Getting the mojo back...

etchacan

etchacan

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Al
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Time was I didn't need a reason/excuse to go out with my camera - these days all it seems to do is sit in its bag. Need to get my mojo back, anyone ever been in the same boat, and managed to get back into it?
 
If photography isn't our livelihood then it can be useful to take a sabbatical. The work of others though might be stimulating during such a period and refresh the urge. I think a motivation can be 'seeing' photographs, 'wanting' them. This may be independent of carrying a camera but may motivate you to do so. Then once the ball's rolling, momentum can build ...
 
I'm going through a phase of non-interest in photography lately too. I was starting to find it more a chore than a pleasure, so I pretty much stopped shooting for a while. It's been a couple of months now. I've shot a few family portrait sessions for local people, but nothing else - nothing personal. Nothing worth using, IMO, at least.

I'm hoping I get the hunger back after Christmas. I do love shooting in winter.

Buying new gear when you feel this way is a big no-no in my book. I have actually sold some instead, got rid of my fuji X100s because it was gathering dust. And selling that pretty much paid for our Christmas.
 
etchacan said:
Time was I didn't need a reason/excuse to go out with my camera - these days all it seems to do is sit in its bag. Need to get my mojo back, anyone ever been in the same boat, and managed to get back into it?
Click to expand...

See if you can find someone to go out shooting with - having someone else there can help and also if you've pre-arranged to go out with someone, it's more difficult to put it off and 'not bother'.
 
Find a project to shoot. Just going out with a camera can only sustain you for so long. Once you've taken all the landscapes you can get to etc.. you just realise you're repeating yourself. Think of a project: It could be a documentary series on something local, or a thing of historical interest, or a person, or even a type of weather. Find a REASON to go and shoot. Then research it.. get ideas before you even THINK of picking up the camera. Plan your shoots.

All that helps me.
 
The three I was going to suggest have already been mentioned.

1. New gear
2. Shooting buddy
3. Project

I bought a new strap a few weeks back and I couldn't wait to get out and use my camera... :lol: how sad am I. Haha.
 
Great advice from David,i always find a project works, I always do lots of research on my subject ,this in turn gives me the opportunity to find books etc on the subject ,I then use this when I am not photographing to get ideas and learn, I did this in spring with my kingfishers and through that I got a email from a very well known photographer who was very encouraging with his comments .
 
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Buying new gear.... I struggle to see how that will help much. Once the novelty of the new gear wears off, you're back to square one as you've done nothing to address the initial problem - having nothing to shoot.
 
Similar this side - went through a phase of using my camera every day and felt like I'd blown myself out after a while.. not picked it up for a month or so now...

When im ready I'll start looking through threads more regularly on here again which generally inspires me to pick it back up again and start taking pics.. :lol:
 
minnnt said:
The three I was going to suggest have already been mentioned.

1. New gear
2. Shooting buddy
3. Project

I bought a new strap a few weeks back and I couldn't wait to get out and use my camera... :lol: how sad am I. Haha.
Click to expand...
All three of these ideas have really given me inspiration and helped me get up off my backside and start taking photos again. Just forcing yourself to take photos isn't necessarily going to pique your interest. An outside influence can really help. The project is probably the easiest and most effective way. I'd suggest finding a topic and working from there. If the topic provides some restrictions, then sometimes that can really help fire your imagination.

Good luck and happy shooting.
 
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