Is it time to give up?

soupdragon

soupdragon

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Tony
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After a flurry of buying/trading equipment I've realised (a bit too late) I have lost my interest in the hobby.
As an amateur there is no incentive whatsoever to carry on.

More to the point, I can't remember the last time I browsed my photos', I just take them, store them and forget about them.
Not to mention I have a smart phone that can take pictures good enough for sharing.


I'm thinking it's time to sell up and move on.
 
I think everyone goes through that at some point. I know I have, but ultimately I’ve always come back to it. Maybe set yourself some goals or projects to reinvigorate your interest or take a break from it.
 
It saddens me when I hear that someone has lost interest or their mojo, but it does come to many of us occasionally. I would just counsel that it might be worth keeping one camera back just in case, but also to examine what was originally your motivation or interest - you say there is no incentive to carry on, so I wonder what the original incentive was?
But having said that, there is no point in flogging a dead horse as it were if there's no pleasure in it
 
Expanding on what Lindsay says, I have a couple of photographer friends who have only one camera and find them to be more content with their hobby. I know the OP has a variety of kit, and it can be counterproductive to have to choose which camera you are going to use on any given day, especiaally if it's a film camera where you have then to shoot the full roll before seeing the results. I'd strongly advise reducing kit to your favourite camera and lenses, but not to give up completely.
 
I don't like using phones for photography but I am sometimes put off by the bulk and the attention that photography brings. I recently got a teeny tiny Panasonic GM5 and I find that I'm happy to take that or my TZ100 when I don't want to take anything bigger, more obvious and attention grabbing.

I suppose that's not losing mojo as such, more just not liking the attention, but maybe there's also pressure to take pictures when taking a bigger camera out or even just knowing it's all sat in the cupboard waiting? I wonder if that could be a part of losing mojo?

As above, maybe keep some or even all the gear for a bit longer but try not to think about it and just use the phone for now? Taking the pressure off may bring the interest back?
 
Hey!
I'd say yeah, sell your equipment and move on.
I'm doing photography for a long time but I have sold all my equipment in the past and then bought it again.
Why?
Because it wasn't getting used at all.
If you had a film camera, I would suggest to keep it.
With digital you can't keep up with the changes. Camera prices depreciate so much you're better off selling it.

And bottom point is that, you already have a camera, your smartphone.
 
I’m in the exact same position. I will be selling my gear when I return from holiday. My decision has been made easy now as I decided to leave all my cameras at home for the first time and see if I missed them. I can honestly say I have enjoyed it more with just my phone for snaps. I have also softened the blow by spending some of the incoming cash on an additional motorcycle.

I have no doubt that at some point I will feel the urge to blow a load of cash on a new system, but I think I will be able to resist, maybe.
 
Sadly some of us loose our mojo or just can't be bothered at all, it has happened to me many times. Started with Fuji then went Canon Nikon back to Canon then Fuji and now have Sony. I will stay with Sony but have started to look at the Olympus lot now. If I start to not take a camera out I use my phone camera, and play around with editing old images. What ever you choose to do, I wish you the best of luck.
 
I've always said, even at the height of my obsessions, that hobbies/pastimes aren't compulsory. It's not a crime or failure to lose interest. If you stop enjoying one, stop doing it.

But...

Unless you need the cash, keep hold of the gear. Just in case. :)
 
lindsay said:
It saddens me when I hear that someone has lost interest or their mojo, but it does come to many of us occasionally. I would just counsel that it might be worth keeping one camera back just in case, but also to examine what was originally your motivation or interest - you say there is no incentive to carry on, so I wonder what the original incentive was?
But having said that, there is no point in flogging a dead horse as it were if there's no pleasure in it
Click to expand...
Regards incentive, I was driven mainly by my kids growing so kept an archive for when they are old enough to look back at the images of yesteryear.
Also, high quality film photography and processing was a niche' hobby. Sadly (or otherwise) anybody with one working eye can produce extremely high quality images with very little effort.

I feel the whole process has been de-skilled to the level of perfunctory clunk.
 
Peter B said:
Expanding on what Lindsay says, I have a couple of photographer friends who have only one camera and find them to be more content with their hobby. I know the OP has a variety of kit, and it can be counterproductive to have to choose which camera you are going to use on any given day, especiaally if it's a film camera where you have then to shoot the full roll before seeing the results. I'd strongly advise reducing kit to your favourite camera and lenses, but not to give up completely.
Click to expand...
Oddly enough I am trimming my equipment down to bare bones.
I'm down to one camera and two fixed focal length lenses.

For all the sunshine we have had over the past days I still have not taken a picture.
 
IIRC you have quite a lot of high quality film gear. It seems to me that the film "bubble" will burst at some point so selling some of it now might maximise the investment.

OK, ignore that, I cross posted with your post above
 
There's no harm in pausing or changing hobbies. For me, photography has a special place. In recent months, I've been looking into old photos for the first time in a long time, to find memories of several family members who have passed away. So if it was me, I'd at least keep some gear and take time to create great photos of all the nearest and dearest. Who knows, maybe your mojo comes back at some point?
 
soupdragon said:
Regards incentive, I was driven mainly by my kids growing so kept an archive for when they are old enough to look back at the images of yesteryear.
Also, high quality film photography and processing was a niche' hobby. Sadly (or otherwise) anybody with one working eye can produce extremely high quality images with very little effort.

I feel the whole process has been de-skilled to the level of perfunctory clunk.
Click to expand...

Does it matter what other people do or how easy it is?

I've never seen photography as a competition, if anything seeing someone elses results should make you happy for them.
 
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woof woof said:
I don't like using phones for photography but I am sometimes put off by the bulk and the attention that photography brings. I recently got a teeny tiny Panasonic GM5 and I find that I'm happy to take that or my TZ100 when I don't want to take anything bigger, more obvious and attention grabbing.

I suppose that's not losing mojo as such, more just not liking the attention, but maybe there's also pressure to take pictures when taking a bigger camera out or even just knowing it's all sat in the cupboard waiting? I wonder if that could be a part of losing mojo?

As above, maybe keep some or even all the gear for a bit longer but try not to think about it and just use the phone for now? Taking the pressure off may bring the interest back?
Click to expand...
More good points.
My camera is far from small as is the case with all medium format stuff.
I have a Leica compact should I wish to use it but the occasion never seems to arise.
 
Marino said:
Hey!
I'd say yeah, sell your equipment and move on.
I'm doing photography for a long time but I have sold all my equipment in the past and then bought it again.
Why?
Because it wasn't getting used at all.
If you had a film camera, I would suggest to keep it.
With digital you can't keep up with the changes. Camera prices depreciate so much you're better off selling it.

And bottom point is that, you already have a camera, your smartphone.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I spent too much time and money chasing the latest and greatest.

I'm down to a Hasselblad film camera and a P&S and still not taking pictures.
 
rick448 said:
I’m in the exact same position. I will be selling my gear when I return from holiday. My decision has been made easy now as I decided to leave all my cameras at home for the first time and see if I missed them. I can honestly say I have enjoyed it more with just my phone for snaps. I have also softened the blow by spending some of the incoming cash on an additional motorcycle.

I have no doubt that at some point I will feel the urge to blow a load of cash on a new system, but I think I will be able to resist, maybe.
Click to expand...
I have often regretted having a camera with me when at special events.
I wish I just stood and spectated instead of peering trough a tiny hole in the vain hope of getting that special shot.
 
soupdragon said:
More good points.
My camera is far from small as is the case with all medium format stuff.
I have a Leica compact should I wish to use it but the occasion never seems to arise.
Click to expand...

There are a couple of things that seem to have been with me all my life. When I was very small I was fascinated with cars and I'd sit behind the driver and watch when on busses. I couldn't wait to get a car and that love of cars has stayed with me all my life and I'll be gutted when I have to give up driving. My next big passion was drawing and painting and then on my 10t birthday (I think it was my 10th) I got my first camera and 50 years later I'm still taking pictures.

I can't see myself ever giving up with cars and photography but I can think of something I've had an interest in and later lost interest in.... computers and electronics, I just can't be bothered with all that now. So, I suppose I can accept that someone has lost all interest in photography but maybe that's not quite true if you use your phone?

The main thing is that this should be enjoyable and if it isn't then largely giving up but using a smartphone or a compact now and again could be the answer.

Good luck with it.
 
woof woof said:
Does it matter what other people do or how easy it is?

I've never seen photography as a competition, if anything seeing someone else results should make you happy for them.
Click to expand...
It doesn't matter to me what other people think but everyone is a photographer these days.
Maybe it's a psychiatric thing but I don't want to do what everyone else does.
 
sirch said:
IIRC you have quite a lot of high quality film gear. It seems to me that the film "bubble" will burst at some point so selling some of it now might maximise the investment.

OK, ignore that, I cross posted with your post above
Click to expand...
I can see the whole film bubble popping too.
Much as I think my camera is a thing of beauty it's a lot of money to lose if I keep it as an ornament.
 
My interest sometimes wanes, not to the extent I want to sell my kit, but I sometimes want to explore new things.....

I have watched other people see events through a viewfinder and feel satisfied I left my own camera at home, just to absorb the event.... and this weekend even though I took over 3.5k photos I spent enough time watching the races at the Goodwood members meeting with my own eyes.

An all too common problem is that with all this technology you can take thousands of images, and most only ever exist as bytes on your memory device. Never to be seen again. I try Social media but haven't quite got the hang of hashtagging yet (or my pictures are really bad!), compete in our camera club competitions and exhibition and make my own Blurb books (just for my own bookshelf) and these drive me to take more images and challenge myself. If you have lost the drive and enthusiasm you can't be forced or persuaded to pick up a camera; you may or may not pick it up again, let's hope you do though.
 
soupdragon said:
I can see the whole film bubble popping too.
Much as I think my camera is a thing of beauty it's a lot of money to lose if I keep it as an ornament.
Click to expand...

At the rate film prices are rising I believe you. I don't want to sell my 3 film cameras so they will become ornaments....
 
welshwizard645 said:
At the rate film prices are rising I believe you. I don't want to sell my 3 film cameras so they will become ornaments....
Click to expand...
Film prices and processing/processing chemicals are eye wateringly high and in truth I don't get enough fun out of the whole process to justify the cost.
 
Anyhoo, keep your eyes on the trading post if you want some juicy Hasselblad bits in the near future.
 
soupdragon said:
It doesn't matter to me what other people think but everyone is a photographer these days.
Maybe it's a psychiatric thing but I don't want to do what everyone else does.
Click to expand...

It's still an odd way of looking at it, IMHO, and there is the fact that most people doing it are doing it with a smartphone. I very rarely see anyone with a camera when out and about but TBH seeing people with cameras would make me less self conscious and more likely to take more pictures,
 
woof woof said:
Does it matter what other people do or how easy it is?

I've never seen photography as a competition, if anything seeing someone else results should make you happy for them.
Click to expand...
Yep that’s exactly how I feel , I do it for myself am happy with what I do I’m not bothered about what others do but it is nice to see other people’s work
 
soupdragon said:
I have often regretted having a camera with me when at special events.
I wish I just stood and spectated instead of peering trough a tiny hole in the vain hope of getting that special shot.
Click to expand...

Many times I have just left my camera in the bag so I could appreciate something
Too often a photo just doesn't do justice to what the eye can see and the brain take in.

Other times I have planned a trip with photography very much in mind.
Really enjoy the planning aspect of travelling even things like rail travel timetabling..

Another aspect that I have found fun is inkjet printing at home, whole new load of stuff to learn and experiment with.
Also took part in one of the Zine swaps and organised a couple of print exchanges too.

Photography to me is much more than pressing the shutter button or gear buying.
Currently working on the logistics of a project that will require a few days in Paris and all that will entail.

Perhaps try to look and see if there are other aspects to the hobby that might provide interest.
 
Many years ago I lugged 3 film SLR's and associated kit around the Goodwood festival of speed for a day. The next day I went out and bought myself a new zoom film compact which was all I (seldom) used for maybe 10 years, Then running out of Christmas presents my wife bought me one of the new 4mp digital compacts. Bang what a change, no messing about in the darkroom or waiting for processing companies just take and sit at my PC and play.
Now I've seemingly gone full circle with two seldom used digital SLR's and several good compacts I'm doing just about everything on my phone which being very much a street fan serves me well as I've always got it to hand.
Don't give up too soon or rely to much on your kit as I think the great Victor Blackman and possibly others said the best camera is the one you have with you, even if you can make phone calls with it.
 
Just to flip it around, what have been your proudest photo achievements OP?

Has there ever been a period of time where you've regretted not having a decent camera nearby?

(I'll leave my story out, because its not about me....but these are some of my motivating questions)
 
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CavGez said:
Just to flip it around, what have been your proudest photo achievements OP?

Has there ever been a period of time where you've regretted not having a decent camera nearby?

(I'll leave my story out, because its not about me....but these are some of my motivating questions)
Click to expand...
I can't say as I've ever been proud of any of my photos. Most of my snaps have been done a million times before so they aren't exactly stand out in the crowd images.

There have been lots of times I wish I'd had a camera with me but there is no way I'm carrying one around 365 days of the year.
 
I imagine Tony is not looking to be persuaded to keep on togging, and that's fair enough. I think enough of us have suggested not being in a rush to sell but at the same time Sirch has a very good point about prices - I sold lots of old film gear of my dads at low prices 10 years ago and have regretted it since, whereas prices now are high.
It does seem to me Tony that you didn't come into this to have a hobby, it was a means to an end that became a hobby for a while, which is fair enough. I think there are many of us who are into photography, in whatever aspect, for itself and not with any aims except to make good images, enjoy the gear, whatever, and the shots are the byproduct rather than the raison d'etre of the hobby.
But if you do pack it in, don't be a stranger, please dip in for a chat, offer critique, or just look at the pictures, from time to time. We don't want to lose you.
 
After 44 years pursuing as many types of photography and equipment as I could I feel it is now time to move on.
I'll never be without a reasonable camera but I am unlikely to take pictures as a hobby any more. Scanner anyone?
 
I wish you luck with whatever you choose to do, I'm not trying to change your decision. A humble suggestion however, if you wanted, choose to close it on some sort of positive, whatever that may be. You've probably learnt a lot, and saw things you wouldn't have otherwise, that sort of thing. I think it's a personal journey now more than before, especially as you say more and more people are taking snaps, so are on their own paths.
 
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Are there any people here who take pictures as a hobby?
If so, why do you do it?

For instance, if I wanted to I could take a nice picture of a bee on a flower. But why?
I could just stand there and look at the bee.
Almost everyone knows what a bee looks like so why would they want to see a picture of one.
 
I do. I like the challenge, I like using gadgets, but my particular motivation is mainly artistic - I like to see if there is a story being told by my images (mostly there isn't but sometimes it prompts the imagination to create a backstory or to investigate the subject a bit more)
 
Just a suggestion but I lost my photographic drive a few years back, cleared out all my DSLR stuff and just used a Canon G12 SureShot for family images. I’d done the kids growing up thing and lost my drive to take pictures. It was the wife who said that I needed a hobby and should go back to my photography as in her words I was good at it, and handed me a copy of Amateur Photographer and told me to enter their POTY as it had monthly themes and would give me a motivational kick up the backside.

In truth the POTY thing didn’t work but going on to Photocrowd to rate images got me thinking that I could do more and enter their competitions which had way more entries than AP’s POTY, so that is where I have stayed, entering Photocrowd competitions getting some good results including a couple of wins. My love for photography is back, I’m not a brilliant photographer, Mrs Kernow likes my images printed and displayed on the walls at home, friends and relatives have my pictures on their walls.

Photocrowd isn’t the answer to everyone’s photography woes but it worked for me and got me clicking again. Oh, and Mrs K was happy for me to splash some cash on my hobby.
 
soupdragon said:
Are there any people here who take pictures as a hobby?
Click to expand...
I can't think of any other reason for taking photographs other than to make pictures. The easier technology makes it to make those pictures the better. After all, photography was invented to alleviate the chore of drawing pictures.

Anyone who isn't interested in making pictures is unlikely to persevere with photography.
soupdragon said:
For instance, if I wanted to I could take a nice picture of a bee on a flower. But why?
I could just stand there and look at the bee.
Almost everyone knows what a bee looks like so why would they want to see a picture of one.
Click to expand...
The photographer's task is to show that bee in a way that most people haven't seen a bee before. To make the ordinary extraordinary.

And that challenge is what keeps people taking photographs as it ain't easy regardless of the technological aids of digital. ;)

But as I said earlier, if you aren't enjoying photography, stop doing it. (y)
 
I haven't been into photography as long as some, but even I go through stages where I just can't be bothered with it. But that is the same with some of my other hobbies also. Life and work gets in the way and by the time I have come home, I am tired and just can't be bothered. Then other days I grab the camera and just go take some snaps when walking the dog with the wife. I have stored all my photographs since I restarted and haven't really edited that many....it's all time at the end of the day. Working and running kids around doesn't always leave a lot of time to do other things. So you are not alone.
 
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