Time to quit?

Rosedalelad said:
I've been in and out of photography several times in my 50 years or so since I started. The latest was just last year when I decided to sell all my DSLR gear and buy a decent digital compact. Funnily enough, this rekindled my interest and I have bought into Fuji. At the moment, I am having fun with it all - particularly B&W but I am refusing to spend alot - I don't buy the latest & greatest. I think this is helpful in that I don't take photography too seriously. If I buy the latest technology, I will feel under pressure to perform and that isn't good. I do find that not going out with all the gear helps too. Travel light - take a compact with you
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This is my approach too - the pressure that carrying the latest expensive gear puts on you is a bit much IMO. I very much doubt that it makes a significant difference to 99% of shooting; I prefer the pleasant surprise of coaxing a decent shot out of 'legacy' kit.

OP should get a TLR off ebay and just do something completely different.
 
Neil, my advice would probably be the opposite to all the guys saying buy a cheap point and shoot etc and actually say get excited about a new piece of equipment potentially a lens for your camera that encourages you to shoot a different genre. Over the years I have always been into photography but if my passion for one genre wanes then I devote more time to a different one to keep immersed in photography. A new lens for example is a great way to get excited about doing this and the cost outlay forces you into action once you have spent it!

You are a very good photographer with your own style and in my opinion should not quit. I do sympathise with you as another local, that for me personally I struggle for inspiration locally. Don't get me wrong when the light is playing ball I get that rush but my heart is not always in it locally. I enjoy using the camera and getting stuff to process and being outside in the fresh air but it feels like I'm just practicing. Practicing for when I am abroad or in the mountains taking pictures of things that turn me on.

Maybe you should book a trip to give yourself something to look forward to?

I've got itineraries planned for snowdonia, the peaks, the Brecon Beacons and the lakes for October and November then Iceland in February and I think about them everyday!
 
Shoot different things. Or swap to a smaller/more limited kit.

I shoot a bit of local sea/landscape/sunset stuff, quite a bit of local car meets/events & then a lot of everyday kids/family/memories type stuff. Just printed about 200 images off plus another maybe 80-90 from holiday [including some film] all to go in albums for viewing. Some of them aren't technically 'brilliant', but from a 'memories' point of view they are bloody excellent :)
 
I would warn against buying any new kit. I feel this isn't the answer to losing your photography mojo.
As others have mentioned, try shooting a different genre or perhaps even start a project to get the creative thought process going.
 
For me one of the biggest antidotes to self criticism is getting your images off the hard drive and seeking opinion / critique / a good honest bit of ego boosting ( :D ) from elsewhere. And not just the stuff you're ecstatically happy with. That in itself has kicked me out of a funk a few times. Another option that's working for me at the moment is a weekly photo challenge, with a different subject each week. Though I guess half the problem is feeling that you have to do it, rather than wanting to!

But I sure do get where you're coming from, and hope you come out the other side! :)
 
On the one hand, if its no longer fun why bother? Try something else, why worry?

On the other hand if it is because you have lost inspiration why not buy a photo mag and just copy one of the projects they have, I know it sounds silly but just copying someone else's project can get the 'juices flowing' again and spur you on to do something of your own.
 
I got totally fed up with trying to take every photo as if it was one to be entered into the next camera club competition so I left the boring repetitive club, put all of my Nikon DSLR kit away & purchased a Sony compact. I now take photographs that please me & at the end of the day that's all that matters

Give it a try!!!
 
Neil. I echo many sentiments that have been stated here and I too am currently experiencing that lack of motivation and desire to go out and shoot.

First thing for me to say regarding your shots are,,,,,,, I honestly aspire to some of your photography. You are one member here that when I see a thread posted in your name in the landscape section, I know it's going to be a quality image!!.

I too suffer like make have said, with being overly critical and when I look back through my Flickr I find faults in everything and sometimes, "what I was thinking when choosing that photo to add to the collection!!!". But many people tell me that my images are great and I have had many requests for purchasing them, so I only presume they cannot be that bad haha.

As mentioned above. I took a few pics in February in Scotland and since then I have pretty much done nothing!! I have been to some great places but lacked the desire to take my gear. All of my time has been taken up with other things but I have now, almost, forced myself back on this site to see what has been happening and I instantly feel a level of motivation returning!!!. Especially when i see Iceland images . I am even contemplating battling the Friday night traffic and spectators to go and take some images at Blackpool fireworks tonight haha.

I ended up selling a few surplus bits and bobs but kept the obligatory Zeiss and Nikon trinity as I knew that one day I would get that motivation back and to replace it all would possibly be double what I would get for it now!!!.

Any way mate. Hope it all works out whatever you decide and if you feel you need a trip to Iceland (not the shop) to rejuvenate your passion then give me a shout and we will do it
 
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I think a lot depends on what you want to get out of photography. I've had a quick look at your gallery and FWIW and IMHO you've captured some great images that I would be proud of if they were mine.

Even though I'm not a particularly good photographer, I've been interested in photography for pretty much all of my life, yet my appetite for it varies considerably. Sometimes I find myself with a camera in my hand pretty much all the time. Other times, a few weeks will have gone by without me touching a camera. Yet I remain interested.

Put the camera down and do some other stuff. Your interest in photography will most likely not go away completely and may well increase as you gain new perspective from not actively thinking about it all the time.
Good luck.
 
This happens to me also, if the weather is good and I manage to get out a lot I get a bit fed up up driving/traveling to places to get shots, I find that as suggested on previous posts just sticking the camera away for a few weeks does the job, also, have you tried watching movies with famous landscapes in them? I'm a bit of a movie fan, and I find that when I watch something with breathtaking scenery in it and if it's in the UK I am straight on to google/Flickr to check it out and plan a trip!

Scott
 
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