For the past couple of weeks it seems that I have slowly lost my motivation to
take camera in hand. Looking for any advice.
What would you do, or have done to motivate yourself?
Michael, I'm sorry to hear that. Without prying or overstepping here, I'd suggest you consider why you lost your motivation. Has something changed in your life? How did you feel about photography before and at what point did your feelings change? Those are just questions for your internal dialogue. Perhaps you're expecting too much of yourself too quickly. On the other hand then, you just may be getting the winter blues or "bug" that seems to be hitting everywhere.
This is one of the few areas in my life where I don't need motivation. I look at every photo shoot (whether for a client or myself) as an adventure . . . and I really do feel like I go into a different world. . . kind of like meditation. I guess that's what it means to do what you love.
Here are a few tips to maybe jump-start your motivation:
1. participate in each weekly challenge here. . . I seldom miss them because it makes me focus on a topic I may not normally choose.
2. Start posting photos in the critique section . . . you have some nice ones in the gallery, and some that could benefit from a good critique.
3. Set up projects for yourself. . . if the 365 day project is too intense, try 52 weeks . . . one photo per week.
4. Spend 3 days photographing ONLY what you love: your wife, kids, basketball, sunsets.
5. As you cruise the web, or look through magazines, make note of the photographs that seem to "speak" to you. Then try to emulate the style. It'll give you a goal.
Hopefully others will offer more advice. When you look at some of your photos, it might help to remember the magic in photography, that when you click the shutter, you have truly captured that second of time and place that won't be repeated, at least in this life.
Hope this hleps some.
Best Regards