[Clavius]

Hey!
I've had photography as my main hobby for about 6 years. A year and a half ago, though, i started playing guitar, and i've already collected a bunch of gear. My girlfriend brought to my attention something that i had already noticed : i haven't been so excited about photography anymore. I still like the idea of taking photos, but i used to spend hours and hours everyday going through my old shots, editing them and all. Now i kind of lost that. I wanna try to get it back, and i believe that maybe changing my kit would help me with that.
Anyone out there experienced the same as me? I'm thinking about getting perhaps a M4/3 camera with some top-notch lenses instead of having a bunch of average and some top-notch lenses.
Well, anything you have to say would be helpful.
Thanks!

This problem is common to each and every hobby, I think. I had to deal with this same photography dry spell. And you may not like to hear it, but I never really solved it. And making my money with photography only made it worse. I never got back to happy snapping like before. The whole thing seems increasingly redundant. Instead, Photoshop became my new hobby. Creating all kinds of wickedly doctored photos of alternate realities. I still require my old photography skills and gear for raw materials, nothing has gone to waste. Without photos there's nothing to shop. Now I take photos for a specific goal in mind. Prior to taking the shot I am fully aware of what I'm going to cut away, what's going to be replaced, and what elements are essential. A very technical approach to taking pictures, which actually helps me for my professional photography goals as well.

Edit:
I almost forgot the most important tip! Having a photocamera with me all of the time helped a HUGE deal too. So form factor of your chosen gear is very important here. Don't bother with top-notch lenses. The gear that is there with you is ever so much better.

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Last edited by Clavius; 02-13-2015 at 11:12 AM.

[aurele]

Anyone out there experienced the same as me?

Yes. Sometimes you just need to try something else to come back to this hobby and rediscover what you like about it. Or what you used to like and don't like anymore.

In 2013 i did almost 35k shots, in 2014 i did less than 5k (that seems a lot, but i keep between 20 and 50% of those only), in 2015 (since 1.5 month) i went trought more rools of films and digital picture than i did in 2014.
In 2014 i lost a bit the "Mojo" and it went back since few weeks.

Well, but i don't like to process picture (except for preparing them for printing process) anymore.

I'm thinking about getting perhaps a M4/3 camera with some top-notch lenses instead of having a bunch of average and some top-notch lenses.

Changing kit won't probably help you much : you'll have the joy of new toys like during christmas, but the excitement will fade fast if you don't like shooting again.

If the weight of your kit prevent you from using it, however this can be an idea : go lighter.

You have to spot what is it that prevent you from liking taking picture, when you know, you can correct it easily. Otherwise, some change for the sake of change, won't help you much in the long run.

[wildman]

i haven't been so excited about photography anymore.

And this is coming from someone who lives in one of the most culturally and naturally diverse areas on earth.
What hope is there for the rest of us?

[mughal113]

Now that's a fairly common problem with people having more than one hobbies, as mentioned in earlier threads.
The best possible scenario is having two or more hobbies that compliment each other. I grow exotic plants (cacti and succulents) and am never short of subjects for photos. Actually a plant in really good shape or bloom demands being photographed. Similarly, the plants need to be taken care of well to be photograph-able
That keeps both the hobbies going for me.

[hjoseph7]

All of us go through that some go through it many times. I know some professional photographers who go through the doldrums while in full career stride. Some new equipment might help, but if you don't have anything to photograph except the same old thing, that is not so good either. I would recommend visiting new places. Even if you have to get in your car and drive, or even fly a plane. Then the things you photograph will be magical again, never before seen and all that. Sometimes I take a break from photography to avoid LBA. I get into my Hi-Fi stereo equipment which is a hobby I had before photography. I also try to study other things to keep me busy and away from the social network photography sites.

[ChristianRock]

Fala meu colega brazuca!

Moving to 4/3 won't solve the problem at all, especially where the ballet pictures are concerned. To improve your AF you would either have to upgrade to a K-5 II(s) or K-3 preferrably, or to Canon/Nikon (and invest heavily in lenses!).

In your case I would sell whatever you're not using (you have too many tele zooms) and get the K-3. But that alone won't solve anything. You need to set yourself objectives - like the ballet thing. Before you go out and do ballet, you might want to go out in the evenings and just shoot in lower light, or do some indoors shooting like museums, to practice your focusing skills. And also, do some tests with the 70-200 2.8 and F 50 1.7 (or whatever you'll use for ballet pictures) and see if you need in-camera focus adjustment for them. Some boring work done now, will yield more pleasing results later

One more thing - I see a lot of your 500px pictures seem to be from your travels - maybe you need to start planning a vacation trip or some weekend getaways soon...

[Sagitta]

Not sure if it was mentioned, but an obvious possible solution is combining the hobbies. Take shots of guitars, of guitarists, etc.

[dadipentak]

I just don't see the problem. Maybe you're ready to move on--or at least take a break. It happens. We're talking about a hobby here--not a marriage. I'd seriously advise against buying gear "to break out of the doldrums": if you're not excited about the acquisition, save the cash or spend it on something that does get the juices going. I know a bunch of people who aren't into photography anymore but they're still fun and fascinating--some are even trustworthy ;~).

[btnapa]

Hey guys, thanks for answering! Really appreciate it.



Well, sometimes my gear disappoints me. Every year i do eight sessions of ballet photography, and i'm always getting some sequences that are out of focus, and that bothers me. Other than that, i'm not sure i have big problems with my gear, actually. I used to worry about it much more when photography was my only hobby.

I am kina in the same boat. I too have many interests but not necessarily hobbies.

I shot weddings for a number of years. Mostly to make money. My true passion is in nature and fine art photography. You have to decide what area of photography most interests you and get the gear to do the job. I am going through a similar phase in my photography and I am evaluating what I want to do and what I need to get the job done.

[baro-nite]

One of the most satisfying parts of any hobby is learning new things. Right now you're on a steep learning curve with guitar, but are in more of a routine with photography. Buying a new camera system will only create a momentary excitement, unless the new gear gets you into truly new areas where you are learning again. What do you find compelling about photographs? About the photographic process? Maybe what you need is not new stuff, but a new focus on what you'd like to achieve with photography.

[blackcloudbrew]

Try the monthly challenge "single in" where you pick one lens and post a photo each day made with that lens.

---------- Post added 02-13-15 at 12:54 AM ----------

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/26-mini-challenges-games-photo-stories/28...ml#post3157143

Excellent suggestion. It's worked - mostly - for me.

Also, taking a photo class or two when you can always re-energizes me.

OTOH - perhaps it just wasn't meant to be. People change as they grow. I was very in to photography growing up but my 20's life happened and while I continued to take pictures it was just we were there and family stuff until about 8 years ago when the passion got rekindled.

[aleonx3]

I have seen many of my friends who bought the first and last DSLR (Canikon models) with a single zoom lens..... with the same ending. They have no motivation as most of them don't find the DSLR appealing after initial use - especially now, the iphone photos are good enough.

Zoom lens are convenient but they also make people lazy to learn about perspectives and characteristics with different focal lengths. Get a few manual focus prime lenses and try them out as it may rekindle your interest in photography.

[yucatanPentax]

Gabriel,
I hope you don't mind. I took a look at the photos in the links on your profile. You have an artistic and creative eye. Your photographs show attention to light, detail, composition. It seems you really have a talent in photography. Interests change and time available changes too, whether a person is younger or older, we all change.

Personally, I think it would be a loss if you dropped photography altogether, as you seem to have a way of presenting beauty to the world. Maybe at the present, your interests are more focused on sound than light? But there may be many ways of combining those too. Explore both with your friends.

The suggestions on using a single lens a month and reducing your equipment are good ones too. Try using each of your lenses - only one at a time - for an entire month and find what focal lengths suit your natural vision (and you have wonderful vision already as your photographs show!). Learn more about the characteristics of each lens, maybe using them fully manual or in various different ways.

Then, sell off whatever you do not absolutely LOVE using. Don't have it there just because maybe you might need it.

Then think about what might make your ballet photography even better - a K-3? a faster long lens? or just better positioning, manual control, tripod, etc?

That's a long way around to saying, "Yes, everyone has varying interests in their hobbies over time." But when you have talents, it is always fun to exercise them. The enthusiasm of youth often leads to absorption in something new. As you master new talents, your old ones are still with you.

[swamp boy]

I think wanting a break from a particular hobby is pretty normal. Like many others, my interests and hobbies shift (or at least the emphasis) over time. Nothing wrong with that. I was away from photography for 30 years! It wasn't important to me for the time that I was away from it. It's now important to me again. It never has to be an 'all or nothing' proposition though. You just might need some time away from it to rekindle your interest.

[GabrielFFontes]

Hey guys, i have to thank you all again for taking the time to stop by. Your messages helped a great deal, and made me excited about photography again! I got a K-3 with grip and a Sigma 18-50 2.8 here in Brazil and it also solved all my AF issues, that always bothered me so much with Pentax! I even have an exciting sharpening tutorial coming for you that will be published by Topaz Labs!
Thank you all!!