How do you get back into the swing of things?

[Mark_3632]

Due to work, family and school taking up my time I have only been able to go shooting once since the holiday season, and even then the weather only cleared up for about an hour so I was in the yard shooting snow. I want to take pictures this weekend as a stress releiver but I have a huge mental block. I am finding it a serious pain to "see".

When you are forced (lets face it no one stops shooting because they want to) to not take pictures for a long period. How do you get back into the swing of things?

[Ralph Barker]

What I have found helpful, Mark, is to go out and do a few macro-ish shots to break away from the wider, non-specific view of things we have when going about our normal functions. Focusing in on small things that might otherwise be overlooked seems to do it for me.

The other option is to hire a good figure model. But that might not work in the snow. ;-)

[David Karp]

This is nothing earth shaking, but I take a walk with my camera. I try to go someplace I have visited before. Since I have been there, I don't have to think too hard about where to walk. Then I just look. Usually I find something one thing want to photograph, and sometimes that is enough to get me going again. Of course, then I start making the usual mistakes, forgetting to pull the darkslide, forgetting to cock the shutter, and all of the other things we do when we have not been photographing for a while. That is good for a laugh, which also helps loosen me up.

Of course, in winter climes that are very cold, the walk in the country trick is a bit tougher. Perhaps an interesting architectural subject might be a good substitute for a walk in the park.

[Chuck_1686]

I like to take a picture of the first thing that catches my eye. With no real thought about it. Sometimes this helps break through the inertia and I start seeing other possible images. I suppose many people are able to just walk in and find good images. Professionals have to do it every day. I'd starve.

[John Kasaian]

If thumbing through an inspiring book or seeing a really good exhibit doesn't do the trick, I find a self assignment usually gets the gray matter churning.

Try to make a travel poster for your town, or document old stuff, or a disused park. Maybe a still life or a product shot featuring something produced locally. A while back I collected a bunch of interesting moonstones at the beach. If I get a mental block, I get them out and try shooting them with different backgrounds & lighting. Its not my usual stuff, but I find it usually gets me thinking and gears me up to pursue other subjects.

There is a lot of food processing going on in my town, and I heard of a guy who was just fooling around with an item and got a good enough shot that he showed the company and---he got a commission!

If that dosen't work, just going for day hikes or drives in the country to scout out locations might help.

If that dosen't do it, hire the swedish bikini team to pose!;-)

[Alan Davenport]

To sharpen the eye, and force myself to compose, I like to take a camera out with just one lens and a roll of film. Then I shoot the entire roll using that lens (no zooms allowed!) just to keep the brain working, or maybe to make it start working. The key here, of course, is leaving all the rest of your kit at home.

[Francis Abad]

I shoot 8x10, so my pack is quite heavy. I think of it as exercise. My holders are always loaded and when I feel like putting on the sweat I take it along and have my tripod on hand. If I see nothing then at least I got a good hike out of it. The idea of exercise relieves the stress of needing to take a shot because I have the 8x10 beast with me. Whether I take a shot or not is irrelevant. Something good came out of the hike. It is this relaxed mind that makes me "see" better.

[Bill_1856]

F**k getting out into the ice and snow. Get thyself into the darkroom, and print some of those masterpieces you made last Summer.

[Robert A. Zeichner]

I have no idea of where you live Mark, but if you were to check out the surrounding area of your location to see if there are any historical villages, interesting churches or other such structures, you might discover some subject matter that would merit investigation. I happen to live not far from Henry Ford Museum/Greenfield Village and have many times gone there to just "practice" seeing and to test lenses, new films, etc. There are numerous other villages and historic parks I visit from time to time as well. In winter, it's particularly nice if you can find something indoors and warm (or at least out of the weather). The other thing that might help is to go hunting for scenes with just a viewing card. There are times when I think we all get creatve dry heaves and can't seem to find anything that merits setting up a view camera. I wouldn't get discouraged. There might be some interesting objects in your own home, maybe stuff you look at everyday, but don't notice anymore. Everywhere you go, there is something. You just have to keep looking. Don't give up! If you have a darkroom, I might suggest reading my recent article on making vitrographs in the January/February issue of Photo Techniques. You will be surprised at what you can use as a "negative" and you will be amazed at what kind of a print you can produce. Please give us a progress report.

[Christopher Condit]

I keep a list of potential subjects, since I often have inspirations without the time or camera handy. This serves two purposes. Besides the obvious one of helping me remember good ideas, secondarily, when I feel uninspired, I can look at the list and find something new to do.