What makes you get out and shoot?

P

PJRiley

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I'm a news photographer, so I shoot every day at work. But, for my personal work, I decide on a theme (I try for once a week) and must get off my butt, pick up my M6 and get out there. I'm never sorry.
What inspires you to get off the couch and 'Go RFing'?
Mary
 
Quite often I'll be driven by the desire to try a new combination ... of maybe lens and film ... or perhaps trying something different in my shooting approach with a combination that takes me out of my comfort zone a little. I can always find things that interest me that I want to photograph but sometimes it's good to photograph them with a lens that wouldn't be my first choice and force myself to think a little more about the outcome I'm trying to achieve.

Often it will be a complete disaster but win or lose I always seem to learn something and gain from the experience. The joy of only having picked up a film camera seriously a couple of years ago, is that there's so much new ground for me to travel over! :)

great subject for a thread by the way!
 
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There's a few things at work for me.

Firstly, I always carry a camera, most often my little IID these days. So in some regards I am an "opportunist" photographer.

Secondly, I don't have huge amounts of time thanks to the day job to really focus on photography, so when I travel, a large part of the enjoyment comes from capturing what I see, and the novelty of it.

I rarely set myself a theme, as such, but themes do seem to surface in my work from time to time - I went through a period of doors/doorways, with people silhouetted therein. It wasn't until someone else pointed it out that I realised the (subconscious) theme, and then worked to it more consciously.

Other, lesser drivers include trying out new kit, or finishing a roll of film!

Regards,

Bill
 
One thing that often inspires me to go take some pictures is looking at photography books. "Common Sense" by Martin Parr arrived in the mail yesterday and I instantly wanted to go take some pictures of stuff around town.
 
If I don't do something creative regularly, I start getting antsy. Short-tempered, even.
One of the reasons I like photography is that it is more immediate than many other art forms, though I still draw on occasion (my avatar for example).

I definitely carry my camera around with me almost everywhere. Lately its the IIIf and the canon 85/2. This past weekend I did something different, a day trip to a distant corner of the lake. While I was shooting, I had at least a few frames of "knowing" I had just taken a good photo.

A wonderful feeling, as good a reason as any to shoot.
 
On another forum I include the following quote in my signature:

The most beautiful thing under the Sun is being under the Sun - Christa Wolfe

It just about sums up my motivation, I just need to get out and the camera (or more than one!) always goes with me
 
gotta say, great idea for a thread!

for me, it's about expressing myself. looking at art and shooting stirs this passion.

Todd
 
The film! If I have it.. I just want to burn it in pursuit of a great picture to show my wife, family, and friends.
 
Good Question

Good Question

- My habit to go out for 20 Minutes and return 5 hours later and have a Camera with me
- Seeing patterns of some sort in my surroundings. Like reading the motives. If that would be a bit more intense it equal madness
- the expectation to see how it all turned out

A fraction of my motivation
Thanks for asking!
 
If I stay at home I feel guilty for not being outside weeding the garden or mowing the lawns, so overall it's just a whole lot more fun heading off for a hike with a camera and a couple of lenses in tow.
 
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