff). I'll put an 85mm or 200mm on a DSLR and shoot.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplumpton Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 <p>I'm in a photographic rut so often that I hesitate to offer any advice, but here are a few thoughts anyway:</p> <p>Offer your services to a local small business or charity and ask them what they need to visualize and perhaps publicize; you won't be photographing what you may want, but it may be a good development tool;</p> <p>Shoot small animals from their height (use a wide angle lens and pre-focus); see how the probably out of focus backgrounds influence the shot;</p> <p>Take your old photos and re frame them temporarily with two L pieces to change the framing and content; you may see someting you ignored and that might interest you;</p> <p>Get some friends and theatrical type props (hats, cases, objects) and create some scenes;</p> <p>Shoot from the hip in people places;</p> <p>If you normally shoot in auto, shoot in manual (exposure, focus), or the opposite;</p> <p>Shoot everything out of focus (very wide aperture), then do the same in-focus. Compare and re-shoot.</p> <p> </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rose_duclos Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 <p>buy a new lens. :) It's a great way to get inspired again, and add to your lens collection. :)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertshults Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 <p>I've been in something of a more all-encompassing rut for the last few months, it seems. I thought, perhaps, I might find some inspiration in a new tool, and the timing seemed right for practical reasons, so...</p> <p>My new Zeiss 50mm f/2 Planar arrived today and my M6 should be here on Thursday. Feel a bit more motivated already.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_francisco Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 i'm always in a photographic rut as well since it can be dangerous to walk around here where I live (Papua New Guinea) especially if you're walking around with a camera. what I normally do to get out of my rut is to go to a park and photograph birds. luckily, birds here aren't so scared of people so I can shoot them using a 90mm lens. I just got a couple of new lenses. getting new stuff always makes me want to go out there and shoot more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_Es Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 <p>It's called a creative block and nearly all artists get it sometimes. I've got writer's block and photographic block at the same time. The best thing to do when you have a block of any kind is to lower your standards. What I did with my photographic block is to take countless photos of myself in various setting. I was greatly inspired by Al Kaplan. He used a Bessa L and a Voigtlander 15/4.5. I used an M8 and a Voigtlander 12/5.6 and various M cameras with the 12/5.6. Here is one of my unsmiling examples with the M8:</p> <p><a title="L9991074 by Alex Es, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3465/3221842510_74dec0d9ed_b.jpg" alt="L9991074" width="1024" height="683" /></a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplumpton Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 <p>Alex, good idea, and nice image and tonality, but I think that the girl at the counter is caling you for your coffee and Susshi. </p> <p>Nice thing about the 12 mm (or 15-16 on the M8) is that you can trigger the shutter easily for a half body portrait.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_larese1 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 <p>I'd second <a href="../photodb/user?user_id=410391">Francisco Solares-Larrave</a> 's suggestion, spend some time with the images you've made already. Flip through photo books. Appreciate what you've already done, and frame a few. Remember times when you were excited about photography. Hopefully that'll prime something for you.</p> <p>Completely normal to get the blahs and block, and there's usually an emotional reason behind that. Meditate a bit and see what's up, usually a great surge of creativity follows.</p> <p>Have fun and get some sun ;)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron_breeze2 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 <p>Matt seems to me like you've found your own solution, nothing like street shooting to get you going again.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_Es Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 <p>Thanks Arthur. This is Starbucks; no sushi yet :-). </p> <p>Who's the pretty girl, Matt? Truly a delightful block breaker.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_Es Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 <p>Thanks Arthur. This is Starbucks; no sushi yet :-). </p> <p>Who's the pretty girl, Matt? Truly a delightful block breaker.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now