Suffering from "photographer's block".

[anubis404]

My photos lately just haven't been great, and I don't know why. My recent landscapes are boring, and I don't know if its the lighting, composition, or just the landscape itself. Have you ever felt like no matter what you shoot, it just doesn't turn out good? A couple of examples:

What am I doing so wrong that is making my images come out so boring? Is it my gear? Lighting? Is it me?

 

[Josh66]

I think your composition could use a little work. These might benefit from a tripod as well...

(Sorry, I couldn't resist... Don't take offense, it was a joke.)

In your first two photos, the trail is leading right down the center of the frame. That could work for some images, but in this case it's just a little boring.

The photos that you want to emulate look to me to be 80% being at the right place at the right time.

Just keep shooting - things will get better. We all hit a rut every now and then.

 

[dxqcanada]

Subject.
This is the first thing to find. Look at your subject and really think if it is that good.
Then think about why you think it is that good.
Make sure you look at everything.

Technical.
This is knowledge on how to take the photo to appear as you see it.
See the subject as the camera/lens will see it.
Examine the entire scene in the viewfinder.

For every great picture I have captured ... I have taken 100.

 

[craig]

Do not be afraid to put your camera down for a couple of weeks or what ever it takes. At this point I head straight to a gallery or museum for inspiration. Works wonders for me.

Love & Bass

 

[xposurepro]

the right place at the right time plays a big part of a landscape masterpiece .. it's true that good photos can be found everywhere however you can't expect to just hop in the car, drive a few blocks and pull over on the side of the road or take a quick stroll through just any old park and capture one of these images. To accumulate a collection of great landscapes takes time and travel. I'm not saying you have to travel around the world but you need to do a lot of exploring. You might take a photo of something and it comes out like any old boring snapshot ... so you make a note of the location and details then you watch the weather and wait for frost conditions then set your alarm clock and get there well before daylight .. stumble through the dark until you find the spot, get everything setup then sit there freezing for an hour until the light is just right .. then you will have a matter of minutes before that special light that makes it a masterpiece disappears.

 

[anubis404]

I think your composition could use a little work. These might benefit from a tripod as well...

(Sorry, I couldn't resist... Don't take offense, it was a joke.)

Lol.

I think I'm going to get more into portrait and wildlife photography, because Landscapes are too inconvenient, not to mention the fact that I don't have my driver's license yet. I am limited to biking distance, and I live in the suburbs. There is no foresty our remote areas for a very far distance, and the only thing I live even remotely near is a couple of deserty mountains that are very boring to photograph anyway.

 

[LarissaPhotography]

I agree that stopping to get inspiration from other art is a great idea. You may be overshooting. When I'm on my game, stuff seems to jump out at me to photograph.

 

[Mike_E]

It's you. Those last 4 are pretty good.

Sometimes when you are in a slight funk it shades your vision.

The first and sometimes hardest thing to do is to know yourself enough to understand where you are emotionally from day to day. Once you get the hang of this though you can compensate for it by doing photo studies just like you would do a character study if you were a writer. Find a subject that your mood can get it's teeth into and either set up or go looking for scenes that will show it best. Don't worry about shooting everything you come across as this will dilute your efforts- break your concentration if you like.

Anyway, after you get it out of your system you can go back to business as usual.

Good luck

mike

 

[davebmck]

I think your biggest problem is your subject material. Just not that exciting. I live on 14 acres of wooded land. Sometimes I can't find landscape shots either. The wildlife is usually interesting though.

Sometimes a telephoto can improve landscape shots when your foreground isn't all that great.

 

[Bigpopa]

5 and 7 I really like nice work

 

[anubis404]

5 and 7 I really like nice work

They're not mine.

 

[craig]

They're not mine.

What do you mean they are not yours? If they are photos by a photographer other then your self please include an appropriate byline!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love & Bass

 

[anubis404]

What do you mean they are not yours? If they are photos by a photographer other then your self please include an appropriate byline!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love & Bass

I did. Read the original post more carefully.

 

[craig]

My photos lately just haven't been great, and I don't know why. My recent landscapes are boring, and I don't know if its the lighting, composition, or just the landscape itself. Have you ever felt like no matter what you shoot, it just doesn't turn out good? A couple of examples:


I want to achieve images like:


What am I doing so wrong that is making my images come out so boring? Is it my gear? Lighting? Is it me?

Not seeing any names.

)'(

 

[anubis404]

Not seeing any names.

)'(

I am.