I first started playing with a camera when aged about 11 I am now 73. "Falling out of love with what I do" is a great way to describe it. I have fallen out of love for photography many times over the years. I last fell out of love pre-covid which then put the seal on it as I had no wish to go out with camera in hand Now the creative juices are coming back again. There is no real rhyrme or reason for it although in my case it is related to a disconnect with nature, of being distracted by stuff so that one can no longer be "in the moment" Its not rational so there is no point in looking for a rational answer. It is a loss of feeling, a loss of relatedness with what is around me which is destructive to creativity. Long before the invention of photography, painters and other creatives described these melancholic periods of inactivity. In frustration van Gogh cut off his ear because of it. One has to keep the faith and belief that the creativie process will return given time. It cannot be forced. I will certainly not be cutting off my own ear or any other part of my anatomy. Good luck and joy on your journey.
Yeah, this is probably one of my favourite videos ever. The editing, the soundtrack, the font, the grading, the style, the words, the photos. A chef's kiss. Top work Faizal. Please, for all of our sakes, keep it up.
“Do not let the pressure take over you because is what leads us to fall out of love of the things we love to do” i love that sentence and its so true and straight forward
Such an important reminder. I love that just showing up is a success, even if you don't walk away with a good photograph. Needed this reminder to myself! Thanks Faizal
Going out is also a good way to scout out possible locations and spots for potentially good photographs. That way when you go out with your camera you don't have to waste too much time looking for places and can spend a good amount of time in one small area waiting for the good photo opportunities.
The quality and professional look of your more recent work as a leveling up from your earlier POV heavy work is inspiring me to create my own UA-cam content. This video and many others over the last year or so have really taken dramatic steps forward and I hope you continue to make work in this fashion. So good!
I honestly love just throwing this video on when I have editing or organizing to do (yes, I've watched it multiple times). It's both inspirational, and calming at the same time.
I saw a Northern Mockingbird as I returned from grocery shopping. I dropped the food off, got my camera and had a wonderful time photographing the bird singing and a crow that stopped by. Normally it can take months to edit photos, but this time I finished them the next day. It is easy to get carried away with other responsibilities, but making the time for inspiration is worth it. Thanks for the video. It was wonderful to see downtown Boston from a new perspective.
Thanks for sharing this video Faizal, it means a lot for photographers, like me, who are struggling atm finding peace with getting some time back, having a break and focusing on other things than just photos and videos.
what I love about your videos is how beautifully and perhaps even unconsciously you incorporate your inspirations to them. the music, the arts, the cultures you’ve come across, the books that have developed your mindset and the passion that made you decide to pick up your first camera are ever present. it’s those subtleties that intrigue me to watch and learn from you, and to look for those ideas in your headspace. i’m sure you’re such an inspiration to the creatives with conscious cultural mindsets, who simply don’t rely on mere technicalities of the craft but lives and breathes through the very fabric of it, but lack motivation from mundanity.
Thanks for this Faizal. I’ve been struggling for about three months to take the time to go out and take photos. Family and house moving has taken up a lot of my time and pushed my photography down the priority list. What I’ve come to appreciate is how much I need photography to make the rest more manageable. Great video and beautifully shot btw.
I’ve been to France twice and Italy once during a cruise and a tour of northern France on a separate occasion…. You will enjoy the vintage & rustic feel of those countries …… I hope to go back again in the near future as well
Beautiful video! I recently took a long break from photography and quickly realized that I wasn't burned out from photography but I was burned out from social media.
This is a really great video. Thanks for that. It's easy to put pressure on yourself and it can kill your creativity. Reminding yourself to be easy on yourself is important and crucial.
Every single one of my favorite photos that I’ve taken has been on a whim, out of nowhere, out drinking or something that I just looked at and said, “Hmm, let’s give this a try.”. Inspiration strikes when it does, we just have to take notice. No need to force it. On another note, I’ve been loving your contrasty, Harry Gruyaert ish feeling street scenes. It was after watching one of your videos that I finally started to understand how to create that aesthetic a little bit; I was very grateful for that. So even if you’re not inspired right now, you did inspire me!
Just have to say that: I am trying to find my way back to being out there more often. Your videos have easily been the most inspirational content I’ve seen in a long time. It is so good on so many levels. Thank you!
Thanks Faizal for your quiet inspiration. A very thoughtful approach to the creative process and getting out of the rut. Also, thanks for your tips on organizing output. Cheers.
Beautiful video Faizal, thank you for putting this different perspective in my mind so i can contrast it with my own and find solutions to my problems with photography. Sending love from Colombia.
Almost every time you make a video you hit on all the things I've been thinking about as I continue on my journey with street photography. Your videos are great and on point...I really enjoy watching your journey. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ideas and photography.
That’s just a part of life & inevitable! It means we’re at a point of needing to recharge! There is balance needed & I feel a lot of the time we tend to focus on one this until it’s burnt out, when if we spread it out then things will be easier & wont feel such a weight on one subject (in this case photography)! It’s the same with any issue in life, once you sift through & locate what the root of the issue is then the rest all seem to disappear or don’t seem to matter as much as you thought! It also great that you’re sharing this so people see it’s not all sunshine & rainbows, it’s real life which is a rollercoaster! Nice work & it’s only getting better, keep doing you & I’ll definitely be around for the ride! Much love & happy snapping!
After more than 1.5 years on the streets, mostly 4 times a week, I recognize, how similar your way looks like mine. Thank you for all inspiration, an for the spirit within. Best regards, Dirk
This is so cool ! I’m from Framingham Ma , got a Minolta X-700 last year and decided to finally shoot something. Got some B&W film and I’m shooting for the first time ever . I’ll Def hit the Boston Gardens this summer and take some photographs.
So glad to hear that you also are uninspired in the cold months of winter (I am in NY). I've been spending my time planning my trip to Portugal in March and Italy in September. And yes getting a bit more organized
Hey Faisal, just wanted to say I really appreciate your videos. They are really inspiring. Street photography always gave me anxiety. I found your channel and your POV street photography videos and tips have been motivational. Got out and tried to get some compositions today. Also got some positive interactions with people, and 1 person rejecting being in the photo. Was a solid start! Thanks man
i was in a similar rut, and i found that just switching the aspect ratio i shoot in from 3:4 to 1:1 has helped me a lot. i've had to become more conscious of my framing , and i'm definitely seeing some nice results :^)
I took a break for 9 months and was telling my friends that I no longer will use my Fuji Ex3 to take pictures and will now use my Iphone instead, that lasted for 9 months, well I recently picked up my EX3 and now find myself which a new vision of sort. Boy was I wrong. Love your channel, very informative, you have a new subscriber.
I actually been in this rut for couple of years now, but this year I decided to pick up my camera and go out there again. And I forgot how much I enjoyed it!
This is such a good presentation. It is so accurate when one walks out the street with their camera. Each day is an opportunity. Not everyday will be considered successful. However, everyday does give us an opportunity to practice and grow. Regards….Wayne
Thanks, I need to listen that it´s okay take a break, the last couple day I was feeling the worst cause I´m not feel able to shoot even if I tried. I just take photos on mu smart phone here en Mexico and I love the proccess and help me, anyway, thanks, love your work
I absolutely love your videos ! As a new street photographer in Boston, I would love to know a few places to look out for or any street photography groups that are regular around here…
Faizal, you'll love Venice - can't wait to see the video/photos from that shoot and all of your other trips as well, but Venice (my .02) is just a whole different place
Breaks are crucial *especially* if we work in creative fields. We need time to integrate what we experience before we can transmute it into art. Love the part where you talk about reflection, while we’re enjoying a reflection. Thank you for your thoughtful and beautiful videos.
I also live in Boston and I also do some street photography, I almost just begging so my photos aren’t so good, I hope I found you some day around Boston shooting some photos
always epic vids dude, think I've been here since 1200 and I remember seeing your videos and sayin you are going to blow up! They have been awesome from the very start. Big congrats
Great video, I'm in michigan and the cold is really disheartening. It's cold with no pretty snow and keeping up my first 365 project is already a bit difficult. Also, what camera bag are you using in the intro? It looks handy
Wise words. Here in Michigan it’s pretty gloomy this time of year. I try to find different things and people to shoot. Black and white seems to work best.
I first started playing with a camera when aged about 11 I am now 73. "Falling out of love with what I do" is a great way to describe it. I have fallen out of love for photography many times over the years. I last fell out of love pre-covid which then put the seal on it as I had no wish to go out with camera in hand Now the creative juices are coming back again. There is no real rhyrme or reason for it although in my case it is related to a disconnect with nature, of being distracted by stuff so that one can no longer be "in the moment" Its not rational so there is no point in looking for a rational answer. It is a loss of feeling, a loss of relatedness with what is around me which is destructive to creativity. Long before the invention of photography, painters and other creatives described these melancholic periods of inactivity. In frustration van Gogh cut off his ear because of it. One has to keep the faith and belief that the creativie process will return given time. It cannot be forced. I will certainly not be cutting off my own ear or any other part of my anatomy. Good luck and joy on your journey.
Yeah, this is probably one of my favourite videos ever.
The editing, the soundtrack, the font, the grading, the style, the words, the photos. A chef's kiss.
Top work Faizal. Please, for all of our sakes, keep it up.
“Do not let the pressure take over you because is what leads us to fall out of love of the things we love to do” i love that sentence and its so true and straight forward
Thanks
I really value about you that you are so open with the struggles you (and we) face as a photographer
Such an important reminder. I love that just showing up is a success, even if you don't walk away with a good photograph. Needed this reminder to myself! Thanks Faizal
Going out is also a good way to scout out possible locations and spots for potentially good photographs. That way when you go out with your camera you don't have to waste too much time looking for places and can spend a good amount of time in one small area waiting for the good photo opportunities.
You are one of my favorite creators I've found in the last year. Thank you for all you do.
The quality and professional look of your more recent work as a leveling up from your earlier POV heavy work is inspiring me to create my own UA-cam content. This video and many others over the last year or so have really taken dramatic steps forward and I hope you continue to make work in this fashion. So good!
I honestly love just throwing this video on when I have editing or organizing to do (yes, I've watched it multiple times). It's both inspirational, and calming at the same time.
The subtitles for the hard of hearing are a nice touch.
I saw a Northern Mockingbird as I returned from grocery shopping. I dropped the food off, got my camera and had a wonderful time photographing the bird singing and a crow that stopped by. Normally it can take months to edit photos, but this time I finished them the next day. It is easy to get carried away with other responsibilities, but making the time for inspiration is worth it. Thanks for the video. It was wonderful to see downtown Boston from a new perspective.
Thanks for sharing this video Faizal, it means a lot for photographers, like me, who are struggling atm finding peace with getting some time back, having a break and focusing on other things than just photos and videos.
what I love about your videos is how beautifully and perhaps even unconsciously you incorporate your inspirations to them. the music, the arts, the cultures you’ve come across, the books that have developed your mindset and the passion that made you decide to pick up your first camera are ever present. it’s those subtleties that intrigue me to watch and learn from you, and to look for those ideas in your headspace. i’m sure you’re such an inspiration to the creatives with conscious cultural mindsets, who simply don’t rely on mere technicalities of the craft but lives and breathes through the very fabric of it, but lack motivation from mundanity.
Thanks for this Faizal. I’ve been struggling for about three months to take the time to go out and take photos. Family and house moving has taken up a lot of my time and pushed my photography down the priority list. What I’ve come to appreciate is how much I need photography to make the rest more manageable. Great video and beautifully shot btw.
Faizal....thank you. This healed me. Just...thank you.
Thank you for sharing this Faizal.
I’ve been to France twice and Italy once during a cruise and a tour of northern France on a separate occasion…. You will enjoy the vintage & rustic feel of those countries …… I hope to go back again in the near future as well
Beautiful video!
I recently took a long break from photography and quickly realized that I wasn't burned out from photography but I was burned out from social media.
This is a really great video. Thanks for that. It's easy to put pressure on yourself and it can kill your creativity. Reminding yourself to be easy on yourself is important and crucial.
Every single one of my favorite photos that I’ve taken has been on a whim, out of nowhere, out drinking or something that I just looked at and said, “Hmm, let’s give this a try.”. Inspiration strikes when it does, we just have to take notice. No need to force it. On another note, I’ve been loving your contrasty, Harry Gruyaert ish feeling street scenes. It was after watching one of your videos that I finally started to understand how to create that aesthetic a little bit; I was very grateful for that. So even if you’re not inspired right now, you did inspire me!
Just have to say that: I am trying to find my way back to being out there more often. Your videos have easily been the most inspirational content I’ve seen in a long time. It is so good on so many levels. Thank you!
As a french, I really appreciate the subtitles. It helps me to understand more what you’re saying
Thanks Faizal for your quiet inspiration. A very thoughtful approach to the creative process and getting out of the rut. Also, thanks for your tips on organizing output. Cheers.
You killed it with this one! Amazing word man. I really appreciate what you do. Thanks!
Thanks for this, Faizal!👍🏻
Thank you for your inspiring words.
Thank you for this video. I've been on this exact phase for three plus years now. I just started looking at my personal work as of yesterday.
Thank you for this video. I'm going back to photography and this very inspiring.
Beautiful video Faizal, thank you for putting this different perspective in my mind so i can contrast it with my own and find solutions to my problems with photography.
Sending love from Colombia.
Almost every time you make a video you hit on all the things I've been thinking about as I continue on my journey with street photography. Your videos are great and on point...I really enjoy watching your journey. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ideas and photography.
That’s just a part of life & inevitable! It means we’re at a point of needing to recharge! There is balance needed & I feel a lot of the time we tend to focus on one this until it’s burnt out, when if we spread it out then things will be easier & wont feel such a weight on one subject (in this case photography)! It’s the same with any issue in life, once you sift through & locate what the root of the issue is then the rest all seem to disappear or don’t seem to matter as much as you thought! It also great that you’re sharing this so people see it’s not all sunshine & rainbows, it’s real life which is a rollercoaster! Nice work & it’s only getting better, keep doing you & I’ll definitely be around for the ride! Much love & happy snapping!
Wonderful! I think we as photographers need to hear this more.
That was healing to watch! Thank u for the reminder. It's good to know that I'm not alone with the break that is "sometimes even a month" long.
After more than 1.5 years on the streets, mostly 4 times a week, I recognize, how similar your way looks like mine. Thank you for all inspiration, an for the spirit within. Best regards, Dirk
Your videos (and photos of course) are amazing. Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much this really helps ☺
Thank you.
The photos are so beautiful!
This is so cool ! I’m from Framingham Ma , got a Minolta X-700 last year and decided to finally shoot something. Got some B&W film and I’m shooting for the first time ever . I’ll Def hit the Boston Gardens this summer and take some photographs.
I actually took a couple years off, felt uninspired. Just started shooting again couple weeks ago and loving it
Some good points there on revisiting old work and trying again. Thanks for that tip
That’s incredible, I got such a soothing feeling while watching, great video!
Very timely. Thanks for this!
Well said. I am there right now and needed this. Thank you.
So glad to hear that you also are uninspired in the cold months of winter (I am in NY). I've been spending my time planning my trip to Portugal in March and Italy in September. And yes getting a bit more organized
Thank you for the video.
Hey Faisal, just wanted to say I really appreciate your videos. They are really inspiring. Street photography always gave me anxiety. I found your channel and your POV street photography videos and tips have been motivational. Got out and tried to get some compositions today. Also got some positive interactions with people, and 1 person rejecting being in the photo. Was a solid start! Thanks man
This video came at a perfect time for me. Thank you!
Thank you for the video that comforts me in my situation.
Thanks for this video 💛
This is a great reminder, thank you!
i was in a similar rut, and i found that just switching the aspect ratio i shoot in from 3:4 to 1:1 has helped me a lot. i've had to become more conscious of my framing , and i'm definitely seeing some nice results :^)
really loved your work and style . Thank you
thank you
I took a break for 9 months and was telling my friends that I no longer will use my Fuji Ex3 to take pictures and will now use my Iphone instead, that lasted for 9 months, well I recently picked up my EX3 and now find myself which a new vision of sort. Boy was I wrong. Love your channel, very informative, you have a new subscriber.
I very much enjoyed this episode.
I actually been in this rut for couple of years now, but this year I decided to pick up my camera and go out there again.
And I forgot how much I enjoyed it!
1:49 Perfect message for blue monday! Time to take a break ☕
So happy that you're coming to paris, if you wish to meet up I'll be glad to show you around!
Excellent video, very encouraging.
This was very philosophical. Thanks for making this, it was quite relaxing.
What a great print 2:45 would be!
This is such a good presentation. It is so accurate when one walks out the street with their camera. Each day is an opportunity. Not everyday will be considered successful. However, everyday does give us an opportunity to practice and grow. Regards….Wayne
Exactly what I needed right now - thanks, mate
This was so well done, love it!
Thanks, I need to listen that it´s okay take a break, the last couple day I was feeling the worst cause I´m not feel able to shoot even if I tried.
I just take photos on mu smart phone here en Mexico and I love the proccess and help me, anyway, thanks, love your work
Great video Mr. Westcott, very inspirational. I have been shooting for over 40 years and you are exactly correct on all of your points, CHEERS!
Thanks Faizal, i needed this video so much
Hey Faizal, do you use any diffusion filter in those pictures ? They are amazing
Inspiring video, as always ❤
Hi Faizal, your camera shoulder bag is looking awsome. Could you tell me where can buy it? Thank you!
I absolutely love your videos ! As a new street photographer in Boston, I would love to know a few places to look out for or any street photography groups that are regular around here…
I like the vibe of video
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, it can inspirate me for my future photography
Great rebound. A Fujifilm group took me to this vid . Keep it up!
A photographer, a storyteller, a tutor, a poet … And in addition a philosopher and a life coach, with a riveting voice. Very nice, indeed.
Great, video! Definitely hitting that winter slump.
Tbh I just zoned out and enjoyed the B-roll and general style of filming this is on par with a movie. Nice work!
Faizal, you'll love Venice - can't wait to see the video/photos from that shoot and all of your other trips as well, but Venice (my .02) is just a whole different place
Thank you so much for this Video. I'm also in a creative hole right now. Hopefully it goes out there again soon ;)
Breaks are crucial *especially* if we work in creative fields. We need time to integrate what we experience before we can transmute it into art.
Love the part where you talk about reflection, while we’re enjoying a reflection.
Thank you for your thoughtful and beautiful videos.
Great video! Does anyone know what the bag of Faizal is called? 3:34
I was wondering if you could do a video on your favourite/most inspirational photographers, I love your style and would love to see who insires you :)
At 2:33 is exactly where I did my daughters senior pictures in October
great video!
this video is so beautiful
Nice film dude, thanks for sharing. Can certainly relate to much of this.
Thanks for the discount code, but I've already purchased Lightroom for free from PirateBay. Gonna spend more money on equipment.
I liked the photos. ;) Waiting for the Tokyo file.
I also live in Boston and I also do some street photography, I almost just begging so my photos aren’t so good, I hope I found you some day around Boston shooting some photos
Well said 🙏📷👍
always epic vids dude, think I've been here since 1200 and I remember seeing your videos and sayin you are going to blow up! They have been awesome from the very start. Big congrats
what a life! you travel abroad as easy as my city tour.
Very good thoughts that invite you to reconsider, nice meditative video.
Inspiring video. Also I learned 2 new words 😊
Hey. witch camera did you use and lens for this shots ?
Great video, I'm in michigan and the cold is really disheartening. It's cold with no pretty snow and keeping up my first 365 project is already a bit difficult.
Also, what camera bag are you using in the intro? It looks handy
The cinematic aesthetic of this video is unlike any other.
Wise words. Here in Michigan it’s pretty gloomy this time of year. I try to find different things and people to shoot. Black and white seems to work best.
Just in case someone is curious - the song: Bytheway-May - only human
good content brother