How do you get out there when there is "nothing to photograph"

For the few months I lived out on Long Island (North Lindenhurst) I joined and attended a "Camera Club". Got some short term friendships out of it. They had a contest around a topic each month. I found it challenging to think about different ways to fit the topic.

One time they had "What is it?". I staged my wife sitting up in bed holding the covers up with her eyes peeping out looking at the door next to her and a stuffed monster hand coming in the cracked door (light stand holding it up outside the door out of sight). Missed the cutoff, but when I showed it the following week I got a lot of "Never thought of that".

Their style was very different from mine but it gave me a kick in the butt as I missed living in the city.

Not sure what's near you.

B2 (;->
 
Mackinaw said:
I live in northern Michigan, smack dab in the middle of the Lake Michigan lake-effect snowbelt. When the snows starts, normally after Thanksgiving, I often take a break from my photography. I’ve dabble in acrylics and will spend my time painting. I also putz around on the piano. And, if in the mood, I’ll take some pictures. All kind of ways for me to stay artistic and creative.

Jim B.
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Not be as talented as I would look to a 4x5 camera and do studies of light and drifts and such during that sort of winter. LF seems to have such a beautiful way of showing subtle differences in tone.

But that's me.

B2 (;->
 
I often have that dilemma. I live in the suburbs of Buffalo, which is grey and boring for months. I typically don’t have time to go into the city, so when I go for photo walks I just focus on things like geometry, patterns, and different things for composition building skills. In my opinion, the composition is what makes the photograph. The more I practice finding them, the better I will be at using them when it counts.
 
olifaunt said:
Beautiful image. Good advice for landscapes, yes, but this doesn't work too well for street photography of moving subjects with slower color film.

This thread inspired me to give up trying to finish my roll of Portra and load some Tri-X that I'm pushing to 1200. Hopefully that will get me out shooting again despite the dreary weather.
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I live in Birmingham, UK and it's mostly overcast skies with flat light. B&W for sure is easier to shoot in these conditions, and I mostly push Tri-X to 1600 to give extra contrast.

If you want to shot colour I wouldn't shoot Portra, it's quite muted, especially in flat light. Try something like Lomogrpahy 800 (re-badged 800ISO Kodak Gold/ Ultramax line) which has more contrast and vivid colours. 800ISO helps in bad light. Add flash if possible to add more contrast.
 
Philip Jones Griffiths did AMAZING work in Wales (as well as everywhere else) and I don't think there are even any hard shadows or shadows at all in those images. I feel like he went to Vietnam and got direct sunlight there.
My favorite photographer who used those subtleties in the dark tones to great effect.

Phil Forrest
 
karateisland said:
I live in Maine, where summer and autumn are gorgeous, but the winters and often the springs are dull and flat. Street photography is often right out because, well, there are so few people that it makes the fishing for an interesting shot nearly interminable. I want to keep shooting, but keep having the feeling that there is "nothing to shoot."

I also recognize that this is a matter of perspective, or a matter of routine. That is--the people who keep shooting during times like this are the ones that get themselves out there to shoot no matter how they're feeling, or whether the world is inspiring them to shoot.

So I wanted to ask the forum, Do any of you have tips/tricks for getting yourself out there when you're feeling unmotivated? Other than taking a special photo "vacation," what do you do to fight a case of the photographic blahs?
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I just always bring a camera with me - trusty Ricoh GR that easily slips in and out of pockets, bags, etc or my iphone - as you never really know what you'll run into. No purpose, no intention to shoot, but opportunistic.
Also, for a bit of inspiration, I revisit books and/or scroll through a site like Instagram and view the photos of people/groups I follow.
I mostly enjoy street photography as well, but have gained an appreciation (and draw lots of inspiration from) photographers like Stephen Shore and William Eggleston and the like.
 
olifaunt said:
I would also recommend, for inspiration, studying some of the greats; for example Robert Frank's work in The Americans, much of which was photographed in rural America. Stephen Shore's and Joel Meyerowitz's classic work as well. And some of Garry Winogrand's work in rural areas or Western suburbia, taken in mostly deserted places with figures in interesting landscape compositions, sometimes even from the car, as well as his rural events photography (rodeos, stock fairs, etc.).
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Agreed. Add Lee Friedlander to that list.
 
Rob-F said:
I don't get out there once I have become bored with the local subject matter. I shoot more on trips, especially to Colorado. Exceptions are the botanical gardens and the Museum of Transportation, both in St. Louis. I keep a membership in both and visit occasionally. This entails re-shooting stuff I have already shot; but then there is always the possibility of a different film, a different light. Or else, noticing a shot not previously seen. Lately I'm in the back yard photographing my rose garden. There is not much in bloom, but I'm striving for an "summer is over, now it's fall, the garden is resting peacefully" look. I make some changes to the garden to get a different look to photograph. It feels a little like Monet building Giverny in order to have something to paint.

I don't go down to the city or the waterfront any more, with or without cameras. St. Louis has become too dangerous. Too bad.
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Same in Oakland, Ca. Too dangerous.
 
I can't give 100% accurate advice. Our town is over 100K now and we are at the edge of fourth largest city in NA.

If not for work I can't afford to go where. Expensive and crappy public transportation, roads are one of the most busiest in NA.
So I'm staying in giant cookie cutter field with remaining crop fields and century old trees getting destroyed every year to dump more cookie cutters.
The original part is small. Main street is five minutes walk, before and after it is nothing special.
How I deal with this? I'm in touch with community. Original one and some newcomers who wants to integrate and not create another place they came from.
I'm interested in local events. Here is no small ones. And people are involved. It is not so much different from street photography. And I get to know more and more people.
I come to events to observe people, just same as I do with street photography.

Basically it is as much to photograph as much as you are interested in local life. Many if not most don't know what we have lake and forests and mountains. They won't bother to go on Christmas parade or at Remembrance Day. It is them who are saying what here is nothing going on. But they are veggies.

And here is always Eggleston and impressionists to learn from.
Many impressionists were staying on plenair and Eggleston is not big cities dweller, if I'm not mistaken.

I use digital cameras to document events, but for creative parts it is film and darkroom prints. With film it opens unlimited tryouts of same spots. With digital, you take it once and it is boring.
If not already, try film.

IMO.

R2M_K50c41_18_8_.jpg
 
karateisland said:
I live in Maine, where summer and autumn are gorgeous, but the winters and often the springs are dull and flat. Street photography is often right out because, well, there are so few people that it makes the fishing for an interesting shot nearly interminable. I want to keep shooting, but keep having the feeling that there is "nothing to shoot."
Click to expand...

I'd suggest shooting the nothing. You've already noted the stark contrast that exists between the summer/fall and winter/spring. Use that as your creative focus, capture those differences with your camera, providing a visual interpretation of that you've already observed. See how this plays out over the course of one or more years. Interesting photos are not dependent on people alone. Try to think of some specific locations around you that would best highlight those differences. Places that are full of people in the summer and completely barren in the winter. It's like you have two completely different places to capture with your camera without having to leave where you live. Embrace the dull and flat for the contrast it provides and then group your photos by the location, shown over the course of the seasons.

Thoughts are cheap, that's mine, lol.
 
First thing is, there is always something to photograph. Might not seem interesting to you, but it may to others. And it doesn't necessarily have to be a recognizable subject. Could just be some shadows, or the way the lines of a fence and surrounding buildings lead you to someplace else.

Yesterday I went to a nearby town because I find it more picturesque than where I live. Not many folks on the street, even though there is a lot of auto traffic through the center. But the buildings have nice details, front and back, and the place is kept nice and clean.

One of my methods is to find a place to set, and just look around from that vantage point. I noticed a fine juxtaposition of the town clock with many US flags, and the courthouse tower in the background. Then the roof line of the building directly across the street had some interesting ceramic tile vents. To my right, a pergola caught my attention in the afternoon light.

But no one will see those photos unless I can get back there with a properly functioning camera. Turned out the one I was using wasn't advancing the film. So I'm saving those for another day.

PF
 
I go through periods of lack of inspiration, there are projects on the go but due to logistics or whatever they can't be done and so struggle with the will to do stuff. When this hits I tend to look at other photographers work, frequently look at the work of artists I have not fully investigated yet . Normally this gets me motivated enough or gives me a loose idea of something that might be interesting to follow, don't follow their work style to the letter more using as a jumping off point. Another idea is to keep a notebook just for project ideas or even ideas for one end image, writing down ideas helps remember ones you have had and seeing it on paper can help me see ones that are just plain daft.
 
Jeez louise, put the camera in your hand and walk out the front door. Take pictures of whatever is in front of you.

Now that you’re unsatisfied with that, go back in the house and pour yourself a glass of whisky; drink the whisky.

Go back out the front door with the camera in your hand and take pictures of all the things that make you smile.

Next morning when you wake up with a headache and a bunch of lousy pictures think about what you did wrong and then start to think about creativity. Think about seeing things through your eyes. Finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. If you can’t do this maybe photography is not your creative outlet. It’s okay to enjoy photography and not be good at it. I like to paint with watercolors and I really suck at it - well, maybe I don’t suck but I’m not very good.

Anyway, if you’re in a rut, your in a rut. Go to the Words/No words forums and see what the rest of us are doing and maybe you’ll get some inspiration.

When all else fails, pour yourself a glass of whisky; drink the whisky…

Hang in there!
Mike
 
What you are thinking about or not consciously thinking about may surface during your wanderings. Perhaps something in the news or some emotion may connect with what you see and trigger an idea and the camera shutter release. Some artists (like Edward Hopper) and psyche theorists (like Carl Jung) suggested that much of art arises from our subconscious.

I was wandering one day with nothing much in mind when I came across a building with a repetitive pattern. It triggered a response from inside my head, probably from the threats of deportation in the news (then and now) and my feelings about this. The picture and my interpretive title resulted.

Let your imagination wander and see what turns up. You never know!




Aliens have landed
 
I have been hanging back, not daring to say anything, lest I interrupt the steady flow of awesome tactics for getting yourself out there when it doesn't feel right. I appreciate the advice so much.


One thing I've noticed is the way that Film/Digital can balance each other out: as a friend once said, each camera has a soul, and brings out different things in the way we shoot. I think I'll be bringing out my Rollei when I need to look closer at light/texture/shape, and my X100 when I need to let myself shoot lots of whatever without worrying about the cost.


Anyway, lots of wonderful advice in here. Keep it coming--I'm sure I'm not the only one who could use strategies for getting out there.
 
karateisland said:
One thing I've noticed is the way that Film/Digital can balance each other out: as a friend once said, each camera has a soul, and brings out different things in the way we shoot. I think I'll be bringing out my Rollei when I need to look closer at light/texture/shape, and my X100 when I need to let myself shoot lots of whatever without worrying about the cost.
Click to expand...
Phones too! Using a phone tends to sweep away all constraints, so you end up snapping things without thought, simply... because! I find my phone a brilliant visual notebook, and looking through what I've snapped often gives me ideas on "proper" photos I'd like to take.
 
"Think small".

Many years ago, a local camera repairman gave me this suggestion when I complained to him that "the beach looks the same to me" after taking many beach photos.

He meant that I should focus on small things around me. There is always something (small) that is interesting.
 
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