Chances are if you’re not brand new to photography, you’ve gone through some phases where you’re not feeling very motivated. Maybe you’re too busy to get out shooting. Maybe you feel like you’ve already taken all the good photos in your area. Maybe you’re depressed because you look at your work and it all sucks. Maybe you dropped your Phase One into a lake and don’t want to go back to shooting with your D3000.
Whatever the reason, periods of feeling unmotivated are a universal part of being a photographer (or really an artist of any kind). So welcome to the club.
Luckily, there are tons of things you can do to get out of the rut. Here are some ideas:
Look at art you love. For me, looking at photography specifically helps the most, but if you find it motivating to look at drawings or movies or bananas duct taped to a wall, do it. I love hitting up Flickr and browsing through the people I follow to look at their back catalogues, as well as searching random nature photography terms and finding new people to follow. Looking at other peoples’ Favorites can also be a great way to find new stuff you like.
Schedule a multi-hour block to just go out and shoot without having to worry about anything else. Go by yourself or with friends. Or show up to a scheduled photo walk in your community. Don’t come home until you have a photo you think is a keeper.
Do a photo challenge or a constraint exercise. Go shooting, but only let yourself shoot at f/22. Or at 73mm focal length. Or force yourself to take 100 photos from the same place without taking a step in any direction. Or embrace the D3000-ness of your D3000 and remind yourself that it is still perfectly capable of taking great images (as long as you stay below ISO 200). Constraints get creative juices flowing, and that always helps me get excited about photography again.
Try a new technique or type of photography you’ve never done before (street photography, artificial lighting, film)
Buy a new piece of gear. I’ll catch flak for this, but even something stupid like a new cable release can sometimes be all it takes to get me excited about going out shooting agan. Let alone getting a new lens or tripod or something. Maybe this is why I have such an extensive collection of inexpensive film cameras I bought for next to nothing and fixed up to working condition
I found a great deal on a telephoto zoom, and, re-energized, got this photo on my first trip with it.
Build a camera! There are tons of awesome DIY designs out there. One of my favorites is a 35mm film pinhole camera made out of a tiny matchbox. If you have access to a 3D printer, there are even more awesome camera designs out there that you can download for free.
Take a class. Even if it’s beginner stuff you already know, it never hurts to hit the basics again.
Read a photography book. I recommend The Art of Photography by Bruce Barnbaum, or The Negative by Ansel Adams.
Do a self-critique on your portfolio. Sort through last year’s photos and pick your top 10 from the year. Write down what you like and don’t like about each one.
Dig through your old “reject” photos to see if there’s a gem hidden in there that you just needed a fresh set of eyes to identify. You’ll be surprised how often you find one. Re-create a photo from your portfolio, but do it better.
Convince someone new to take up photography. Bonus points if you convince them to buy into your camera system and start with lenses you’ve always wanted but don’t have. Because, you know, then you can borrow their stuff. It’s unethical, but motivating, so justified.
Go somewhere new. I live really close to Provo Canyon in Utah. I’ve been up that canyon hundreds of times, and it’s easy to think I’ve photographed what there is to photograph there. But realistically… not even close. There’s always somewhere new to explore. Unless you live in Nebraska. Sorry guys. There’s only so many ways to photograph cornfields.
Take a break from photography. After all, unless your livelihood depends on it, you’re probably only doing this because it’s enjoyable, right? It’s okay to take a month or three off if you’re feeling burned out. Come back when you’re fresh and get back to it. Don’t let yourself feel guilty.
Have advice for someone in an artistic rut? Feeling a bit stuck yourself? Leave a comment. I promise not to judge.