Losing your mojo

bossy

bossy

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Mike
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Hard at the moment, I had a real passion for photography for a few years, then the dayjob business got in trouble and I ended up selling all my kit last year.

I took an XE1 to Colorado with me a couple of months ago, but since i've been back, I've not really been out at all. Part of me thinks the XE1 won't give me the same results as my much loved 6D, but I know it's not about the camera.

Would love to get back out enjoying it again, but for some reason, i'm really struggling.

Anyone been through anything similar?
 
It does happen,you just got to see it thought and get out their,plus the Fuji XE-1 is still a very capable camera.

You will get their :)
 
Oh yeah, we all go through it at some time. It's almost 45 years since I got my first SLR and there have been several times when I've got rid of everything and just had a compact or smaller format camera. I don't take that much now and have cut back to just a Sony RX10 which, apart from less DR than I'd like, handles almost everything I need. I may not go out that often with it but I enjoy it when I do and my biggest critic (wifey) says I still produce good results.
So don't worry about it, keep a camera that you're happy to use and just wait for things to turn round.
 
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bossy said:
Anyone been through anything similar?
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I used to years and years ago, yes. Then I realised photography is about the subject, not just taking pictures. I LOVE photography when I am interested in the subject... and quickly get bored of it when it's just for the sake of shooting.

Find a project.
 
Happens to all of us at some point. I wouldn't avoid using the X-E1 on the basis of it not delivering like your 6D.
For me, I found the X series made me go out and shoot more :)

As David has said, a project will help get you back into it. Maybe even set a goal to do a Zine with said project, even if just for yourself. There is a real satisfaction to seeing things in print and hopefully you will get your mojo back.
 
Pookeyhead said:
I used to years and years ago, yes. Then I realised photography is about the subject, not just taking pictures. I LOVE photography when I am interested in the subject... and quickly get bored of it when it's just for the sake of shooting.

Find a project.
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Agree with this, found myself also lacking some mojo this year for a few months. Then I got cracking on a project I'm interested in, and enjoying it all again properly now, even though most of the images I've taken for it are rubbish. :D

As a knock-on from that, I've enjoyed a couple of non-projects shoots more recently. It's definitely something that comes in waves for me I think, but having some kind of focus, even if it doesn't dictate everything you shoot has helped me get back on track and thinking again.
 
GlennW said:
Agree with this, found myself also lacking some mojo this year for a few months. Then I got cracking on a project I'm interested in, and enjoying it all again properly now, even though most of the images I've taken for it are rubbish. :D

As a knock-on from that, I've enjoyed a couple of non-projects shoots more recently. It's definitely something that comes in waves for me I think, but having some kind of focus, even if it doesn't dictate everything you shoot has helped me get back on track and thinking again.
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Cheers gents
 
I get periods of lack of enthusiasm. I'll keep going out with the camera and not bothering to take it out of its bag because there's nothing interesting enough to photograph. I'll see things I used to photograph enthusiastically, but I've done those. I may even see a really good opportunity, but know that to even get near the standard of some of the really good shots I've seen of that kind of thing I'd need to have brought a tripod and timed my arrival with the presence of the sun in the right position. Anyway that's not really my kind of photography. So once again I'll come home without having taken the camera from its bag.

What always rekindles my enthusiasm is arranging a complete long afternoon off when I can wander off on foot in a nice place to be with no idea of photographing anything, just strolling around following my nose. Sooner or later I'll come across something completely unexpected which is interesting enough to be worth a photograph. And given that I have nothing better to do, I can spend time thinking about how best to photograph it. I can walk around looking at it from different views, thinking about what else should be included or excluded. Perhaps I should wait for someone walking past? I may spend 15 minutes deciding how to shoot it. When I get home I may look things up on the web as well as processing the image. That may lead to going back, this time with a tripod, a better lens, and when the sun is in a better position.

Sometimes it takes a few such events before one thing leading to another in unexpected coincidences finally finds me exploring a new project. The key, for me, is getting away from pressure, from deadlines, from worries, just strolling around on foot with a camera and with plenty of time to stand and stare.
 
chris malcolm said:
I get periods of lack of enthusiasm. I'll keep going out with the camera and not bothering to take it out of its bag because there's nothing interesting enough to photograph. I'll see things I used to photograph enthusiastically, but I've done those. I may even see a really good opportunity, but know that to even get near the standard of some of the really good shots I've seen of that kind of thing I'd need to have brought a tripod and timed my arrival with the presence of the sun in the right position. Anyway that's not really my kind of photography. So once again I'll come home without having taken the camera from its bag.

What always rekindles my enthusiasm is arranging a complete long afternoon off when I can wander off on foot in a nice place to be with no idea of photographing anything, just strolling around following my nose. Sooner or later I'll come across something completely unexpected which is interesting enough to be worth a photograph. And given that I have nothing better to do, I can spend time thinking about how best to photograph it. I can walk around looking at it from different views, thinking about what else should be included or excluded. Perhaps I should wait for someone walking past? I may spend 15 minutes deciding how to shoot it. When I get home I may look things up on the web as well as processing the image. That may lead to going back, this time with a tripod, a better lens, and when the sun is in a better position.

Sometimes it takes a few such events before one thing leading to another in unexpected coincidences finally finds me exploring a new project. The key, for me, is getting away from pressure, from deadlines, from worries, just strolling around on foot with a camera and with plenty of time to stand and stare.
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Thanks Chris, a very well thought out post, I'm very grateful for the advice
 
Just to put your mind at rest about the X series and image quality - it's well up there with any APS-C crop body and the Fuji lenses are pretty damn good too!

As for Mojo, well, sometimes your enthusiasm just drops for a while. You can try a project or just carrying a decent compact around and scouting for locations that could throw up good shots at different times of day/year.
 
Nod said:
Just to put your mind at rest about the X series and image quality - it's well up there with any APS-C crop body and the Fuji lenses are pretty damn good too!

As for Mojo, well, sometimes your enthusiasm just drops for a while. You can try a project or just carrying a decent compact around and scouting for locations that could throw up good shots at different times of day/year.
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Thanks Nod, yes was thinking of picking up a second hand RX100 for when i'm just out and about.
 
I've struggled with mojo for a while too. Plus like Chris above I'll go out with a camera & not even remove the lens cap!

I reckon it's probably not been helped by my breakup a year ago. It's been like nothing else has really mattered..

Tbh I can't even remember the last pic I took that I even liked.
I think David is right in that you need something good to point your camera at in the first place..
 
I lost interest in the mid 80's "because I could not find anything of interest"
Try a new genre. Five years ago, I had no interest in aircraft
Now with decent kit looking forward to low light situations and the challenge this poses
Oh, and flash....a year ago, I didn't use it at all
 
Thanks guys, really grateful for the advice.

You're right, a project or something a little different definitely ignites the fire. Went to Paris a few months ago and just shot a few street style shots, very different to what I would normally feel comfortable with, and really enjoyed it.
 
If it's not your livelihood it's nothing to worry about. Life goes in phases. That's normal.

Relax about it, but stay alert - think about photography and its aspects, if it interests you. Look at others' photographs and study the world with a photographic eye. What are you passionate about? Can it be portrayed?
 
I find an hour or two on flicking through randomly on Flickr (or any other photo web site) usually brings my mojo back.
 
IW-Photography said:
I find an hour or two on flicking through randomly on Flickr (or any other photo web site) usually brings my mojo back.
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It's strange, but the dross that you get on Flickr and 500px generally makes me want to slit my wrists rather than pick up a camera. All eye candy, no substance.
 
TheBigYin said:
It's strange, but the dross that you get on Flickr and 500px generally makes me want to slit my wrists rather than pick up a camera. All eye candy, no substance.
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I wouldn't disagree in part but t think that "the dross" can be motivating in a "I could do much better" kind of way. Anyway, it works for me.
 
Ha ha, great thread and thanks! I've been through this about three times now where I think 'why have I got a couple of grands worth of gear just to take photos?' So I sell up, buy another guitar and a nice compact (LX100 at the moment...), and then after 12 months start looking through the albums with fresh eyes (or see some work that stirs me) and think that I'd like to take shots like that again. Glad it's not just me :)
 
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