Time to quit?

NeilA1975

NeilA1975

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I fear I'm falling out of love with photography.....I just don't seem to get the buzz out of it anymore with frustration taking over.
This is probably down to a couple of reasons, I believe.

1. Extremely self critical - don't seem to like any of the images I take anymore and to be honest
i'm struggling to find that creative side of me.

2. Variation - I seem to be stuck in taking the same type of images, most of which just end up in the 'trash', as per point 1. Ive tried other styles, genres but just don't enjoy what I take.

3. Lacking motivation - a symptom of points 1 & 2.

Overall, my negative feelings towards photography are growing. Perhaps I need a fresh approach, new direction......I don't know.....

Not sure what to do.....

Time to quit?
 
Try a different project, something away from what you normally do and maybe more challenging ... get into 'town' and do some street/candid or something :)
 
I think many of us go through phases like this - I know I have.

In my case I overcame the first of these periods by forcing myself not to look at the world through a lens. I would still take the camera when I went out with the family or when going to a wildlife centre, etc., but would limit my photography to the odd picture rather than walking around with the viewfinder glued to my eye trying to create photo opportunities. Not only did I overcome my disillusionment with photography as a whole but (I think) my photography improved ... and there was a hell of a lot less images to sift through at the end of the day :)

Good luck with getting yourself back in the groove :)
 
Bristolian said:
I think many of us go through phases like this - I know I have.

In my case I overcame the first of these periods by forcing myself not to look at the world through a lens. I would still take the camera when I went out with the family or when going to a wildlife centre, etc., but would limit my photography to the odd picture rather than walking around with the viewfinder glued to my eye trying to create photo opportunities. Not only did I overcome my disillusionment with photography as a whole but (I think) my photography improved ... and there was a hell of a lot less images to sift through at the end of the day :)

Good luck with getting yourself back in the groove :)
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Thanks for this Steve, very helpful indeed.
 
I stopped enjoying photography a couple of years ago, and it didn't get any better until I realised that I was taking it all too seriously. I'd go out for an evening with my camera and then be really annoyed and frustrated with myself if I didn't come back home with a great landscape photo. I had to remind myself that it was just a hobby to me and as long as I was having fun that was all that mattered. From there I started doing more interesting things and experimenting more, rather than just trying to get a great photo every time to "add to the list". Now I love it again.
 
When I go out and about with family / friends I don't take my "proper kit". It lets me be more involved in the moment but can sometimes leave me with a little regret at "missing THAT shot". Which gives me the excuse / impetus to go back out again WITH "proper kit" and try for the shot.

Bit of a ramble but I hope it makes some sense ;)
 
mrgubby said:
When I go out and about with family / friends I don't take my "proper kit". It lets me be more involved in the moment but can sometimes leave me with a little regret at "missing THAT shot". Which gives me the excuse / impetus to go back out again WITH "proper kit" and try for the shot.

Bit of a ramble but I hope it makes some sense ;)
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Makes perfect sense to me. It is too easy to get hooked up with getting the perfect shot. The great thing about not doing it for a living is that if it isn't good you can make out it never happened!!

In fact I have just ordered a compact zoom camera as I am taking my grandchildren to swim with the dolphins in Florida next week and want to get decent pictures but can't bring myself to take the 7D11 and 100 - 400 lens as I will get so tied up in getting the pictures I won't have time to enjoying them enjoying themselves!
 
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are you finding that your equipment is getting in the way

when I feel a bit off I just grab my Leica M8 +28mm Zeiss and take it with me the next time we go shopping
 
I pretty much have my kit with me at all times so if I see an opportunity I can take it.
I never go out specifically to take photos.
I reckon I'm doing well if I take 10 decent images a year, and that will be out of many thousands of shots.
 
I take less Photos these day, I don't take a camera with me every where, I may take a high end compact if I feel I might need it.
For my Photographic hobby I now plan the photos I want to take.

I look at google earth, bing(OS maps), flicker and also weather sites and use TPE as well, this starts weeks or more before a photo trip. I check forecast cloud cover, then cross my fingers for the day.

This way I get excited about my trip and I only do 2 or 3 trips a year. I also go alone so I don't feel pressured to rush.

It also allows you to spend time processing the results.

I now spend quality time with my wife and we have a relaxed enjoyable life, rather than feeling the need to take photos of everything.
 
I generally take bird images and I can see why anyone would get "p1ssed" off once in a while with all the kit most bird photographer take with them, (and that excluded the sandwiches and other food and water) ........ then I sometimes take my portable hide and usually a bloody great tripod ........ and then you end up with only a few really pleasing shots, and only once in a while see a "lifer" .....................but it is only now and again and soon wears off
 
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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
 
Same with every hobby, well for me anyway, things wax and wane.
Good advice above, have a wee break, try a new style.
I reckon we've all felt the same about any of our pastimes.
 
This is how the Market in cameras is sustained.
People move on to other things... sell their kit.
Get the urge... buy new kit.
get a kit itch and buy more expensive kit....


Just take a break....
 
Time to quit what?
Put the camera in a cupboard and do something else.
The urge for photography ill either return or it won't....either way you've lost nothing.
 
Do you go out with other photographers Neil?

I shoot quite a bit on my own but do also have a few friends that I go out with now and again.

I am also very critical of my work but find that on days out with other photographers I am not as worried about getting the shot and enjoy the banter along with the photography.

Dave.
 
I've always been very enthusiastic about taking photos until the last couple of years. I've got more kit than ever but most of the time I'd rather take a mobile phone photo.

I have a tiny little fuji x30 thing but I still find I'm not bothered any more. Last new lens I bought has been out once. I got it for low light and I've never bothered with it. It's too heavy. It produces lovely images but I just can't be bothered with lugging it about. Bought a new camera two years ago. It's probably done no more than a few hundred photos. The battery is always flat as I never even get it out to check. It's too heavy and cumbersome. I only keep them as I don't want to realise how much money has been wasted on kit I'm not using.

Sometimes you just lose interest. I didn't think it would happen as I've been taking photos obsessively for decades but the interest has just disappeared.

Maybe I need a titchy full frame low light magnificent and macro capable compact? Still got the GAS ;)

It just seems to happen. Do other things for a while. The interest may come back :thumbs:
 
If you're only getting 10 photographs a year, it seems you are being extremely self-critical. I can really understand the boredom, as that is a lot of work for very little reward.

I love wildlife photography, but I do not have the patience to sit for an hour, waiting for a bird to land, or hiding for 2 hours for a deer to appear. Nor do I have the patience it takes to go out for such a long time and not coming back with anything!
What kind of photography do you do? Maybe you need to do something completely different? Do you have a friend you can go out with?
My friend and I do urban photography, it gets me out, and I find the results very very interesting. It's also safer with more than one of you. Also, you can pick up tips from each other. My friend and I may have virtually the same photo, but may process it differently, or see it at a different angle. Sometimes she'll take a photo at a certain angle that I never thought of. We both sometimes say to each other, "I wish I'd done that", or "I never saw that" or "That's great". One of us will see something and give the other an idea. Even underpasses can be interesting in the right light, the graffiti can be interesting, or even dented and broken mirrors. Derelict buildings are fabulous places, again, safer with two of you.

I also enjoy still-life. I enjoy finding odd things around the house I can photograph at different angles, or close up with my macro. Today, I've found some coloured lollipop sticks, and have arranged them on a black surface. I've also photographed rusty keys, my old saab bulbs, coloured pencils, marbles, etc etc. It's not the most skilful of things to do, and it's not challenging, as they don't move, but sometimes you need that.

Don't get me wrong, I do get v bored, sometimes, but then I like doing a lot of digital artwork as well.
 
J40ADF said:
I reckon I'm doing well if I take 10 decent images a year, and that will be out of many thousands of shots.
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I'd settle for 10 shots I'm happy with in my entire "career" of photography (37 years and counting...) - yes, I am hyper-critical of my shots, and while I've taken lots of images that are good, and other people love, all I can ever see are the faults in them. It's just how I am... It's not a bad thing, because It keeps me going forward and trying to improve...
 
I think this happens to most people in most hobbies at one time or another.

I have two things that work for me when I feel like this about photography.

1. Chill, don't worry about it. Put the gear away and wait. Longest it's been was 18 months.

2. Grab a small, cheap compact and take many pictures with little or no judgement....of anything. This can help you see what tends to draw your eye and may lead to a whole new direction.
 
TheBigYin said:
I'd settle for 10 shots I'm happy with in my entire "career" of photography (37 years and counting...) - yes, I am hyper-critical of my shots, and while I've taken lots of images that are good, and other people love, all I can ever see are the faults in them. It's just how I am... It's not a bad thing, because It keeps me going forward and trying to improve...
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I agree with that - friends and family tell me "that's a great shot" but all I see are the mistakes in everything that I take ........... and when I look back at most of my "good" shots I realise that they are just ordinary ......... maybe one day I'll get lucky ...... apparently the more you practice the luckier you get

But it's all great fun and a rewarding hobby
 
Hi Neil,

I really like seeing your work on here, seeing as you go to many places near to me - Caister, Dunwich, Southwold etc. It's always good to see your eye / take on it.

We all go through this at some point. I'm very critical too. I don't see it as a bad thing, and if you can reach a happy medium overall then you will find more peace in your work.
Try not to worry about mistakes or trying different things - maybe ICM, different subject, etc. You may find a creative side then appears.
I often like looking for the small details that go a miss. That element of capturing a mood in a place.

Sometimes I just don't wanna shoot for a few weeks and really, thats fine. There shouldn't be any pressure, but I often find that by persevering, I will end up with something I like. I think it grows with you over time.

Very often I think people quit at a point where they are then reaching a change. Perhaps as mentioned, take a couple of days away somewhere. See some different things and shoot something new. I have found this often refreshing when I get back from somewhere.

I hope you stick with it and break through the other side. But as many I'm sure will/have said... it's perfectly normal to feel like this from time to time.
 
Bobsyeruncle said:
Pack the camera away and take a break for a few months. If you don't miss it,then sell up.
Maybe your mojo will return
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This, even stop looking at other peoples photos for a month or two and try and clear your brain of whatever is cluttering it up photography wise. I wouldn't shift your gear, as you'll more than like find yourself coming back to it; i find I my motivation Ebbs and Flows through the year
 
I think a lot of us go through this feeling. It can be hard to see how good our images are as we always compare them to others and to competition images. I don't think there are many of us who can say they love everyone of their images. I probably have only a handful of images I'm proud from the last few years. I have plenty I feel happy enough to share but rarely feel proud of them. Since the beginning of the year I've been asking myself why I do photography, I've not been out as much as I've got a bit disillusioned with wildlife photography and the competitive nature of social media and competitions. I've had to think to why I started photography, it was to get me out and enjoy nature. Somewhere I lost this but I'm slowly getting it back to this. I was out on Sunday morning for a couple of hours, it was nice to be out and I didn't worry about getting images, I just enjoyed being out. During June, July and August I went out only 3 times, it was a little like a break away from photography as all 3 were pre-organised trips rather than out for a few hours.

Taking a break where you don't worry about having the camera with you may help, you can come back to it if you want to. I'm hoping you do as I enjoy seeing your images.
 
I've taken two big breaks since 2007 when i bought my first camera for much the same reasons as you. I'm back interested in it again at the moment. I suggest you research some photographers and find out what style you really like.
 
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Hah! There's a certain irony to this thread for me. Going off on a slight tangent but I'm a keen angler and have been feeling disillusioned with fishing at the moment and that has resultingly led me deeper into what has always been a sideline interest of photography. I've just bought my very first DSLR only last week. I've always liked it but It was always only an overlap with the fishing and other interests such as cycling and simply just walking along the river bank. Sometimes it's better if hobbies overlap in this way as it can bring an extra level of enjoyment into each that makes the combined hobbies greater than the sum of their respective parts.

Perhaps the opening poster should take up fishing for a while? :)

Otherwise, the sagely advice about taking a break is certain to renew your enthusiasm.

Next spring I will undoubtedly be reaching for my rods again with fresh vigour, and, chances are, taking along a camera with me.
 
I have to be honest i find that i rarely feel like i am falling out of love with photography but then i tend to find i have other hobbies that keep me equally as busy so when i do get to play with the camera it is normally off the back of a period away from it (can be a couple of weeks or a couple of months normally). This year i have been training for my first triathlon so a lot of time has been spent in the evenings in the pool or running but in the last couple of weeks i have been able to attend tough mudder and a local 10k running event where i got to go snap happy and absolutely loved it. Also felt like i was finally getting to grips with using my flashgun, wasn't able to use it off camera but i actually at least felt like i knew what i was doing with it to get the shots i wanted. There is also the small matter of the 3000 photos i had to sift through over a few months from my honeymoon in america... Found it hard to dedicate decent blocks of time to them in order to get them done in a more timely manner so had to do them in bits.

I would second the thoughts regarding having a bit of a break from it or looking at alternative types of photography to what you normally do, its helped me get through creative blocks in the past a few times.
 
When I see threads like this about no motivation, should I jack it all in, sell up etc, I'm not sure what to write, as the flippant answer (always close to my lips/fingers ;)) is 'yes'. :LOL: I think we all go through periods of this though, as others have written above, I know I have. But I know that I will want to take some pictures once I have come through the 'funk', so there is no thought of selling up. Most of my gear is old and worth little anyway, so selling would be more of a hassle than a money making endeavour for me. :rolleyes: If I did sell up, and decided later that it was a mistake, I can't be sure I could afford to get back to the level of the gear I have now at a later date.

So, if I stop taking pics will anyone care other than me? :thinking: Not really, so stopping and starting whenever the urge takes me is no big thing. The big question is whether to go the whole hog and sell up, and only the individual can answer to themselves whether they are done forever. If you have had gear for many years, and depending on whether you need the income from selling gear to live on/for something else, then what harm does it do for the gear to stay in a cupboard until you get the urge, or finally are sure it is something that you will never want to do again.

You may also may have to ask yourself why you are taking pics at some point. There are many reasons for this, and we may all be slightly different. I personally enjoy the process of taking pictures. The technical stuff with the camera. The things I take pics of are subjects, scenes, moments, that I think will make a nice picture. I also enjoy editing the pictures, which can sometimes be simple, but sometimes more complicated, it depends on the images. I like to show my images to friends an family occasionally, but that is a minor thing, as whether I like my pics, as that is all that matters, and anyone else liking them is a bonus.

About 6-7 years ago I used to get really down if I ended up with pics that I wasn't happy with and think what was the point, until I thought about it for a bit. I enjoyed taking the pics at the time of capture. I enjoyed editing them to see what I could end up with. That what I had at the end wasn't very good didn't negate the the enjoyment I got from taking and editing them. For me, as long as I enjoyed some aspect of it, it was worth doing. It it isn't great pic at the end, it was a waste of time. I only have to please myself in some way. :)

There are strategies for trying to get the mojo back, and some have been mentioned above. Things like limiting what gear you use, (if you have a lot of gear ;)) maybe a camera with one lens, to help see scenes / subjects a different way may help. Setting yourself projects works for some. Taking pics of different subjects may help. I've seen people force themselves into pic a day challenges which they have found useful to get them out of their comfort zone and try new things. Now if you can't be othered doing anything....:thinking: :whistle:

It has to be said that a new piece of gear can sometimes be a kick to get up and out and about taking pics too. That can be an very expensive route to take, and with no guarantee of working, and so may add to the overall feeling of dissatisfaction. :( :rolleyes: It worked for me recently, but I had been waiting for this type of camera for 4-5 years. ;) It has got me out and about a lot recently, taking more sport pics than usual though, because of the nature of some of the features on the camera. It has been enjoyable to learn a new camera with so more advanced features than my previous camera as well. It can be an expensive route to take though, and not for the light pocketed / fainthearted.

Threads like this can sometimes show people that it is not just them, and it happens to others, but only the individual can decide whether it is time to walk away for good.
 
I don't know what you are worrying about Neil, you take a fine landscape.

It's pretty common once you get into landscaping (well I've found anyway), that the more you take, and longer you've been dong it, the harder it is to like what you've taken. It's also easier to say, well it would have been nicer if the mist was a little to the right, or the cloud was spread a little more to the left.

It's fine to be critical over your shots, but you have to keep it in check so it doesn't take you over.

I had 2yrs out of photography, and am now back stronger than ever. Take a break, if you feel you need too, and when you're ready again you'll know it.
 
I've seen a few similar threads and I'm always reminded of the fact that for me, actually using the camera is only a small part of my photographic life. I sometimes go weeks or months between taking a 'serious' picture. I bought a new camera earlier this year, and other than checking it worked, I didn't use it for ages.
So although I've only been out maybe 5 or 6 times this year, I've processed loads of images, reprocessed a load of old ones, created several blurb books, made some modifications to my website, made blog posts and read several photography books. To my mind, photography is all of that, not just the act of going out and taking the photograph.
 
Thank you to everyone for making an effort to respond with some excellent suggestions - has certainly made me have a good think!
I suppose time will tell but will most likely take a spell out for a bit to see how it plays out.

Thank you all again.
 
Sounds like a plan :) I am travelling down on Saturday 1st October and will be there for the week. I will have a spare lens with me anyway so just pm me and we can sort out a time and place. No pressure - if something comes up for you then that is fine.

Dave.
 
Dave Semmens said:
Sounds like a plan :) I am travelling down on Saturday 1st October and will be there for the week. I will have a spare lens with me anyway so just pm me and we can sort out a time and place. No pressure - if something comes up for you then that is fine.

Dave.
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OK Dave, sounds like a plan, very kind of you!
 
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