Overcoming Photographer's Block

[Jeff_4368]

I have been suffering lately from photographer's block. Normally, I can go out for a drive from my home, and usually find something interesting to photograph, but my last 3 outings have netted 0 pictures. Just can't seem to get the creative juices flowing, and get inspired to photograph anything. Sometimes I think that if I could just travel to some exotic scenic destination, I could be wonderfully productive, but I have the nagging suspicion that a beautiful image is right next to me, if I could just "see" it.

Anyone else have photographer's block? Whats it like for you? Better yet, how do you overcome it and get inspired?

[Graeme Hird]

Hi Jeff,

A common affliction, no doubt about it. Best solved by stopping the car and getting out, having a good walk around. It's discovering those little details missed while in the car that can make the trip worthwhile.

And don't worry - the inspiration will return in one form or another .....

Cheers,

[Christian Olivet]

Don't feel bad on top of feeling bad. It is bad enough not coming back with photographs. Most the times I go out I tell myself I am going to enjoy regardless of whether I get something or not. Yes, there are amazing photographs right there, take out the camera and point at something until something just makes sense on the ground glass or viewfinder. It doesn't have to be beautiful to be beautiful. It gets beautiful when it snaps into composition, at least for me. I think it is a good excercise which I am currently putting into practice. I seemed to have unloaded my shoulders from having to make great photographs in order to be happy with myself. Nowadays I am happy just being able to load the backpack and going for a nice drive. Its a blessing to be able to just go places and witness them. The photographs you make are just an attempt to connect in a deeper way to nature or whatever it is you enjoy photographing. If something turns out great it must have been a matter of persistance, when it does, enjoy that too.

Yes I experience photographer's block once in a while. I feel it is part of the game we are in. Something to witness, to accept, and to let go when we are ready.

Good luck!

[Aaron_3437]

I used to go back to the same place many, many times. I think beautiful pictures are found even in ordinary places. We need to be ready to see it. Recently I've read a post by Michael A. Smith and he said,"Pay attention". I find that good advice. If one has a good sense of space, that helps too.

[Capocheny]

Hi Jeff,

Photographer's block seems to be an epidemic these days and nobody seems to know why. At any rate, don't fret over it...the creative juices will flow again.

Since this is a large format site... I assume you normally shoot large format. Have you tried changing to something different just for fun?

When I fell into a slump back awhile ago I picked up a book by Garry Winogrand entitled, "Figments From The Real World." I was enthralled and after going through it... I took my M6 out and started doing some "street photography." I've just picked up another of his books called, "The Man In The Crowd."

"LORDY! I WAS INSPIRED!!!! YESSIREE!!!!" (Sorry about that...I got carried away!) :>)

The thrill and excitement of photography has been renewed and, once again, I've started shooting with my large format camera (Sinar X) in the studio during the weekdays and street shooting with the M6 on weekends.

Give it a go and see how it can change your life... [gads, that sounded like an ad for some kind of health food!:>)]

Good luck.

Cheers

[Paul Schilliger]

I've been there and I still am regularly. As a matter of fact, I think I haven't unpacked my gear in the last 3 day trips. Being preoccupied by worries is the most inspiration killing occupation. It's often difficult to step out of this condition just in one day. Maybe it would be good for you to take your sleeping bag and to head out for some inspiring destination with some inspiring music on board, and there, to just forget what your name is and where you come from and get soaked with the atmosphere of the place for a few days. If the grand scenery doesn't inspire you, try to limit your vision to smaller details, rocks, wood, until you start feeling that your mind's eyes open. Sometimes it's better to just sit quiet or explore a few dozen square yards than to move all over the place and shoot frantically just for the sake of taking images. And most of all, try to enjoy this time in your own company!

[mark blackman]

Jeff, next time get ready as usual but instead of getting in the car, shoot it. I hope to see a photo on here shortly demonstrating full use of tilt and swing.

[Moe_4073]

Jeff, when this happens to me I go out and buy some $5-$10 vintage camera (like a rollfilm Kodak brownie or Ansco TLR), clean it up, get the shutter working and shoot some film. I "rediscover" some of my old haunts with these relics (and you would be surprised at how well a single element meniscus lens works with Efke PL100) and usually find a spot to burn some sheet film. The only downside for me is that I now have 30+ cameras sitting around. Regards,

[Rich Long]

As suggested, it often helps me to stop driving and go for a walk. The next step is to take a photo. A lot of times, my first photo is crap and I really shouldn't bother taking it, but I find that going through the effort of setting up, composing, calculating exposure and taking a photo gets me more in the right mindset to see the other photographic possibilities around me. It seems that for me, the first one is a hurdle I have to get over. Once past the first one, things begin to flow. YMMV.

[Leonard Evens]

One way I've found to deal with the problem is to change my focus from aesthetics to something else. That way I have something to photograph and the aesthetic aspect becomes more intutive so I get less hung up on it.

One thing to do is to start a project of some sort which has a theme. For example, I am taking pictures of various buildings and views which are going to be affected by the frenetic construction going on in my town. That way, each picture requires documenting something as best I can.

Practicing technique is another possibility. Exploring what you can do with a certain focal length or improving your use of tilts or swings is at least interesting and often the resulting pictures are impressive.

Another thing I've done is to go out with a digital camera and take lots of pictures of anything and everything. From those I can glean scenes that might be good subjects for a view camera.