whats wrong with me Arhh

[Speedway]

I am another who is going through a low in photography at the moment due to a lot of problems lately starting with seizing the engine in my car at Christmas to my son being in hospital for the last 6 weeks restricting my photography. I have kept myself motivated by putting in more time here and other online photo groups, hopefully that will all change next month with the Dirt Go Kart season getting underway and me setting myself a goal getting more articles published in magazines over the racing season.
Cheers
Keith.

[Tommo1965]

I understand that point Redback...I too have basically left my gear at home if the occasion called for "non serious" photography..and left that to the PS crowd...but last night I took some advice from this thread....it was a birthday for my 18 year old niece and father in law combined ..shot in Basic Jpeg..the images wont see the light of day here on AP..but it was nice just getting the camera out and taking photos..I doubt any will see a iota of PP..but my wife no doubt will love them.....the family were amazed I didn't need a flash in such low light...LOL

perhaps on a path back to enjoying just taking photos and not worrying if they are prize winners .


some great advice here...Ionica I think your right...not to force the issue..but rather let it emerge when your ready...its hard sometimes thinking that all the gear is going to waste..and the dollar value could be used elsewhere in your life..

yes Deb..its been very very hot here and that has stopped me a bit ...but the morning and evening are not too bad

[Ionica]

" perhaps on a path back to enjoying just taking photos and not worrying if they are prize winners ."
Which to me is the best way.

"-...its hard sometimes thinking that all the gear is going to waste..and the dollar value could be used elsewhere in your life.."
Yet when it does it will be worth it. I have been looking at some images I took late last year that give me a lot of pleasure because of ( to me ) the beautiful subject, and still do; they may not compare to some of the images on here, but mean a lot to me.

[Rattus79]

Ask yourself what made you pick up a camera in the first place?

Remember the drive and the excitement from seeing the first decent image pop up on the LCD (and the subsequent dissapointment when you saw it on the PC) then going out and doing it all over again. Getting excited when you see that second decent image on the LCD and the subsequent excitment when it's decent on the PC too!

Remember the first time, you got the exposure so perfect, that everything you did in Lightroom only made it worse!

Remember the first time waiting the 30+ seconds (for me on the k10 it was a minute to process 1 30 second exposure) for your first long exposure seascape to come up on the LCD and the anticipation!

Remember the first thread you posted up that only got WOW replies!

These are all reasons I love to shoot! Unfortunately, sometimes life gets in the road of getting out there. It happens to us all.

[kanesmadness]

Oh man does this thread ring true for me.

Last year i went out of a huge photo trip in arnhem land and got some nice photos...then came along time for PP, i grabbed my self a beer, sat down in front of the old (going on 4 years now) macbook pro and it was like i was hit by a car. The motivation stoped, creativity dried up and just the general motivation ended. Last year while in sydney a mate offered me a new D4 to rewire his home studio and while i accpeted the trade im yet to take a single frame with it.

I figured i needed to get over this hump and enroled in a course with International Career Institue and it has helped a little in the motivation department everytime i sit down in front of the computer the motivation just leaves the body. Sadly i think my trusty laptop might be what is sucking the motivational juice from me (i havent updated my blog or anything for ages either come to think about it) so i think once my Xmas bonus turns up a new computer might just be on the cards.... quickly followed by another adventure to really get me going

[JasonR]

I'm in the same boat. Hopefully a new lens helps me.

Last year while in sydney a mate offered me a new D4 to rewire his home studio and while i accpeted the trade im yet to take a single frame with it.

Does he need anything else required? Ill do it for a D4.

[Mark L]

^ be careful about the karma Jason

Last year while in sydney a mate offered me a new D4 to rewire his home studio and while i accpeted the trade im yet to take a single frame with it.

The house was lost in a fire. Fire investigation found it was cause be undetermined electrical fault.
Sorry!

[Wayne]

I went to Chinese new year celebrations in Sydney last weekend, big parade, big fireworks. I had the D4, 24-70/2.8, the 70-200/2.8VR and an SB-900 in my ThinkTank Retrospective shoulder bag. I carried around the city most of the afternoon and night, and I didn't once take any of it out of the bag. Carried it all for nothing, and halfway through the night, I was wishing I left it at the hotel. That is how unmotivated I am.

I also shoot very selectively these days, no machine gunning and I try not to take ver similar sequences in order to save PP.
With Avalon, I mix my photography and aviation interests in one event so I am keen to get the gear out, but at most all other times, I just find I cannot be bothered.

[Tommo1965]

its starting to sound like a epidemic ..LOL

I think the whole PP thing gets people down..I know its given the photographer back the creative control...but digital with the computer side of things is a lot more work than just getting your film printed the chemist...

is the PP putting people off taking pictures ?...

some images I like to work on..but Im shooting a lot more Jpeg of the more mundane stuff and calling that good enough..but I do have the raws on the other card just in case one image is a blinder and deserves more work....but its getting out there and just getting images that's the trouble too..I dunno the answer ..

[Mathy]

I was pondering this thread today and I wondered how many people print out a few images in the old 4"x6" format? I've got a cork board in my kitchen and I've printed out my favourite photos and pinned them up. These are images that I really like because I achieved something with them, eg., great focus on a fast moving dog, photo with nice composition, a couple of pics I've entered in comps that have made the final, and some total failures, etc. Everyday, I look at them and I get an inner smile. I take a lot of pics that I really like because I wanted to try something out. I don't feel the need to post them here for CC, because I like them, they may not be compositionally correct etc. and I'm well aware of that and it doesn't matter.

I wonder whether leaving the images on the 'puter and not actually having them available in real form makes the quest a little unreal? Just a thought, cheers Deb

[MattNQ]

Crikey...so many of us in the same boat...I had no idea...

He he. Looks like you are unique...just like the rest of us!

One thing I sometimes I do during my "who am I kidding with this photography thing" periods is to grab a camera, pick one lens only (A wideish prime is perfect - wides are always more fun and a prime forces you to think about your composition a bit more) , and pick a location you don't normally go to, try angles you wouldn't normally bother with. See how abstract or unusual you can get. Just have fun without the pressure to nail that perfect shot. Doesn't matter if you have 15 shots of a wheelie bin from different angles. Don't even bother processing any of them unless there is a standout.

[Shelley]

Tommo, clubs are a good thing especially here in wa, affiliated with the WAPF. They have many outings to get you motivated. I am going to there Manjimup weekend, sounds like fun with stuff planned.

I also love just wandering around by myself pushing my camera to the limits with the light at the estuary. I aim to do very little pp and don't do a lot of pp work. I do with my people shots, but not my passion for the birds.

Look at different genres, use your phone when out for ideas when you don't have your camera gear.

[Rattus79]

I wondered how many people print out a few images

There is not a square inch of my fridge that isn't covered in my favourite works. The fridge changes on a month to month basis. It helps to have access to a decent wide format printer, and a pile of half decent a3 glossy paper from the printshop that closed down next door at work....

I think we all go through a pieriod when we wonder if we're good enough, or why we're bothering. Like all things, pracice makes perfect.

I've heard that your first 10,000 photos are your worst, personally, I think it's closer to 100,000

Sometimes you just need to listen to your mother when she tells you how amazing you are.

[Alandme]

You can add me to the list. I take my camera out and don't use it. Too much gear and heavy so I try to plan what I am taking and take what I need. Sometimes I wish I had a point and shoot camera, take it out of the pocket and take photos no one cares. You take the good gear out and people get paranoid. So I'm now restoring an old Pongrass Surfmaster boat. However, I won't be selling my gear, I couldn't replace it.

[mikew09]

Been there at least a couple of times myself. I normally google photographer sites and soon enough something inspires me and off I go again.

[sunny6teen]

bored with photography? ...or bored with your photography?
the latter is easily remedied.

[Tommo1965]

bored with photography? ...or bored with your photography?
the latter is easily remedied.

How to the latter ?

- - - Updated - - -

bored with photography? ...or bored with your photography?
the latter is easily remedied.

How to the latter ?

[Belly]

Hi Steve,

My condolences mate, but I don't reckon your doing anything wrong maybe just look at what your doing and find a strategy that works for you; here's what works for me...

I have adopted an operating discipline that enables me to "SURVIVE". Without it I'd be on the rubbish heap next to the pile of offal.

I shot a rodeo recently and took just over 2500 shots. Once home and a few days later I set the time aside to go through each shot. I don't know about you but when I'm wading through workflow I know the shots that have merit or potential and I just cull them into a keepers folder without second guessing myself. About two hours later I had 45 shots of the 2.5k in a folder ready for PP. I backed everything up onto two hardrives and then shut everything down.

A day or two later I processed the 45 shots and then the twelve best ones I made a 2013 calendar through Momento. I got about 15 Calendars printed kept one for myself and the others were all christmas gifts. It gives me great pleasure in showcasing my work and gives me a reason to do photography. And I think that's the key, you must have a reason to do something or you may become stale, at worst the boredom sets in and you end up with feeling nothing but despair and doing something like selling all your gear and then regreting that you did that. There has to be direction.
A mate and I have a firendly competition with our calendars and get them judged by someone independant and the prize is a carton of your favourite poison. Adds a bit of fun to it.
My Keepers folder on my desktop is for me an impressive story of my photo journey to date and I love browsing through it, they are all PP'd. One day I will produce a photo book for the coffe table. Each time I go out I think about that book, that calendar, that box of beer!!

So mate, get that operating discipline into gear. Get, be and stay organised, challenge someone to a calendar shootout, produce a coffee table book. But whatever you do don't give up and don't sell your gear! Do something!!

Cheers, BELLY

[Tommo1965]

thats great advice Belly...thanks for posting...

i've a family shoot coming up..and I'm really looking forward to it..three sisters..one being my wife....so yes with a goal in mind I'm excited again...you have hit the nail on the head for me I think

[Lance B]

I think it is something we all go through. Whether it be photography, our job, our relationships, sometimes we just question it. Nothing wrong with that at all.

I think this sums it up succinctly, Rick. The photography "blues" happen to me quite regularly.