Photographers "block"

[marquus]

I often have a hard time visualizing the photographs I'd like to make. What works for me to get out of the slump is either (very rarely) getting a new piece of equipment, or more commonly, dusting off an old piece and having fun with it. What works for others?

 

[Travisennis]

First off, welcome to the forum. Second this an excellent question. I think my first instinct whenever I get into a slump is to look for a new piece of gear whether it be a lens or filter or a piece of software. Anything new that I have to learn to use and use well gets my creative juices flowing. It works, but it is not cheap and sometimes just isn't feasible. Therefore, many times I take on a project. Sometimes it is a project to take a photo a day for a week or month, or a project to take images of a similar style or subject matter. The challenge of fulfilling these projects usually gets me going again and is certainly cheaper than buying new gear.

 

[olli]

Put the camera away and stop worrying about it. Work on my back catalogue of old images. Look at lots of other images from photographers I admire. Visit photography galleries. Enjoy looking at the world without worrying how to turn it into pictures. Sooner or later I'll start shooting again.