Getting Excited Again

[sara]

After university, I found myself extremely busy, moved around countries etc, and I didn't touch my camera for about 2 years.

Then I met some people from a Leica event and they were the ones that inspired me to shoot again. I think it's good to have like-minded people around, especially if they inspire you also. Go out and shoot with a local photography group! That's what I did anyway 🙂

The thing I found is also, don't force yourself to shoot or think too much of the equipment. Shoot something you really care about. I'm sure some people have mentioned, you have your gf, I'm sure she loves her pictures being taken, and you have a model there to practise your photography 🙂

 

[russelljtdyer]

Gratitude and Plans

Gratitude and Plans

Thanks for the responses. All of you have very good ideas. I've organized most of the ideas suggested in this post, with one central point.

I have done the idea suggested by farlymac and similarly by Pentode, about sitting on a bench to photograph people walking by. One month I forced myself to go out every day and take 36 photos, like a roll of film but with a digital camera, and select one good one for each day to post. I think I'll try that again, but maybe not once a day--that was a lot to do on a regular basis. Instead, I'll go out once a week, maybe on the same day each week.

Related to the comment by srid2006 (i.e., Sid), the suggestion to envision a photo to fill a space on a wall, I've initiated something like that. I bought this week a Canon Pixma Pro-10S printer. My previous Epson printer died, but didn't print photos as well as the Pro-10S. My plan is to designate a section of a wall in my living room for photos. I'm going to buy a bunch of picture frames, at least five, and print two or three old photos to put on the wall to get it started. But then I'll try to make some new photos for the remaining frames.

Following the suggestion rfaspen to have a project, I was thinking that the project would be to replace the photos on this wall each month with new ones. I could follow some of the ideas from the books y'all recommended. Maybe some photos will come from street photos one month--using the bench idea. Another month I might do still life photos. As jesse1dog (i.e., John Cordingley) suggested, I could do something like photograph coffee cups and related objects. As robert blu and kxl (i.e., Keith) say, there's plenty to photograph in Milan. One month I could use seany65's idea of creating photos to go with poems, and print each with the related poem. Ideally, when I'm with the girlfriend, as Ko.Fe. and skucera suggest, I'll photograph her. When I'm with her, I can't resist photographing her. As kbg32 (i.e., another Keith) says, I should also focus on who I am without the girlfriend around.

I think this wall idea will work well if I would change the theme once a month. It might be interesting for me and for visitors. Changing the theme each month could get me excited about looking to produce a new set and type of photos. I'll let y'all know how it goes: I'll post a photo of my first batch here when it's done. Thanks everyone.

 

[jvo]

how do you handle writer's block?

relax - it's the space between the notes that make the music... it'll happen.

jvo

 

[russelljtdyer]

Never Have Writer's Block

Never Have Writer's Block

I never have had writer's block. Even if I can't think of what to write, I just write. I write something, anything, and eventually that leads to writing something useful and interesting.

I understand that you're suggesting that photographing is the same thing. I don't have photographer's block. My complaint at the start of this thread was that I don't feel like photographing anything, not that I don't know what to photograph.

The idea mentioned in my post from yesterday, of buying the printer and picture frames, is that I'm making a hole to fill in.

I seek ways to express myself artistically when I feel the need to express something. For those moments, I might write or I might photograph.

When I see my girlfriend, I want to capture what I see to show her how I see her and to show other people how she looks to me. Unfortunately, she lives so far away that I see her only about once every six weeks. Other than when I'm with her, I find I don't have anything that I want to express, nothing that excites me.

I'm starting to understand that this is a mental health problem unrelated to photography, but that has become visible in the lack of photography in my daily life. As kbg32 (i.e., Keith) wrote, "Try to concentrate on your life, your interests, and who you are without the girlfriend around." It's not good for a relationship or one's mental health to come alive only when the other person is around and to become a drag when they're not. I'm not sure how I got into this slump, but I need to get out of it.