Suddenly feeling Photographers block

CrazeUK

CrazeUK

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CrazeUK
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So i have my dream (for the moment) camera, the D7000, got good lenses.. and kit.. but suddenly i cant get my self to take any pics.

I am just scared at the monstrosoties i may take!
I almost feel like Monet might have felt when he realised the affects of cataract on his paintings!
 
I think thats the problem.. for 6 years whilst i didnt have the DSLR and just aspired to get one i imagined all the beautiful shots i may take.. and now i built my self such an expectation i fear it :s
 
I understand your concerns and I don't know your photography background but I don't think there's a single person on this forum that hasn't taken a "monstrosity" of a photo.

Personally I would get out there and start shooting. Upload your pics on here and ask for advice. It's the only way to improve. Practice, practice, practice but most of all enjoy.
 
A long time ago back in 2002 i had a 35mm SLR an a single lens (still have it). With that i would say i took decent pics. But what i have taken so far doesnt feel like its upto scratch :S

But yeah i think i should just start taking shots
 
Every member of this site will have or will suffer the loss of the photographic mojo at some point. The main thing to remember is that it will come back, so don't stress about it...... that makes the barrier higher :eek:

Spring is just around the corner, there's an abundance of photographic inspiration just waiting to be snapped.

:thumbs:
 
This is a great video if you feel you're not happy with your work.

[youtube]PbC4gqZGPSY[/youtube]
 
Here is a recent post i made for someone else, some of it may help, although i feel some may seem like teaching you to suck eggs.
Either way you may get something from it.
Get out there, shoot.
Everyday make a point of taking at least one photo.
Take your camera everywhere!
I mean everywhere.
Work through the modes (A P S) and observe what they offer for each Situation, try and match what they offer, try and predict the cameras choice of shutter and aperture value for any given scene.
Take your camera everywhere.
Shoot what YOU want to shoot and not what's trending right now.
Limit yourself to one lens for any given day and don't beat yourself up cos you haven't got your superzoom or ultra wide with you, concentrate on taking photos and not changing lenses.
Don't get too bogged down with technicalities or settings, make it as fun and relaxed as you want.
Take your camera everywhere.
Remember that there is no right or wrong way to make an image with a camera, there is only your way.*
Don't get crushed when you ask for critique, the idea of critique is to provide an honest opinion on whatever is submitted and sometimes the truth hurts.
Name your "keeper" images, its another creative process that adds to the image and helps you to understand more about yourself and your photography.
Take your camera everywhere.
 
Thanks for all the support guys its much appreciated. That video hits a home point.. it descrobes just what i feel.
Simon: i love the way the take your cam every where is there..
Right now i have a tenedcy to carry my cam ruck sack, which contains everything except the tripod.. i guess i need to learn to limit that too!
 
Work on an image in your minds eye over the course of a week. Don't touch your camera during this but keep it in sight!
Start with a genre. Lets say, landscape. Now, where? Seascape? Valley? Mountains? Only you know the perfect spot. Make it somewhere you know and can visualize. Create a mood for your image, warm? cold? vibrant? flat?
How would you frame it, work through the options, Where are the elements you want to frame placed in the frame? What will you have to do to achieve this? Picture yourself there, setting up your tripod, holding your camera, what lens,making settings selections.
All this can be done in your imagination and costs nothing to try, requires no equipment and i find it to be a very meditative process that expands my love of photography even more.
You may need to create a mental device for this to help you work through the options. One thing i do is almost like an imaginary game of guess who, where your eliminating the choices to reach your desired goal.
I know this all seems deep and probably makes me come across as a bit of a mental but this is what rolls around in my noggin most of the time. Probably in other peoples too!
 
Photography is trial and improvement. I could take 30 shots on a day and cancel them down to one good shot. Those 30 contain all different compositions and exposures that just don't work. Don't expect yourself to be amazing just because you have a decent DLSR. Instead, use it as the tool it was built as.
 
Maybe try doing a 365 or some other project, which kinda forces you to go shoot and explore?
Or how about one of the online training courses, some of them get a good write-up and will supply you with goals and support as you develop?
How about some charity work, as it happens, I'm just off the phone to a pal who helps out at a local stables who help disabled kids, and I've just offered my services for anything photo related (will have to do disclosure)
For me, its all about targets and goals. Theres things I see on tinternet and I want to try them, but I suppose when I'm this new to toggery, anything counts as a challenge :-)

Nice camera you got, what did you upgrade from? ( I felt the same as you when I got my D3100, then I seen some of the kit on here) Enjoy all the learning and growing into the new toy
Good luck with your projects
 
Simon photo said:
Work on an image in your minds eye over the course of a week. Don't touch your camera during this but keep it in sight!
Start with a genre. Lets say, landscape. Now, where? Seascape? Valley? Mountains? Only you know the perfect spot. Make it somewhere you know and can visualize. Create a mood for your image, warm? cold? vibrant? flat?
How would you frame it, work through the options, Where are the elements you want to frame placed in the frame? What will you have to do to achieve this? Picture yourself there, setting up your tripod, holding your camera, what lens,making settings selections.
All this can be done in your imagination and costs nothing to try, requires no equipment and i find it to be a very meditative process that expands my love of photography even more.
You may need to create a mental device for this to help you work through the options. One thing i do is almost like an imaginary game of guess who, where your eliminating the choices to reach your desired goal.
I know this all seems deep and probably makes me come across as a bit of a mental but this is what rolls around in my noggin most of the time. Probably in other peoples too!
Click to expand...


Nice ideas here, certainly not mental :cuckoo: :lol: I'm going to make an effort to do this, too often I find myself wandering about with camera in hand, and no idea really what I'm looking to achieve.
 
Simon photo said:
Work on an image in your minds eye over the course of a week. Don't touch your camera during this but keep it in sight!
Start with a genre. Lets say, landscape. Now, where? Seascape? Valley? Mountains? Only you know the perfect spot. Make it somewhere you know and can visualize. Create a mood for your image, warm? cold? vibrant? flat?
How would you frame it, work through the options, Where are the elements you want to frame placed in the frame? What will you have to do to achieve this? Picture yourself there, setting up your tripod, holding your camera, what lens,making settings selections.
All this can be done in your imagination and costs nothing to try, requires no equipment and i find it to be a very meditative process that expands my love of photography even more.
You may need to create a mental device for this to help you work through the options. One thing i do is almost like an imaginary game of guess who, where your eliminating the choices to reach your desired goal.
I know this all seems deep and probably makes me come across as a bit of a mental but this is what rolls around in my noggin most of the time. Probably in other peoples too!
Click to expand...

Some great ideas, i know i often did this before i purchased the cam, and i think thats a part of the issue, i fantasized about taking these amazing pics, and now i am scared they wont be as amazing.

Will definitly try this more.
 
Know how you feel...

Just got a camera again last month and just one lens to see if I'm still interested and once again I'm getting hung up on the 'gear' aspect of it. 'If only I had 3 SB-900s with PWs and light shapers' or 'I could shoot that with the 70-200 but no point trying with the 24-70'.

I know I can go out there and create photos but I just feel that until I spend another few grand on lenses/speedlights I may as well not bother going out.... Bring on Spring because I think this Winter has given me S.A.D. or something similar. :lol:
 
Jarrrp said:
Photography is trial and improvement. I could take 30 shots on a day and cancel them down to one good shot. Those 30 contain all different compositions and exposures that just don't work. Don't expect yourself to be amazing just because you have a decent DLSR. Instead, use it as the tool it was built as.
Click to expand...

Definitely agree with this, wonderful advice.
I know how you feel, I've been feeling rather the same recently, need to get out there & shoot more!

EDIT → & I LOVE the video posted above.
 
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I was pretty much the same position and I decided to do a personal project (a 52 in my case) to motive me taking at least "one" photo week.

You could join in now and catch up or start your own project.
 
DrRusty said:
I was pretty much the same position and I decided to do a personal project (a 52 in my case) to motive me taking at least "one" photo week.

You could join in now and catch up or start your own project.
Click to expand...

Yesterday, from another photographer on here i found out about it.
Although i dont want to officially join the 52 week challenge for fear of embarassment, i do intend to do it and keep up to it.
I just got a few weeks to ctach up on lol
 
I know how you feel dude,

I've got to a stage where I've run out of new things to shoot that's local to me, I keep shooting the same stuff over and over. Maybe the weather isn't helping and I'm sure not helping myself by not putting myself somewhere where there's interesting stuff to shoot.

you've just got to push through it, like the video said.
 
I solve the problem by purchasing a new lens ;) Expensive but it works!

Seriously though, I sometimes get photographers block more in winter as I enjoy long exposure and landscape shots and with a cold breeze blowing, it just isn't much fun shooting compared to summertime.

Get down to London, some great places to shoot there :)
 
v16ben said:
I solve the problem by purchasing a new lens ;) Expensive but it works!

Seriously though, I sometimes get photographers block more in winter as I enjoy long exposure and landscape shots and with a cold breeze blowing, it just isn't much fun shooting compared to summertime.

Get down to London, some great places to shoot there :)
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The trip to london happened, less the bag and tripod, plus a friend.

Even though i found some interesting shots, i didnt find my self getting overly excited as i would as much.

:S

But here are some pics i took in london..
 
Some good stuff in there. I really like the jelly bean shots!

I guess it does depend on the day really. I don't always get excited with what I find on a particular day with the camera either :)
 
Don't worry, I was doing a 365 last year and uploading photos most days.
I last uploaded a shot on February 21st and have barely taken anything since :)
 
CrazeUK said:
Quick update.. my photography.. is still non existent :S
Click to expand...

STOP THINKING!! Seriously, just stop it, right now, as soon as you read this post!

I have news for you - it doesn't matter if you take crap pictures - to you, your pictures will always be less good than they actually are, no matter how much you improve, get better, develop skills, etc, we all do it, we ARE our own worst/best critic....


.....now then, take your camera out of it's cosy little bag [because let's be honest here, while it is sitting in there, it is nothing more than an expensive doorstop], stick a lens on it, a card in it and turn it on.... GO TAKE PICTURES!! GO, get out of here....don't come back until you have pointed that expensive black box at 20 different things! :D


Then post them, well some of them, that is when we can help you turn the shots you are scared of into shots you can love! :hug2:
 
Yv said:
STOP THINKING!! Seriously, just stop it, right now, as soon as you read this post!

I have news for you - it doesn't matter if you take crap pictures - to you, your pictures will always be less good than they actually are, no matter how much you improve, get better, develop skills, etc, we all do it, we ARE our own worst/best critic....


.....now then, take your camera out of it's cosy little bag [because let's be honest here, while it is sitting in there, it is nothing more than an expensive doorstop], stick a lens on it, a card in it and turn it on.... GO TAKE PICTURES!! GO, get out of here....don't come back until you have pointed that expensive black box at 20 different things! :D


Then post them, well some of them, that is when we can help you turn the shots you are scared of into shots you can love! :hug2:
Click to expand...

I know your right.. and its tragic :( ok.. tomorrow it is.. i will definitely go tomorrow!!
 
CrazeUK said:
I know your right.. and its tragic :( ok.. tomorrow it is.. i will definitely go tomorrow!!
Click to expand...

Ahhhh shadapayouface! Not tragic at all, just one of those things innit.
Can't wait to see what you have shot today, and don't worry if they are not up to your expectations. Sometimes its more interesting what other people have shot than how they shot it.
I was donated a compact for one of my mad scientist projects last week, got it home! Bingo. Sd card in it. Had to have a look. Turned out to be someone documenting the builders they were working with laying some concrete and the such. Technically rubbish photos but that didn't matter to the guy taking the photographs and didn't matter to me, they were Fascinating as they opened up a window into a time long gone, and showed me the world seen by that photographer (builder i know but everyone is a photographer when they pick up a camera) that day.
 
Ok so the London trip got canned..
I did have a meeting for CLAPA (Cleft Lip and Palate Association) in Birmingham today.

So took the oppertunity to take some pics.

I thought for the 52 Week challenge one of these pics would go into the 'Shiny' Entry.

I wont post them all here (you can go through the album), i did have an issue with the lighting.
There was a slightly Orangy tint to my pics, but using fireworks autho filter i got a nicer image.

Any ideas:
This was in a dirty window on the bull ring.
1.
Me :D by CrazeUK, on Flickr


I tried to catch a shot of the bull being in focus and everyone else buzing around (as if they where in the bull run in Spain).

2.
The bull run by CrazeUK, on Flickr


I randomly noticed this guy, reminding me of a modern day cow boy. all he was missing was a straw in his mouth.

3.
The cow boy by CrazeUK, on Flickr

I like this, because it was my first Gotcha moment..
4.
I caught the cow boys eye! by CrazeUK, on Flickr

Heres an orange tint pic.. although i like it in this case:

5.
birmingham_20120310-020 by CrazeUK, on Flickr

I tired to make this pic a take a guess as to what it is:
6.
birmingham_20120310-012 by CrazeUK, on Flickr
 
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Just like Yv mentioned before, we are all definitely our own harshest critics. I'm terrible, never uploading work & discarding not half bad ideas before I can carry them out for fear of failure. I need to just get out there & do what I love doing instead of dreaming of doing it.

Pleased to see you've got out there & shot! :}
 
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IamAshlyRose said:
Just like Yv mentioned before, we are all definitely our own harshest critics. I'm terrible, never uploading work & discarding not half bad ideas before I can carry them out for fear of failure. I need to just get out there & do what I love doing instead of dreaming of doing it.

Pleased to see you've got out there & shot! :}
Click to expand...

I see no compliment :p Only messing. Yeah i think that is my worst enemy i have no confidence in what i capture.

P.s. just looked at your flikr.. LOVE IT!!
 
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@CrazeUK The fifth one is my favourite 'cause of the interesting perspective & it's well framed :} I quite like the colour balance in it aswell. & thank you for the kind words!
 
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Only just read this thread and I must admit I feel exactly the same so good to see I'm not alone. Starting to realise I cannot do what I would like to with photography.
 
gazmorton2000 said:
Only just read this thread and I must admit I feel exactly the same so good to see I'm not alone. Starting to realise I cannot do what I would like to with photography.
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I've felt the same way for a long time but I've recently been realising that it takes years of development to gain the abilities we wish we had! Of course you can do what you'd like to be doing :}
 
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