Should I continue or stop?

[Village Idiot]

I'm in. Anyone want a 5D MKII. I figure it's worth about $800 to me now.

 

[A4Effort]

You are all correct. I will need to broaden my photography and see what I really like. I am currently interested in nude photography and I am learning about lighting, shadows and the rest before I attempt it. Thank you for the suggestions.

 

[Josh66]

The fact that you're even asking tells me it's not very much fun for you.

I don't think I would have kept doing something I didn't like for 3 months though, so maybe you've just grown bored with it. I would just hang on to the gear you have, and if you don't pursue it further you'll just have really nice snapshots. If you do decide you like it, you'll still have your stuff.

Wait for better weather...

 

[Dionysus]

All I have to say is if I gave up every activity I undertook after the 3 month hump, I wouldn't have experienced much in this life...

 

[bnkrecords]

So, you have about what $1800 worth of equipment? Did you just drop that kind of money w/o any previous interest and think that you'd just like it?

lol, sounds like me, i just up and bought a D200 with the sb800, and a couple lenses and 24 Gigs in memory cards and about 4 or 5 batteries just because i thought to myself, "hey, I should buy some camera equipment"

 

[Josh66]

All I have to say is if I gave up every activity I undertook after the 3 month hump, I wouldn't have experienced much in this life...

The "3 month hump"? I don't think I would continue to participate in an activity that I didn't like for 3 months, and I certainly wouldn't invest as much money as photography often requires in said activity...

A4Effort, I think you're just getting bored/burned out. Give it a little time and wait for it to warm up. If you still feel the same in six months, at least you'll have some good gear for snapshots of the kids (or whatever you take snapshots of).

It happens to all of us at some point (I think). You either pick it back up later, or you don't.

 

[manaheim]

Reading this has me depressed. Now I don't know if I want to continue.

I have a Canon 40D I'll probably be selling soon. Don't contact me though, it's not for sale just yet. But I have a nice bag too... and I may let my kid go with the camera. I bought it primarily to take pictures of him. If I get out of photography, I might as well sell him too.

I'll let you know if I decided to sell the camera and the kid.

:mrgreen:

 

[Dionysus]

The "3 month hump"? I don't think I would

It happens to all of us at some point (I think). You either pick it back up later, or you don't.

you pretty much described the 3 month h ump on your own. the 3 month hump is what i call that plateau where you are just frustrated and bored for many reasons. At this point in any activity you are usually frustrated because you are putting forth more effort than it seems you are getting results/rewards in return. It seems like you are not getting any better, you're nowhere close to your heroes, and the people you admire in said activity, etc. etc. And as you said, this is the point where you usually drop it or suck it up and carry on.

Not being the person I have no idea what's going on in their head. Is it just frustration, or just plain dislike for the activity? I have no idea...I'm not this person. That's a choice they alone can make.

I was just referencing that period of time everyone faces when undertaking something new. I've experienced it myself numerous times, from martial arts to education. And there's been plenty of times where my mind has told me "this isn't for you" but my desire to see it through carried me forward, and in the end, my mind was actually wrong...I was glad to see it through, even if just for the knowledge.

If it truly is not for you, no harm in putting it down and moving on with your life...but you have to be sure it really isn't for you, and its not just your frustrated mind, trying to rationalize for you.

 

[Aye-non Oh-non Imus]

Either stick it out a bit longer and pull your boot straps up or relinquish to your new name of Nancy.

Where's your body of work over the past three months? Do you have a link? If so, I might change my mind.

 

[Josh66]

Dionysus - I guess we're both talking about the same thing, just worded a little differently.

I've been there - I was completely bored with it all and thought I was just wasting my time. Now, I think I might actually know what I'm doing (sometimes), lol.

 

[Dionysus]

in any activity it comes back over and over as well, so even if you get over this, and carry on, you'll probably face it again in another few months, and again, and again, etc. You just have to evaluate it all again each and every time it happens.

 

[A4Effort]

Haha its funny that you mention martial arts Dionysus because I am currently a 1st dan in Taekwondo and definitely know about sticking with it.

As for some of my work.

 

[DRoberts]

I tried nude photography...but it really made the models nervous seeing me naked like that.

Seriously though...is it a matter of not enjoying the shooting, or is it that you are not getting the exact results you were hoping for?
If that is the case then it will take alot longer than 3,4,5....12 months to be satisfied with your shots. Its an evolving thing, that can always be improved on.
Look into what your camera can do, or different styles of photography and experiment with them for awhile. If your interest isn't renewed after that, then I really doubt it was there to begin with.

Whatever you decide, at least let it be after some effort. You can't learn it all in a few months. If you move on to a new hobby, will you be mad and give up on it after a month or two if you don't have it perfected? If so then I see a long disatisfied life of "could have beens"

 

[Bevel Heaven]

i'd sell the stuff and buy a decent point and shoot so you can go back to having fun with your kid or whatever you are doing, and if you want a foto then you can just reac in your pocket click on the power button, point and click - done, then back to doing what you were doing.

 

[LaFoto]

I'd suggest to you not to worry AT ALL about your not feeling the urge to always and at all times be out and about with the camera to take photos of just about EVERYTHING you see. I've been surrounded by cameras and the opportunity to use them for 35 years now, and have gone through long patches in which I did not feel like using any of them ever at all.

And then there's an event, a nicer season with better light than this one just now, some holiday, new things for the eyes to see ... and - it is a GOOD feeling to have a decent camera around to capture it. You know, your camera is not eating any hay, nor do you have to clean up after it while it is sitting in the shelf, so why not acknowledge that just now photography is not quite so "pulling", but be prepared with it being there for the times when you feel a new "urge"?