Hoping to get my photography mojo back...

[marce]

Hi All,
after quite a long absence due to initially the mental effects of illness, now its the physical side that's a bit of a pain, I hope to get my enthusiasm back for photography and the fun I have had in the past on this site.
Its been a long few months (16 moths of various treatments, 5 TURBTs' BCG treatment and finally 3 weeks ago Radical Cystecomy including my prostate, appendix and all lymph nodes, my 6th operation in 14 months, to add insult to injury our beloved little dog got run over by a speeding driver who never stopped!) and I just lost all interest in any sort of hobbies, photography in fact I spent my time working working working and tried to avoid any spare time where I had to think, I must also admit to occasionally! drinking more than I use to just to numb my mind and spending as much time with my family as possible...
Anyway after the last major operation hopefully that is all behind me and now as I have a future (once I get over the physical side of the op and learn to live with my urostomy) I want to get back to doing things I enjoy especially photography in my spare time.
It has been a strange time, mentally I just couldn't seem to get any enthusiasm to take photos, discuss photography or concentrate on anything other than work, now as the new year approaches I want to get my mojo back for doing fun things in my life mainly photography and woodworking...
So I would appreciate any ideas that you could share for getting the same passion back that I used to have and as I have said lost somewhat over the last year plus. As my strength improves I will be catching up on posts here...
I am awaiting the biopsy results from my radical cystecomy, but finger crossed I should now be free of bladder cancer and more importantly it wont have spread.
Sorry for the rambling post, it is my way of coping and coming back into the real world.
Thanks
Marc

 

[Moab Man]

Well, after that complete overhaul it sounds like you are overdue for some positive and I hope it comes your way.

With that said, since you are into woodworking, you might combine the two. You could certainly set up a blog (many free sites) on woodworking and combine your photography to maybe teach others. A long time ago I made scroll-saw clocks. In hindsight I wish I had more photographs of it. I also like making puzzles out of stamps - how I wished I had pictures of all the stamp puzzles I had made over the years.

My point, you have two hobbies that would combine well together.

Best of luck to you and I look forward to seeing your work on this site.

 

[marce]

Thanks...
I'm more into furniture based on the 32mm system, having made custom furniture for my son and one or two others, I have also built a few set of speakers over the years. It will be about another 3 to 5 months before I am fit enough to do woodwork, at the moment even my camera is a bit heavy to pick up....
My last really productive time with both my photos and posting images on here was when I had my D3200, I was lucky to get a D800 brand new and very cheap in late 2014, but haven't posted many images, I have quite a few in Lightroom that I need to sort and put up for constructive criticism...
Later:
Just reading your reply made me think so I started looking at my images since 2014, many painful memories but also some interesting images, that I had taken uploaded and forgotten, so I think my first task will be to go through these images and create a little exhibition or maybe a photo book (or slide show, covering different categories) of some of what I think are my best images. Thank you, just going through them (whilst upsetting in some ways as past memories come back to me, such as the dog we lost) is starting to rekindle my love of creating images and taking photos, this could be a worthwhile task to do during my convalescence.

 

[Moab Man]

Furniture can be photographed too

Keep at it and you have a magical camera in that D800.

 

[marce]

And a SIgma 50mm f1.4 Art, a combination made in heaven...

 

[Sandpatch]

Hi Marce, perhaps you might want to drop a Private Message to Danno here. Dan suffered a stroke and has since been on a successful road to recovery, as evidenced by his fine photography. His friendship and insight might be of benefit. Best wishes to you and your health.

 

[Dawg Pics]

I wish the best outcome for your biopsy.

I can't tell you how to get enthusiastic, but since you have posted that you are ready to shoot again, I would say you are on your way. I have had times of depression. It just doesn't let you spread yourself around mentally or physically.

Now start shooting.

 

[Bikerbrent_RIP]

Sorry to hear of your health issues and best of luck on your biopsy. Always remember the old saying that today is the first day of the rest of your life.

 

[marce]

Thank you all for you kind words and thoughts.
I am hopeful for the biopsies as the cancer hadn't spread to my bladder muscle, just the lining, but had come back as the most aggressive type, hense they decided to remove everything as the best form of treatment.
Hi Dawg Pics, my beloved suffered quite a severe bout of depression and anxiety attacks over the last few weeks, due mainly to worrying for me, in many ways it was harder for her than it was for me (I just get on with stuff and in this instance had to) in many ways. She was into baking and as she got worse gave it all up and started selling all her stuff even though we tried to dissuade her, luckily since I have got through the operation she is now getting back to normal, work and has decided that she is going to keep on baking! Depression can be worse than a direct physical problem as you often loose the will for many things, our oldest Son succumbed to deep depression in 2011, many don't see it as a real illness, yet in the UK it is one of the main killers of young men (and women) between 18 and 27!!! Hope you keep your spirits up and don't suffer from it again.
Me I have a large family (6 kids left, 10 grandkids) to look after so I am lucky, I have them to worry about which does help me.
Funnily throughout the whole ride with cancer, its the treatments that make you actually feel ill, myself I consider lucky, there are many out there fighting cancer where surgery is not an option, my heart goes out to them.

I am pondering a few options and have always liked portraits (having a large if not very enthusiastic family of victims) and I am considering a cheap set of studio lights instead of my speedlights for more options, and a ecent redecoration of our living room means I have an interesting backdrop, bay windows with wooden white blinds that should allow some interesting shots (if we ever get any sunshine, Blackburn UK is rather drab).
Thank you all again.

 

[Danno_RIP]

I encourage you to just start. When I had the first stroke it was hard to get motivated. I had my faith and that kept me focused and I had always wanted to have time to take photos, but I never had any time. I bought the D3200 a month and a half after going on disability. I was going thru rehab of all sorts and the speech therapist encouraged me to continue because it helped me work on my focus and attention, and it has. It helped me adapt to my new normal.

When one door closes God opens another. I do enjoy it. I bought a D7200 last year this time, and I started getting active here and started with the 365 daily challenge. Even when I did not feel up to it I would take a shot and I found it to be fun to figure out what to do, and I got help here. I am still pretty limited. Speech and Headaches are annoying, but God gave me an outlet to see past my circumstances.

I will keep you in my prayers. I encourage you to take a photo and play with it. Praying things with the biopsy go well.

I also got a lot of encouragement from here. I took a bad fall and wasn't sure I was going to be able to keep shooting. Several folks encouraged me... Walt suggested if it came to it take a picture every day of each toe. That would keep me going for ten days. It did not come to that but I did not miss a day.

You can always PM me. I wish you well and look forward to seeing your first new shots... even if it is of your toes.

 

[marce]

Cheers Danno, hope you are well on the road to recovery. I agree with you now the ups and downs and worries are all but gone from my mind (no more TURBT operations, then a months wait for the biopsy results, then a round of treatment, then another op to see if the treatments worked, then another wait for the biopsy results and round and round...) I want to get out there and again capture the beauty of the world that is all around us...

 

[Danno_RIP]

Cheers Danno, hope you are well on the road to recovery. I agree with you now the ups and downs and worries are all but gone from my mind (no more TURBT operations, then a months wait for the biopsy results, then a round of treatment, then another op to see if the treatments worked, then another wait for the biopsy results and round and round...) I want to get out there and again capture the beauty of the world that is all around us...

Better to focus on that then all the poking and prodding... I seriously dislike the phrases "one more MRI, MRA CT Scan"... or the lets try this medication for the headaches... There is a reason they call medicine a practice. But I am thankful for my new normal. It works. I am blessed. I will admit I do not like falling down much... but that is rare these days.

Excited to see your first posts.

God bless.

Dan

 

[Marilynne]

Welcome back Marc. Glad to hear you're doing better and hope the test results are negative.

We watched the old movie What About Bob? last week - remember to take "BABY STEPS" to get you going.