At times we all lose our photographic mojo. The love of clicking the shutter. Sometimes it’s because after the shutter click, we know we have to then download, edit and store those images. Sometimes you just don’t have the energy. After many years in photography, you might feel like you have tackled it all. Good news is that you aren’t alone.
Creativity isn’t a constant upward climb.
Every photographer goes through cycles:
- Learning
- Growing
- Plateau
- Burnout
- Rediscovery
The things that helped me during a noticeable photographic slump many years ago ranged from becoming a judge and exposing myself to other people’s photography in order to help them grow, to finding a photographic buddy who was new to Australia, to go out with. This caused me to go places I hadn’t been before, and to places I had, and revisit them. Teaching them photography helped me remember why I loved it.
I changed up the way I used my camera gear or what gear I used. Trying different lenses. Buying new things to have fun with. Not just new lenses, but small pocket cameras, filters to try long exposure photography and really getting into phone photography and videography.
I made a list of locations I wanted to visit and things I wanted to shoot or try.
I found new ways to share my images online. I learnt new platforms such as Tiktok and got into shooting and editing video too.
I bought a little clip-on mirror to use with my phone for some creative photography.
I got into time lapses, slow motion video and panoramas.
I bought some small toy car models and took them around the place to do some creative photography with them.
I bought myself a drone for my birthday, and learnt how to fly it and see things from a bird’s eye view. At times it can be stressful if actual real birds are around and fly near it. I tend to get it up, get my shots and get back to the ground before too much drama can happen. Saves the grey hair growth.
Sometimes it helps to just stop trying to take perfect, award winning, social media and portfolio worthy images. Instead focus on what interests you. It might be textured rust on an old car, shadows on a beach, a single leaf on a park bench, or your treasured pet.
No pressure. No social media. No clients. No deadlines. No camera club competitions. No expectations from other people. Just you and your camera.
Not every photograph needs to be posted online or entered into a competition. Take photos simply because they make you happy. Some of the most meaningful images you’ll ever create may never be seen by anyone else.
Focus on going out to have fun, not to shoot. Anything you do shoot is an added bonus to a great day out. Recently I was up early to have breakfast with some friends and my husband. At the marina I noticed the beautiful gentle morning lighting on the boats, and took out my phone for a shot. Walking back later on, I noticed that the light was now so harsh, but it looked beautiful early on. I was just out to have breakfast, but got rewarded by being up early and being in the right place with the right lighting to grab a shot.
Try photographing something you haven’t before. Something easy and rewarding. It can be exhausting to do a whole photographic still life set up, but might be easy to just shoot a beautiful new rose bloom in your garden, or buildings in the city. They don’t take a lot of effort in terms of waiting, watching, preparing, planning, setting up and executing the shot.
Give yourself challenges to get your creativity back. Photograph things only in black and white. Or use only one lens for a whole day. Tell a story with just 5 images. Photograph objects in only one colour. Try some montages to tell a story putting your images together into a set. Anything that makes you break out and get some of that photography excitement back.
Use yourself as a model. I once read a book dedicated to self portrait photography. Using yourself as a model because you don’t have to check in with any models, pay them, set up the shots, have them complain, or not show up etc. You can use your creativity to shoot yourself however you like, wherever and whenever.
Become a tourist in your own town. I was out with my Scottish photographer friend in the city some months ago and was photographing the Ibis standing outside Hungry Jacks on the roof. I liked the juxtaposition of elements between them and the sign. A man was nearby watching us with our big cameras, heard our accents, and assumed we were tourists. He came over and told us the birds were called Australian Ibis birds. Both of us laughed as he assumed we were tourists. My friend has been in Australia for over 40 years, and I have been here for a few decades too.
Learn something unrelated like how to paint water colours, gardening, writing, pencil sketching, reading, pottery or explore music. This can sometimes fuel your love again for creative things.
Look at your old work. Revisit some of your past overseas holidays, or photography trips you went with your camera, and see if you can re-edit better and bring out hidden gems you may have forgotten about. A great rainy-day activity. Watching some videos on editing can help get you started. Even if you watch one video, then practice. Don’t overload yourself with too many videos without doing some practice and working on images or you won’t remember it and be overwhelmed with information.
Join a workshop, online photography group meetup, camera club, or outing by yourself or with a friend or two. Go on a photographic holiday. Sometimes these involves lots of early morning starts but if you can handle that, you can make new friends, great memories and outstanding images as the tour guides and organizer know the best locations at the best time of day.
Visit somewhere with no purpose. Just go there.
Creative slumps are a natural part of any artistic journey. They don’t mean you’ve lost your talent or your passion. Sometimes they simply mean it’s time to slow down, try something different, have a complete break, or give yourself permission to enjoy photography again without expectations and pressure.
Sometimes a loss of your photographic mojo isn’t a sign you’ve fallen out of love with photography—it’s your mind telling you it needs a different kind of inspiration.
Your camera isn’t going anywhere. Neither is your creativity. Sometimes all it takes is one walk, one sunrise, one interesting shadow, or one unexpected moment to remind you why you fell in love with photography in the first place.
Sometimes you just need a break. Put down that camera and just chill and breathe. Your mojo will find its way back.