Lost my way with photography.

paul04

Senior Member
Having had a camera for 18 months, starting with the D3200, then a D7100, I now seemed to have lost my way taking pictures,

I thought buying the macro lens would give me a new challenge, new things to look at, but that really did not work.

Has anyone else hit the wall so to speak, and how did you get over it, to carry on taking pictures.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Having had a camera for 18 months, starting with the D3200, then a D7100, I now seemed to have lost my way taking pictures,

I thought buying the macro lens would give me a new challenge, new things to look at, but that really did not work.

Has anyone else hit the wall so to speak, and how did you get over it, to carry on taking pictures.
So you mean to say you feel like you've lost your motivation to take photos in general?
 

Pretzel

Senior Member
I've been trying all sorts of new things lately, and failing miserably... that in itself is a de-motivating thing. Pushing myself for challenges that are outside my norm, getting smacked in the face by poor performance, wishing I had time to focus on one area and improve, but with a new challenge just around the corner...

I get so caught up with that, I forget to just go shoot at random and shoot the things I love, so the joy has been leeching away. What do I do about it? I dunno yet, but I know I'm not giving up. Sometimes ya just gotta make up your mind to keep plowing forward. I know I have the talent, albeit mostly latent and undeveloped; I just need more time, more practice, more challenge.

ONE of these days, I'll figure things out an start putting out pics at the level I fantasize about.
 

wornish

Senior Member
Not sure what to say. Your shots on here have gone from good to great as your technique and skills have developed.

But, only you know what you want from photography. Is it just a casual hobby if so thats fine take shots when you want to.

If its a serious hobby have you thought about joining a local camera club/society to share your interest with others.
Or even setting up a small part time photography business and offering your services.

Have you thought about entering competitions, I enjoy the weekly ones on here and elsewhere just to give me something of a challenge, and see others take on a subject.

End of ramble - Be interesting to see what others say.
 

Felisek

Senior Member
Weekly challenge. Try doing it every week, even you don't feel like it. I find it quite motivating. It gets me out taking pictures every week. I also experimented with flash photography quite a bit, just for the challenge. Otherwise, I probably could not have been bothered.

In the past, I used to take only holiday pictures. Since I joined Nikonites, I take some pictures almost all the time.
 
I started in photography as a hobby in the 1970s and progressed very fast till I quit my job as a TV engineer and went full time into photography. I made good money and really enjoyed. Then One Hour Photo came out and the thought of joining my electronics background and photography was more than I could stand. Back then it was a highly technical field as well as photographic. I started in that field and progressed from a manager of one store to managing 6 stores and ending up with over 100 stores. Then I bought 2 camera stores/own hour labs. By the time I sold them I was so burned out on photography that I did not pick up a camera for 10 years. I then decided there were a few things I needed to document so I got a little bridge camera. That was pretty much it. I needed more and more till I got back to where I am today. A photoholic. My secret? I only shoot for fun, I really don't care what other people think of my photography (I do like it when other people enjoy it but if you don't like my photos then it does not bother me) Yes, I still hit the wall occasionally photographically but then I get back to just going out and walking and shooting whatever I want. I also like to find long term projects to shoot over time ans those are fun.

JUST HAVE FUN
 

scarrabri

Senior Member
Having had a camera for 18 months, starting with the D3200, then a D7100, I now seemed to have lost my way taking pictures,

I thought buying the macro lens would give me a new challenge, new things to look at, but that really did not work.

Has anyone else hit the wall so to speak, and how did you get over it, to carry on taking pictures.

Hi I think every one feels like that some times, and when I get like that I go back to one of my other hobbies for a short time until with you photography will surely start tugging at your shirt sleeve and new ideas will flood in and the challenge of that elusive best pic ever will begin again, so chin up my friend better days are only around the corner, best wishes Brian.
 

Kevin H

Senior Member
If that ever happens it will be because I took a pic that won every award known and be the best Bird in Flight pic ever taken so I think I'll be taking pics till I no longer can cause of health problems :D

I enjoy my time with my camera cause I'm outdoors doing what I want to do not what I have to do.

I've met some great people with the same interest and learned off them and hope I have returned the favor.

My wife said to me one day "for work your up at 3:45am and on your days off you choose to get up at 3:45am but your way more relaxed and almost child like and can't wait to get out with your camera"
 
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PapaST

Senior Member
My first piece of advice is don't be afraid to put the camera down for any amount of time. Try/do other things.

This past father's day I got a fixie bike, some peak design gear for easy carry and a bobble head doll that looks like me, only my actual head is WAY bigger. :) So for fun I took pics of my bobble head doll on a chroma screen. Now I ride around town and take pics of interesting places that I could "add" my bobble head doll just for laughs. I'm thinking about using it for an ongoing Facebook joke. Just have fun with it.

BM6_1225-Edit.jpgBM7_1442-Edit.jpgBM7_1409-Edit.jpgBM6_1251-Edit.jpgBM6_1213-Edit.jpg
 
Now that is a fantastic idea. Wish I had thought about that.

My first piece of advice is don't be afraid to put the camera down for any amount of time. Try/do other things.

This past father's day I got a fixie bike, some peak design gear for easy carry and a bobble head doll that looks like me, only my actual head is WAY bigger. :) So for fun I took pics of my bobble head doll on a chroma screen. Now I ride around town and take pics of interesting places that I could "add" my bobble head doll just for laughs. I'm thinking about using it for an ongoing Facebook joke. Just have fun with it.

View attachment 168960View attachment 168961View attachment 168962View attachment 168963View attachment 168964
 

Wolfeye

Senior Member
Motivation, the key to all human activity, comes from within. At the base, existentialist level, nothing is worth doing. Yet at the same time, everything is worth doing because it's all there is. You can be motivated by the desire to do better that which you have already done. You can be motivated by greed, by vanity, by community involvement. Pick one and go with it. If photography isn't making you happy then do something else for a while.

My latest and greatest motivator is my 8x10 project. I bought an Iltoya 8x10 portfolio album and have been slowly filling it up with good photos. Seeing your work in print is a different experience from seeing it on a computer screen.
 

Kevin H

Senior Member
My first piece of advice is don't be afraid to put the camera down for any amount of time. Try/do other things.

This past father's day I got a fixie bike, some peak design gear for easy carry and a bobble head doll that looks like me, only my actual head is WAY bigger. :) So for fun I took pics of my bobble head doll on a chroma screen. Now I ride around town and take pics of interesting places that I could "add" my bobble head doll just for laughs. I'm thinking about using it for an ongoing Facebook joke. Just have fun with it.

View attachment 168960View attachment 168961View attachment 168962View attachment 168963View attachment 168964

LMAO priceless and great Idea
 

J-see

Senior Member
Having had a camera for 18 months, starting with the D3200, then a D7100, I now seemed to have lost my way taking pictures,

I thought buying the macro lens would give me a new challenge, new things to look at, but that really did not work.

Has anyone else hit the wall so to speak, and how did you get over it, to carry on taking pictures.


I have to admit I'm hitting the wall since some time now.

I can't exactly pinpoint the problem but maybe I've been too much "all over the map" with my photography. Since a while now I often feel as if I'm collecting stamps. Another bird, another bug, another flower...

There's too much I do that no longer provides the satisfaction it did before. Partly that'll be because it is easier to do than it was at first but there's a part that wonders if there isn't more I could do. Mind you, this isn't about desiring to be a famous artist or anything but I'm looking for some kind of direction which might somehow elevate my photography into something more satisfactory.

How, what or why I don't know. If, I'd be beyond that wall.
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
Back in the day - long long ago in a far away place, I used to go to a church that would bring in revival speakers. Today in the secular world we'd call them motivational speakers. Get everyone all pumped up and ready to take on the world. But sadly, just like eating Chinese food, a few hours later you are hungry for more kung fu fighting (or thats Chinese Kung fu movies - but you get the idea).

If we rely on 'feeling like it" to get around to doing it - then we will experience this wain in wonderment.

At some point work - and hobbies too - take a fair bit of old fashioned self discipline and effort. I have too many hobbies - and hit this wall with all of them. Including photography. We all need to do the "Nike thing" and just do it. Whether it is gardening - pulling weeds is only fun for a few minutes. Working the railroad (even my model railway) gets tedious when I need to learn to solder tiny electronic gizmo's inside little engines. But in the end there is the satisfaction of the "I did it myself" feeling. And the urge that comes from the less than satisfactory outcome - when I feel " I can do better than that". Or sometimes when it is me against my computer (yet another hobby) it is me against the machine and I'll be danged if the machine is going to win...."

. . .

having said all this 'motivational' crap - sometimes we all have to deal with a bout of depression. Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt - and the drugs to combat it. If the malaise drags on, and affects your life in general - it may be depression. A very real and very treatable human condition. Sometimes we just pull through. Sometimes a trip to a doctor is in order and a careful treatment program can help. As I said, been there done that.
 

paul04

Senior Member
So you mean to say you feel like you've lost your motivation to take photos in general?

Thank you all for the replies.

Yes lost my Motivation,
Just reading the replies here, and I can kind of put my finger on the problem.

For the last few months I've been going to the same 4 places to take photos, and I suppose apart from flowers, everything is the same.

So I have a plan, maybe a new angle on photography for a while, get the train into the town centre, and just wander around and take photos of things I like, things that catch my eye.

Go to different places when I can, and see photography in a new light.

Shoot in jpeg for a while so I don't have to sit in front of the PC editing pictures.
Well raw and jpeg, so I've always got the raw files.

Thank you everyone :)

Paul.
 

Kevin H

Senior Member
Thank you all for the replies.

Yes lost my Motivation,
Just reading the replies here, and I can kind of put my finger on the problem.

For the last few months I've been going to the same 4 places to take photos, and I suppose apart from flowers, everything is the same.

So I have a plan, maybe a new angle on photography for a while, get the train into the town centre, and just wander around and take photos of things I like, things that catch my eye.

Go to different places when I can, and see photography in a new light.

Shoot in jpeg for a while so I don't have to sit in front of the PC editing pictures.
Well raw and jpeg, so I've always got the raw files.

Thank you everyone :)

Paul.

Come to Florida next year for the meet and greet if you don't have a great time we'll slap you silly or buy you a beer :D
 

jay_dean

Senior Member
Motivation could come from a challenge. As mentioned before, weekly or monthly challenges on here, a 365 or whatever, but an aim/challenge. Without an interest field, aim, or challenge maybe i'd feel the same. My interest in this photography malarkey started with aviation. However, the airshow season is spectacularly brief, and shows within reach make this field even harder to provide a sustainable hobby. I still love this field, and it's still my number 1, but its more of a treat rather than my day to day bread and butter photography. I sidestepped into photographing birds. As a kid i spent many hours with my Granddad bird-watching, something he loved, and i learned a lot from him (i still wish i knew as much as he did), and still have a love of wildlife. Photographing birds is a challenge, i think of it as a sport, and its that that keeps me going
 

Michael J.

Senior Member
Once I was on a point putting anything away. I lost motivation when I read "Photos taken with the DXXXX." I thought why does it matter. I have what I have. Nowadays I am over it and enjoy taking photos.

Since I don't attend to make money from photography I just take photos to prove myself I can create great photos people like it. Than I visited my friend who has a great hobby, model railroading.
I watched him for a while. He told me that he ordered the most parts in Switzerland or Germany, other things what he needs for make a great landscape and other details he gets it here in Thailand.
He spent a fortune money on his hobby. It is just for him, cos nobody in Thailand is interesting in it so to whom to show. OK> he shows some VDO's on a specific web board, but that's all.

He enjoys doing modeling, sticking pieces together, sitting and watching when it is running on the track, and in the background some great music.

As I saw him, I thought myself, Photography is just for me and my family. I enjoy it for me. Since that I don't have any pressure to take a photo. But I have to add, I like it more now, cos I am the one who decide what I am going to photograph, what I am going to keep, and how I am i going to pp it. I stopped purchasing gears or lenses, instead I use what I have doing things what people on the Internet say you need for something a better lens, a new camera with the newest technology, etc.

What I buy for photography is now to comfort me, such a strip, or a second battery and some cleaning equipment. Thailand has not that good service for cleaning. Doing by myself keeps me in touch with my gears and gives me a great feeling knowing my gear.

And sometimes I don't take any photos, no problem at all. The motivation comes back. Time doesn't matter. The only thing I do is I don't make myself a bad feeling if some days I don't feel taking photos.

When I see photos taken from members of nikonites buddies, I enjoy. Some people are inspiring me so much that I am eager doing similar as them. That's why I like Exif to see the settings which is a starting point for experimenting.
 
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