Thanks to everyone who has offered support, advice and shared their own experiences. I especially like the meditative approach and because my sleep cycle is screwed but the nights are warm I might finally have a go at some night photography.

Further suggestions always welcome. I was also considering using my 10-17 fisheye to try to capture some of the difficult and distorted emotions I feel lately.

Cheers,

Joe

Make photographs of clouds. You only need to look up.

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Last edited by Brooke Meyer; 12-03-2014 at 09:16 PM.

[mecrox]

Very sorry to hear, been round the houses with that myself before now. Taking it very easy, setting oneself some projects which are do-able and not only dreamable, exercise like long walks (good for the head), taking up meditation or a course in mindfulness I've found very helpful in particular (it's now used as a treatment for stress and depression here), holidays, really just simple good things. And dropping what's unnecessary. Just stop it taking up your energy, at least for now. No one is going to regret not having ironed enough shirts in their life, etc. Medication and therapy too, if needed, can be important. If I had to pick a useful core in my case, it would be meditation, walking and a few do-able projects, from repainting or repairing something on up.

[Clavius]

I am presently recovering from a major mental health crisis, one which will likely cost my job (which was also the cause and as a result may involve an ugly human rights complaint). No one from work has contacted me since my stress leave began and I work for a very small highly dysfunctional not-for-profit. The sad part is that I loved my work and did not have the wisdom to jump when things started to go sideways.

Anyhow I am sure others have encountered similar life upheavals. Having a mood disorder does not help nor do the hot summer days (I don't cope well with heat).

Long walks and significant driving are not feasible due to my health at the moment but I am thinking that it is a shame to let the brief season pass undocumented. I have taken a few floral shots with suitably sombre titles but I wondered what suggestions others might have to shake myself out of this creative rut. I have two DSLR bodies, a number of nice lenses including several limited primes and I have the little MX-1. It has been more than a year since I have been able to add anything new to my collection so some degree of equipment boredom and lack of patience for tripods etc are not helping.

How have others managed to turn their photography into a healing tool at times like this?

Sorry to hear about your troubles. I went through a mental crisis myself not all that long ago. Caused by worrying. Worrying at my job, about my job, my family, their health, future, past, everything and anything. Eventually, I pulled through. I learned a lot from it.

Being a creative mind I tried venting my frustration through that. Much to my surprise, I wasn't really able to do much photographing at all. Photographing for the sake of photography became impossible. Frustrating even. Pointless. And each time I tried, I failed. (Or at least, in my eyes I failed.) And each time I failed, it created a larger barrier for me to try again. The bigger the barrier, the longer I tended to wait with picking up the camera.

For some reason though, I suddenly took an interest in the heavier photoshopping. Especially the more surrealistic images. (Browse through my flickr stream mentioned in my signature if you like. Picking out the ones where I was feeling off is quite easy.) Of course I needed raw materials to photoshop with, so that's where the photographing finally started to re-enter. It actually gave my photos a purpose again. I had something in my mind that I wanted to create and I had to take my pictures in certain ways to facilitate it. That part stuck forever, I'm afraid.

Keep in mind that everybody is different. But what I'm trying to say with all this is: forcing yourself to do something and then disappointing yourself with the results can frustrate you even more then you already are. Not much to be gained from that. Again, everyone is different, so if it helps you: cool. If not, then please skip the frustration and try something else. It'll come back.

The human body is amazing. And the mind even more so. It will find ways through and tell you what is needed. Eventually you'll come out stronger, even if you can't see that right now.

Sorry about the rant. I'll quickly press submit now, before I backspace it all.

[frogoutofwater]

Thanks to everyone who has offered support, advice and shared their own experiences. I especially like the meditative approach and because my sleep cycle is screwed but the nights are warm I might finally have a go at some night photography.

Further suggestions always welcome. I was also considering using my 10-17 fisheye to try to capture some of the difficult and distorted emotions I feel lately.

Cheers,

Joe

I forgot to mention yesterday, that there are some pretty cool, abstract photos you can create using a macro lens and experimenting with ordinary objects like oil dropped in water (maybe add some colour to the oil), folded paper or mylar sheets, bendy wire, etc. You can set up a table for this near a window, or experiment with shining light (continuous or flash) through it at different angles (if you're sleepless at night).

[skierd]

Having a mood disorder is rough, but a lot of how you deal with it comes from how you approach it. See it as a burden and it becomes one, embrace it as part of who you are and the load lessens. I see my own the way I see needing to wear glasses/contacts to see: part of my reality no matter how much I might want it to go away.

As far as coping through art, of course. I've found solace and comfort in the darkroom when I was in college, particularly early in the morning or late over night when I was the only soul stirring in the building. Painting was a better release for me, more physical and more closely connected to the source especially when I would zone out just paint. My father still has one of my favorites, and darkest, abstract paintings on his wall, doubtless unaware of its full meaning to me.

I found motorcycles to be a better meditative outlet personally and would often go on long rides to nowhere just to feel the rush of being alive when everything else felt so dead. The camera came too of course, but its role was secondary to the pursuit.

[baro-nite]

Joe: sorry to read about your tough times. But I'm glad you're doing something about it—it means you're past the lethargy and hopelessness that so often make depression a very difficult hole to get out of. You've had great suggestions. I don't know if this is a good suggestion or a very bad one, but your idea of the fisheye, and also the need to escape the heat, makes me think of self-portraiture as a good project. Might even help you laugh at yourself.

All the best,
Jeff

[WWIFA]

Thanks to everyone who has offered support, advice and shared their own experiences. I especially like the meditative approach and because my sleep cycle is screwed but the nights are warm I might finally have a go at some night photography.

Further suggestions always welcome. I was also considering using my 10-17 fisheye to try to capture some of the difficult and distorted emotions I feel lately.

Cheers,

Joe

Hey Joe,

Real sorry to hear about this. I think you need to get up to those mountains of yours and out of the heat. Maybe the kids would want to go so you don't have to drive. Spend a few days, camp, get a hotel, whatever. Great photo opportunities and a change of scenery could do wonders.

I'm in a bit of a slump myself photographically. If you have any interest in doing something together, say to motivate each other, I would be more than willing. Post on flickr or somewhere on PF. Even if it's just to post a photo every other day and slap each other on the back. If the energy is not there I understand. I've been taking my happy pills for about a year and a half now and it's going well. In fact I think they should just put the stuff in the drinking water.

Take care...

[daacon]

Sorry to hear Joe. We are going through some issues now (not as serious as yours) and I find when I am stressed out I get in the car or on my bike and go out. I have a local wetlands very close and Elk Island is only a 20 minute drive away. You my friend are very close to some of most beautiful country in the world ! When I go out and shoot it does relax me. Lately I have also noticed I actually spend time enjoying the scenery whereas a few years ago I would set up my shot , shot a few then move on. Now if I am photographing a lake sunset I take a few shots, then I sit and enjoy the Lake Sunset ! I hope for the best Joe , our thoughts and prayers are with you and yours (even though you are from Calgary and all ...... ha!)

[jmschrei]

Thanks again to everyone for the good wishes and ideas. The heat and fatigue have not helped and so far keep me from getting out of town but it looks like we might have a break in the weather coming up. I did at least process a shot from the other day and heaven knows my poor Mac is bulging with files that really need a good purging!

[kiwi_jono]

Thanks to everyone who has offered support, advice and shared their own experiences. I especially like the meditative approach and because my sleep cycle is screwed but the nights are warm I might finally have a go at some night photography.

Further suggestions always welcome. I was also considering using my 10-17 fisheye to try to capture some of the difficult and distorted emotions I feel lately.

Cheers,

Joe

Hi Joe,

I just wanted to add that your comment "I was also considering using my 10-17 fisheye to try to capture some of the difficult and distorted emotions I feel lately." is a great idea. I wouldn't describe myself as a touchy feely emotional sort of guy but I really do think that a persons emotional state will (and should) effect how and what they shoot. Every now and again I see photos that really express some emotion and this can have a powerful effect.

The Christchurch earthquakes surprised us all by being far more terrifying than we ever imagined a major earthquake would be - especially so when peak ground accelerations start exceeding 2 g ! During this period I was in a very emotional state. At times euphoric (from realising that myself and my family are Ok) through to bleak times (we knew of people who were not so lucky as us).
One of my emotionally challenged periods I recorded these: Sunset Over a damaged city - Damage near my office and I'm glad to have the photo to reflect on and share. Just as importantly the photography was a useful distraction and outlet at the time!

So I believe its worth running with subjects and styles that suit your emotional state at the time. You will probably get some great night shots with your fisheye. You might find spending some time post processing can be therapeutic once you start see some results.

[sherrvonne]

Back in 2007 I got 'the phone call', it was to inform me that my 28 yr old son had passed, ( gunshot ) the depression/crazy/angry stages I went through was something else for sure. I found I realized I could still get lost behind a camera and learn something at the same time. It keeps me busy when I get depressed. My photos I took during those yrs was put to use by my sister who raided my pc for nature photos to frame and redecorate her walls. She was going through chemo and wanted something cheerful on her walls. I have been considering the skate park to practice shooting fast moving subjects and then I found out about a car racing place out in the country... Ok, boondocks...it is hot and horrible in Texas right now, the nature photos are more like crispy grass and leaves. Hang in there!

[formercanuck]

When the heat hits me (summers in the deserts near Los Angeles are brutal), I go into the mountains or if I'm lucky enough, near the ocean. I have to wait until the end of October until it starts to cool off to the mid 20s (celcius) / 70's here.
Seeing that you're near/in Calgary, a short drive up to Canmore/Banff/Lake Louise/Jasper may be a breath of fresh air - just have to go camping.

[Dewman]

Hang in there, Joe..... there IS a light at the end of the tunnel! I've found that there's a wealth of things to photograph within 20 feet of where you're probably sitting, this very minute! I too suffer from the doldrums once in a while, mostly from a severe brain injury I suffered last year, or the blistering heat making it just too uncomfortable to go outside. I just hook up a lens that looks like it would be fun, attach my camera to a tripod and shoot away! You'd be surprised at what you can find. Here's a sample of what I'm talking about.

I've found that photography is a lot like fishing.... it's hard to think about anything else when you're doing either one, especially if the fish are biting or you have something to photograph. Just another thought..... I find myself getting engrossed in scanning old photos and negatives and PPing them.

Good luck, my friend. The trick is to STAY BUSY!

Dewman
SW Idaho

[MD Optofonik]

I'll join officiousbystander in complimenting your work. I saw "Monochrome spring day" whist browsing the MX-1 group just recently and was impressed by what you were able to do with the MX-1. I didn't realize you were on this forum also.

[magkelly]

Right now I'm going through some tough times. My Dad hasn't been well lately and well, let's just say his health issues have made him a less than cheerful fellow at times. Plus it's high Summer and I have autoimmune issues and I can't even hardly step out my door except to do the shopping and take him to doctor's appts. My body just can't take the heat and sun. Not at all.

Shooting anything outside right now is very difficult. Not that there's much to shoot around here except for the neighbor's pets, a few rabbits, lizards and a lot of mobile homes. I've got no portrait jobs for the rest of this month, which sucks. I've got two new lenses and a new DSLR and pretty much nothing to shoot.

Days like this it's why I have toys, dolls. Seriously. If it wasn't for my toys I'd probably go stark raving. But at least I have the dolls and I can create scenarios and use them to practice my portrait skills. May I suggest a trip to the local Toys R Us, Walmart or Target? Or ordering something fun to play with online? Surely there was some toy that made you smile as a kid? Forget that you are an adult and indulge in a little toy therapy. I'd find something you'd enjoy and have some fun with it.

Last week I stole one of my niece's toys, a little $1 slinky, and I had some fun photographing that all over their house and mine. Then I pulled out a box of matchbox cars I keep for when my one nephew visits and I photographed some of the cars. This week I'm going to play with some marbles and some jacks and mirror or two and see what happens.

Go for it. Find a toy or two and GO PLAY. It will do wonders for your psyche.