Yawn. Oh, sorry. Just me, being bored with my images.
Are you ever bored with your images?
I was out the other day, in downtown Chicago. One of my favorite places to explore with the camera. It was a lovely day and I got to spend time with a photographer friend I hadn’t seen in over three years.
But. Why does there have to be a but here? I keep looking at my images and I just feel bored. Yes, I have some that I know are worthy of editing. And, there are plenty of architectural images which I like too. I just don’t feel like editing them.
Nothing really made me go “Oooo I have to post-process this NOW.” To be quite honest, I’ve felt that way about most of my images. Not just lately either. Even going back through epic trips and photos from days I know I had good shots. So, I’m thinking maybe it’s not my images, maybe I’m just bored with post-processing them. Completely and totally uninspired to work on them.
Help?
Am I the only one who ever felt this way? I kind of doubt it but I’m at a bit of a loss for what to do about it. My images need to be processed, website galleries need to be updated with new work and new work needs to be uploaded and shared to the places I sell and license it.
Having a reason to process the photos helps. If someone called me right now and asked me for a certain photo, I’d be on it immediately. Need a few images for an article or blog post, ok, I can do that. But processing just to get them processed, nope. Not going to happen without a struggle.
How do I get past this? I know just doing things sometimes helps us push through and get back on track. It doesn’t seem to be working very well in this case. Putting ‘edit my images’ on the calendar or in my planner doesn’t work either. If I’m not feeling it, it ain’t happening.
Here at Photofocus, we’re usually the ones giving you the tips, tricks and tutorials. Well, this article is asking for your input, your methods of helping yourself feel like doing the work you need to do. How do you get in “editing mode” when you really don’t feel like working on your images?
Let’s discuss this in the Photofocus Community, shall we?
I think one problem is that we come home with too many shots.
I agree – soooo many photos! It can be overwhelming.
I find sometimes I just need a break…read a book, watch bad TV. Not thinking about the problem, can help…well sometimes it can.
All good advice as well! Thanks Julie!
Unless there’s some urgent reason to edit them, just let them sit. I find when I haven’t seen my photos for a week or two or three or more, I look at them with a fresher eye and brain. It’s almost like someone else shot them. Then I’m more enthused about editing them.
Oh they sit, some of them for years! It’s true though what you’ve said and a good idea.
There are periods that this happens, humoral moments where even if you know you have valid images you don’t want to work them in post production. When it happens to me I do something, I go out to photograph something a macro or a sports photo or anything I have to do with the idea of a finished image, I don’t take many photos, but only those that come closest to that idea final that I have in mind. In this way, when I come back to process the images I am enthusiastic to start working on them.
So true Stefano. It can take time, sometimes a very long time to get back to them. Sometimes I think it’s much more about creating the images in the first place for me, most times it is.