Dealing with Growth as a Photographer
Ten years ago when I was in college, I got my first DSLR camera. It was a Nikon D40, and it was a very exciting time. Photography was totally new to me and everything about it was fascinating.
I took my camera with me everywhere and took photos of everything around - plants, people, buildings, animals. It was exciting to simply snap the shutter, and discover how the photo turned out.
Eventually, after thousands of shutter clicks, it seemed like a lot of the photos that I was taking were starting to look similar. Nothing seemed to stand out. I started to realize that a lot of the photos I took were boring.
This was the first creative rut that I experienced. I was discouraged, and stopped taking my camera everywhere.
As the years passed, certain events would trigger me to become inspired about photography again - buying a new lens, taking a trip somewhere, learning a new shooting technique. However, I would still continue to experience these creative ruts - repeatedly becoming bored or tired of photography. At first I thought there was something wrong with me - maybe photography wasn’t my calling? Other times, I convinced myself that I needed new camera gear to reignite my interest. After enough time passed, I realized that neither of these ideas were true.
These cycles of excitement and boredom are simply a part of the creative process - and aren’t limited to photography. It means you’ve grown as an artist, that you’ve become too comfortable in your work - meaning it’s time to challenge yourself.
These are some practices that helped me grow, when I was stuck in a creative rut:
Photograph with a friend - Spending time shooting with other photographers always reminds me that there is no single “right” way to be a photographer. Everyone does it differently, and two people can take entirely different sets of photographs in the same exact place. It can be a great opportunity to learn from each other, and consider different styles of shooting.
Challenge yourself - Instead of bringing all of your lenses and gear to your next photo outing, try just bringing one lens - maybe the one you use the least! It will force you to think creatively about how you shoot. Review your photographs and decide what you’d like to focus on to improve your shots - then go shoot with that intention in mind. The more specific, the better. Find some photos that you like online, and see if you can recreate them! If you’re getting tired of your own work, there are dozens of ways to have fun pushing yourself.
Take a short break - If you’re simply getting too tired of shooting, it could be a sign that you’re pushing yourself too hard. Spend a few days or weeks without picking up the camera. Maybe spend that time instead relaxing, exercising, writing, or taking a small trip (no camera!). We are all human, and we need to balance our lives accordingly. If you’ve spent too much time with your hobby, maybe you’ve been dropping the ball elsewhere in your life. Once you’re in balance again, it’ll be easier to pick up the camera again - which is often sooner rather than later.