Writers always get to that point where we feel blocked or we’re stuck and we need to figure out how to get out of the rut. But what happens when it’s photography? What’s the photography version of writers block?
My friend @inthefade and I were having a discussion on Twitter Sunday night how we both felt lethargic about our photography.
I’m not really a professional photographer (although it was part of some of my more recent jobs, a part of the work I really enjoyed). I’m not shooting weddings or have clients. It’s something fulfilling to me that completes my soul. It’s a stress reliever and something I enjoy. And I like sharing what I shoot whether it’s online or in prints to family and friends.
But sometimes I get into a funk where I don’t know what to shoot. I think I could just go to the same park yet again. Or I just run out of ideas. Or the ideas I have require work, like how I want to shoot historic churches and graveyards. That requires research.
I’ve been driving around with my camera in my trunk for weeks, thinking I need to shoot something, but I haven’t. Sure, I used my point and shoot camera to take some shots at recent family events and used it at Mets Opening Day (still haven’t processed the latter). But shooting things with the DSLR? Hasn’t happened.
There are websites around that give you daily photography suggestions, but sometimes you can’t get to shooting those photos. And shooting a photo a day can be a bothersome task, although it’s something we should be doing, because it becomes work rather than a fun, fulfilling thing.
If you Google search “photography self assignments,” you come up with a lot of websites exploring the virtues of giving yourself assignments. In fact, I really liked the first article that came up in the Google search that gives you actual ideas.
I think the best thing for me is to brain storm ideas and carry a notebook like I do for my writing ideas. When I get an idea for a photography assignment or a place or something else I can shoot, I’ll write it down. Perhaps I’ll have to brain storm like I do for my writing. Or perhaps you have ideas to suggest me, and you can leave those in the comments or by sending me a tweet.
Meanwhile, Michele and I started talking about doing a photo walk together some time, including out on Long Island or even in the city. Grabbing a partner probably also will help get my photography juices flowing.
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