Have you ever been in a photo slump and lost your motivation to photograph? Are you doubting your ability to create compelling images even though you know you’re capable of taking them?Are you struggling to find subjects to excite and motivate you to photograph?
If you answered yes to any of these you’re not alone! Many people struggle with this but it's important to get it behind you.
Hoping these 9 tips will help you find motivation to start moving forward with your photography again.
1. Pull out your camera gear and clean and organize it. This alone should get you excited. Looking through your gear, remembering what all you have, and cleaning and neatly arranging it might just give you the impetus to take it out and photograph with it. It will also make it easy to just grab it and go at any time.
2. Starting close to home experiment with something casual and fun. Capture the kids clowning around, take some close ups of Fido or Kitty, explore your yard or nearby garden, or head out to the local square or city park. The point is to get the camera back in your hands and start shooting again, with luck you’ll start getting some of your motivation back.
3. Look at some of your past images that you especially liked. See that you are capable of capturing beautiful and compelling photos.
4. Look at photos online, in galleries, or on social media and get excited knowing there are images out there waiting to be captured every single day in every type of environment from the most mundane to the most extravagant. All you need is the camera to go capture it. View these images for ideas or inspiration or both.
5. Make a list of goals to help keep the momentum. For example, plan to
- Photograph at least one day a week.
- Go somewhere to photograph at least once a month.
- Share your photos (socially with the world, or just with a handful of friends or family) at least twice a month.
6. Once you get going, make a goal to get to the next level. Learn how to use that flash that has been sitting in the closest. Practice a new setting that you’re not that strong with yet, etc.
7. Get out of your comfort zone and try something new. Macro or close ups, Street photography, Night photography, Nature or Wildlife, Portraits, etc. The list is endless but it’s worth exploring. You’ll discover whether it‘s something you want to continue learning about or not and if not, at least you’ve tried it and can cross it off your list.
8. Push yourself to tackle one of your problems. What is it that you struggle with the most. Move that to the top of your ‘to learn’ list and take steps to overcome the problem. This could be through a class, a YouTube video, a conversation with a photo buddy, or a Camera Club discussion. Just don’t let the problem hold you back from enjoying your photography.
9. Don’t think you need the latest and the greatest camera gear, use the gear you have! It’s not the camera that captures such amazing images, it’s the person framing it up and choosing to freeze that particular moment in time in that particular way.
So get out there and get back at it, the world around you is waiting to be framed.
