I spent the end of last year and the beginning of this year working hard on getting my photos out for people to see. My efforts paid off. I was in a gallery last summer, had a big showing in a beer taproom this fall, and now I have one image in an exhibition on Plymouth, and one coming up with three images. All of this is great, and I’m blessed to have these opportunities to display my work. But there’s a problem.
Now I can’t seem to motivate to get out and shoot photos. Initially I didn’t know what to do.
My first thought was a classic: Maybe if I get a new lens then I’ll get motivated. Yeah. New gear is always exciting. But then I remembered what I tell other people. Fresh gear does not fix problems. I suppose if you decide you want to shoot macro, for example, then you have to get a macros lens. But generally new gear actually makes it worse. Now you have more lenses to choose from, and you still wonder where your motivation went. And you have a big credit card bill to pay at the end of the month. No good!
So what am I going do? I’m starting by reading a book that focuses on street photography, an area of the discipline that I want to improve on. Small and inexpensive, the book has big ideas. Next, I’m taking my camera out (with a lens I already own). I’ll follow some of the guidance that the book provides, and I hope to get back in the groove.
How will this turn out? Will this method work? Stay tuned. Ultimately I think if I’m taking pictures, the confusion will pass, and the passion will return.