Feeling unmotivated

[mpblaze]

<p>Hey all!<br>

I feel like I have been in a photographic rut. I haven't really had the desire to take any pictures lately.<br>

Has anyone else felt like this before?<br>

If so, what helped you get motivated?</p>

<p>thanks!<br>

Matt</p>

[leicaglow]

<p>I don't ever feel unmotivated to take images. Sometimes I feel unmotivated to work in the darkroom to do something with them. But one thing that makes shooting fun for me is to mount one unusual lens on a camera and go out and shoot. This week I used my 105mm f/2,5 on my Nikon D200. A couple of times I mount just a fast lens, or a 200mm lens. Other times I try a camera that I don't shoot with very often, especially classics, like an Argus, Zeiss, etc.</p>

<p>I like the challenge of seeing how I can compose images with a particular focal length, and it's like taking just one of my children out to spend one on one time with dad<g>.</p>

[peter_daalder]

<p>You can easily <a href="00UFK2" target="blank">find answers to questions like these.</a><br /> And yes, I have this issue myself from time to time. Work and family/friends matters tend to play havoc with my 'camera time'.</p>

[nathangardner]

<p>read the thread 2 posts down from this one. It challenges you to get out and shoot something you may not normally shoot.</p>

[MichaelChang]

<p>Matt, what gets me motivated are opportunities to get challenging pictures where I know there's a fighting chance of succeeding.</p>

<p>Of course it also depends on why I'm demotivated; often it's a creative dry spell, other times I'm just not myself or simply because other hobbies become more interesting for a time.</p>

<p>My most recent dry spell lasted two years mostly due to the passing of my mother; sometimes life gets in the way but it always comes back. Give it time.</p>

[Karim Ghantous]

<p>IMO creativity is more important than any specific art form. As long as you're being creative, it doesn't matter how you do it. Overall, one can lead a healthier life if one is always in the process of creating something. Maybe just forget about photography and do something else? Mosaics, carpentry, metalwork, drawing, animation, whatever.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>"Writer's block" or more widely, creative block is common in all artistic and creative endeavors. Some never have it, others do. For most people the division is between those who have gone through such a period and those who are <em>going to go</em> through such a stage.</p>

<p>There are many ways people "trick themselves" out of it. One is, as Karim suggests, to do something else for a while. Another way I have found useful is to simply schedule a time during which you do the 'blocked' activity no matter how crappy you feel the results are.</p>

[leslie_cheung]

<p>Road trip or if you've got the dough and time, get on a flight to a never been place... </p>

[bobatkins]

<p>Unless it's your job, what's the downside to not being motivated to take pictures?</p>

<p>There's no obligation to do it and if you have other thing to do that motivate you more, do them instead!</p>

<p>If you're a professional photographer, then indeed you have a problem.</p>

[shawngibson]

<p>Cameras are like guitars; to be at your best requires constant use, but if you don't do it to feed your family then it's OK to put it down occasionally, long as you don't go trying to do something serious your first time out. Need to get your chops back up. I think most of us non-pros would agree...</p>

<p>The hard part is being unmotivated...it is usually indicative of something not art-related. Are you gassy these days? That could be the problem:) Kidding:)</p>

[phyrpowr]

<p>Sure, I haven't shot much of anything for a couple of months. Not worried, the gear's still in the bag, I'll get the bug again, happened before.</p>

[dan_south]

<p>Put down the mouse, turn off the computer, grab your camera and go out and do something fun. Not fun to shoot - just FUN. While you're out there LIVING you might eventually see something that catches your eye and makes you want to shoot again.</p>

<p>Apathy is like a headache. Sitting around thinking about it isn't going to make it go away. Inaction compounds the problem. You have to distract yourself by doing something intriguing, challenging, or otherwise enjoyable.</p>

 

[ted_marcus1]

<p>The best motivation I've found is to get away from home. For me that almost always means a solo road trip. There is something inherently inspiring about an unfamiliar place. I know it's supposed to be a greater (and perhaps more satisfying) challenge to find something new and interesting in a familiar and mundane place close to home, but somehow I've never managed to make that work.</p>

[mark_drutz]

<p>I lost most, but not all, interest in photography from around 1989 to 1995. I don't know why I lost it or why it came back. The last five years I've been more interested than ever.</p>

[gulfbeach47]

<p>Matt I have been in the rut myself lately. I'm hoping that cooler temps will get me out of it. After a few months of gulf coast heat I start hoping for the first cooler temps. We almost made it down to the 70's last night for our low temp! Cold front:) I did a 6000 mile trip (Moab, Yellowstone and Tetons) back in May and that certainly helped but I have the urge for a fall road trip. Moab is really in my thoughts a lot but it is a long drive from FL. Did the smokies last fall ,but missed the foliage change. Got bad info from local tourist agencies up there. Gonna keep a better eye on webcams this year.</p>