How to get back out there

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174
Name
Steve
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Over the last 12 months life has been the busiest it ever has and I realised last night, not had the camera out in almost a year. With working full time, kids and heavy involvement in a non-profit, there just hasn't been time.

How do I get the inspiration to get behind the camera again? anyone else, been in this position before?
 
Many times! Up to 6mths at one point, didn't take one photo! You can't force it to happen, when you lose your 'mojo' you can't make it come back just like that. You sound like it's more a time restriction more so then lack of motivation? That's a bit different, could mean you actually want to 'get back out there' but you just can't find the time. That's the first thing to work on then, making time! Even if it's only an hour after lunch on a Sunday, do you have a garden? Start there maybe, try some macro or light wildlife - set up some feeders to attract birds in. If that's not your thing take the kids or a friend/random stranger and head to a local park and try some portraits ... an hour or two is all you need to get it out of your system sometimes. Surely even the busiest of busy people have a couple spare per week.
 
My first thought was “take photos for the non-profit” but what I really think is that if you strongly wanted to get back into photography you would something else would jsut get pushed to the back-burner. I’m sure I am not alone in going through phases with a number of hobbies and pastimes, the photography will come round again when you are ready, I don’t think you can necessarily force it.
 
Well, you could give it a nudge by grabbing your camera and giving yourself X minutes in town/ by the river/ whatever to capture 10 images....
 
Just to add to the good advice already given ....when you get that initial flash of "I could take the camera out" do it....make the time not excuses....it's easy to convince yourself that you're too busy, or feel guilty about having time alone when there's stuff to do....there will always be stuff to do....but if you don't stop every now and again, and take the time out to switch off.....then what's it all for? I guarantee you will feel better, and wonder why it took you so long to do it....so make sure the batteries are charged, decide in advance when you're going....and enjoy it
 
Although I haven't taken any real photos for over a year I've been going through my old photos and using new programs have been recovering what would have been lost photos:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/20926615@N05/albums/72157707446904354

But on Saturday I took my camera and went to the Corby Mardi Gras 2019 to take some photos.

I took almost 200 photos and have put some on Flickr:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/20926615@N05/albums/72157706300129551

Now I have some of my mojo back and will be attending at least some more events like that.

Even if you can't get out do you have some old photos you can revitalise?

And if you have kids surely you can use them as willing subjects?
 
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I think most photographers have been there at some point. I know I have a few times over the years. Time just catches up with you.
I found going for a wander with my mates helped. Yes you have to make the time to go but all work and no life isn't good in the long run, we have to chill out.
Last time we went urban exploring, that didn't come off quite right as there were guard dogs. That prompted the decision could we outrun them, then I twigged I didn't need to outrun the dogs, just one of my mates.. ;) That was when my mates thought better of the idea.
We ended up in a nearbye steam railway, as it was a quiet day one of the staff took us around the yards and sheds. My goodness we took some pics, I took a few thousand. There were shots everywhere you looked. From trains to rusting bolts.
That did the trick, back out as often as possible after that.
Funnily enough one of those mates is now in the same position. He's stuck in a rut. I'm hoping to get him out next week for a wander.
 
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A bit of gear acquisition might help, without going mad.
Or start looking at something you only touched on before like Macro or Video.

The past year or so I've been somewhat re-energised by uploading stock, from archives to start with.
It gives you a new perspective and you start always half looking for suitable shots even without a camera :cool:
 
Try to combine it with something else you enjoy doing. It’s not something you can make yourself do but something you should want to do. I find that arranging to go and do some street photography with likeminded photogs helps even if I don’t come back with any great images, the social aspect makes it enjoyable and I am more likely to repeat this.
 
Whilst I'm new here, this subject is very familiar to me and currently I might add. Being an older lady and being old school I would never walk out the front door without a face on which in itself is no big effort required but couple that with the loss of my Photo inspiration Mojo - incentive decreases exponentially! I'm passed that age where being out in freezing cold days, peeing with rain, gale force winds is ok - done that, been there. I'm sure many of us wake up some mornings with a real flicker of enthusiasm, look out of the window, see bland grey skies, flat lighting and feel the flicker get extinguished.
Hopefully there'll be fewer grey days and the flicker just might reignite the fire some of us are currently lacking.
 
I think you need to put the focus back on you to some extent. If you're doing everything for other people and not making time for yourself you're going to burn out. I find getting out in nature with the camera is one of the most enjoyable ways to relax and clear my head if I've had a busy or stressful week. I've always struggled with the 'I don't have time' argument - if you really want to do it you can make time, and others should be accommodating of that if that's what you want or need. Even if you only get out one or two times a month will that really be a problem for the others in your life?
 
I always think a project is good to get your mojo back. It's too easy for photography to get forgotten with all of the other things that go on in life, and having an ongoing project to work on keeps photography at the front of your mind and gives you the motivation to keep with it.
 
You need to make time for you (and your family!). Cut down the involvement with the non-profit. I too volunteer for a charity, and they'd take every spare minute if I let them. your own well being and being a dad to your kids is more important.

As for the loss of mojo and not having time .... as others have said, we're all been there. You have kids, so have ready made photographic subjects (see above!), or your garden, kitchen or shed; or even look on the internet for still life ideas. Just photographing simple kitchen appliances or other common objects can get you back in the groove. When I lose my impetus I find the best thing I can do is get out my little compact (any pocket camera - nothing too complicated) and take some quick shots. Just take the kids for a walk in the park and grab some point and shoot shoot shots. Have some fun, enjoy some family time, don't take it too seriously and take the pressure off yourself.
Kitchen 1_s.jpg
 
Look at old shots you've taken. Find one, even if you have shot it loads and loads before and think about how you could change or improve it. Head out with that in mind and take a great shot.

Try and plan for the event. Even if it is going to take you 2 weeks to get other 'busy life' stuff in place first so that you can make time for the outing.
 
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I think many suffer from thinking of a subject when you’re short on time. Maybe what you enjoy photographically is more time consuming, like landscape for example? My advice is to take more of the everyday, what’s in front of you. Have a small compact to hand and make yourself just take a picture a day. Your kids are an easy source of subject and inspiration. Think about what you can improve.

I’ve had a block shooting the everyday, because after a while, it’s easy to go through the same. I normally look at others for inspiration at that point or challenger yourself with a different focal length. Having a camera readily at hand, is definitely a big part of the process.
 
+ 1 for the smaller camera suggestion.

My LX100 has taken better photographs than my Nikon and big bag of lenses, purely because it's always with me. It lives in my work bag, and when I'm out and about it fits in my hoody pocket. The amount of manual control makes it every bit as fulfilling, and the results are good enough for rock n roll.

Eventually the Nikon kit was replaced with Fuji too, so now even my big stuff is reasonably small, and I've found it makes a big difference to how much I shoot.
 
I think many suffer from thinking of a subject when you’re short on time. Maybe what you enjoy photographically is more time consuming, like landscape for example? My advice is to take more of the everyday, what’s in front of you. Have a small compact to hand and make yourself just take a picture a day. Your kids are an easy source of subject and inspiration.

That's certainly a good way to practice but for me photography is best when getting away from everyday life, it's a perfect way to escape and spend a bit of quiet time for yourself. In late spring and summer when sunrises are early, if you're into landscapes or wildlife you can be out at dawn and be back home by 9am, depending on where you live.
 
Since I first posted I have manged to make some time to get out with the camera, Donington Castle which is right on my doorstep provided an hour away from it all. And on the compact camera front, I have my S10+ in my pocket at all times, so I have started using it to find new ideas...that I can follow up on with the DSLR.

Appreciate the feedback, it has helped me 'start' moving forward again
 
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