Staying motivated as a street photographer?
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- Shane and Josh discuss how they stay motivated to take street photographs over a number of years
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I'm personally motivated by my wanderlust and travelling to new places with my camera. During the first year or two of the pandemic, I was photographing with high intensity on the same street everyday. While this can become repetitive and at times feel more like "work" than fun, it was vital for my growth and allowed myself to get lost in simply taking pictures and sharpening my skills. Throughout this year of practice, I stayed motivated because I was entertaining the idea of travelling as soon as the borders opened. Having that goal in mind made all the hard work and practice worth it because I arrived in a new place at my peak performance. At the end of the day, I like to treat my street photography as practice. I'm always growing and learning and once my gut tells me it's time for something more, I roll the dice and pick a new location to visit with my camera. Just my 2 cents... Love the discussion based video guys- cheers!
Love it. Really enjoying al your videos of Mumbai.
I tried your approach with going out every day, even if I didn't feel it and I didn't come home with any pictures. It made me form a habit of alway going out, and not just hit the couch every time I came home from work. I walked the same route every day.
It made me very familiar with certain hotspots on the way. Suddenly something weird happened or the light was a bit different, and then I'd be ready because I knew those places like the palm of my hand. I know where the light hits, and I know where to stand to minimize the background and frame in my subjects.
Now when I go somewhere new in my city, it is almost overwhelming and being somewhere new again.
Great to hear your progress and thoughts on this Dante - thank you as always for watching and the support - Josh
A lot of street ends up looking the same. Very few photographers develop their own style.
Winogrand at that time was unique… revolutionary, now he wouldn’t be. Timing is important.
I see many “street” photographers get excited, then slowly fade away because they don’t progress past the level of being a watered down clones of other street photographers. Maybe the problem is the name “street” and how it has limits.
Who is doing fresh, interesting work in street nowadays? They are out there but rare. Looking forward to who pushes forward.
Well, you'll have to pick up a copy of FRAMELINES magazine to see who's doing fresh new work, wont you :D
@@frame-lines 😊
Perfect timing. I was trying to force myself out tonight but couldn’t be bothered, so watched you instead. Great to hear that photographers you admire go through exactly the same. I get ‘bored’ of shooting the same city/swap gear/have days where I feel like i’ve never held a camera before… Worth checking out Kyle McDougall’s latest video, as he touches on similar. Anyway, I’m hoping a trip to Lisbon - yeah with a new lens - will help get my mojo back. Great work gents!
same situation bro
Lisbon is definitely an endless place for streetphotos
Probably my favourite video from you guys! It's good to hear that you have doubts and worries sometimes (sounds weird maybe haha sorry) i mean it's good to know that legends like you aren't always motivated, I haven't been in the street photo journey for so long but I'm always full of doubts but the sure thing is that I love street photography and people like you keep me motivated even if I'm living in a small town where its hard to find inspiration sometimes (thank god Paris is not that far haha). Anyway thank you for all the effort you put in your work and keep us inspired! And speaking about visiting new places you should come in Paris, would love to see this city through your eyes and lens!
It's like listening to my own thoughts. I do go through phases being. I can be very motivated and then unmotivated and then motivated again. I did a fair bit of street photography during August and now I don't want to even touch a camera. I know that in couple of weeks or so I will be back out though. But yeah. It is a circle. By the way I liked this format of video. Would be nice to see you discuss more things in a podcast style.
Those are exactly the kind of phases I go through too. I can go weeks without taking a 'street' photo, but I always come back to it.
We are planning on more of these - which is why we both have brand new mics :)
-Shane
Oh this is a topic I’ve thought about it a lot!
I only shoot once a week, so I don’t lose motivation too much. I suspect it motivation is more of a challenge the more you go out. I find it’s when other things in life get really busy that my motivation drops.
Going somewhere new is defo the best option to get out of it. I also think forcing yourself out, even if it’s just for a bit, helps. Even an hour or so means you’re a better photographer than you were if you stayed at home, so I try to frame it like that. New gear, reading books (or good quarterly magazines 😉) or a change in other conditions also help.
Oh a big one is to get some photography friends! Find a group, people to chat with - the peer pressure, group learning and post photo drinks might actually be one of, if not the best thing to keep up motivation. I think even the legends of Meyerowitz, Winogrand etc used to do it.
Good video as usual guys!
Yeah, and so much of gettting great pictures is also just luck. Which only happens if you get out there!
Thanks for sharing, it's good to hear these thoughts from people we might idolize in our little niche. I got into a bit of a slump after a confrontation in the street but after a break and lots of overthinking I'm finally finding myself getting out there again. The schools of thought like "it's a numbers game" or "get in the miles first" are definitely out there. I can't see it being a healthy mentality in the long run but to each their own. I believe a deep love for the medium and a genuine interest in the human condition must coexist in some sort of balance. As Sean said travel and a change of scenery really does wonders, new gear not that much.
I know that feeling of confrontation in the street can knock your confidence. I’ve had 2 situations of confrontation in my time, one full on aggression in my face. My confidence was shot after that. But we get through, as you say a numbers game.
I did a video on this recently, how to overcome photographer's block. My solution has been to focus on locations and subjects that I have an emotional connection with- memories, relationships, etc. It's a good way to re-ignite the spark.
Jees lads, that’s some hard “street photography” sell (not). Enjoyed that. Hard to stay motivated all the time. Got Framelines 4 beside me but saving it for a when i need real motivation. Keep it going.
Wow, what an eye opener. I thought it was just me feeling lack of enthusiasm, and motivation from time to time. I feel quite normal now.. Thanks.
I've been travelling to London roughly 4 times a month for the last 6-7 year's, always with a camera in one form or another. And it's definitely a flatter, more subdued vibe up there nowadays. Hopefully this will change in the future🤞.
Although it's taboo to say - I often find shooting street with a friend or two can be hugely motivating. I think it takes some of the pressure off, and it's fun to see what you can spot before anyone else. I also think familiarity is a big thing , I definitely struggle to get in the street mindset when I'm somewhere I've been for years.
Yes 100% agree - sometimes it’s better to head out with someone else and treat it a bit more causally !
Thanks for the video!
I tried to order the Framelines magazine but it looks like you don't ship to Germany. Is that right? :/
"Number one - do what you love. Not what you should but what you love. We often make mistakes but you can't even worry about that...but if you're going to fall on your ass you might as well do so while you're heading in a direction that you love".
Harold Feinstein
Today's imaging is very much centred on transitory, single, stand alone photographs you scroll to, through and past but Harold comes from a very different place; one where what he loved was to produce bodies of work which combine together to encapsulate what he loved - Coney Island, New York for instance.
Committed bodies of images that were amassed over 10 years or more. This notion, seen in modern photography terms, is utterly unthinkable for most but there are those still willing to invest ten or more years on a project; Emile Ducke and his 'Road of bones' comes to mind. A young guy in his 20s, Emile expects his project to last at least a decade. Remarkable and rare in this ephemeral, transitory age.
Photography is also cursed today with derivative conformity - trends and fashions leading photographers around by the nose, chasing 'likes' and perpetuated by Instagram, You Tube and other social media, as well as camera clubs and others.
I'm glad to have stepped off the merry-go-round, ditched my Insta account and to instead tip-toe softly in the footsteps of Harold...
Motivation only becomes an issue when you pressure yourself to perform and achieve, as that generates expectation, which in turn needs to be fuelled by motivation to perform and achieve... and so it goes round in a loop. The cycle is easily broken when the inevitable happens and a session doesn't yield anything that satisfies that expectation to perform.
The answer is to realise that acceptance is the root of photographic and general happiness. Accept that photography is not and never has been a smooth, linear trajectory of 'successes' but peaks and troughs. I guarantee you that every photographer you can name and that you admire has experienced themselves the futility of 'expectation' and 'motivation'.
The pressures you place on yourself, that lead you to question motivation are choices, not inevitabilities. Choose to just let go...
Don't feel too sorry for yourselves lads.
I had to turn off halfway through.......and then watched two happy photographers (graindays/badflashes)
just get out there and enjoy it. don't be precious about it, it's supposed to be fun.
Jeez. I always feel like a fraud when i'm out and after I hit my groove. Self doubt really is a bitch and is present in all areas of my life. Hilarious, that are minds are the key for us being anything and everything, to nothing. The irony. Love this video! Ps Oxford Street is busy, but I feel as though it's less busy in a way... An odd one.
nice video....some image delay...becarefull with sound/image sincro. :)
It's normal to go through periods of unmotivation, self dought and insecurity about your work. People who don't have those feelings are robots and tbh their work is s**t. Interesting what Josh said about just taking a camera out with you is being motivated. For me, leaving my camera at home, is frustrating. I always see the perfect shot when I don't have my camera with me. So my advice is to leave your camera at home a few times. You will kick self .
I’ve been walking the same parts of my city for years now, and just go out, each week, for 4-6 hours to shoot regardless of how I feel. My motivation is usually to see how parts of the city have changed, see how fashion is evolving, and experience the feeling of the city.
Sometimes I’ll take up some novel limitation to try and get my interest or focus back. For the past couple weeks, as an example, I’ve been going to a semi-abandoned shopping mall for an hour or so per photowalk and just trying to get a sense of where/how to shoot it, in monochrome, and often without human subjects in the frame. At other times of low-motivation I’ll just go to frequent haunts and try to get a kind of photo I know I can get there, but get one that’s better in terms of emotion or technical proficiency than my last ‘best’. My goal isn’t to come home with spectacular shots each outing but, instead, to just continue cultivating my practice in the hopes that I’ll see progress (and get some nice photos!) over the course of each year.
Still doing street after all those years, well about 30..., but what I feel street photography is lacking most of the times it is some sort of context. So much of it feels random, repitive and ...meaningless? perhaps...? So the answer to that is to have some sort of plan as to what you want to do and what you want to convey with your photography. I know that this might sounds blasphemous to some, but one thing I found that have impeded my photographic progress or pleasure over the years, was the blind adherence to dogmatisms and when it comes to SP there are plenty of those. In addition to that, visiting a new place a couple of times a year with the sole purpose of taking pictures, I find it to be very invigorating and the pleasure of, not just taking photographs, but the simple and pure pleasure of looking, is coming back. Besides, busy streets in city centres and what not are not the only habitat of SP. So much of us get stuck with SP going to the same busy corners over and over again instead of trying something completely different, go to quieter neighborhoods, scout the city edges, allow yourself to get lost in unknown winding paths.
Finding new spots to shoot is cool, but I always have this quote in my head by Ernst Haas“I am not interested in shooting new things - I am interested to see things new.” Even if I don't get good shots, I enjoy the experience of "looking". It nicer when i come away with good shots of course, but I try enjoy the experience. Sometimes I have interesting interactions with people, and I send them snapshots that I never post.
Good video and got me thinking. I think there is a couple of conditions that affect motivation. Firstly why do you shoot street photography? Is it because you want to be famous or because you feel it is easy and therefore should yield plenty of successful results? Or are you driven by something more social or more furtive.
Secondly what do you do for a living? A lot of us in the community are not full time photographers and I think that impacts on motivation.
So for me both of those things impact. My job is office based, and since Covid can be quite solitary as I work from home a lot. So my reason for getting out with my camera is simply to be get out among people in a different environment. The photos are secondary, at least when I set off from the house. So the pressure is much less.
I’m subscriber of framelines… so I don’t understand this video…😂 thanks for doing the work y’all.
I think the immediacy to present on social may add to the pressure to find and capture something. But the greats we all look back at just kept at it. Good days and bad days. They did for themselves and built a collection of work.
The part that resonated to me the most is when you talk about looking at our photos and feeling that it's been done before, either by ourselves or other photographers.
The solution to this that I've been thinking of is to create a more specific project, but I'm still struggling with the balance of focusing on a theme and the spontaneous nature of street photography.
Interesting conversation, thanks for sharing. Having a project in mind or a series already started is essential to me, that gives me a reason to search in the streets.
Thanks for your candour, guys, and your always interesting thoughts and discussions.
I watched John Free on UA-cam talking about self-discipline in photography. I admire his almost military approach but frequently can’t get to that level myself, and not just in photography. Maybe time for a personal reboot!
Thanks Iain. John Free offers some great advice with very little BS. :)
Yeah, the self discipline thing is a big one, no doubt
Do it, you just need one good picture sometime. And when you don't want to make picture anymore. Make a book.
The difficult thing for me is that you get so little feedback for what you're doing. It's easy to get lost in the sea of photographs that are available online when so often their merit is decided by the politics of the day.
I haven’t done street photography since the pandemic. I kinda miss it but nyc feels very different these days .
Nice discussion on an important topic. The draw for me is knowing that everything constantly changes, even including going over the same places and making sure to notice what was there last week is no longer there or spotting something completely new or a mix of both the old and new combined in unusual ways...Eyes open and head up are what keep me motivated.
Yes! I agree
I think this ties a lot with the concept of burnout which for me is a big problem as someone who used to play competitive games. In that sphere it's definitely something that's talked about a lot so I know many people struggle with it. As far as I know from studies I've read throughout the years, burnout is inevitable and it impacts your performance (in photography- the quality of your photos), and the only way to fix it really is to take a break.
So what I'm saying basically is that it's okay to take a break if you're feeing unmotivated- it WILL help you. Not just for photography, but in life in general because this applies to burnout with anything.
Very true - thank you
Great video, Shane and Josh A really insightful discussion and so many points that I can relate to.
I often lose motivation after an unsuccessful day out with my camera. Thoughts like "why do I bother?" or frustration with my gear lead me put the camera away for weeks at time. The good thing is, that seeing your work on social media and work from other photographers, does make me want to go out again and shoot. It's comforting to know that even the Pros have off days or weeks.
Keep making this type of video, it really works.
Really kind and thank you so much as always for the support Ash - we will definitely make more videos like this - Josh ♥️🙌
I can relate to a lot of what you said. The Framelines magazine is a reinjection when it appears, like other magazines. f8 is another good one. The thing I do is Blipfoto if you’ve heard of that site. Posting a photo on the site taken on that day is something I’ve been doing since 2014, 365 days a year. Not always street, but a lot. Not always good shots, but the addiction factor of keeping on helps with motivation!
Excellent easy well timed watch.
Thank you for watching !
This was such a great and insightful discussion, so many elements to relate to.
That feeling of walking out to take photographs already deciding that it's a right off is a feeling I’ve had way too many times.
Recently I’ve found that even walking my usual routes in reverse has helped me stay motivated.
I also think that the days that are great and I may get a shot I’m really happy with always make it worth it and sort of carry me to the next one.
Thanks so much for another great video ✌
Another thing we didn't really address is the affect of weather and time of the year. It's starting to get darker now and in London we're seeing a lot of very overcast weather which isn't very motivating.
I agree about those good days - they really pick you up eh? It's just takes 1 good shot
What keeps me motivated is having 47 lenses, mostly vintage primes, to play with. I have a great appreciation for camera optics and am always interested to see what they can do. Some of them are 60 and 65 years old. Some of them I used on film cameras before there was digital. Many if not most of them were designed without the aid of computers. That they still produce great photos with digital cameras is wonderful. Also, shooting with manual focus lenses is like driving with a stick shift, much more involving and interesting IMO.
That's an awful lot of lenses. I don't know if I'd even have space for them. You hit a good point though - a big motivating factor for me is simple curiosity and a desire to 'figure stuff out'. It sounds like you're doing a similar thing with you lens experiments! -Shane
This autumn I'm forgetting the usual autumn colours and going black and white, just to try breakaway from the norm. Could be interesting or it could be a complete flop we will soon see.
Autumn is my favourite time of year to shoot - regardless of the colours - incredible light in the morning ♥️
What motivates a fisherman to fish? The obvious outsider answer is the catch, but most of the reason to fish...is to fish. The same is true with street photography, in my opinion. What should motivate you isn't location, camera, or even the prospect of a great interaction, but merely to fish.
That's not a bad way of thinking about it. Thanks Patrick!
I just love this - everytime I feel fed up with my lack of motivation, I'm going to watch this to cheer myself up and push myself on!
I enjoyed this video a lot. Going through an un motivated period myself. So I’ve just purchased all three copies of ‘Frame Lines’
Hugely appreciate the support Matthew! Thank you ! - Josh
Due to covid and becoming a father, I have also been photographing the same part of Hamburg during the last three years or so. On one hand I sometimes feel a bit bored of it and would like to see something new, on the other I know where to go when I see certain light or how the weather is like. What it surprises me is that even after these years I always come home with new pictures, some of them even good or at least interesting.
Unless I feel very tired, I bring the camera with me. Even if I don't feel like it, there is usually something interesting I want to photograph later. In the end I think of it as some sort of meditation or therapy.
And regarding motivation, I think having those ups and downs is normal. In a similar way as you mentioned, I try to change a few things, maybe switching between black and white and color, using a different focal length, or walking on a street I don't usually go to. Someone who always inspires me is Joel Meyerowitz, watching him talk about photography just makes me want to take pictures again.
Oh yes i could listen to Joel talk for hours. I used to watch the same clip of him photographing new York in the 80s on the train into London when I was heading out to take photos !
@@frame-lines great idea, I might copy that :D
I really like his course on Masters of Photography, but I think any of his talks would do.
UA-cam is also a great source of inspiration, there are so many passionate and talented photographers that is hard to just name one or two.
Funny to think of someone like Vivian Maier who just took thousands of photographs. That she maybe thought no one would see. What was her motivation.
Good point! Thanks for watching John
Thank you Framelines.
Your thoughts resonate with my current situation, for various reason I’ve not been out to photograph for a month, and start questioning why I even do street photography. Reassuring to hear you not necessarily following the normal advice to ‘just force yourself to go out’ and that feeling on the train to go and take photographs that you are just not in the mood. I do think that I need to try a different location to spark my interest again, thanks for the video 👍
Thanks Julian. We don't really go for tips videos to be honest. I'm not sure if they're all together that constructive. We've made some in the past but even making them felt contrived.
I think it's better to just share how we feel about it, hoping some people like yourself can relate.
-Shane
Thanks for another video guys. Will you launch the issue 3 of the magazine digital also?
Thanks Marcos ! Yes - soon ! ♥️
7:48 Oh, yes, I know that feeling.
* looking at the pictures at the back of the screen * "Oh , my god I better just sell my camera and take up diggings holes in the ground as a hobby", but then, like Shane said, something just clicks. And that feeling is awesome. It is like just I've discovered street photography all over again!
I'm totally with you that change can be a motivator (change of place or even change of equipment). There are two other things that worked for me: 1) CHANGE of the way how I take photos. Previously, I had to plan each time I go out with my mirrorless camera. Decide where to go etc. Which was required a commitment and planning on my end. As a result, I was going less often out to shoot. To take more often pictures and fit this in my busy lifestyle, I bought a Ricoh gr iii and now I carry it me every time I leave the house. One pocket for my cell, one pocket for my Ricoh. I was able to take a lot more great photos i would have never been able to take if I didn't have the camera with me. 2) CHANGE is the way you edit your photos. Get inspiration from other street photographers whose photos you like. Create your own presets. Change the perspective of the photos, B&W vs color, etc. I'm currently inspired by Josh's photos and the colors he uses. I'm trying to get him to respond to my DM on instagram with more info. Josh, talking about colors of your photos, how much you change them in post, etc., could be a great next video. Cheers!
Good conversation. I had a fun and busy June and July shooting a lot around the south coast (including Margate as well) as well as the summer solstice at Stonehenge, but I felt burnt out afterwards after probably overdoing the photography. I was back up in London recently, which is a novelty nowadays for me, and that change of scenery has given me the creative kick I needed.
Several times in the past I've gone out with very low motivation in uninspiring lighting conditions & with zero expectation of taking anything half decent & found I've actually taken a few keepers that are some of my best ever, when I've looked at them on the laptop later on. The bizarre thing is (usually) I've barely taken a dozen shots the whole day on these occasions. Yet many other times I've gone out overflowing with enthusiasm in great conditions, taken hundreds of photos and might only have a few borderline keepers if I'm lucky 😬
This talking it out was super helpful and interesting. Thanks y'all.
Thanks so much! - Josh
It is surprisingly reassuring to hear that even professionals go through the same motivational issues as us amateurs..For me personally having some projects or purpose is the most motivating..I have found organizing one off quality printed books of a series of my photos very stimulating.The books are something that can last and are tangible. Initially the first couple of books I put together were just general street shots.. but now I an targeting a couple of different themes..e.g “a different perspective”, “ candid portraits” “close of details” etc.etc. But having and building a collection of hardback, one off books of my photographs is surprisingly motivating. I suppose half our motivation is a desire to leave our mark?
I was in the SP zone for 2 years. Total passion. But it's hard work. I started to head out of town rather than in. Felt I had a bit more control over finding a photo. Also I realised that taking pictures without people in can tell you just as much about people; sometimes more if all you're doing is taking pictures of people walking on the pavement. Now sometimes I walk around a particular area or street and just take pictures of whatever interests me. That could be buildings, neglected corners, stuff on the floor, signs, and yes, even people.
Josh: If, like me, just the act of going out with a camera to take photos gives you pleasure, even if you don't get any good ones (or any at all) then this can be motivation enough to keep going. Shane: I seem to very rarely lose motivation, but after lockdown I started taking photos of anything and everything that I found interesting, and I upload them to a Flickr album called Scrapbook. If I see a good street scene, or someone interesting, I'll grab that as a street shot. Interestingly, I'm more likely to see good street shot candidates if I've shot a few Scraps beforehand. Oh, and Josh: "psychosomatic" - the word you're looking for is "psychogenic". Nice video. Always good to listen in to photographers chatting.
I can relate to a few things you guys mentioned in terms of the struggle with motiviation, and I think going somewhere new to shoot is something I find extremely helpful since I struggle a lot in my own city. I also find that going out with a purpose i.e. an assignment or something I want to specifically focus on for the day like going out and shooting in layers only or shooting people with hats just to name a few, has helped me out as well. Thanks for the insight and the video!
Staying motivated not to call it street photography any more who came out with that name ffs 😂 you stand on street make a photo does that make you a “street photographer” bollocks😂
that's the spirit
@@frame-lines I will quote frank “I am not trying to make easy photo I am trying make something coming from within”
This was a good listen boys:) Thank you!
Thanks for watching !!
Great video and really interesting conversation. I find that sometimes I can enjoy the action of taking photos, but then instantly feel frustrated that my limited editing skills probably mean I won't be able to fulfil those image's potential. As photographers with two different but distinctive editing styles, it would be interesting to hear about your experiences, maybe in a future video?
Yes 100% will make a video on that - thanks for watching and commenting Andy , it’s much appreciated
I find tthat editing is not that important somehow. Its trying to get that shot in real time i think. Keep it up!
What do you do when you are in a small city? What do you do when the amount of people on the street has significantly decreased? I go to the same places and explore new places. I’m about to retire and will have more time to photograph people on the street.
Looking forward to returning to the city of my birth, NYC, next month to take a workshop and walk the street. I am not satisfied with the quality of my images. I take lots of shots, ~500 if I’m out all day. I may be happy with 1-3% of the images. Thank goodness I’m not shooting film. I’ve tried using a small memory card so I’d simulate shooting with film but didn’t like it. I enjoy asking myself what would that look like as an image. Generally not very interesting but it was fun. I don’t share my images with anyone. I guess I’m like Vivian Maier that way.
My street photography is light therapy. I It gets me out of the house. I sometimes am exposed to the sun. During the winter I walk around in a giant light box with a lot of rain. I am open to see people walking around just to entertain me. I am amazed at the things I see and others don’t. I try to be open to what The street has to offer me. I am looking for people doing interesting things. That generally doesn’t happen. Sometimes I see reflections on building Windows so I do urban landscapes. Sometimes I see shapes or colors that are interesting. The main thing is to be open.
Mask On Nurse Marty
It can be very difficult in a smaller city. I started photographing in Cork City and it wasn't long before I got tired of retreading my steps. Fortunately I moved to Dublin and then London shortly after which have provided great inspiration.
It sounds like you're on the right track to be honest. 1-3% hit rate isn't bad and you have a good attitude towards photography in that it gets you out of the house.
In an off phase for a few months. Life getting in the way.
Same here ! - Josh
Hi. How do you do a business with street photography?
Great video guys, the whole of 2022 I have barely shot at all, maybe only a thousand photos when I could easily do that in a weekend in times past. I shot quite a lot through the pandemic but I think ultimately it played a big role in demotivating me. I've temporarily deativated my instagram account as a way to decouple myself from my existing style and to try something different. Hopefully I'll be able to get my mojo back, it helps to know other people struggle also.
What you said resonates 100 percent! I empathize compleately
Great topic, Shane & Josh! I also feel unmotivated from time to time with my street photography. I know it's mostly because it's the same city. I have upcoming trips coming up and I know that traveling and being somewhere else, in a new environment will fix this! Thanks for the video.
Nothing beats being in a strange new environment in my experience. Have fun on your upcoming trips!
Good conversation. Music inspires me. Put on some headphones and walk. There is nothing wrong with feeling un inspired but keep your camera with you.
Agreed ! Cheers !!
Magazines & books are definitely always good ways to get inspired. But what also helps me is to just not put any pressure on myself at all. If I find something interesting and take a photo I like, that's awesome. If not, that's also fine. It's just a hobby to me though, which makes it easier, of course...
Yes if you can not put too much pressure on yourself that’s definitely ideal ! Thanks for watching
I am thinking that going to through phases is fine. Having had a fast career I am giving myself 10 year just to explore all kinds and styles of photography from birding to street to portraits. I am also exploring all kinds of gear and form whether film or digital without limiting to anything. I don’t want to define my work as I am just enjoying just taking pictures that I love at a moment in time.
Definitely the right attitude ! Cheers Neerav
I lost motivation early this Summer once it started hitting 100+ degrees F every day here in Austin. It's just hard to get yourself out there and enjoy yourself when it's that hot, especially for an extended period of time where you can get into a rhythm. Instead of going out much, I used a lot of the summer to brush up on photo books, test out some new focal lengths, and get a few trips in to cooler climates. Feeling very rejuvenated to get out there now that temps are getting lower!
Yes I suppose when it’s that hot it becomes dangerous ! Glad you managed to find other things to fill the time ! 🙌
My take is if you ate your favourite dessert every week, after awhile it’d get a bit too familiar & maybe a bit tiresome. I like having a bit of a break from street photography & do a bit of landscape/woodland instead…variety is the spice of life.
Needless to say, when the latest framelines is dropped off by my postie, it’s guaranteed to reignite that spark & get me buzzing for street stuff again
Aha fantastic !! Thank you
For what its worth, I think the answer to the motivation question is to get out of your comfort zone (street / landscape / still life etc) and try another genre to awaken interest. This may also give some insight into looking at new ways to approach the preferred genre. I get frustrated if I don't take photos for just a couple of days and i find that trying a little, in my case, landscape photography (my least preferred) gets me back into my photography. As you rightly say, going somewhere new also helps a lot too. Enjoying your content btw. Great work.
I like trying different genres of photography but I'll admit I don't often get out of my comfort zone hardly enough. I think it's because I do sincerely love street photography and I do have a goal in mind with it.
It's good advice though and I know that trying different genres helps build a skillset that can then be used in street, right? -Shane
Great video… I find going out early morning and evening is good as less people are around… so composing becomes better for me. Plus on the weekends I go to other towns especially when there is something happening like an event.
That’s a great tip - all about the early mornings
I like it that don't just say "Here are 5 Tips how you stay motivated". Great video :)
Haha cheers !!
Good discussion lads, I definitely go through periods of motivation and good to know ye and others go through that too 👍
Cheers! Thanks for watching !!
Haha, been through all of this. The angst, the worry, the despondency. It always seem to turn around so suddenly, then back again..
Oh, and the talking to myself to try and self motivate, I do get some odd looks..
Haha yeah the usual cycle 😅
Fantastic video and topic guys. I really connected with the "am I bringing anything new to this" bit at the moment. I find the hardest thing is being drawn into taking "trendy" shots. Like when is a picture of a guy with an umbrella just a picture of a guy with an umbrella or something more interesting....I find motivation for me at the moment comes from encouragement from the community on insta or Vero. Nothing better than getting a comment or like from an artist you admire on a picture you're proud of.
I think if i get a new lively street every week, great weather and time it would take a very long time to burnout. However that’s not my reality. I havent been properly shooting in many weeks because the usual routes just bore me and I haven’t figured out new ones. However I will go to a bigger city in a month, and I know that if the weather wont be too shite I‘ll be really motivated to shoot and maybe i can carry that motivation back home
Going to a new city is a real shot in the arm in terms of motivation. Nothing like it.