Finding the time

[Joseph O'Neil]

Not sure if this belongs here or elsewhere, but here goes. With the economy going more and more sour everyday, I find myself working more and more hours (family business) just to keep things even, certianly not to get ahead.

The end result for me is is just not having the time to go shooting, spend time in the darkroom, etc, not like I used to.

The catch-22 then is the more time I spend NOT using my 4x5 or not in the darkroom, the more the "muse leaves me", and i find it harder to get myself motivated and back into the swing of things. Heck, I don't even seem to have the energy to download the latest few shots off my Nikon D40 onto my computer even. :D

Anybody else in the same/similar boat, and what, if anything, do you do about it?

joe

[gnuyork]

I'm kind of in the same boat. Earlier this year I was given some incredible darkroom gear (including a Leica focomat and an Omeag 4x5 enlarger) and a freezer full of film and probably a pallet's worth of darkroom paper and chemicals. I plan to start the new year getting my darkroom in shape, which means clearing out a bunch of stuff stored in my basement. I keep thinking about it though, and not doing it. After a full work day it's hard to get motivated... certainly a catch 22 it seems.

[Michael Roberts]

Well, Joe, are you grumpy & miserable because you are working too much and don't have enough time to play or are you grumpy & miserable by nature? If that's just your natural disposition, then I don't know what to suggest, as I don't live in that world. OTOH, even as a natural optimist, I often struggle with feeling like I would rather spend more time on photography than on non-photography chores.

Trying for balance helps; for instance, carving out regular time, even if it's just 30 minutes or an hour a day, or half a day on the weekend. Maybe lowering your expectations in terms of dark-room work would help, e.g., if you've only got 15 minutes, can you do some clean up, reorganize, do something just to keep making a little progress, so you are not out of it totally for days and weeks at a time? Load film holders in anticipation of getting out for half a day on the weekend?

Looking forward to something special helps, too. For example, last Friday, after fulfilling family obligations on Thursday, I got to do just what I wanted--which, since I was in Moab, meant being at Mesa Arch before sunrise, then driving over to Dead Horse Point, and then after a huge breakfast, driving down to Monument Valley and photographing at two different spots (only two) in the valley. What a great day...sunny, no wind. Really good early and late light. No clouds, but I took advantage of what I had. That's the first day I've had to go photograph in about a month and a half, but having days like that to look forward to (and back at) really charge up my batteries. I've got some more time off coming up in about a month, so I'm looking forward to getting out on the road again then, anticipating possible locations. Even if only a couple of the possibilities work out, I find the anticipation keeps my interest up during the interim. But, then, I'm also future-oriented...and I don't have a family business to run.

[JamesFromSydney]

Yep, similar boat.

I've set some simple, achievable goals w/ photography and am trying to eliminate any photo-related activity not in support of those. Making slow progress, but progress nonetheless.

[William McEwen]

Joseph, sometimes we need a kick in the rear to get us going.

Since I shoot portraits, I have that kick in the rear on an ongoing basis. There are plenty of mornings I'd rather stay home in bed, but I'm photographing so-and-so at her house at 10 a.m. Maybe I'm not 100 percent motivated, but she is expecting me at 10 and I don't have a choice. But without exception, once I'm there with my camera set up, I'm happy as happy can be and delighted it all happened.

Ultimately, we photograph because there is something inside us that makes us want to do it. We can't even imagine not doing it.

Newsweek once asked Stephen King why he writes, and he said to not write, for him, would be suicide. It is who he is, in other words.

I didn't really answer your question, but what I wanted to say is this: If the drive and the need is there, you'll find time. Maybe not right now, or this month or next, but you will find time. And perhaps the lapse in your picturetaking will motivate you to make up for lost time and do your best work.
__________________

[Brian Ellis]

Lethargy/lack of interest/burn-out, whatever you want to call it, is a problem that most of us have faced at various times if we've been at this for any length of time. My two specific suggestions are first to read the book "Art and Fear" by Ted Orland and David Bayles. Second, look at some photographs by a photographer or group of photographs you admire - could be originals in an exhibition or just a book but seeing work by others often inspires me, it might do the same for you. I normally also suggest getting a digital camera and just making some photographs of something, anything that interests you without worrying about whether the photographs are masterpieces or not because that's an easy way to get moving again. But since you apparently have a digital camera and haven't done that it would seem pointless to suggest it.

[jp]

The suggestion to see exhibits and to do little things in the darkroom are good.

I'm also self employed in a non-photo business. I come home from work, do some family stuff, and after the kids are in bed, I'm often worn out enough not to go start something big in the darkroom or make serious progress on my camera project.

If my wife puts on Oprah or some stupefying reality show, that will tempt me into the darkroom, shop, computer, or bed. A good meal and a little [caffienated] coffee can motivate me to get something done.

If you only want to spend 10-30 minutes in the darkroom, you can clean and load film holders, inventory/mix up some chemicals for the next session, organize prints and negatives lying around or hanging up. Then when you have time to make prints or process film, you're ready in minutes to get started.

I also keep in my work car a tripod and a case containing a tlr, speed graphic, light meter, and some film. I'm the boss, and if I'm working someplace not on a tight schedule, and see something I want to photograph, and lighting conditions indicate I'm in the right place at the right time, I'll take advantage of that opportunity for a half hour once in a while. My eyes stay aware/sharp to good photo situations, knowing in the back of my mind I have some capable photo equipment available to me at all times on a moment's notice.

When I get a cold I often take a day or two off so I'm not sharing my germs with my employees. I don't want to be paying their sick days for a cold I gave them. Those can be great days for darkroom work or local shooting.

[rdenney]

Welcome to my world. When I'm driving into the office, it's three hours a day of commuting plus 9-1/2 hours of time there, unless I work extra in which case it's more. When I'm not driving into the office, I'm usually traveling on business where photography is difficult or impossible. Weekends this year have been filled trying to complete a small (to anyone else) remodeling project, which is now just about done. Or dealing with maintenance and land issues, which figures big in my thinking just now having finished gathering about 25 cubic yards of ground-up leaves and pine needles. It's always something.

Merely scheduling photography won't do--it, like my music, is a pastime, and it is competing with core responsibilities. If I set those aside, they weigh on me and it isn't worth it.

But my strategy for keeping the flame lit is this forum. Thinking and talking about doing it is better than nothing, and it sharpens my senses for actually doing it. In my experience, that will lead to a flurry of field work and activity that will then feed another few months of thinking and talking, plus a few months of dealing with those images. And I'm still engaging projects, at present gathering the bits (including knowledge) needed for a return to black-and-white work.

In my ill-spent youth, I raced cars, first in SCCA Solo autocross and then on oval tracks. It wasn't that difficult in those days to get time to work on the vehicle--I could do that at night or in short snippets. But it's nearly impossible to practice driving unless you are at the high end of the sport where track time can be rented. I would rehearse in my mind, considering different moves at different points on tracks and in different situations. It wasn't as good as the real thing, but it allowed me to leverage the limited examples of the real thing to mental exercises that help cement proper reactions and responses into my reflexes. I approach most everything that way now. It doesn't replace real chops that require physical training, but it is sometimes the best we can do and the alternative of doing nothing is just unacceptable.

Rick "whose music-making has suffered this year, too" Denney

[Heroique]

My children are lonely & starving, because I’m out taking photos & buying film.

I hope the authorities find & help them, but that won’t change what’s important.

Don’t get me wrong – I do wish them the best.

[John Kasaian]

Ah yes, I know the feeling well.:o

A self assignment (do-able locally and in a short period of time if that's all you've got) will fan the flames.

A few prints which you personally find gratifying displayed where you can enjoy them helps (especially if they will draw comments from guests.)

"Scouting" locations "on-line" It's amazing how much info you can dig up about someplace you'd like to photograph.

Look at a few iinspirational books or portfolios to stir the creative beans.

Lube and wax your camera some evening by the fire. Hear it? It is whispering to you:
"Taaake meee out tooo plaaaaay!":)

Try something unlike anything else you've done. For example I live in the town I grew up in. I got an old Brownie camera of ebay for $3 and some B&W 127 roll film from Freestyle and spent several lunch hours revisiting old childhood haunts and photographing them with that old camera---that got the gray matter churning.

[jvo]

home from work, have dinner...

to get started i promise myself i only have to spend 5 minutes in the darkroom doing something, then decide to continue or not... more often than not after 5 minutes i end up continuing - and have fun.

a number of times i decide "nah, just wanna veg-out" and let myself do that.

more often than not i spend more time in the darkroom because i made that commitment of 5 minutes a night - knowing i can back out.

[Robert Hughes]

I moved recently, and haven't set up a darkroom yet. But it's winter in Minnesota now, and the prospect of spending a couple hours in a frigid basement just isn't all that appealing. Besides, it's the holiday season and I'm busy (doing that music thing) for an Xmas show at the local puppet theater. Hey, it even pays, so I guess I'm doing my part for the Gods of Commerce and Art at the same time.

[arca andy]

Heck, I don't even seem to have the energy to download the latest few shots off my Nikon D40 onto my computer even. :D

joe


Well I can't think of anything more likely to sap ones energy than have to plug a camera into a computer.;)

[Joseph O'Neil]

Thanks everyone, I guess the important part is knowing you are not totally alone. It's just weird for me hwo times seems to ahve "disappeared" all of a sudden. Maybe that the snow is now on the ground, I'll have more reason to stay inside and keep warm in the darkroom.
:)

joe

[Bruce Barlow]

But there are soooo many beautiful snow and ice pictures...

[Diane Maher]

But there are soooo many beautiful snow and ice pictures...

I have to agree with Bruce.

However, I have also found my time for photography reduced rather drastically lately. Going to work in the dark and returning home sometimes in the dark doesn't help. Working at home also doesn't help.

I am planning to do some developing this weekend. I am working on getting caught up with developing. I think that printing will follow next.

Diane

[Richard M. Coda]

As everyone else has already stated, life gets in the way most of the time. My LF escapades are usually limited to very early Sunday morning surgical strikes (know where you want to go and what you want to do) so I can be back after lunch to do the family thing. The past two years have been especially tough due to the economy, but this past summer I started a project on the Arizona Monsoon I call "Primordial: 2010". Every day after supper I went out to my front or back yard, maybe 100 feet down the road, with my Nikon D300 (I know it's not LF) and a monopod and hunted clouds. Just published a book of the images. It was very liberating and exhilarating to have these 15 minutes each day. Just going through the motions of photographing was beneficial. Although I'd rather shoot LF I was happy I was able to shoot anything at all. Just goes to prove that great photographs can be made anywhere... you just have to know what to look for.

[John Bowen]

When I get a cold I often take a day or two off so I'm not sharing my germs with my employees. I don't want to be paying their sick days for a cold I gave them. Those can be great days for darkroom work or local shooting.

What a wonderful idea! I've simply got to try that. Oh, wait a minute, I work alone :eek:

Now I need another excuse to skip work and spend a couple days in the dark.

[Bob Kerner]

Oh how life gets in the way of our hobbies. I have 2.5 year old twins and they are both an inspiration to photograph and a barrier. Prior to having kids I had almost zero interest in photographing people; now it's all I think about. Unfortunately they are a barrier to using the LF camera because they can't sit still and prefer to play with the fancy red bellows.

I keep photographically active by incorporating it into my (paying) work. I'm an educator and I try to make and use images for my presentations. I also try to make portraits of the people/groups I work with. It keeps my creative skills in shape, provides a nice distraction to the class and helps my organization market its work. I'm always thinking about how I can incorporate my personal interests and talents into my professional career. As such I never really "put down" my photography for any length of time.

[Tintype Bob]

A year and a half ago I had some spinal surgery done, that had me in bed or cooped up in the house for 9 weeks, I was limited as to what I could do and lifting the camera equipment was off limits for a few months afterwards, also standing in the darkroom was out of the question and I started to loose the inspiration to photograph, which was getting me down. With some help from my wife I got as many photography books and videos as possible, seeing other work gave me the drive to start back in to it

Now every time I get to feel like that I go back to the basics, read old how to books and the work of others helps, I also get a lot of inspiration from the great works posted on this forum.