Not motivated to take photos

Wingsfan · Sep 1, 2023

It's come and gone for me over the past 15 years. But I recently got into a bunch of full-frame gear in addition to my usual m43 equipment, and I found things are much more enjoyable now that I get to pick and choose which gear I want to use for any given event or occasion. I am strictly amateur, so absolute IQ isn't always the end goal for me. Most of the time I pick the gear that I think I am going to enjoy using the most for a situation, and not necessarily the one that's going to give me the exact sharpest image, and in some cases that's actually even a 1" or 1/1.7" camera...

So don't fight it, it happens.

Personally, what I find much worse is when I really want to go out and take photos, but I don't have the opportunity to do that. Sometimes I'll just shoot our dogs ( that sounds terrible out of context) or flowers in the backyard.

mrandom · Sep 1, 2023

Scheer27 said:
tex said:

then I don't. It's not an existential crisis. I haven't done any personal work for a year or more----but I still have thousands of images that need postprocessing (and these are art shots, not family jazz, so they require a great deal of attention, even the sorting).

Partly I haven't had a lot of available time to do the kind of work i do---my work for pay has been weirdly busy. Partly it's a conscious pause for the dust to settle after a lot of previous activity.

My experience as an artist has taught me that when the time's right then it will be right, and not to get too angst-y about it.

Click to expand...

I know the most commen thing to do is just to stop and take break. But if there is a 2nd option I welcome it. Other wise, maybe a break is the best for now.

Sending some more candidates for a 2nd option.

- Rethink why you're taking pictures. Maybe you want to express yourself. Maybe you want to capture something. Maybe you're looking for new experiences. Maybe it changes. Define goals accordingly and have fun shooting.

- Optimise for comfort. Think about what makes it inconvenient for you to shoot, and solve that. Get a nice camera bag, pack a light and comfortable lens, charge your gear and put it in a place where it's ready to be grabbed.

- Apply some creativity-boosting limitations. Take a prime instead of a zoom (or vice versa). Use the viewfinder instead of the LCD. Shoot in B&W. Don't crop in post. Go for a walk in bad weather. Etc.

Also, break is fine too, sometimes might be best. In any case, good luck!

sybersitizen · Sep 1, 2023

Scheer27 said:
sybersitizen said:

Scheer27 said:

... Its the feeling that if I go out to a place I like, I'll be gone within minutes and thinking "what am I even doing here?".

Click to expand...

I was about to say that new places will suggest new photos. But then you said this:

Scheer27 said:

I just love to go out to new places with as goal taking photos.

Click to expand...

So, is it that you're not enjoying the experience of the new places? Or are you enjoying the experience but still not wanting to take photos?

The first would be a problem IMO, but I wouldn't consider the second to be a problem unless it persists for a very long time.

Click to expand...

Even new places can't really motivate now, that's the problem here haha.

I understand. But I asked if you enjoy the experience of the new places even though you're not taking photos.

Vinc1973 · Sep 2, 2023

It happens. I'd go and buy a photography book, maybe of a genre I like or maybe of something I don't normally do. Sit on a comfortable coach and enjoy!

Klaus dk · Sep 2, 2023

Wouldn't fitness offer some challenging motives? I have the impression, that persons who are into fitness are interested in their own bodies and might like to have pictures of them?

I realise this might be out of your comfort zone, but also offers an opportunity for development.

Good luck and good light.

Scheer27 · Sep 2, 2023

sybersitizen said:
Scheer27 said:

sybersitizen said:

Scheer27 said:

... Its the feeling that if I go out to a place I like, I'll be gone within minutes and thinking "what am I even doing here?".

Click to expand...

I was about to say that new places will suggest new photos. But then you said this:

sybersitizen said:

I just love to go out to new places with as goal taking photos.

Click to expand...

So, is it that you're not enjoying the experience of the new places? Or are you enjoying the experience but still not wanting to take photos?

The first would be a problem IMO, but I wouldn't consider the second to be a problem unless it persists for a very long time.

Click to expand...

Even new places can't really motivate now, that's the problem here haha.

Click to expand...

I understand. But I asked if you enjoy the experience of the new places even though you're not taking photos.

Yes, I do like to visit new places. But the idea of visiting new places to take photos gives me more motivation to go out.

Scheer27 · Sep 2, 2023

TOTodd said:
Scheer27 said:

yardcoyote said:

Could be a mood, could be a slump. Could be you just need an ongoing project or a daily practice to get you out there taking pictures on a regular basis whether you want to or not. I have a daily practice for drawing that I have kept up uninterrupted for more than 12 years and I cannot tell you how many times it has saved me, comforted me, challenged me. It forces me to learn and constantly reignites me.

If motivation is a problem for you, you may have to add it artificially. There is no shame in that.

Click to expand...

I have no real project going on for my photography, never have. I just love to go out to new places with as goal taking photos. How did you stay motivated for more than 12 years? Thats long!

Click to expand...

I believe yardcoyote gave you with the best advise you'll see in this thread: you need a project. You'll never feel motivated without a photography goal, and that's exactly what a project will provide you.

I never had any photo projects, ever. I will look into this. Any advice on projects?

Scheer27 · Sep 2, 2023

richj20 said:
Scheer27 said:

I know the most commen thing to do is just to stop and take break. But if there is a 2nd option I welcome it. Other wise, maybe a break is the best for now.

Click to expand...

When you are driving to the store, do you notice interesting things? A few years ago a large flag in front of a house caught my attention. When out and about, I began looking for nice flag displays and photographing them. I have about 35 photographs.

A recent one:

From a few years ago:

Find something of interest to look for when you are out about town.

Another thing I regularly notice in my own garden, and when on my daily walk, is small flowers. Put on your macro lens and have some fun!

- Richard

Hi Richard, I like your flags project. I really need a project, more of a goal to go out and take photos.

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Scheer27 · Sep 2, 2023

KENTGA said:
Don't know where you live or what you like to shoot but I've had the same issue(s) and haven't traveled much at all in 2023 and had cut back in 2022. In Oct 2023 I'm going to Palm Springs/Joshua Tree NP > Lone Pine > Nevada small towns and Ghost Towns > Lake Tahoe. Never been to PS/JTNP or small NV towns put to the others several times.

I'm 81 and live in metro Atlanta and there are many small towns to my north, west and south and that's what I've been doing the last couple of months on an occasional basis and I've really enjoyed it. One other thing is my mobility isn't what it used to be.

When I retired in 2005 I really got in to photography and took many photo trips and workshops and really enjoyed them but started slowing down thanks to father time and a bad knee.

Hang in there and let your heart be your guide.

Here is a link to my flickr albums. Click on an album and then a photo and then you can use right and left arrow keys to advance or go back.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/108062364@N04/albums

Kent

Thanks for your message, Kent. I watched your flickr account, you have done some nice trips, really jealous, I don't have these beautiful landscapes in my country!

richj20 · Sep 2, 2023

Scheer27 said:
richj20 said:

Scheer27 said:

I know the most commen thing to do is just to stop and take break. But if there is a 2nd option I welcome it. Other wise, maybe a break is the best for now.

Click to expand...

When you are driving to the store, do you notice interesting things? A few years ago a large flag in front of a house caught my attention. When out and about, I began looking for nice flag displays and photographing them. I have about 35 photographs.

Click to expand...

Hi Richard, I like your flags project. I really need a project, more of a goal to go out and take photos.

Yes. Another interest I look for is architecture, especially churches. I photograph the church and then find different designs in the structure.

Having interests to look for when out is a reason to take the camera along> I never know what I will find.

- Richard

--
Richard

http://www.rsjphoto.net/

halfnote · Sep 2, 2023

richj20 said:
Yes. Another interest I look for is architecture, especially churches. I photograph the church and then find different designs in the structure.

- Richard

This is my main interest in photography, subsets of the built world. If someone has studied architecture and composition, the possibilities are endless and everywhere. Find your own interest and work it. The previous suggestion to isolate and practice compositional elements is a fun challenge. Also, go out with a single, non-normal lens and see what you can make with it — soon your eyes/brain start seeing like that lens. (Especially that lens you thought you needed but haven’t gotten much use out of.) These sorts of stimulating tasks can jumpstart a stalled interest and make you a better photographer at the same time.

You see what you look for, and you look for what you know. To know more, I recently bought some old, used books by Andreas Feininger, and I love that I’m still learning later in life.

BGD300V1 · Sep 2, 2023

Put one lens on your camera preferably a prime but if you only have zooms keep it all the way wide or tele. Go out and use only that perspective for a while.

If you usually use wide angle for landscapes or architecture go to tele and try to find and compose interesting detail shots.

Don't shoot 'street' try it for a while.

Gordon W · Sep 2, 2023

Scheer27 said:
I'm sure more of you had or have this problem. I just feel not really motived to go out and take pictures, but deep inside I really want to.

Sounds like a contradictory statement. If deep inside you really wanted to, you would.

Scheer27 said:
Its the feeling that if I go out to a place I like, I'll be gone within minutes and thinking "what am I even doing here?".

Its difficult to place, really. I want and like to take photos but I miss the motivation part.

If you wanted to, that should be motivation. Otherwise, you don't really want to.

Scheer27 said:
Maybe people here had this problem as well and know how to deal with this? Any advice?

Can't say I've ever had this problem, but if I became tired of photography I'd try something else that interests me. Take up chess. Knitting. Gardening. Whatever.

Or if I still had an interest in photography and was simply bored with what I normally shot, I'd try shooting something different. There are many genre of photography to try. Macro. Nudes. Golden hour. Street. Wildlife. Astro. Whatever. The list is almost endless.

--
Regards, Gordon
_
Photography since 1950 • Digital since 1999
My online photo galleries

Wu Jiaqiu · Sep 3, 2023

been like it for about 8 months now, i go and take the odd shot when i feel like it not because i feel i have to, it might pass then again it might not, really not worried about it

Lensmate · Sep 3, 2023

Scheer27 said:
Hi,

I'm sure more of you had or have this problem. I just feel not really motived to go out and take pictures, but deep inside I really want to. Its the feeling that if I go out to a place I like, I'll be gone within minutes and thinking "what am I even doing here?".

Its difficult to place, really. I want and like to take photos but I miss the motivation part. Maybe people here had this problem as well and know how to deal with this? Any advice?

Thank you

Everyone has a different reason for losing motivation. After doing a bit of soul searching whilst taking a break from photography, you may come up with the underlying reasons for it? Once you work that out, you might decide whether you want to continue with it, or just dabble in it, or give it a miss completely. There is nothing wrong with any of those choices...

-M

NormSchultze · Sep 3, 2023

Go out and take some pictures ! If need be, "Fake it till you make it".

JohnSil · Sep 3, 2023

Gordon W said:
Scheer27 said:

I'm sure more of you had or have this problem. I just feel not really motived to go out and take pictures, but deep inside I really want to.

Click to expand...

Sounds like a contradictory statement. If deep inside you really wanted to, you would.

Gordon W said:

Its the feeling that if I go out to a place I like, I'll be gone within minutes and thinking "what am I even doing here?".

Its difficult to place, really. I want and like to take photos but I miss the motivation part.

Click to expand...

If you wanted to, that should be motivation. Otherwise, you don't really want to.

Gordon W said:

Maybe people here had this problem as well and know how to deal with this? Any advice?

Click to expand...

Can't say I've ever had this problem, but if I became tired of photography I'd try something else that interests me. Take up chess. Knitting. Gardening. Whatever.

Or if I still had an interest in photography and was simply bored with what I normally shot, I'd try shooting something different. There are many genre of photography to try. Macro. Nudes. Golden hour. Street. Wildlife. Astro. Whatever. The list is almost endless.

I think the OP should be thoroughly checked out for Depression. I think low motivation toward previous well embraced interest might be a symptom. Maybe some of you know symptoms or about depression way better than I do.

The OP could try all he wants and we could advise all we want but if there is an underlying problem, not much may happen till the problem is taken care of!? Just saying.

John

Jon Manjeot · Sep 3, 2023

It's a good question that many of us have had at some point or another. Maybe think about why you want to get out and take photographs? Is it to share with others? To create images you are proud of? Or just to get outside? Think about what the end result is that your looking for and maybe that can get you back out there!

Best of luck!

Gordon W · Sep 4, 2023

JohnSil said:
I think the OP should be thoroughly checked out for Depression.

I had the same thought, but didn't want to say it, so thanks for this.

Hoxton Bridge · Sep 4, 2023

Scheer27 said:
Hi,

I'm sure more of you had or have this problem. I just feel not really motived to go out and take pictures, but deep inside I really want to. Its the feeling that if I go out to a place I like, I'll be gone within minutes and thinking "what am I even doing here?".

Its difficult to place, really. I want and like to take photos but I miss the motivation part. Maybe people here had this problem as well and know how to deal with this? Any advice?

Thank you

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