i've lost all faith in myself...

[j.scooter]

I feel your pain Joe.
Doesn't help that today is the shortest day of the year here in Canada. I drove to work in the dark and drove home in the dark...

 

[easyrider]

No need to panic

No need to panic

I read on one of the forums that a photojournalist in one of the conflict zones bust his "real" camera but continued shooting with his iPhone with great success. I recently shot a school play with my Nikon D300 and just for fun took a few iPhone pix. They were of terrific quality.
The world is changing.
No need to panic.
Of course, there is also paper and pencil if you're any good at sketching, 🙂)

 

[farlymac]

been in a funk, have not taken a pic in ages and not a good pic in even longer...
was heading out the other day and decided to not take a camera with me...as i was leaving i heard my inner voice say to me...'well, it's ok...you have your phone with you if needed'.

So? It will pass, Joe. Merry Christmas!

PF

 

[MIkhail]

It is my strong belief that one who's looking for inspiration in photography should go to ART gallery (as of painting, graphics, sculpture) instead studying other PHOTOWORK. Highly recommend that.

Also, in one of such periods while in DIA admiring I suddenly got an idea for the series I am shooting for the last 4 years. You just never know.
Example
http://www.fixxer.ru/photos/28024
http://www.fixxer.ru/photos/28027

 

[uhoh7]

Lone artist mythos aside, for most humans faith in oneself is a social thing. You might consider fresh situations which put you in simple contact with others. Volunteer work, re-connecting with friends or family, or anything like that which involves conversation.

Second to this is just physical activity, long walks or anything like that.

Just a suggestion, I have no idea about your situation. But I know these fundamentals often improve my own perspective. A vacation can be huge. I went to Moab in the spring and it was seriously refreshing.

If I catch myself ruminating, I know now the fix is simple: do something like that stuff or anything which gives my mind some other interest.

Online sociality is physically lonely, and it can't really nurture the soul like a conversation or a walk, though it can certainly help us to learn and discover choices.

I was amazed at the psychological advice on youtube 🙂

On the other hand a lot of great Art has been made by deeply unhappy people LOL

 

[JP Owens]

All of our energies ebb and flow. Enthusiasm ebbs and flows. I've found that acting only on inspiration is fatal to creativity. I've always treated photography the same way the best writers treat writing. Whether inspired or not, they get up every day and write. Every day. Emotionally up or down. Whether they produce art or garbage. They write. Photographers make photos. We can all be photograph geniuses. Nobody has to know of our failures, only our successes.

Continue to shoot photos. Every day I shoot photos. Sometimes it is excruciating, most times it is satisfying. Many are immediately deleted. Over time, the frustrating and the exhilarating are blurred by our minds into a feeling that we have accomplished something of value. It is the pursuit of the pursuit that gives us satisfaction, not necessarily the result.

 

[Bille]

been in a funk, have not taken a pic in ages and not a good pic in even longer...
was heading out the other day and decided to not take a camera with me...as i was leaving i heard my inner voice say to me...'well, it's ok...you have your phone with you if needed'.

Sell everything and start painting.

 

[brbo]

It is my strong belief that one who's looking for inspiration in photography should go to ART gallery (as of painting, graphics, sculpture) instead studying other PHOTOWORK. Highly recommend that.

Also, in one of such periods while in DIA admiring I suddenly got an idea for the series I am shooting for the last 4 years. You just never know.
Example
http://www.fixxer.ru/photos/28024
http://www.fixxer.ru/photos/28027

Love that pictures. I don't get to see enough exhibitions locally but we try to include visits to at least some of them when on family trips. Would go to more of them, but, you know, kids...

 

[agricola]

Joe
I don't know you from a bar of soap. But I know how you feel. It's a common thing - let alone when you have done nearly 40,000 posts! Rest assured that when we get to a certain age the support comes flooding in. There have been a couple of Aussies in earlier responses who have said things that I would like to second, endorse, etc.
Everything takes time.
Dan

 

[oltimer]

Joe we all go through this at times; especially with are long cold winters. We cannot have fall colors all year round to help us through these times.

 

[KM-25]

Ummmm....didn't he already hit 40k posts? Maybe having to go through it again is playing havoc with his "Schwing-Fey?"

 

[Dogman]

My own experience: I had severe burnout for several years. Several. Years. No pictures worth a crap for the whole time. Most of the time, carrying a camera was repellent to me. I just gave up and moved on. Then one day I had a little spark of interest rekindled. After a spell, the interest caught afire. It's been blazing ever since.

Main thing to take away from this: If photography really is important to you, eventually you'll notice that little spark re-ignite. Then...blaze on.

 

[jarski]

sell digital bodies that loose value and store everything else in a box out of sight. for several of months minimum 🙂

 

[jsrockit]

I took 10 years off from making photos... it was a good decision. Find something else that does it for you.

 

[MIkhail]

Love that pictures. I don't get to see enough exhibitions locally but we try to include visits to at least some of them when on family trips. Would go to more of them, but, you know, kids...

Sure, i know. Have 2 of my own.
We are lucky here in Detroit, to have one of the best nation's art museums.

One late art photographer (who I consider my teacher and genius, but he is not that widely known on West) said to me this: if you learning from somebody else's photographs, this is like visual second-hand. Instead, go to the source, it's in museums. And try making your own interpretations of it...

If you are interested: Alexander Slyusarev
https://www.google.com/search?espv=2&rlz=1C1CHVN_enUS592US592&biw=1280&bih=592&tbm=isch&q=alexander+slyusarev&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiS_O3Z_IfRAhUHJCYKHTqXDwsQBQgZKAA&dpr=1.25

 

[cz23]

I tend to view creative doldrums as a symptom of a larger imbalance in my life. They are a good indicator that something else is awry. Job demands or problems, stress or worries, interpersonal issues, general malaise or unhappiness — whatever....

And I think creative blockages can be positive. We may have actually exhausted past interests and now need something new and more meaningful. Such times call for genuine soul-searching about who we are and where we want to go. Always a good thing.

My standard prescription for myself and others is to read Bill Jay's book, Negative/Positive. It covers both of the above very beautifully and specifically for photographers.

All the best, Joe.

John

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Mobile phone is the only digital camera I have with me if I'm going out most of the time. I also have film camera on me 🙂 but at this time of the year, if no events, it is not so much to photograph. Too dark, too soon. If no snow, it is depressing.

 

[back alley]

lots of great comments, many that i can relate to easily.
health is my current source of negativity these days. it seems like everything hurts...anyone who has ever suffered with near constant pain (even low grade pain) knows how it sucks the life out of you.
what's odd is that i have had tons of time to settle things in my head and have been pleasantly blessed with a peace of mind that i have never experienced before.

 

[tuanvinh2000]

i stopped taking photos for a while as well this year, just a short break, carry only a point n shoot for 2 months or so. then watching movies that have great photography brings me back the excitement to shoot again (Man in the High Castle did the trick to me). may be check out other visual art forms while at home. order some books from the library joe. hope you recover quickly from the funk. dont force yourself to take photos no need to pressure yourself.

 

[BillBingham2]

I need to look into this for me and my wife.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/tai-chi/art-20045184

Might help.

B2 (;->