Losing my touch

the black fox

the black fox

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Jeff
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Can’t seem to get back the ooomph I had pre lockdown ,probably just time of year , or perhaps conditions but I just can’t seem to get the i.q I was getting ,feel like selling the lot and taking up something interesting like knitting .. quickly losing interest .. need a spark to ignite me … any one else feeling the same .. it used to b3 something to look forward to ,now wherever I go it’s full of people
 
Same here - a lot of my shooting is on days out etc... so a lot less of those, mind you weather has not helped much.

Hopefully things will pick up - day out at the coast Thursday and then Friday in London.
 
the black fox said:
Can’t seem to get back the ooomph I had pre lockdown ,probably just time of year ,
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I find the less you do, whether that's enforced or through choice,
the less you want to do, no matter what the subject or activity.

the black fox said:
taking up something interesting like knitting
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Put me down for a scarf ready for the winter (y)
 
Yeah, I kinda feel the same.
Just can't get into really wanting to go out and take photos.
 
I bought a new lens that I've been 'wanting' for ages a couple of weeks ago - and haven't used it yet. Most unlike me. I haven't been out photographing for far too long - and I need to get back into it. I'm sure there are many in similar situations across a range of hobbies and interests. It's all part of recovery from our worldwide shock of change. We'll all get there - but we might need a nudge or two along the way.
 
Me and the missus went out yesterday to the Great Fen between Huntingdon and Peterborough
Its one of the last wild Fens, most were drained to create farmland.
This in turn has caused a massive loss of peat as shown in the photo below.
The right hand post was placed there in 1851 and was then buried to ground level with only the top showing.
This is the lowest land point in the UK at 9ft below sea level.

We have bought a couple of folding chairs and take ourselves off out to quiet places.
Have a wander, take a few photos then come back to the car and have lunch.
Sat amongst the trees in the shade yesterday was very nice apart from the biting insects.
Just got to do it, too easy to sit about moping and whinging, life is for living.


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I’m glad it’s not just me. I’ve not taken 50 shots in a year, I keep looking at my gear just sitting there and seeing pound signs. Hopefully we can get out and about and remember why we love photograph.
 
Thanks lads ,hopefully things will adjust once again .
 
Mojo's deserted me a bit too. Just enjoying other things more! Not going to do anything drastic, just bide my time in the hope that inspiration strikes again.
 
I'm really enjoying my photography at the moment but I found getting rid of some old gear and replacing it with some new and interesting kit that's allowed me to experiment again with genres I hadn't touched in years has really helped. I decided this year I'd get back into landscape, people and urban, well out of my usual macro/product/ultra macro comfort zone. The DSLR was exchanged for mirrorless and macro lenses replaced (most of, not all) with 28's, 40's, 50's, 85s etcs.. vintage lenses. Monochrome came back into the fold and I'm now having to try to remember how I used to PP such images and learn new ways. I enjoy the learning and the challenge and it's sparked me again. I now have a Domke bag with the Z6 and a couple of lenses in the car with me every day and whilst I don't have many minutes to shoot throughout a fairly hectic working day, I leap out of the car for 5 mins here and there and look forward to sitting down for 40 mins in the evening to review what I've captured and throw a couple of images up on Flickr and the website blog.
 
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the black fox said:
Can’t seem to get back the ooomph I had pre lockdown ,probably just time of year , or perhaps conditions but I just can’t seem to get the i.q I was getting ,feel like selling the lot and taking up something interesting like knitting .. quickly losing interest .. need a spark to ignite me … any one else feeling the same .. it used to b3 something to look forward to ,now wherever I go it’s full of people
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Maybe some of this hangs on what you want to achieve. If you want top image quality and a lot of likes on social media I can see how conditions and a lack of IQ would be a problem. I never look for those things and just take pictures for the memories and the joy of it all. You could say that shows up in my less than inspiring "photography" which will never make me famous on social media but maybe stepping back from trying to make great images and chasing likes (if that's what you do...) and instead just trying to take pictures you like or are memorable for whatever reason (we had a nice day out here...) may help as could trying to enjoy the process without necessarily producing images that are going to be featured on explore (apologies if you don't do social media and/or chase likes.)
 
woof woof said:
Maybe some of this hangs on what you want to achieve. If you want top image quality and a lot of likes on social media I can see how conditions and a lack of IQ would be a problem. I never look for those things and just take pictures for the memories and the joy of it all. You could say that shows up in my less than inspiring "photography" which will never make me famous on social media but maybe stepping back from trying to make great images and chasing likes (if that's what you do...) and instead just trying to take pictures you like or are memorable for whatever reason (we had a nice day out here...) may help as could trying to enjoy the process without necessarily producing images that are going to be featured on explore (apologies if you don't do social media and/or chase likes.)
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Don’t do neither if people like my photos or comment etc then well and good . I do however try to achieve a standard with results . No point if you don’t like the results of your own work
 
the black fox said:
Don’t do neither if people like my photos or comment etc then well and good . I do however try to achieve a standard with results . No point if you don’t like the results of your own work
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You don't chase likes, good.

Your use of "work" made me cringe as I do when amateurs on forums refer to their "work." I think this telling. If you see this as work then maybe that explains how you feel and maybe it is time to make a change to how you pursue photography or accept that you can't get the results you want and try something else entirely.

You may well disagree but I only do "this" for the enjoyment and the memories, "work" has nothing to do with it and the second I see this as "work" I'll stop and (re)start painting and drawing or restoring old cars.

Good luck with either turning things around or in your next venture, but I do recommend less "work" and more fun and enjoyment.
 
Nope your just twisting my words alan , I love what I do with a passion , and whatever I do I always strive for better results than I achieved in previous years .. I gave up on “work” 11 years ago when I retired . Just going through a grey patch at the moment as I’m sure we all do at times . The last few years have been a fight ,heart failure, having to downsize equipment to even carry on the hobby , getting fit again for covid to make a mess of everything . But never say never the south shall rise again
 
the black fox said:
Nope your just twisting my words alan , I love what I do with a passion , and whatever I do I always strive for better results than I achieved in previous years .. I gave up on “work” 11 years ago when I retired . Just going through a grey patch at the moment as I’m sure we all do at times . The last few years have been a fight ,heart failure, having to downsize equipment to even carry on the hobby , getting fit again for covid to make a mess of everything . But never say never the south shall rise again
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Jeff, I'm not "twisting your words" as believe me I have better things to do. I'm honestly trying to help and you did use the word "work" which I do see people use a lot and it does honestly make me cringe, especially when in the context of losing mojo.

We all have issues Jeff and I have mine. My releases are listening to music, reading, walking and photography and in the past it's also been art and keep fit and electronics and a host of other things and being an obsessive I sometimes I pursue things to the nth degree (to a degree even you might balk at) but the key is recognising when that happens and kills the enjoyment and being grounded enough to keep all of these things as enjoyment for me.

You seem to have lost the enjoyment and I do think that going on what you've posted so far that it's the striving for results that's at least added to this. How you can get back or if you want to I don't know. I'd still be taking pictures if all I could use was my Kodak as ultimate image quality is down the list for me but that's me. You seem to be "striving" so I recommend you stop going out and striving to create ever better images and instead take a camera out and take pictures as and when and if the urge and scene arises and not strive or push yourself or the boundaries as that clearly isn't working for you. You can get back to that later if you can fan the flames and get a bit of drive back.

Good luck with it.
 
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Having reflected on what I said above - tonight is a clear night with not much moon so I’ve taken the plunge - and I’m out to see if I can remember how to use the camera and get some Astro shots. Let’s see if I know what I’m doing. (And testing the new lens I mentioned)
 
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