Breaking out of the Photographer's Box!

So you’ve been shooting the same pictures of the same stuff/topics for what seems to be an eternity. It feels more like a routine task, rather than a fantastic adventure through art and life. The current status is uninspiring and kills your motivation. Well, we’ve ALL been there! We tend to get into a style or topic that feels like “the one” and we stick to it, because in the beginning it’s so rad! Over time, though, that flame burns out a bit and you feel that you’ve exasperated all your artistic angles pertaining to the topic and style you consistently shoot in.

So how does one get out of this “funk”? The easy answer is, go shoot something else. Go capture photos of something that you rarely focus on. Get out of that comfort zone and get your brain thinking in an entirely different way. We all like things to be smooth and flow without adversity, however we are limiting ourselves immensely by not letting our creativity and skillsets blossom! For example, if you are a wedding photographer that shoots every weekend and hasn’t taken a picture of anything other than brides/grooms and all that for like 10 years, go on a hike with your camera and shoot some landscapes and wildlife. Vice versa, if you are a nature photographer and only capture landscapes and wildlife, take your camera with you to the next event you attend (after COVID of course), or take some photos of friends/family for fun. Make yourself think outside of the box you’ve built for yourself. Not only will this be an awesome experience and get you feeling the tingglies all over, but it will also bring fresh perspectives and ideas to light (pun intended). It is challenging and fun. Most importantly, you will have new tools in your toolbox to use in your “normal” work setting. Some of my favorite pictures I have taken have been when I put myself into scenarios that I wasn’t familiar, nor comfortable with. The key is to be able to make the best of the situation, adapt a bit, and crush them photos!!

So get out there and cheer up. You love your craft! Change it up a bit and spark that passion again. Put yourself into those unusual settings and take the best pictures you can! Be the best, most creative you possible!