Tag: motivation

4 Reasons You Should Stop Comparing Yourself to Other Photographers

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Taya Ivanova

We’ve all compared ourselves to someone. We all know how paralyzing it is to feel out of place in a beloved industry.

When comparisons come into the picture, all we can think about is our lack of self-worth. Our photos lose meaning, our ideas seem dull, and our goals turn into unachievable dreams. Fortunately, these thoughts are often just illusions. You have all the tools you need to conquer them.

In this article, you’ll discover why comparisons aren’t worthy of your time. You’ll also get several tips on what to do when you fall into a pit of low self-esteem.

It’s Just Stressful

Let’s get the most straightforward reason out of the way: comparing yourself to others is time-consuming, confidence-killing, and paranoia-giving. In short, it’s one of the most effective ways to stress yourself out. That, dear reader, is something you don’t deserve.

Life is stressful enough as it is. No matter how old you are, it’s likely that you already have a bunch of issues that you’re working hard to solve. Adding photography to that pile will not only put pressure on you but make life seem purposeless.

If you find that you’re constantly comparing yourself to others, take a step back. Acknowledge the stress, accept its existence, and replace it with healthier thoughts like I’m full of potential or there’s always room to learn.

There’s Room for Everyone in the Industry

Oftentimes, the comparison is directly linked to the fear of not being worthy of a dream. For instance, you might compare yourself to other travel photographers if you want to become one yourself. You might try to find reasons you’re not talented, rich, or deserving enough.

The truth is, regardless of how many photographers enjoy your favorite genre, there’s always room for you in the art community. There will never be too many “similar” photographers in this world. In fact, the more artists there are, the more inspiration you’ll have access to.

Even if you’re looking for a photography-related job, don’t assume that you don’t have a chance just because you don’t have enough experience. The best photographers, in my opinion, have a fiery passion within them. Using that passion, they achieve their biggest dreams. You are more than capable of doing this.

Competition Creates Resentment

There’s nothing wrong with trying to improve and evolve as an artist, but there’s a limit to how much you should compete with others.

If you’re trying to get a job, competition is important. If you’re aiming to do your best in school, competition is also very important. When it comes to the art community, however, it’s crucial to remember that nobody is competing with you.

If you look at your favorite photographers and see nothing but competition, you’ll feel bitter, uncomfortable, and insecure. This attitude completely ruins the very point of art: to soothe, inspire, and empower.

Your fellow photographers are in no way better than you. Many of them are willing to shower you with their support and advice. All you have to do is reach out, befriend them, and learn from them. It’s better to win with others than to win on your own, anyway.

You Really Are Unique

No matter how similar your style is to someone else’s, your work is unique. No matter how many landscape/portrait/macro/travel photographers there are out there, you can stand out in your genre. No matter how many stories have already been told, yours will resonate with someone out there. And no matter how much you beat yourself up, the truth will remain: no one can be like you.

Instead of wasting your time on useless comparisons, find inspiration and create art. This way, you’ll be able to grow as an artist and inspire others through your portfolio.

The next time you look at a fellow photographer and compare yourself to their success, take a step back. Appreciate their work, value the time they poured into it, and use that energy to create beautiful photographs of your own. If you do this, you’ll be proud of your decisions, have more friends, and receive more support. Isn’t that better than wasting your precious years on empty comparisons?

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Why It’s Okay to Fail as a Photographer

Posted on January 7, 2018 by Taya Ivanova

Failure is inevitable, especially in the world of art. It may be difficult to grasp this immediately; an innumerable amount of ideas float in artists’ minds every day, making it hard to store one concept without losing another. Photographers not only want to make the most of every precious thought but work on it successfully. This state of mind can be very overwhelming, especially if hours of hard work end up amounting to nothing. At one point, these artists may start to wonder if embracing other ideas would’ve given them better results.

The truth, however, remains stable. Ideas that appear in the form of unclear yet exciting dreams can’t be perfect. They shouldn’t be. Experience, practice, and success can stop failure from occurring too often, but they won’t obliterate it completely. Whether you recently discovered photography or entered your twentieth year of photo-taking, you have every right to fail. Here is why.

It Will Give You a Reason to Strengthen Your Patience

In today’s fast-moving world, it’s easy to seek instant gratification everywhere. Social media is filled with notifications, updates, and feedback that motivate people to receive answers within seconds. More often than not, scrolling through your feed is easier than finding new ways to improve. Similarly, it’s easier to bring yourself down than to pick yourself up. While social media can be very handy, it makes patience a difficult skill to obtain.

Failure won’t provide you with immediate satisfaction, but it will open a new door for your patience. Just because a concept didn’t work out doesn’t mean you should give up on it completely. Analyze the problem and try to find a solution for it. This will not only strengthen your problem-solving skills but significantly improve your patience with both art and yourself.

It Will Show You That You’re Not Always the Problem

You’re really not always the problem

. Photographers of all kinds often bump into unpredictable obstacles. Bad moods, people, the weather, time constraints, and other external factors can have a significant impact on your work. Creative mistakes don’t make you unworthy, untalented, or undeserving of personal success. Keep this in mind when something goes wrong again.

Tip: When you feel like a failure, remember your past achievements and current strengths. If that doesn’t work, go to your friends and family for support. You can even do both at the same time. These acts of self-love will give you a small yet significant boost of confidence.

It Will Allow You to Start Over Successfully

Any creative project, regardless of its success, changes an artist. Using your new experience, you can work on the same projects with an improved mindset. Previous mistakes will come in handy and give you more room to learn and to grow. You won’t face the same problems because you’ll be an improved version of yourself.

By starting over, you’ll strengthen your perseverance, a skill that’s highly valued in every workplace. The next time you bump into an unpleasant problem, treat it like an opportunity to get better at living. What you learn from your creative mistakes will help you in other areas of your life. Perseverance and patience will improve your relationships, strengthen your reputation, and increase your self-confidence.

Most Importantly, It Will Make You Brave

Failure isn’t a creativity-obliterating beast or an unstoppable negative force. It’s not a person whose goal is to spite you. It’s not even a reflection of your incompetence as a photographer. In reality, failure is the perfect excuse to get up and try again. It can be seen as a friend who willingly points out your mistakes and gives you another chance to start all over again. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you’ll find your own courage. Though this courage won’t entirely eliminate your fear of failure, it will stop you from letting mistakes bring you down.

Failure is meant to help you improve as an artist. Instead of thinking of it as the end of the world, look at it as the beginning of a new creative chapter. Failure, it turns out, is just a bunch of wonderful opportunities in disguise, so go out there and embrace them.

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Photographer interview: Rhiannon K.

Posted on April 14, 2017 by Taya Ivanova

Rhiannon K. is a talented photographer from Malaysia whose main focus is conceptual photography. Her self-portraits are emotional and mysterious in unique ways. In this interview, we talk about her favorite artists, what to do with creative blocks, and more. Enjoy!

What attracted you to photography?

When I first started taking photos, I was in awe of how it had the ability to capture and preserve memories. However, as I dived deeper into this hobby and passion of mine – I realized photography has enabled me to create and share a visualization on what goes on in my mind. Photography is my safe haven which I go to whenever I feel the need to express myself.

Your self-portraits are incredibly striking. How did you get into the world of self-portraiture?

Thank you so much! I knew photography was something that was meant for me, but I wasn’t quite sure on how I was able to fully express myself with it. I was on platforms like DeviantART and Flickr which helped expose me to the different photography genres. However, it took me 4 years until I stumbled upon self-portraiture which instantly stirred something inside of me that yearned to create more. As a photographer, you capture your perspective of the things in front of you. But with self-portraits, it’s different and it’s slightly more challenging. You are exposing yourself in front of a camera in a way that captures your own soul and emotion and I think that is absolutely beautiful.

Which have artists influenced you the most?

I have a list of artists that I look up to but if I were to narrow it down, I would have to say Brooke Shaden and Alex Stoddard. These two have been my pillar of inspiration and if it wasn’t through stumbling upon their amazing work, I wouldn’t have discovered conceptual photography. I adore how both Shaden and Stoddard have the ability to create stories through their timeless pieces. Each photo that they produce are well planned and creatively executed. The implementation of photo manipulation in their work proves that there are really no boundaries when it comes to creating art. It is just a joy to interpret their work and just like them, I wish my work will be able to inspire another to get out there and create.

It’s evident that creativity is one of your strongest skills. How do you come up with ideas for your shoots?

I create photos that mean something to me on a personal level; so I am most inspired by my web of emotions at the time being. If you see through my work, it flows through different stages which reflect a kind of metamorphosis of my life. I tend to take notes of the littlest details around me and try to make sense as to why it builds a certain relevant feeling. It can start off with a poem that I wrote in my notebook and then I’ll go around building an image around it or, I might have a vivid daydream I had earlier that day and I’ll go back to my notebook, sketch it out and write a poem for it. I could also be watching films and feel a certain kind of connection with the plot or a character and be inspired. Every photo is created with the intention of expressing a message or an idea – but it is conceptualized to a certain level of mystery which provides viewers a reason to further explore and interpret the photo.

In addition to being a creative individual, you’re also a very talented retoucher. What advice would you give to aspiring photographers who are new to editing programs?

Be open to the idea of starting from scratch and taking the initiative to learn at your own pace. Don’t limit yourself to following a certain kind of style that you admire but explore a bunch of them and find what represents your work best. You’ll definitely go through tons of trial and error, but the outcome of it will be incredible and worthwhile.

When faced with a creative block, what do you do?

I don’t think there is a fixed formula to this except having the constant grounds of being connected to yourself and your surroundings. When you lose this, you tend to lose your true intentions behind what you are doing and that can really affect you creatively. Spending time in solitude helps me gather my thoughts and find a new approach to things. I usually spend it with reading creative self-help books and listening to good music.

If you could meet your favorite artist and ask them only one photography-related piece of advice, what would it be?

Oh, definitely on how they keep themselves constantly inspired and motivated to create! I see some of my favorite photographers creating everyday without fail and I’d love to know what helps them jumpstart and preserve their creativity.

In your opinion, what are the 3 most important things a beginner photographer should know?

Firstly, take your time. It can be a very vexatious situation, trying to discover your style. You can spend all week, months, years doing your research on your favorite artists and imitate their creative process. But in the long run, you’re only following another person’s growth and not yours. Which comes to my second point, understand how your mind and soul works. The better you know yourself, the better you can create. After all, your work represents you. Lastly, allow yourself to grow. Embrace the idea of learning and discovering new things everyday – be it a new technique of editing or experimenting with different creative outlets.

Is there a photography genre you’d like to experiment more with?

As for now, I don’t have any photography genre that I’m particularly interested in besides conceptual photography. In spite of that, I would love to include a male subject in my photos. I realized I have never envisioned it because I create from my perspective – so that would be really interesting.

What has been the most challenging creative obstacle for you so far, and how did you overcome it?

Acknowledging the fact that I was a creative burnout for a couple of years. I placed more importance towards my education and the people around me. Needless to say, I found myself knee-deep in a creative rut. I overcame my internal struggle through simply spending time alone; realigning myself. Most importantly my goals and aspirations. I woke up the next day with a fresh perspective and eager to create again.

You can find more of Rhiannon’s work on Youpic

Photographer interview: Elliot Tratt

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Taya Ivanova

Elliot Tratt is a fine art, portrait, and event photographer who cherishes meaningful ideas and fascinating concepts. Despite his very young age, he has worked for several bands and has successfully captured the many dramatic sides of event photography. His desire to learn, improve, and endlessly persist is inspiring to photographers and other artists alike. I hope this interview opens your eyes, pushes you to try out new photography genres, and motivates you to keep going.

What inspired you to start taking photographs?

I grew up in the household of a photographer, so I must’ve picked up a camera first when I was very young. I always remember spending time with my granddad and him not having a camera on him. So I guess I live with a similar philosophy, always have a camera with me. He first gave me a DSLR on the Christmas of 2014, and from there I have discovered and learned myself to make the best images I can.

Your gallery is filled with inspiring conceptual images. How do you come up with ideas for your shoots?

Ideas for my conceptual shots can come from anywhere, from reading a line in a book to a line in a song, to really mundane things like the weather around me. When I am walking home from school, I find inspiration in the smallest and biggest things. I take inspiration from other images and combine ideas and manipulate them to try and tell the best story I can.

What has been your most challenging creative obstacle so far, and how did you overcome it?

My most challenging creative obstacle is inspiring myself regularly with an idea that tops my last idea. I want to develop and I want to grow, so I feel bad when I produce an image and the following image is sub-par. So, I fight mentally to make every single shot I take a bit better than the last.

You shoot in many stunning locations. What’s your favorite shooting place and why?

My favorite location is a beach where I shot the band Pattern Pusher. It’s a beach and cliff on the north coast of Cornwall called Strangles. It produces so many perfect different shots and angles. It has large cliffs, a nice beach, a rock arch, and a sea mist which is truly mystical.

You’ve photographed many great musicians. Which band, famous or not, would you love to take photos of one day?

I feel I have already shot the band that I always wanted to shoot most. In fact, I will be doing a promo shoot with them soon. The band is Tiny Folds. They truly captivated me with their music right away and I just had to take photos of them, so when they invited me to shoot their EP release show last year, I went out of my way to make sure I could! This year I have some big acts lined up to shoot, but I feel none of them will have quite the same rush as photographing Tiny Folds.

Is there a photography genre you’d like to experiment with more?

I have always dabbled with the conceptual portraits, but I have never felt I have truly become involved in the genre. I wish to be able to create such arts like that of David Talley and Kyle Thompson.

What lighting advice would you give to aspiring photographers?

Almost all of my light that I have ever used is natural, with nothing to modify it. I just play with the light that I am given. I love shooting portraits at sunset because the glorious light just before sunset and the light just after it create some of the most incredible back drops.

Who are your favorite artists at the moment and why?

When it comes to photographers, people like you, Alexandra Bloch, Emily Moy, David Talley, Kyle Thompson, Adam Elmakias. They all produce the most incredible art in images.

Musically, a band called Pattern Pusher, whom I am good friends with, consistently produce art in their songs. With their new EP coming out soon, I can’t wait to see what art they produce and how they set it out on stage (hopefully with my help). They are planning to make their live shows as artistic as their music, which I’m very excited for.

Your images are very cleverly edited. What’s the best editing advice you’d give someone?

Keep practicing. Practice, practice practice…. and watch Youtube tutorials, they teach A LOT! If you keep editing and pushing yourself each time and keep doing things that are a little out of your comfort zone, you get better. You just have to keep going at it, even if it does get a little hard or it doesn’t look right.

What, in your opinion, is the most important thing a beginner photographer should know?

Similar to what I previously said, practice is the key thing. Sometimes images will not come out as you imagine and sometimes they will just look bad. But you need to keep going, even through the hard and bad images, because eventually, you will make gold. It will make you proud and keep pushing you to make gold time and time again, and that will always keep you going. Strive to produce the best you can and you can’t go wrong!

Check out more of Elliot’s work on his Facebook and website.

Photographer, Does Your Perfectionism Help You or Block You?

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Sara Rodriguez Martinez

Being a perfectionist seems like a good thing to be. What is wrong about aiming always for the best? Well, I am a perfectionist myself and along my life I learnt that perfectionism is a double-edged sword: it can either take you to greatness or it can paralyze you.

Being a perfectionist helped me to get good grades and finish my PhD in Biology. It pushed me to be a good worker because I care about everything a lot. It also helped me as a photographer because I always try to do things well. I even read my entire camera manual because I wanted to understand my new Nikon D7000 perfectly. Being a perfectionist is motivating. It pushes you you forward.

However, trying to achieve perfection also increases my stress level. I always live with the slight fear of making a mistake or that I am not good enough. This is what I called “the perfectionist’s course”: you can do awesome things but you won’t appreciate them because you are too busy thinking that you were able to do it better. Taking it to an extreme, perfectionism can even block your creativity. It happened to me. I have always been fascinated about composition. Now that I feel confident with some of the basics, I decided that it is time to try new things. I started reading about more complex composition techniques. I saw some tutorials. I wanted to understand everything perfectly because I wanted to create the perfectly-composed photo. I read everything once again and I re-watched the videos. I did it one more time, then another time, and again…. Time passed and I didn’t take a single photo. Perfectionism blocked me. I didn’t want to take photos because I was scared they will suck. I know it might seem silly, but this is how a perfectionist’s mind can work sometimes. You can feel so scared about failing that you don’t even try.

I understood that if I wanted to keep growing as a photographer I would need to handle my perfectionism issues better. If, like me, you get to the point that perfectionism is not helping you any more, keep reading, I have good news for you. With a bit of effort you can change this negative behavior. Totally worth it!

Work on the concept that perfection might not really exist outside your mind

What you can see as perfect might not be perfect for me or vice versa. Aiming to such a subjective concept is like building castles in the air. As Salvador Dali said: “Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it”.

Accept that “the best I can do” is enough

This can be hard but it is important to work on. In the moment of taking/creating a photo there are a lot of things to consider: location, model, time of the day, using filters or not, tripod…. Then you have all the post processing decisions: enhancement, cloning out… If you are a perfectionist, all these factors become a long list of things to be worried about. This will slow you down so much that it will get tedious or you might even get blocked. If you see that this might happen, make the decision of aiming for the best you can do in that particular moment. Take the photo and learn from it. Remember that photography is a craft. Learning is what will make you better. You improve by taking photos not by worrying about everything all the time.

Break down your progression in small steps

Letting go a bit of perfectionism doesn’t mean that you give up on improving on quality. It just means that you adapt to factors that are beyond your control. Do you want to become a landscape photographer? Great! Instead of just deciding that you need to take the best landscape photos ever, try to set a series of smaller goals. First you can learn about the best apertures for landscapes. After that you can learn about using a polarizer filter, then about ND filters…. This strategy works better because you can really reach the goals. This will make you feel much better than just aiming for a perfection that is impossible to reach.

Give value to your effort

Nobody was born knowing everything about photography. You need to advance step by step. We are all a bit impatient these days. We compare ourselves with other photographers and we want to be like them, and we want to be like them NOW. We take pictures and we want them to be perfect NOW. But we forget about the learning curve. Stop thinking that you need to be perfect NOW and enjoy your learning process. You should be proud of all the efforts you are doing to improve.

Focus on the creation process and not on the result

When you are not so worried about the final results or thinking that you must be good in photography, then magic happens. You can enjoy the simple act of taking photos, just because it brings joy to your heart. You probably started photography just because you liked it. Try to keep this light-hearted spirit. It will do well to your health.

Let me know if you tried some of these tips. Do you have your own strategies for handling perfectionism? I would love you to share them with me. Have a happy shooting!!

Comparing Photos without Becoming a Bitter Photographer

Posted on June 3, 2016 by Sara Rodriguez Martinez

I am going to share something I am not proud of: comparing my photos with the ones taken by other photographers makes me a bitter person. Yes, I too, have these moments in which I hate all the photographers in the world. OK, I am exaggerating. I don’t hate them all. I just hate the ones that are better than me. When I come to this realization, I feel even worst. I will give you a real example.

The other day I went to take photos of a valley close to my home. It is one of my favorite landscapes. I know that sunsets are beautiful in this area. And now is already summer, so everything turns golden. I was feeling happy and inspired. I found the perfect spot, set the tripod and my camera and I was shooting until I got what at that point I considered the perfect picture. I ran home and first thing I did was to transfer the photos to my computer. I searched for “THE PHOTO” and I did some post-processing using my best photo edition skills and Lightroom tools. When I saw the final picture I thought: “This is a great landscape photo”. I felt happy and proud. Such a great moment!

Comparing photos — This place is right next to my home. I was feeling so happy when I took this photo! I emphasized the summer mood of the scene in post-processing and I was proud of the result. Until I started comparing myself with other photographers.

I decided to share it in a photography community to see if people like it. I usually post my photos in 500px. In case you don’t know it, 500px is an online community that encourage photographers to share their best work. It is a good place to connect with other photographers and get some inspiration. At that point I just needed to wait for the “likes” and the comments. I decided to have a look at what other photographers posted in the landscape category. I started comparing my photos with all the others. And so I entered into what I like to call the “negative criticism spiral”. I am so familiar with it that I can even describe it by stages.

Stages of the negative criticism spiral

First 30 seconds: everything looks amazing. I like all the pictures. They are so BEAUTIFUL!! I love the colors, and the composition. Everything!!
From second 31 to 1 minute: Insecurity. Would I ever be able to take a photo like this? And I thought that my picture was good!! Next to these beautiful landscapes my photo looks so bad!!
Second minute: Hate. “I am sure that these photographers have a better camera and better lenses“. “I am sure they are having fun all the time! They just travel to these wonderful places and they have all the time of the world for finding the perfect composition”. “I hate them!”
Third minute: Sadness. I go into a very negative mindset: “I am not good enough. I should quit photography”.
Fourth minute: Comfort. I feel desperate and I try to cheer myself up. “Let’s see the pictures of the beginners. I am sure there are going to be worse than mine” (recognizing that I can think in this way is kind of embarrassing)
Fifth minute: Deep sadness. I realized what just happened in the last minutes and I conclude that I am a bitter photographer.

Can you relate? In just five minutes I went from having a positive mindset (I was happy and enjoying my photography) to a deep sadness. I was either putting myself down or putting others down in order to feel better. Why do I do it? I guess that the answer is simple:

I compare myself with others because I am human.

I was not getting any benefit out of these comparisons. They were just making me sad and angry. I was losing my passion for photography too. These comparisons are destructive, so instead I decided to turn them into something constructive. I want to share with you my 3 ways not to become such a bitter photographer:

Put yourself in the shoes of the other photographer

For some reason I tend to think that these photographers are not making any effort. I just see their final photo and I forget that it is the result of their work. You can’t know just by looking at one photo how many books they read about composition or how many years it took them to find their photographic vision. They might be travelling all the time. But you can’t know what they left behind. Maybe they did a big sacrifice in life in order to become a landscape photographer. Maybe they feel lonely. Maybe they took 10000 photos that day in order to get this one outstanding photo. Maybe they also feel that other photographers are much better than them. Now when I see that I start hating some photographer, I take a deep breath and I imagine all the efforts that this person might have done for taking the photo. It also helps to appreciate the picture even more.

Instead of comparing yourself with these photographers, use them as inspiration

Now every time I see a photo that I find great I add it to a gallery. This way I can come back to it at any time I want. I study them. I try to figure out what I like in them so much. Is it because of the composition? Or maybe it is the mood of the photo? When I focus on the photo and not on the photographer, I go into a positive mindset and I feel like I want to learn from the guy (or girl). I end up following them as a fan.

Compare your pictures from now with the photos you took some time ago

If still feel like I need to compare myself with something, I do it with one of my old photos. That I can see how I evolved and improved. I would like to go over all the learning process and take awesome pictures NOW. But photography doesn’t work like that. You learn, you practice, you make mistakes, you keep learning… and you improve. Slowly but surely. Put a new and an old photo next to each other and feel proud of yourself. Then comparing your photos can become something positive. Be aware of your strengths and keep learning to improve. Enjoy the journey. Love your photography. Appreciating yourself is the best way to keep motivated!

Each time you feel you are entering into a negative spiral of comparison, take a breath and apply one of the tips I told you. Think that it is all about mindset. My strategies are focused on promoting a positivity. When you’re looking at photos with a negative mood you close your mind, you don’t want to learn or to see any more good photos. On the other hand, a positive mindset will keep your mind open, You will learn from others and this will lead you to good places!

Boosting Motivation – Discover How to Be a Succesful Artist

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Leonardo Regoli

If you have been long enough in any hobby you might be familiar with the feeling, and photography is not an exception. You really enjoy making photos but for some reason you don’t find the motivation to go out and shoot.

This has many different causes. Humans feel a natural attraction towards challenges and a rejection to routine, so most probably you have been shooting similar subjects for too long or you simply mastered a specific technique that a while ago was a challenging and exciting one.

Of course, what motivates one person might not work for another but, in general, anything that introduces a change in your routine will help you find that original motivation again. I want to share a couple of ideas that have worked for me in those moments, just in case you are finding it hard to get back on track.

Gear

Probably the easy ways to get motivated are also the expensive ones, or so it may seem at first glance. One of those is getting new photographic gear.

Buying a new camera, lens, filter or whatever you can think of will not only help you by the simple fact of wanting to try out your new acquisition. What is more important, it will usually involve trying out new styles of photography or new techniques.

For instance, if you buy a wide angle lens, you will find that the perspective of your photos will be completely different than before, allowing you to try out new compositions or subjects. In some ways, this will bring a feeling of re-discovering photography and your mind will start looking for different points of view of even the same places you encounter every day.

Something similar happens with filters. By getting new filters like for instance a neutral density filter, and by playing with them, you will find new ways to see at subjects that might feel already too familiar to you.

Travel around

Other, more obvious, change can come from going somewhere you’ve never been before. This one can be as expensive as you want it to be. If you like landscape photography, no doubt that a trip to the Himalayas will boost your motivation, but you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars. By even cycling to the outskirts of your city you will find locations that are completely new to you and if your mind is already used to finding compositions (something natural after some years making photos), in no time you will find interesting subjects.

You can also use different free tools available on the internet such as Google maps to plan where to go by looking at terrain features. This way you will also have a better idea on what gear to take or at what time of the day to go.

Change your shooting times

This one is even easier. Most of use are used to making photos at a specific time. Call it daytime, nighttime, golden or blue hour, we tend to focus on a specific type of photography and thus we end up taking our camera out always at the same hour. Try making photos (even of the subjects you’ve made before) at a completely different time of the day.

To get interesting results, you might have to wake up really early or even go out when rain is pouring down or during a snowstorm and more often than not, you will come back home surprised. Take your time to experiment and don’t give up after your first try. Different light conditions have particularities that will require some learning time.

Share your work

The reason why the whole social network concept is so successful is because we all enjoy some level of recognition from others. So, sharing your work with others can be very helpful. It does not have to be on the internet. You can simply show your work to your friends or family but certainly using some of the available platforms to showcase your photos (e.g. Flickr, 500px, Instagram, etc.) will help you get a feeling on how well you are doing. Unfortunately, the feedback from these sites tend to be rather empty with most people writing comments like ‘Great shot’ only to get a comment back but how much exposure your photos get is usually a good way of evaluating your own work and getting motivated to upload your next image.

Practice your post-processing skills

Even without leaving the comfort of your home, you can boost your motivation by revisiting your old photos. I tend to go through my old photos every couple of months and I always find some that I neglected back then simply because I lacked the Photoshop skills to get something out of them. From simple adjustments such as white balance or brightness to more advanced retouching such as adding elements to the original image or creating surreal images by combining several different shots, when you learn new post-processing techniques you can get final images that will keep surprising you long after capturing the original files. If you are relatively new to Photoshop, you can start by using actions and then look for tutorials on photography websites.

These are just some tips but in any case find what better works for you and don’t feel like there’s something wrong with your love for photography whenever you feel that lack of motivation. Just keep trying new thing and have fun!