I've lost my 'eye' and inspiration

Maybe thats what out need. To be out with a group of like minded people chatting, laughing and enjoying a day trip.
 
We will have to do that trip around the Yorkshire Dales when there looks like there is going to be a nice day Bod. That or go and visit Renee :p get some inspiration over the pond I recon.
 
One more thing to add to the mix, hopefully you'll find it useful.

Maybe you should try something that you're not good at, photography-wise. I often get more satisfactory results when I'm not shooting birds/wildlife because I'm a perfectionist in those areas (not that is reflected in my pics much :LOL:). If you do mainly landscape, try some macro, if you do mainly wildlife try some urban abstractness! Just a thought ;)
 
I feel that there is safety in numbers. I did my degrees over at Durham Uni and I used to walk around the city, camera on, taking thousands of photos. It was a studenty, inspirational area. I lived just opposite the cathedral. I produced some of my best photos and even learned how to develop films and photos!
Walking around a touristy place like Durham with a camera is no big deal. It is touristy and I even got some great shots of people in the crowd.... Whereas where I live now (small ex-mining village up north) I just feal uncomfortable walking round with my camera. I often take it on excursions with non-photographic family and friends) and it never comes out inbeteween times.

I'd like to go out in a big grop photographing stuff... A park, a street, anything... But where there are lots of us... LOL Dream on I guess. My photography friends all live far away. The mate who I ma helping get his free 400d moved away ages ago... :-( Before this turns into too much of a violin story! (LOL) if anyone lives in the HSeffield/chesterfield area and wants to go photographing something then drop me a line.

I am off to the Welsh coast tomorrow so will be clicking away then.

I have also tried out my new lensbaby!!!!! OK so the pics are complete rhubarb... Marcel - have you ever tried one? They even come with a 30 day money back guarantee lol since they are obviously either loved or hated.
 
This problem is spreading :( today I was on my way home as saw what I thought would make good photo with the nice evening light. I had the camera in the car but just could not be bothered to find somewhere to park and just left it and came home.

I'm in the camp that says go somewhere new. I can't find anything to shoot in my local village but I bet everyone else would find lots of interesting things.

I know your in the Greater Manchester area so you could get a rail ranger ticket for the train. Cost £3.30 and you can travel all day on as my trains as you wish in the Greater Manchester area. If you go to a crap place just hop on the train to the next place.
 
I went through this recently and it is so frustrating and I kept going round in circles. In the end I went back to basics. Put all my lenses away except for my 50mm. Closed down photoshop. Went to New York ( any city, town you have never visited) and walked the streets,. At first I jsut started taking touristy shots but the 50mm lens really forces you to work the feet and eyes and before long ( about 2 days) I was getting some images that made me smile. May not have been great but I started getting the buzz again.

I still have the downtimes and then go back to the 50mm. As I can't use New York I use the family and kids in the family when we are together and just have fun with the one lens

You will find your way :)
 
ron boon said:
I went through this recently and it is so frustrating and I kept going round in circles. In the end I went back to basics. Put all my lenses away except for my 50mm. Closed down photoshop. Went to New York ( any city, town you have never visited) and walked the streets,. At first I jsut started taking touristy shots but the 50mm lens really forces you to work the feet and eyes and before long ( about 2 days) I was getting some images that made me smile. May not have been great but I started getting the buzz again.

I still have the downtimes and then go back to the 50mm. As I can't use New York I use the family and kids in the family when we are together and just have fun with the one lens

You will find your way :)
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That sounds like a great idea!
 
just get in the car and go for a drive in the countryside, chill out and see if anything grabs your attention, if not put the camera away for a bit and take a break for abit
 
Marcel said:
Yeah..TBH I cant remember what inspired me when I started.

I can remember the first time I picked up a digital camera to take a proper 'photo'. It was over at OcUK, and it was a thread discussing light trails, and I saw Piggymon's attempt, and it just kinda spurred me on from there.

Took a while before I took the hobby more seriously though.
I can still remember the feeling of being 'out and about' with a few mates taking photos, and the feeling I got while taking the photos, and feeling inspired...tis a nice feeling.
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:hug:


Don't worry Marcel, it'll come back to you.

Why don't you hop on a train and pop down to Dungeness with the rest of us in September? You can meet some of your flock and it's bound to quite inspirational/educational. Last time we all met I learnt stuff (how to do IR from Hoodi and how not to plan a meet from myself) and the people who're going are all pretty inspirational in their own special ways.


I would offer you a lift but Manchester is a bit out of the way and Hoodi's beard will be taking up most of the spare room ;)
 
Marcel - I think you should delegate the monthly competition to someone else then you can have a go - might get some enthusiasm back - having a specific theme to photograph and thinking of innovative ways of doing it. I think someone else said that - but hey I'll say it again:D

Or just go down the pub!!!! :D
 
Snappers block happens, there is no getting away from it, whoever you are.

I really understand the bit about seeing other peoples pics from locations you've shot at and wondering why none of yours have the same impact. The sad fact is that other peoples shot will always be able to do this, as you can't ever see one of your own shots for the first time. Unless it was an accident of course.

if you've had the vision and then crafted the shot, it can never have the same effect on you as a vision just appearing in print or on the monitor in front of you.

You need to have faith that we all see your images as you see others.
 
marcel - I just have to tell you - I have spent a whole week in a totally new neighbourhood, new landscapes, etc....but what did I enjoy best...something totally new, something I have never attempted before...for me it was horse racing! I spent many a happy saturday afternoon tuned into channel 4 for years, just watching [never betting, I am not lucky], and finally, at 38 yrs of age, I got to a race track yesterday [friday], and whilst I am fully aware of the arguments for and against it as a sport, as a photography spectacle, it was fabulous. So I suppose what I am trying to say, is try taking the camera somewhere new, something a bit challenging rather than just 'another land/city scape, the beach and the kids' [not that they arent challenging, but they can start to feel a bit same-ish]...I dunno, Manchester right...how about the velodrome, or the white water rafting place in Wales or something along those lines....just something you have never done before. Just a thought ;)
 
I've been in this state for so long it's not even funny :D

I'm still here... Kinda :|
 
Joe T said:
I hadnt realised that Marcel and DF were both ex-OcUKers. :)
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another one here :wave:

and to keep it on topic, I posted something simliar a few months ago and other than a couple of trips to race tracks (F1GP, BTCC and Superbikes) my camera hasn't left the house. The pics I did take are still languishing on my hard drive waiting to be sorted and edited hence none of them have been shown here or anywhere else.

Recently though (yesterday especially as I found myself in Brighton on business) I have been seeing quite a few things that have made me wish I had my camera with me.

I've enrolled on a course at the local college as well and I think that will spur me on to actually get out there with my camera and start enjoying my hobby again.

Hope it all comes good for you Marcel.
 
Thanks for all your kind words. I'm getting a few ideas into my head for things, and my camera is say on the desk looking at me :D

I think a mini meet with a couple of you is definitely in order.

I took my kids to a birthday party last week, and one of the mums was shooting with a Nikon DSLR, not sure which. It had a shortish lens on (physically), like the kit lens, and no grip. Just a neckstrap.
And I hit upon the idea. I might take the grip and handstrap off my camera. Maybe even go back to JPEG for a day. Just go back to basics if that makes sense, see if it can spur on that buzz I used to get when photographing.

I'm constantly on the lookout for shots. Like yesterday I took my daughter to her swimming lesson. I was watching from the spectators benches up above and I noticed the reflections of the active water on the ceiling. Naturally no photography was allowed and I didnt have my camera with me, but I was thinking "Hmmm how would i frame that", and I was thinking of the side of the pool etc, leadin lines, distractions, then it realised to me, maybe Im just being TOO picky. I'm thinking about my photos TOO much. I need to just take what I think feels right, while thinking generally about rules.

I think I'm looking too much indepth into my photos and while it's helped me think more, maybe I've gone too far, and I'm being over analytical?
 
Marcel said:
I think a mini meet with a couple of you is definitely in order.
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Well if you're ever traveling down south (or part way) and fancy sharing inspiration it'd be great to meet up ;) The biggest problem for me is running out of places locally to actually go to take photographs :(
 
dazzajl said:
I really understand the bit about seeing other peoples pics from locations you've shot at and wondering why none of yours have the same impact.
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There is a web site here in London which picks a different street (usually) each week and then everyone has two weeks in which to photograph it. It makes for a great exercise both physically in giving you somewhere to go and shoot without needing inspiration, and creatively having to find something interesting in these locations.

As a downside though after the two weeks are up when you see what others have uploaded it can sometimes be disheartening to discover things you never noticed or just photos putting yours to shame.

A shame there is nothing like that up Manchester way though, it may have helped.

Michael.
 
Well thanks to Carl Ogden, I am now holding the latest edition of the book "Understanding Exposure", and its quite inspiring TBH :) Im feeling much more motivated as I read...back to basics and all that :)
 
Great Book (y)

In fact... I might just go and grab my copy and have a read myself :)
 
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