Are you in a photography rut? Are you having trouble getting motivated to pick up your camera or get creative?

Though I have built my business around photography, I do not have a portrait business. I prefer do photography on my own terms, when the mood strikes me. I love taking pictures but sometimes I just need a break.  But after a few weeks or a month, I want to get back into it again. Here are some ways to excited, break a rut and start shooting again.

1. Try something different: For example, if you normally shoot portraits, take pictures of nature. If you normally shoot macros, photograph people or buildings.
2. Find fun props: For example, dig through closets and get big hats, purses and heels for a little girl to try on (as shown above).
3. Create an assignment for yourself: For example, say to yourself, I am going to take pictures of 10 faces today, or 5 flowers, or 12 buildings. Or create a task such as every day this month I will take a photo of a household object. You would be surprised how these little things can get you going again.
4. Change settings: For example, if you normally shoot in the suburbs, go to a downtown areas or the country. If you usually shoot inside, get outside.
5. Shoot for yourself: If you are a professional photographer, take a few hours and just photograph what you want and how you want it. Leave customer expectations behind.
6. Shoot high or shoot low. Instead of shooting straight on, shoot from the ground or go to the top of a stair case or even another level of a house or building and shoot from above.
7. Change your lighting: For example, if you like strobes, shoot with natural light. If you prefer flat lighting, try some harsher directional lighting.
8. Be inspired: Go through magazines and pull out ads that you like. For your own personal experience, study them, and try some of the posing or lighting techniques.
9. Find new subjects: If you are a hobbyist and mostly shoot your own family members, go borrow a relative or friend. Find fresh faces to model for you. If you are out shopping and see someone you would love to take pictures of, just ask.
10. Attend a workshop: Photography workshops can get expensive and not all are created equal.  But for me, when I have gone to them, I have learned not only from the instructors, but from the participants.  Being around other photographers can be very inspiring.
11. Arrange a photographer meet up in your area: These are like workshops, but more informal, and usually free. Go on Facebook, Twitter or even a photography forum, and get a group of photographers together to shoot. Have a few kids or friends come along to model. You will be surprised how fun it will be – and also how much you can learn.
12. Do not worry about editing: Often times when doing photography, photoshop is in the brain. You start thinking, if I take 500 pictures, I also need to sort and edit them. So just forget it. I am not saying you should never edit them. But shoot with the sole purpose being the experience. Worry about editing images later.

This list is just the beginning.  Please share below how you break out of your photography ruts and how you get inspired.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 5th, 2010 at 9:00 am and is filed under Featured Post, MCP Thoughts, Photography Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.