Ever Get In a Slump?

**Sailor** · 08-18-2011, 03:43 PM

As I mentioned in previous similar thread, since I started shooting with an MX in '78, I've had numerous periods of disinterest - lasting days, weeks or months. Something always comes along to catalyze a renewed zeal - maybe a trip somewhere, a new piece of gear or just a change of seasons.

I don't worry about my "slumps" much, since photography - for me - is not a calling but merely a hobby. If it happens that I get bored with it for a time and find other interests to be more compelling, so be it. The camera exists for me, not the other way around.

Jer

RioRico · 08-18-2011, 05:27 PM

Prevention is the best treatment: Just say NO to slumps. Yeah, right. But try this: Photograph your obsessions. (Of course if photography is your only obsession, you're f*cked.) If you don't have any good obsessions, get some. You'd be surprised how many good-to-great photos come from people with little interest in photography but LOTS of interest in whatever devours their brains.

So, let the brain-worms in, give them some fodder to chew on. Gargle for WEIRD HOBBIES or OBSESSIONS or OUTSIDER ART or ABERRANT SEXUAL PRACTICES or FETISHES or whatever and pick something unique, then go with it. And shoot it. Let's see some flea circuses, folks, and some barb-wire collections, and tattooed toes, and lewd robots, and self-trephination, and drainpipe endoscopy, and lint sculptures. Don't be normal. Normal is boring. Well, shoot boredom then, but make it interesting, OK?

Parallax · 08-18-2011, 05:33 PM

Originally posted by RioRico

Prevention is the best treatment: Just say NO to slumps. Yeah, right. But try this: Photograph your obsessions.

That's a hell of a great suggestion! The best part of that is that I should never run out of material because my obsessions change regularly.
Thanks, Rico.

Ratmagiclady · 08-18-2011, 07:40 PM

Originally posted by Sailor

As I mentioned in previous similar thread, since I started shooting with an MX in '78, I've had numerous periods of disinterest - lasting days, weeks or months. Something always comes along to catalyze a renewed zeal - maybe a trip somewhere, a new piece of gear or just a change of seasons.

I don't worry about my "slumps" much, since photography - for me - is not a calling but merely a hobby. If it happens that I get bored with it for a time and find other interests to be more compelling, so be it. The camera exists for me, not the other way around.

Jer

Yeah, it can happen: for me, it's a bit more important identitywise, I suppose, just being somewhat limited in what I can really say 'is what I do,' makes it more important to me to feel on my game about it. Which is funny enough, really: it's always been hard to make a living at it, but now that I'm sidelined to do much at any given profession, it's a best link to being able to do something with when I *am* capable.

But, there's little forcing of inspiration or that, ....I find that it really helps me, like I said, to blow a few shots, if nothing else, to hear the winder turn. ...sometimes, 'just cover something,' pick the one fascinating person, thing, or place, and just work it. It helps that I do have these 'working modes' that kinda do come back to me once engaged, mostly. If you can get your mind and body to recognize something of a time when you *were* in your god shooting zone, even in a physical action, quite often the rest will come back by association.

(That's actually how post-traumatic stress problems work/get triggered, only obviously in a bit of a cycle of *not*-good stuff. The same kind of ways our minds work can be used for things like photography or other complex skills. Music, I think is very like that, too, though that's not a talent of mine: Everything you have to put together technically with time and sound and repetition and the rest, it's very like all the things we do with light and time and exposure, and all. How's that for abstractions.

)

Anyway, Jim, our reactions to a sense of loss or the rest can often be a little odd. I think my work down here can suffer for really a sense of homesickness, ...looking for something else than I'm seeing, and maybe even a lot of things not *looking* much like what's really 'happening' in a way. People are actually starting to *look* interesting, but some internal editorial staff doesn't know what to make of it now, which is odd enough. Must be feeling old or something.

ve2vfd · 08-18-2011, 10:58 PM

I've been in a bit of a slump for the last few months so I decided this weekend to do something different.

I loaded up 3 rolls of Tri-X, pulled out my X-700 and 2 primes and will go for an all B/W weekend.

Should be interesting.

Pat

JeffJS · 08-19-2011, 03:08 PM

.... almost every day. Mostly though the slump is from shooting the same old tired subjects. Even The Hound (and squirrels for that matter), there are only so many photos I can stand to take. I get around the slump by giving myself new challenges. Like this month, it's all about image stacking and the post processing.

Panoramas and Stacks - a set on Flickr

erkie · 08-19-2011, 04:27 PM

Usually I'm lucky in that I move geographically every few months from project to project, But the last few weeks in one area can drag on and on. Usually the change of scenery is all I need to get back out there. Unfortunately I damaged my foot a few weeks ago and I'm not up to walking much just yet even though I'm in a brand new place. I'm aching to get some shots of Beale Street or the pyramid or even Graceland if nothing else

Just can't quite get there yet. It's almost as bad as a rut when you've got Freshly CLA'd cameras and rolls of film sitting on the nightstand just begging for action.

The only real solace is Trolling around our forum here looking at all the wonderful things the folks here are doing

So if anyone here is in a slump Go take some pics so I have something to aspire too ! (Especially if it involves squirrels )

Eric

Rupert · 08-19-2011, 05:05 PM

One thing I have been considering is to learn to use my Sigma 10-20 HSM 3.5 lens I bought last year and have only used a few times....all with poor results. I see others use this range and do very nicely, but I just can't seem to get the hang of it.
If you had this lens, or if you do, where would you start in getting the best out of it? It is not a Squirrel shooter, so that's out....no one wants to see a Squirrel that close.....me included.

Regards!

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08-18-2011, 03:43 PM	#31
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,205	As I mentioned in previous similar thread, since I started shooting with an MX in '78, I've had numerous periods of disinterest - lasting days, weeks or months. Something always comes along to catalyze a renewed zeal - maybe a trip somewhere, a new piece of gear or just a change of seasons. I don't worry about my "slumps" much, since photography - for me - is not a calling but merely a hobby. If it happens that I get bored with it for a time and find other interests to be more compelling, so be it. The camera exists for me, not the other way around. Jer

08-18-2011, 05:27 PM	#32
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Prevention is the best treatment: Just say NO to slumps. Yeah, right. But try this: Photograph your obsessions. (Of course if photography is your only obsession, you're f*cked.) If you don't have any good obsessions, get some. You'd be surprised how many good-to-great photos come from people with little interest in photography but LOTS of interest in whatever devours their brains. So, let the brain-worms in, give them some fodder to chew on. Gargle for WEIRD HOBBIES or OBSESSIONS or OUTSIDER ART or ABERRANT SEXUAL PRACTICES or FETISHES or whatever and pick something unique, then go with it. And shoot it. Let's see some flea circuses, folks, and some barb-wire collections, and tattooed toes, and lewd robots, and self-trephination, and drainpipe endoscopy, and lint sculptures. Don't be normal. Normal is boring. Well, shoot boredom then, but make it interesting, OK?

08-18-2011, 05:33 PM	#33
Parallax Senior Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Dakota Photos: Gallery Posts: 19,332	Originally posted by RioRico Prevention is the best treatment: Just say NO to slumps. Yeah, right. But try this: Photograph your obsessions. That's a hell of a great suggestion! The best part of that is that I should never run out of material because my obsessions change regularly. Thanks, Rico.

08-18-2011, 07:40 PM	#34
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Originally posted by Sailor As I mentioned in previous similar thread, since I started shooting with an MX in '78, I've had numerous periods of disinterest - lasting days, weeks or months. Something always comes along to catalyze a renewed zeal - maybe a trip somewhere, a new piece of gear or just a change of seasons. I don't worry about my "slumps" much, since photography - for me - is not a calling but merely a hobby. If it happens that I get bored with it for a time and find other interests to be more compelling, so be it. The camera exists for me, not the other way around. Jer Yeah, it can happen: for me, it's a bit more important identitywise, I suppose, just being somewhat limited in what I can really say 'is what I do,' makes it more important to me to feel on my game about it. Which is funny enough, really: it's always been hard to make a living at it, but now that I'm sidelined to do much at any given profession, it's a best link to being able to do something with when I am capable. But, there's little forcing of inspiration or that, ....I find that it really helps me, like I said, to blow a few shots, if nothing else, to hear the winder turn. ...sometimes, 'just cover something,' pick the one fascinating person, thing, or place, and just work it. It helps that I do have these 'working modes' that kinda do come back to me once engaged, mostly. If you can get your mind and body to recognize something of a time when you were in your god shooting zone, even in a physical action, quite often the rest will come back by association. (That's actually how post-traumatic stress problems work/get triggered, only obviously in a bit of a cycle of not-good stuff. The same kind of ways our minds work can be used for things like photography or other complex skills. Music, I think is very like that, too, though that's not a talent of mine: Everything you have to put together technically with time and sound and repetition and the rest, it's very like all the things we do with light and time and exposure, and all. How's that for abstractions. ) Anyway, Jim, our reactions to a sense of loss or the rest can often be a little odd. I think my work down here can suffer for really a sense of homesickness, ...looking for something else than I'm seeing, and maybe even a lot of things not looking much like what's really 'happening' in a way. People are actually starting to look interesting, but some internal editorial staff doesn't know what to make of it now, which is odd enough. Must be feeling old or something.

08-18-2011, 10:58 PM	#35
ve2vfd Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,433	I've been in a bit of a slump for the last few months so I decided this weekend to do something different. I loaded up 3 rolls of Tri-X, pulled out my X-700 and 2 primes and will go for an all B/W weekend. Should be interesting. Pat

08-19-2011, 03:08 PM	#36
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	.... almost every day. Mostly though the slump is from shooting the same old tired subjects. Even The Hound (and squirrels for that matter), there are only so many photos I can stand to take. I get around the slump by giving myself new challenges. Like this month, it's all about image stacking and the post processing. Panoramas and Stacks - a set on Flickr

08-19-2011, 04:27 PM	#37
erkie Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Missouri Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 407	Usually I'm lucky in that I move geographically every few months from project to project, But the last few weeks in one area can drag on and on. Usually the change of scenery is all I need to get back out there. Unfortunately I damaged my foot a few weeks ago and I'm not up to walking much just yet even though I'm in a brand new place. I'm aching to get some shots of Beale Street or the pyramid or even Graceland if nothing else Just can't quite get there yet. It's almost as bad as a rut when you've got Freshly CLA'd cameras and rolls of film sitting on the nightstand just begging for action. The only real solace is Trolling around our forum here looking at all the wonderful things the folks here are doing So if anyone here is in a slump Go take some pics so I have something to aspire too ! (Especially if it involves squirrels ) Eric

08-19-2011, 05:05 PM	#38
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123 Original Poster	One thing I have been considering is to learn to use my Sigma 10-20 HSM 3.5 lens I bought last year and have only used a few times....all with poor results. I see others use this range and do very nicely, but I just can't seem to get the hang of it. If you had this lens, or if you do, where would you start in getting the best out of it? It is not a Squirrel shooter, so that's out....no one wants to see a Squirrel that close.....me included. Regards!