andreios
Well-known
Remember that old Monty Python sketch? "...your cat is suffering from what we Vets haven't found a word for. His condition is typified by total physical inertia, absence of interest in its ambience - what we Vets call environment - failure to respond to the conventional external stimuli - a ball of string, a nice juicy mouse, a bird. To be blunt, your cat is in a rut. It's the old stockbroker syndrome, the suburban fin de siècle ennui, angst, weltschmertz, call it what you will..." Of course in the end the poor cat was to be confused by a team of specialists... 
I don't know whether it is only me who is so often moping in one's own "environment". All the well-trodden streets and paths of a city or a part of the country one knows for many a year...
So I was wondering - do you have any tips for some photographical "exercises" to attract one's photographic senses, that enable him to "see" pictures in some other places. In a nutshell - what is your way to find scenes, sights or things that could bring you from the rut in your ambiance?
I don't know whether it is only me who is so often moping in one's own "environment". All the well-trodden streets and paths of a city or a part of the country one knows for many a year...
So I was wondering - do you have any tips for some photographical "exercises" to attract one's photographic senses, that enable him to "see" pictures in some other places. In a nutshell - what is your way to find scenes, sights or things that could bring you from the rut in your ambiance?
Sparrow
Veteran
I'm reminded of an a anecdote from Marathon Man, when Dustin Hoffman (a Method actor) couldn't find the correct motivation for his characterization after working on the scene for a few hours .... eventually Laurence Olivier (a classical actoorrr) glanced up from reading his script and whispered "just act, dear boy ... just act"
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Yes, well, 'method' was given a bad name after it was hijacked from Konstantin Stanislavsky by Lee Strasberg. There's a lot photographers can learn from (for example) Stanislavsky's An Actor Prepares and Preparing a Role. Try and learn anything from Strasberg.
Incidentally, I think it was Confuse-a-Cat Ltd.
Cheers,
R.
Incidentally, I think it was Confuse-a-Cat Ltd.
Cheers,
R.
Gazzah
RF newbie
Competition
Competition
What I have done in the past is pick at random an old photography mag out of the pile we all have - there is usually some competition in there with a theme, then I go out and see what I can capture. Ive never entered a competition, but it does make me think outside my comfort zone.
I live in the sticks and last month I picked out a mag with "Industry" as the theme... I had a fun week trying out different subjects and got a few keepers.
Might be worth a try.
Gary H
Competition
What I have done in the past is pick at random an old photography mag out of the pile we all have - there is usually some competition in there with a theme, then I go out and see what I can capture. Ive never entered a competition, but it does make me think outside my comfort zone.
I live in the sticks and last month I picked out a mag with "Industry" as the theme... I had a fun week trying out different subjects and got a few keepers.
Might be worth a try.
Gary H
swoop
Well-known
I thought this thread was about some dating website.
andreios
Well-known
Now that is a good idea.. Thanks, Gazzah..
Perhaps it might be worth for some other members also - something like an RFF theme of the month?
kzphoto
Well-known
I had a photo professor describe a game he would play. It went like this:
-limit yourself to a square city block of space, one camera, one lens, and one roll of film.
-try to find as many interesting compositions as you can
-if you don't finish the film that day, return and complete your roll.
He said it worked for him when he needed new ideas. I ended up taking abstract pictures of bird poop and bubble gum stains.
-limit yourself to a square city block of space, one camera, one lens, and one roll of film.
-try to find as many interesting compositions as you can
-if you don't finish the film that day, return and complete your roll.
He said it worked for him when he needed new ideas. I ended up taking abstract pictures of bird poop and bubble gum stains.
chris000
Landscaper
I always felt that if you like the rut you are in, it can be a very comfortable place to be - but it does need to be shallow enough to see out of.
I'm useless at street photography, so if I feel the need to do something different I tend to head for the nearest town to see what I can do. I almost always fail miserably, but at least it gets the 'photographic' brain switched on again.
I'm useless at street photography, so if I feel the need to do something different I tend to head for the nearest town to see what I can do. I almost always fail miserably, but at least it gets the 'photographic' brain switched on again.
Chris101
summicronia
I either:
- take a break,
- take a class, or
- take a pill.
If one doesn't work, the others will. Oh yeah, I have also tried ... take a picture.
- take a break,
- take a class, or
- take a pill.
If one doesn't work, the others will. Oh yeah, I have also tried ... take a picture.
andreios
Well-known
LOL, it's not as bad as that, luckily.. You see, this "mood" of mine is not a matter of "time" but rather a matter of a "place" and my question was what can I attempt to overcome this.
Pirate
Guitar playing Fotografer
Move to Europe.
Wait, you already live in Prague! How can you be in a rut? It's not possible out here.
Pick the smallest roll of film you can find... do they still make 12 exposure rolls? And give yourself a time limit. Pick a place.
That graveyard in the next town, from 1pm until 2pm. Make yourself shoot the whole roll in that 1 hour.
See what turns up. It's kinda like making a date with your wife. Plan to do something like this once a month/week/... etc. to keep your mind moving.
Wait, you already live in Prague! How can you be in a rut? It's not possible out here.
Pick the smallest roll of film you can find... do they still make 12 exposure rolls? And give yourself a time limit. Pick a place.
That graveyard in the next town, from 1pm until 2pm. Make yourself shoot the whole roll in that 1 hour.
See what turns up. It's kinda like making a date with your wife. Plan to do something like this once a month/week/... etc. to keep your mind moving.