[JohnBee]

Hello Pentaxians,

I was going to post this in the photographic section, but it just didn't seem to fit the category so I decided to put it here instead.

The topic could be "photographic depression" or as I like to call it, "photography burnout". Which is where a person seems to hit a low point and loose interest in photography(as a whole).

Now I've heard and read several stories where people experienced this type of phenomenon. And many of them claimed to-of made a "better than ever" come-back to photography. However, on the other side, many people also claimed that this effect also did them-in, and that they ended-up putting their gear away for good.

My problem however, is that I'm afraid that I've lost all desire for the art.
And I fear this may be due(in part) too pushing myself for all the wrong reasons rather than following the natural flow of things.
Which may of sucked all of the excitement out of photography as a result.
Then again... maybe it's just seasonal. I'm really not sure tbh.

Anyways... I was wondering if others here, might have some experiences of your own to share, and hopefully some advice or ideas on how one might overcome the terrible fate of loosing all desire to take photo's.

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Last edited by JohnBee; 03-21-2011 at 10:18 AM.

[Parallax]

I am suffering from the same syndrome. Since Christmas I have taken maybe a dozen pictures.

[K-9]

Spring and sunny weather is coming. Maybe that will help. If not, try buying a lensbaby.

[MRRiley]

I'm in much the same boat... but chose to attribute most of it to the winter doldrums added to a decidedly boring locale. I find the best thing to bring me out of a slump is to challenge myself with a new genre of photography or a new locale. Right now, I'm hoping the new K5 and some video ideas and the onset of spring will get me re-energized...

Mike

[Parallax]

Mike, next time you head for Sturgis take a 30 mile detour through Pierre, say hi, and see what boring really is.

[eddie1960]

I went through it when i was younger pretty severely, pretty much abandoning all photography for a little more than 10 years. Slowly i got back into it as time and money allowed (it was film days) Now i tend to suffer it a bit in the winter, and this year i've been doing single in challenges to keep me interested. I find forcing the regimen on myself has forced me to get interested. some days it doesn't work and i end up with a boring safety shot others i shoot more than i need because forcing myself to go look for subjects inspired me.

[shooz]

I've been in a slump for a while now.
Took a ride to place I hadn't been to for a while.
Used a trusty lens.
Seems to be helping.

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[kbrede]

Start "a photo a day" project if you're up to it. Or your interest may just have run it's course. I've had a lot of different interests over the years. Some of them fade and haven't come back, some fad and have come back. I go through periods where I have no overriding interest and that's a depressing time. It's next to impossible me to force interest, I just try to ride the wave when it comes in. Hope you catch one soon.

[JeffJS]

The only thing that is keeping me going right now is the Single In (month) games. I find I'm more motivated and excited to take (and post) more photos when I get feedback on them. It challenges me to go beyond my usual snapshot of The Hound. When I don't, I quickly begin to lose interest. It isn't really that I don't enjoy it anymore, it is more of a who cares type of thing.

[Bramela]

I have been there too, on and off. I find that if I just take the camera bag when I am heading out to wherever, photo opportunities crop up and I am happy to take them.
When down, I just don't go out there on Photographing trips, as I feel this can get frustrating.
Impromptu opportunities seems to bring back the fervour,

I hope this makes sense

[jpzk]

Got the "Blues" too!

I suppose I could give all sorts of excuses, most of them acceptable I would think, for this lack of enthusiasm for the past few months.

Nonetheless, there seems to be a period, or two, during the year when the photography buzz simply isn't there.
One thing I did notice is that after a very busy summer/fall, taking thousands of shots (some of them acceptable) come the late fall and early winter along which some sort of S.A.D syndrome (seasonal affective disorder) develops. well, maybe I should consult with the local psychologist.
Amazing how those neuro-transmitters depend of light!

Then Spring comes back ... warmer, "longer" days; more sunshine and the arrival of the first migratory birds; the local fauna wakes up and so do I! ... for a while at least.

Apart from deep brain freeze and lack of motivation, there are days when I get too darn busy worrying about technical stuff: should I buy this K5? (which I did); testing, testing, testing for stains, FF under low light, etc ...; testing for flash use; upgrading the computer ... and the list goes on and on.
All during that time, I realize that I haven't even been out and enjoy just taking pics for the fun of it.

I haven't much to offer in terms of tricks and advice on how to overcome a possibly temporary lack of drive for photography but I am quite convinced that, even after a long period of inactivity and/or "the blues", things usually take care of themselves.

Cheers!

JP

[Ratmagiclady]

Eh, it happens. Actually, it's not been a great year for my interest in the surface of things, either,

I'm trying to take the time to loosen up on the technical stuff I usually consider to be part of 'peak experience,' cause, maybe it's not.


Sometimes later when the funk's off, you'll wish you'd fired the shutter more, or been able to, but you never know. 'Fallow period's' also another way of saying, 'This seems to be trying to convince poop-producing beasts of burden to dig troughs in a high percentage of more poop.'

If you want us to tell you to make photos anyway, make photos anyway. Hec, even if you want us to give you a reason to walk away for a while, make photos anyway. If you really don't want to, you won't need the telling of it.

You don't even have to look at them, especially these days.

Honestly, that's what I'm telling myself just lately, too, with limited success, it's just that I know I've been here before.


Things seem to suck, nothing looks meaningful, I don't even want to *be* here, the *engagement with people I consider so essential to what I think I'm doing* is *so* strained and fragile, cameras seem uncomfortable for *everyone,* like this is an undignified time everyone hopes will end, (isn't it?) And even if staying too long in the South *always* seems to just *mess* with my estimation of humanity after a while, I'm scared, stressed-out, don't want to even rock the *boat* with the usual people you meet by pointing cameras, and it's probably actually the *wrong* time for me: I look around and mostly all I see is people who already feel put-upon by seemingly-endless electronic intrusion, and tend to focus that discomfort on the 'obvious' camera,

You know, I dunno. All I know in some ways is that it's a depressing time, and later I'll wish I'd gotten on the shutter more often, even if I'm not feeling it now.

So, whatever.


I know *I* get shy, people-averse, when I'm not feeling well. That's probably why it feels good when I'm on what I call my game. But, maybe it just doesn't right now. I can see it in people's faces when I review what I *have* got.


Easy to sit here and type, 'So get *that,*' but, I'll tell you man, sometimes I just don't *want* to. So.

[tuco]

You've probably picked all the low hanging fruit in your area and now it becomes more difficult to find interesting subjects (especially landscape) without traveling to new and distant locations.

[daacon]

It's a common theme I think at experienced by most , myself included. I was on a two week vacation in Costa Rica a while ago and took about 2k photos. I have not clicked the shutter since.

Weather here plays a big part. We had (still having) a winter for the ages. First day of spring and I still see 4 feet of snow in the backyard and it snowed a bit today.

New equipment helps but that is not always possible. I will get out of this rut, and the weather will break. I almost made a point to get out of town to shoot last weekend but did not.

For me it's a phase , I really don't think I have lost the passion , tuco makes a good point with all the low hanging fruit. Still if you go back to the same locations , try something new, a pano, slow shutters, burst mode - maybe throw some night photography in there, the moon, stars. Maybe take some of your favorite digital shots and print them , blow a few up, maybe offer one as a gift to someone.

I hope the passion comes back - it is for me a little just writing this.

[Nowhere Matt]

You guys just need to get a few different lenses. Maybe some really inexpensive, subjective lenses of questionable reputation.


I have no idea where you could get such lenses.