I've lost my mojo

realmofconfusion

realmofconfusion

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John
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I've had a really tough time since my wife left me just over 2 years ago (she'd been having an affair with one of my best friends). :shake:

I've been on anti-depressants, sleeping pills, seeing a counsellor - all the "usual" stuff :cuckoo:, and while I'm now back at work (in a new job), I seem to have lost all enthusiasm for photography. Even on the days when I can be bothered to go out and take some photos, I'm really disappointed with 99% of what I take and end up trashing most (or all) of what I've taken, which leaves me feeling even worse having made the effort and having nothing to show for it.

Any suggestions as to how to get out of the rut (ideas need to be free or very cheap as money is really tight)? :help:
 
John,
could you go out somewhere pleasant with a purpose?
E.g. a bird of prey centre? It'll be interesting, enjoyable and have opportunities for great pics?

Or go to the coast with a specific aim such as contrasts, or circles? or something like that?
 
realmofconfusion said:
I've had a really tough time since my wife left me just over 2 years ago (she'd been having an affair with one of my best friends). :shake:

I've been on anti-depressants, sleeping pills, seeing a counsellor - all the "usual" stuff :cuckoo:, and while I'm now back at work (in a new job), I seem to have lost all enthusiasm for photography. Even on the days when I can be bothered to go out and take some photos, I'm really disappointed with 99% of what I take and end up trashing most (or all) of what I've taken, which leaves me feeling even worse having made the effort and having nothing to show for it.

Any suggestions as to how to get out of the rut (ideas need to be free or very cheap as money is really tight)? :help:
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John I know the feelings mate, Do you have a local park near by or a nature reserve or a railway station, busy town centre? these are the places I go.

Due to my PTSD and depression, I cant tell you how much photography lifts my mood, despite being no good at it, I find it a release, the same here mate money is tighter than a submarine door, my wife or 1 of my carers takes me to some where local and I can lose the fear or living feeling behind me for a while.

Chin up mate I know its not easy.

Regards

Julian
 
John, are there any TP members near you ? have a look through the meetings section at the find a tog buddy, sometimes its good to go somewhere with somebody else, as their passion and interest can get you back into it, specially if you are struggling with lack of confidence (photographically) then find soemwhere local, such as a bird of prey centre, NT property, wildlife reserve etc etc whatever you are most interested in, and just spend a day taking pics and not worrying about it so much. Sometimes we are far to harsh on ourselves for our own good and things get the better of us !
 
Do you have a local camera club?

Mine is fantastic. Photowalks, workshops, guest speakers, demonstrations etc and normally all rounded off with a swift half or two :)
 
Also I think what's not doing you any good is the fact that you're looking at your photography results in the wrong way. Instead of thinking of your shots are good or rubbish you should be looking at the images you're not happy with and thinking about what went wrong and how you'd shoot the frame differently next time.

I can't say I know what you've been going through in your personal life but at the end of the day you need to push yourself otherwise you're not going to progress. If you're loosing interest in photography then take a break for a while and look to something else as a hobby and then maybe come back to the photography further down the line.

Get other people involved in your photography too, friends, models etc. Anything to meet new people while doing something you enjoy doing. The next time you want to go out but cant be arsed say to yourself 'I'm going to ****ing go out and take some photos even if it means getting soaked in the rain or lost in the hills'.
 
John

Take yourself over the Bolton Abbey on a sunny day, if you go weekends there's a Steam railway at the top of the hill as well.

7 Years ago I was where you are now, and there are still dificult days but they do get less with time.

So here's a challenge, go take 24 pictures. Just 24 like a roll of film. Think about each one and what you want it to represent. Then take your camera home and leave it in the bag for 5 days. Don't peek at what you took just leave it.

After 5 days upload them to your pc and take a hard look, are they as bad as you think or do they need some tweaking here and there.

A walk round the woods at Bolton Abbey is wonderfull for calming the mind and letting it rest.

If you sit and think about life and the past too much it gets to you. Your mind needs calm time, a time where you don't think, you just look around and let the world float over you.

I know your pain mate, I was married 15 years and lost the love of my life to a bunch of scumbags at my local pub.

I have spent the last 3 years developing my skills and getting out there again. The woods and the birds singing realy lift my heart. My photography takes me back to a place in my mind where life and worry don't exist.

Get your camera out, get out there and start to find your Mojo, it will com back. It's taken me a couple of months to get over a fiasco with Canon and get back to toggin, this week I'm off and good weather allowing I'll be out for a couple of days.
 
My heart goes out to you John. I have lost my mojo on many occasions, and although desperate to get it back, life means it's not always that easy.

but I now force myself to go out and snap away. Just getting out and going for a walk can lift your spirit, you never know what you will come across.

I think we are our own worst enemy sometimes, thinking our pics are rubbish..I often think mine are, but I have posted them up, and had good feedback, that in itself makes you feel more confident about your abilities. Where I do get bad feedback, the comments make me want to go out and improve.

Get out there, go somewhere different, and hopefully, that mojo will be sitting at the top of the hill waiting for you xxx
 
I think everyone's been there to an extent. I haven't been so down about photography for a long time but I have been through similar phases in other areas.

For me, and I think it's entirely unique to you how you deal with it, the key was just taking the pressure off. Rather than demanding of myself an instant improvement in either quality or mood I'd accept a smaller thing (like when going to a decent place for photos not being gutted that you didn't take a great pic but trying to be happy that you'd got out of the house or somesuch).
 
One thing to consider is not to force yourself to do photography just because; it then become somewhat of a "must" and it's easy to fall into the dangerous spiral of getting depressed over not doing things you "should".

Perhaps try finding completely different hobby/interests that you enjoy, and once the spirit lifts go back to photography?

It's not easy; but in the long run life is temporary, and everything that comes with it. Thus your hardships are temporary too.
 
In my opinion for what it's worth - don't try to force it. Put the camera and stuff away and look for something else to channel your creative energy.

Write a book. Paint. Anything else but dont take photographs. Perhaps in the future you will find the spark again but in the meantime you'll be creating something different.

Ten years ago I was working a a professional musician writing music for software houses and singers. 5 years ago I lost the spark and struggled with writing anything. I turned away from it and picked up a camera. Now I am a professional photographer and I don't miss the music but I still have a focus for creativity.
 
Thanks folks for all your kind words and suggestions.

I'll be attending the Kirkby Lonsdale meet next Sunday (weather and dog permitting), so it will be good to visit somewhere I've not been before and do some landscape stuff (which is my preferred area). I've driven past a few times on my way elsewhere, but never had the opportunity to stop.
 
Why not grab a little point and shoot then the photos become more satisying for the same shot,take it around with you and shoot when u see somet interesting. you wont be forceing photography just having a bash now and then. soon get back into it and pine for the d90 you have!
 
realmofconfusion said:
I've had a really tough time since my wife left me just over 2 years ago (she'd been having an affair with one of my best friends). :shake:

I've been on anti-depressants, sleeping pills, seeing a counsellor - all the "usual" stuff :cuckoo:, and while I'm now back at work (in a new job), I seem to have lost all enthusiasm for photography. Even on the days when I can be bothered to go out and take some photos, I'm really disappointed with 99% of what I take and end up trashing most (or all) of what I've taken, which leaves me feeling even worse having made the effort and having nothing to show for it.

Any suggestions as to how to get out of the rut (ideas need to be free or very cheap as money is really tight)? :help:
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first of all dont push it...let things come back slowly
walking out with the camera but not aiming to take shots will get you more acclimatised to the basic motivation...you will start seeing things again and become more interested...dont be critical of your efforts..let others do that

been there
 
Sounds like you're having a rough time of it, sorry to hear that. Just out of interest, did you share your photos with your wife or generally chat about your days shooting. Could be that there is an association between shooting and your wife which is making it difficult for you to go out. Excellent idea to meet up with others, which will help to break the association, plus you can share the days events with new people which will be a big benefit.

Hope this helps, but as a trained psychotherapist/hypnotherapist there can be all sorts of triggers & associations which can affect any and all aspects of your life. This may sound strange but quite often a grief councillor can be a major help for the 'death' of a relationship.
 
be that there is an association between shooting and your wife which is making it difficult for you to go out.
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I know I shouldn't chuckle but this did make me smile.

I'm also the other side of the ex wife syndrome, my mojo for a lot of things dissapeared but most have come back slowly.

Photography has been my salvation more than I thought, until my 100-400L and 5D2 had to go back to Canon I never realised.

Maybe just do as others have said, take the camera out for a drive. Even if you don't take any pictures it will make you smile that the camera went out for a ride with you.

My 40D and 5d2 have had many fruitless trips out but I'm sure they enjoyed them :D
 
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