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03-14-2014, 12:37 PM   #46
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For me, I need the involvement of others. I often like to take serious pictures by myself, but i like to discuss them with others, share techniques, etc.

Some suggestions that i do:
a. find a non-profit that needs your photographic help and do it. i chose a local theater group and they are delighted to get my photos and not demanding at all. Its actually pushed me in a good way to try things i wouldn't have done on my own, photographing groups, rehearsals, headshots that i pretend are portraits - and have gotten pretty good at, etc. a professional photographer in my area takes a picture a month of a dog that needs adopting, and she's been doing that for years.

b. join a photo club, but ones that ones that are less focused on competing and more on field trips and the enjoyment of the hobby. I've met many friends that way that i still call up frequently to have coffee with, schedule a workshop with, etc.

c. Develop your photoshop skills. some youtube videos finally allowed me to break through the layers barrier, and now i feel free to do things that express my full intent. Its like the doors have been opened to be able to express yourself in a unique way.

d. I joined a small gallery with very small monthly fees and NO commission charges - so its likey paying rent and they give me X amount of show area. Its in a small town that is trying to make a come back but the rent makes the fees reasonable for me. Its less than a "smart phone" company would charge :-) I had most of my stuff in a show at a wine shop "art loft" so could only scrape up 8 leftovers from other shows. Hadn't heard anything for 2 weeks, went down to the gallery and was shocked to find that 4 of my pics had sold. And then 3 of my pics sold in the wine shop. So in February, i only sold 2 bookmarks and now in two weeks in March, 7 pcs - forget the bookmarks haven't had time to display. But the main point of joining a gallery is that they have a lot of group friendliness going on and work together to share tips - i think. i have only belonged since mid feb 2014.

But all these suggestions have to do with doing things with other real people. i like the internet for what it does, but you need to get out and meet real people as well - i.e. those involved in photography in some way, or those that need your services.

If you want to find some photography organizations that have field trips, etc. try meetup.com, and if you can't find something in your immediate area, be sure to expand the mileage radius. its a great tool. Again i find clubs that are too into competing member against member are not too my liking and appreciate those that use workshops as an educational tool rather than too much competition. Your mileage may vary. best wishes


Last edited by philbaum; 03-14-2014 at 12:43 PM.
03-19-2014, 12:10 AM   #47
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You know it's funny, I wandered into this sub-forum for the first time thinking to post the same subject, and here it is already. And in reading the various posts I've come up with my own answers to my own questions.

I really like the book idea. Last September I moved 750 miles for grad school and have still been feeling the mental/emotional effects of it (not a huge fan of change, especially the 'leave everything in your life behind and do something totally different' variety). My photography has definitely suffered- I've only really done two shoots in the six months I've been here- one to the coast and one to the Columbia River Gorge (which is absolutely gorgeous, no pun intended!). Then over Christmas break I started putting together a book using the tools built-in to Aperture (though can't print it til I upgrade to Ap3, grr). Coming up with good captions has been tough, but in doing so I've had to do a lot of research and learn new things about familiar areas I thought I knew a lot about. It was new, it was creative, and it was awesome. Can't wait to get it printed.

Now it's back to Southern Utah this weekend. If ever there was a place that inspired me, the southwest is it.
03-19-2014, 08:09 AM   #48
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QuoteOriginally posted by clawhammer Quote
<snip>
I really like the book idea. <snip>
I think they are great. Here is one I created in 2006 as a Christmas present to my wife and her sisters after the sisters visited us for two weeks. We put 2,000 miles on the truck and showed two monolingual French speaking Quebecoises around our favourite places - or at least those we could reach in two weeks. For those of you who speak French, I know that "bib" is really "bavette" in French, not "bibelot" (baby bottle). All three sisters were delighted to catch me out in an error. My wife was not aware of the book project until it arrived.

Member Profile: Albert | Blurb Books
03-19-2014, 08:23 AM   #49
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QuoteOriginally posted by Mareket Quote
I don't know if this is the relevant section for this, but I'm interested to hear whether other people have dealt with a feeling of futility in photography? And how they've overcome photographer's block.

I rarely take my camera out anymore, and I'm toying with the idea of selling all my gear as I don't use it enough to justify its cost. If I take it out, I might take a few pictures and feel alright whilst doing so, but things rarely strike me like they used to. Looking at my work now, I can't help but feel it's all very derivative and boring. But then when I look back, all my old stuff was as well, but at least there was something clicking.
I feel like I just can't make a photograph I'm particularly happy with, predominantly because I don't know what it is that I want the photograph to do. I tried shoot events and sports (the only situations that are ideologically appealing to me as a photographer now), done single lens challenges, tried shooting every day, bought a little camera (an olympus XA which is awesome) but I can't find that moment that grabs me and shakes me. I've changed scenery three times, tried street shooting (feels rude and invasive, I'd like to take their portraits but generally it's just because they were eye catching not because of who they were, and that feels wrong to me), tried: landscapes, macro work, weddings, JPEG only, B&W only, reading photo books & reading interviews and I just can't seem to get myself going again. I've been on a (very short and unrelated) CBT course as well and nothing has changed since.

Is it time to hang up my photography hat and move on? What things do people to to get over this, and does anyone else feel similar? Why do you take photographs?
Good video on creative work.


03-19-2014, 11:23 AM   #50
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Canada_Rockies, your link doesn't work It tells me it can't be found or is set to private.
03-20-2014, 01:01 AM   #51
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I got so bored of it recently I considered selling up and going back to a point and shoot. Find I use my camera phone more and more for work, can't be bothered with hauling heavy gear about.

The only thing that's kept my interest is using old M42 manual focus primes. I find these produce much better work, cheaper and way more fun.

Would never consider laying out lots of money again on AF lenses as I rarely shoot events or action.
03-20-2014, 03:24 PM - 2 Likes   #52
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I think that people who are passionate about what they do can often go through this kind of philosophical questions or moments.

Personally, and this is only my opinion, I think that most of photography (as I do it myself) is futile. When you think about it, in general not too many people care about your photos and even yourself (myself) will get bored with them a few minutes after you've taken the time to develop them, and process them into your best photos ever. Post them on a forum once or twice, have a few people check them out, and it's already old news. So I guess most of the pleasure is in the making, the expectation of a good result, doing something hard, and then when it's done....it's gone in an instant (and really no one gives a damn), and you're looking forward to the next best photo you will make. It's a bit like waiting to receive that new cool thing you ordered. It always seems much more cool before it arrives, right?

Sometimes you get bored and a new idea, or a new piece of equipment can relaunch some interest.

It's good to have some other hobbies, some other things to put your energy into, ways to distance yourself from a single thing for a while. My own other hobby is woodworking and it is there where I feel I can actually create things that matter, somewhat. I make things for others as gifts, and I make things for myself that will be useful to me for much longer than new photos. And it doesn't rely on pre-existing scenes. Sometimes I get really into car work as well and forget about everything else.

Then sometimes I start obsessing over photography again, renew the interest a little...ups and downs.

I'd say that the photos I make of my kids have way more value in the end than my best landscapes or panoramas, even to others, even though they are not as sophisticated, hard to make, and don't require nearly the same amount of work and processing. They are important to me, important to other family members, and will be important to them as they grow up. My other types of photos might get a few ooohs and aaahs from a few people for a few minutes and will never be looked at again.

In the end, in this time and age, I think that the photography that we do as amateurs, no matter how good or experienced, is mostly useless and pointless (I really don't put family photos in that basket though), at least to others. What matters is the process and how you enjoy that. Maybe photography is also what can motivate someone to go out there and enjoy nature, or maybe a good reason to join a group, meet people and make friends or whatever. Why do people enjoy playing a sport, and even train hard, even when they know they'll never be a world champ?

Photography is also a hobby that doesn't really isolate you. You won't disappear into a workshop for hours on end. You can enjoy it while being out there with your kids, family, or friends.

I don't know if this sounds a bit bleak, but I don't think so. I just feel I'm aware of the importance (or lack thereof) of what I do and do not feel trapped by it. If it bores me, I won't do it for a while and will do something else. We do tend to obsess over things that don't matter that much, if at all. It's a bit comical to see all of the arguments over hardware and minute details in photo forums. Just don't get frustrated with yourself. If you don't feel it, you don't *have* to take photos.

03-23-2014, 03:25 AM - 3 Likes   #53
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This is the most important and significant time for you.


It seems to me without seeing your work, that your photography has been to date of the record type, recording what you see, whether it be found shots, street shots, composed still life, nature, or sports, most photographers work that I see is record photography of whats in front of them or they happen across, and it serves them well.


It is however derivative in nature and says nothing and is therefore empty.


Theres nothing wrong with that kind of record making don't get me wrong, a record of a stained glass window or an architectural view or a landscape can be beautiful and worthwhile. In no way would I suggest that these are any less valid than any other image making.


I feel however that your question suggests you are ready to grow in another direction and this is the root cause of your problem. Record photography isn't enough but what else is there, where can you go?


This may be the most important and significant moment of your photographic career, I suggest that you start by looking at art and start to rethink composition and plan your photography, stop looking for images to take, all you do is see things a million others can see and your work stops there. Start to create images that mean something to you and say something to the viewer.


Feel your images before you take them, look for an emotion that guides you, think before taking an image, what is it saying, what am I saying about it. If the image doesn't say something, doesn't speak to you, walk away don't press that shutter.


I know photographers who go out and take 100 images in a day or 300 some take up to 700 in a day, this is simply recording what they see, theres nothing unique in these images its all been done before what is the point.


If you record simply whats there it may be razor sharp, well exposed and well composed but the image can be lifeless and unsatisfying.


When I go out I take 4 or 6 images because I think and I take my time, I look for an emotion, something im trying to say about my subject. It speaks to me now, although ive been doing it for a long time so it seems easier.


A few days ago I was told that my work has a theme, it speaks of desolation and emptiness, I had no idea, until then I was unaware of any theme to my work, it makes sense to me now and I see it.


Abandon rules that you learned about composition, make your own rules of composition up, feel what the scene is saying to you look for a communication between subjects in the scene, or the subject and when you feel that communication exists take the shot.


Dont take a picture of a dog or an infant, take a picture when the dog looks at its owner, or the infant looks at something, look for an interaction, a narrative,


Im sometimes told my images tell a story. If you can capture that you have captured a unique image that no other photographer could have taken, your work ceases to be derivative, people want to look at your work. They want to because it reads, it creates in them an emotion.


Look at the greatest images taken over the last hundred years. Look at the work of Cartier Bresson, look for emotion, communication, expression.


Cartier Bresson claimed there was a moment, and he captured it. The moment is a coming together of the elements in a scene, the subjects interact for just one instant, a communication suddenly exists that is the one instant that the photograph has life and the shutter should be pressed. all other moments and its lifeless.


Up to now its been easy, you see something pleasing and you capture it, but I would suggest that is no longer enough, you have raised the bar, from now on things are hard, you have communication and timing to consider. In most scenes the communication either wont be there or youll miss it. The more you do it the more youll succeed, and then the love of what your doing will return.


I cant express this well, but I hope ive given you some ideas. Its not easy, but the most worthwhile things are usually the hardest.


good luck
03-24-2014, 10:41 AM   #54
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@Imageman

Well though out and to the point.

AT first, our challenge in photography is often about how to take the picture, controls, cameras, lenses and all that.

After that novelty, it becomes what to do with this marvelous and novel tool. Many people have a hammer, but how many build a house with it

To the original poster, i think the reason for the significant interest in this subject, is that many, if not all of us have gone thru the questioning you have done. There's nothing wrong with taking he odd pictures as part of one's exercise program of walking around the town you live in. But if you want more satisfaction than that, it seems to me that you need to decide on a direction, purpose, call it what you will. A quote that i remember: If you don't know where you are going, than any road is good enough to get you there.

One of my friends signed on with a professional photographer in our town who was instructing him on "project photography". This involved deciding on a specific project, taking photographs towards that project goal, and than publishing a book to complete the project. He has never completed that project because of physical problems, but he had a goal until other things got in the way.

For me, in February, I joined a smaller gallery in my area. I enjoy the energy and stimulation that comes with working alongside others who are serious about art. Is this the only way to go, absolutely not, to each their own.

Good luck to you on your search.
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