How To Get Back Your Inspiration As A Photographer
As many of you might be aware, there’s a thing that writer’s suffer called “writer’s block”. This happens when a writer is unable to think of what to write or how to actually proceed with the act of writing.
It is bandied about quite frequently in the creative world, but it is never really attributed to photography.
This is strange, because countless photographers experience blocks all the time. Inspiration isn’t always there. It has to be looked for. It has to be found. And that isn’t always easy.
In fact, the worst cases of – shall we call it “photo block”? – can actually be quite frightening. Suddenly, the thing that you love doing is simply not coming to you anymore. The inspiration is gone, the creativity, the willpower to get out there and know what to photograph. At times it can feel like it might never come back.
If this sounds like something you’re going through, however, don’t fret. As with writer’s block, there are certain things you can do to get that inspiration back and start taking even better photographs than you were before.
With this in mind, here are five of the key techniques you should definitely try out to get your mojo back:
Make A Photo Book
We might be a little biassed, but photo books really are the perfect tool for a photographer. This is because having the ability to hold photographs in the flesh allows you to connect with them on a different, deeper level, which can subsequently relight the spark that has been missing.
Look through your favourite photographs and then pick the ones that you are most proud of. With MySocialBook, you can create a photo book in 2 clicks, so it’s a small effort for a big reward.
Take A Walk Outside
It might sound quite simple, but another good way to get your inspiration back as a photographer is simply by stepping outside and refamiliarising yourself with nature once more.
It’s easy enough – or hard, as the case may be – to sit indoors and think about what you would like to photograph, but most of the time you don’t really know until you’re out there. If you get out into the world, photo opportunities are bound to find you, rather than the other way around.
Join A Photography Group
Photography, like writing, is quite a lonely pastime. You’re out on your own, observing the world around you through a lens – an outsider looking through a window. In this way, getting your inspiration back can become a difficult, solo mission. So don’t allow it to be.
Try to join a local photography group and collaborate with other photographers. The mobile app “Meetup” is the best way to join groups and meet up with likeminded people, so give it a go and get people around you to help you through the process.
Scroll Through Instagram
If you’ve used us as your photo book maker, then you’ve already scrolled through Instagram to find your own photos. But now it’s time to ignore what you’ve done and look at what other people are putting out there. Scrolling through Instagram can be a great way to get invigorated by other people’s work and feel that inspiration start to wean its way back into your life.
If you’re looking to go on vacation this year, Instagram can also be a good way to see what locations look fabulous and perfect for a photographer. You can then look forward to not only going to this place but all the photographs you’re going to take when you’re there. It could even give you an idea on how to make a vacation photo book, you never know!
Remember What’s Worth Photographing
Lastly, it’s important to remember why you do it. That is to say, the reason you have lost your inspiration and creative drive might be because of where you are at as a photographer right now. Photography is all about learning how to improve your photo craft, level up, and take better, more technically proficient photographs. But somewhere in that journey, it can be easy to forget the reason you started in the first place. To capture the world around you, the way that you see it.
In this way, it could be a good idea to get out there and start taking simple, plain photographs again. Just take photos that feel right, rather than the way you’ve been taught is right. That way, you can rediscover that emotion, that personality, and subsequently the drive and passion that got you hooked in the first place.
