Photographers block

[Killakoala]

I am in a quandry.

Other than NYE fireworks I haven't taken been inspired to take a photograph for two weeks. I fear there may be something wrong with me.

What could it be?

Photographers block?

So the question is, if you suffer from 'Photographers block,' how do you get out of it?

By taking a rest? By taking more photographs? Shooting for B&W conversion? Throwing a tantrum? Quit my job and follow my dreams of becoming a lumberjack?

Any ideas?

[LostDingo]

follow my dreams of becoming a lumberjack

uh.....no.......you can get up early...get on the coastline and watch the wonderful colors bloom as you create

That's what I will do but more as stress relief/grab some captures, the lumberjack part never entered my mind

[Aussie Dave]

Steve
from time to time I find myself in the same situation. I tend to try and come up with an idea/theme/subject that I have either wanted to shoot but haven't yet....OR...something that is completely different to what I normally do....then run with it. If it doesn't work out, you haven't really lost much.

It can be something so simple. Look around the room you are in right now and try to find something that you can photograph in a completely different way to what you normally would, could or should....

There's a start for you, if you choose....the rest is up to you

The other option is to take a photo of something quite plain or boring and work on your PP skills to try and jazz it up...

Good luck !

[johndec]

And now for something completely different:

Steve, you're starting to worry me, maybe you have spent too much time at sea. Earlier tonight you were referring to "Bent Ships" and now you are considering a career change that involves cross dressing

All I can do to help is to provide a little mood music whilst you make such momentous decisions... here

[thaddeus]

I find that the more I force against creative block, the worse it is. So my usual approach is to do something completely different and eventually the creativity flows!

[sirhc55]

Steve - I am in the same quandry - my way out is to look closely at anything and everything and try to think laterally

[spartikus]

I find the best thing to do is go out on a shoot with a friend - it seems to instill a competitive energy in me to find a better shot than them!

[Killakoala]

Thanks all, especially John, the link was entertaining.

I think i might try my hand at arty stuff for a change.

Hmmm, where to start........

[Grev]

I normally stop doing the stuff that's in blocking mode and go back to it later, it works for me.

But for now I need better photographers around me, where are all you legends that will take me in as a student?

[Potatis]

When I sit down and think about what I want to photograph, I usually can't think of anything. When I go out looking for something to photograph, I always find something.

[glamy]

Steve,
why don't you borrow some gear you may not have like IR filters, panohead, macro lens etc... and try something different, or go out with a group and shoot. You are welcome to borrow some of my gear if you feel like it.
Cheers,
Gerard

[Matt. K]

Pack your gear into your backpack and go for a 12 hour walk...7am until 7pm. Walk where you have never been before. Leave your camera in the bag as long as you can. Somehow you'll come home with 250 images and a fire in your belly.

[Manta]

Pack your gear into your backpack and go for a 12 hour walk...7am until 7pm. Walk where you have never been before. Leave your camera in the bag as long as you can. Somehow you'll come home with 250 images and a fire in your belly.

Excellent advice Matt. Some of my best shots (well...in my eyes at least) have been those that snuck up on me. My planned stuff never seems to meet expectations but the out-of-the-blue images really satisfy.

Just get out there Steve and turn on the observation radar. You'll see things you never noticed before and the photographic urge will soon follow.

You (and others) marvelled at the delicate intricacy shown in Shane Gerrish's cactus macro shot - how many other amazing patterns of nature are we walking past every day without even noticing???

[moggy]

And as a lumberjack you'd certainly get some good tree shots!


Bob.

.

[mic]

Welcome to my nightmare Killa, I have it too.

I'm just sorting a few things out first & hopefully with a clear mind soon it will take care of itself.

Mic.

[ozimax]

Become a lumberjack, make a daily log of your adventure, then take some photos of Coos Bay, Oregon and post them on DSLRusers.

[Greg B]

I find a disturbing element of PB is that it seems to happen after aquiring some bit of gear without
which, so the story goes, you just couldn't be expected to take the photographs to which you
aspire. So you feel justified in spending anything from $500 to $2,500 to $5,000 (or more) to
obtain that critical item (80-400 perhaps? decent tripod perchance?? D200 because the D70 is holding
you back??? D2X because the D200 is not the total solution????), said item arrives and...



can't think of anything to photograph.

[Grev]

You can always look at books and search the net (easier) for some influences...

[Killakoala]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I am going to take heed of the suggestions put forward and we shall see where it leads me. I might try some B&W stuff, perhaps IR too.

I guess actually taking photos helps, same as a sportsperson out of form needs to play their sport to get them back into form...

Thanks again.

[Raskill]

I find you need to photograph something completely different....

I to suffered from the pain of PB, not long after the arrival of my 70-200mmVR. Which was disturbing to say the least I thought, bah, maybe tghis photography lark isn't for me after all

But I decided to stick with it and rather than travel anywhere to take some shots, went out into my garden after some rain and photographed snails and water droplets, which for some reason healped me to realise there is always something to shoot, regardless of where you are.

That being said, I have hardly had time to press the shutter release lately, looking forward to some motor sport, good manly photography!!!!

[Manta]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I am going to take heed of the suggestions put forward and we shall see where it leads me. I might try some B&W stuff, perhaps IR too.

I guess actually taking photos helps, same as a sportsperson out of form needs to play their sport to get them back into form...

Thanks again.

I have know doubt that it won't be long before your photography phoenix rises again, Steve.

[ozimax]

Seriously, it is true, I get PB regularly. Then after a few weeks, it all snaps back into place. A nice sunset, ocean view, cloud formation, family get-together portraits, whatever, it just takes times.

[DionM]

What I usually do ...

1. Whack on the macro and go a-hunting in the garden. I usually find subjects there very easily.

2. Pack the backpack with lenses (deliberately leaving something behind so that I have to work without it, and I can back again with that lens ...) and jump on a bus somewhere (no car so you don't have to backtrack). Last time I did that I went into the valley with only my 17-40 and macro; knowing I'd miss my 70-200 ...

3. Open the refidex and look for parks or streams, and go for a drive there.

[Matt. K]

Eugene Smith made one of his most famous images in his backyard. It was called "A walk in paradise garden". You can probably find it on the WWW.

[Potatis]

Yes, it's a nice shot Matt, I found it here:

[url]http://jasonseale.com/poster-picture/000000031/Walk
%20to%20Paradise%20Garden%20-%20(325202).html[/url]

Hmm ok, why didn't that work?

[stubbsy]

Yes, it's a nice shot Matt, I found it here:

[url]http://jasonseale.com/poster-picture/000000031/Walk
%20to%20Paradise%20Garden%20-%20(325202).html[/url]

Hmm ok, why didn't that work?

Doug firstly %20's are a no no - replace them with spaces. Same goes for carriage returns in the middle of URLs. Secondly it seems PHP wants a www to do it right and this URL has none.

try this link instead:

http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Walk-to-Paradise-Garden-Posters_i325202_.htm

[dooda]

I probably get PB all the time and just don't know it. It's probably similar to "I don't really feel like taking photos right now" or "it's pouring rain out, so why take photos". As long as you don't rely on it for a living, why stress it? Sooner or later you'll start getting a hankering for photos, start noticing things that would make for a good photo, etc etc. Now if it's a living, that's a totally different story.

This is probably why Greg said that people report PB after buying new equipment. They may not feel inspired to take photos, but the addition of new gear tends to add pressure, thus stressing about it, instead of just not taking photos for a couple of weeks.

If I felt like not taking pictures and it went a whole year, then so be it. Hopefully that doesn't happen the day after I plop down 2500 for gear though.

[birddog114]

Photographers block?

Keep your shutter's mileage down! and good return once it's posted in the For Sale section

[Matt. K]

Birddog114

[Big Red]

what i did today was have a look in my lens collection and pick a lens i rarely [probably never ] have used.
it was an old pentax M 35-70 f2.8 zoom.
I then went for a walk at lunchtime with it and just snapped whatever took my fancy.
its probably a bit soft or maybe its just that the light was bad but it doesn't matter because it was fun.
<a href="http://img159.imageshack.us/my.php?image=imgp0347copymedium5zq.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/7351/imgp0347copymedium5zq.th.jpg" border="0" /></a>

<a href="http://img159.imageshack.us/my.php?image=imgp0352copymedium4md.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/860/imgp0352copymedium4md.th.jpg" border="0" /></a>

<a href="http://img159.imageshack.us/my.php?image=imgp0362copycopymedium6cl.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/3163/imgp0362copycopymedium6cl.th.jpg" border="0" /></a>

<a href="http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=imgp0371copymedium4im.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/5299/imgp0371copymedium4im.th.jpg" border="0" /></a>