Photofocus

Copyright Scott Bourne 2007 - All Rights Reserved

When you hit the wall, and you’re finding yourself bored with photography, it’s often not because you’re really tired of photography. It’s because you’re really tired of YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS. There are some things you can do to change this.

1. Recognize that photographs which lack a message, or theme or story will often be boring. Stop taking snapshots and start MAKING photographs by thinking about the story you want to tell with your camera. Pretend words don’t exist. Only images. What images can you make that will let you and others who see your work realize that there is a story in everything.

2. Make a pledge. Pledge to devote more time to SEEING. Spend time honing your vision. Look at lots of photographs. Look at lots of photographically attractive places or subjects. SEE what’s in front of you. Then pledge further to approach those subjects with passion. Pledge to stop taking empty photographs. Pledge to start seeing the beauty around you and capturing it in a meaningful and moving way.

3. Change your perspective. Change your camera’s perspective. Take on the perspective of a stranger. Use simple techniques like shooting every subject with your shortest and then your longest lens. Shoot every subject wide open and stopped down. Shoot every subject with a slow and a fast shutter speed. Shoot every subject from both a high and a low angle. Shoot every subject horizontally and vertically. While these are just tools and technique. when inspiration is lacking, technique can help fill the void. Maybe switching lenses or angles or shutter speeds, will deliver something new and fresh for you that sparks your imagination and restarts your creativity engine.

Bonus tip – get off the couch and keep shooting whether or not you “feel” like it. Push through the wall – there’s plenty of cool stuff on the other side!
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This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store