Begineer can't find the inspiration to go out and shoot, need help finding my "thing"

[Village Idiot]

I have had my Nikon D50 for some time now and took a Photo 1 class at a local community college so I have a basic understanding of how a camera operates and so on. I have recently been trying to find things to occupy my down time over the summer break and I would love to get back into shooting my Nikon but I always run into a roadblock when I try to think of WHAT to go shoot. I have on two occasions just driven around aimlessly and returned home with little to show for. My question to you guys would be, when you set out for a shoot, do you have a goal in mind or do you just head out without direction like I have in the past? I feel like I need to find a "thing"/niche of some sorts that can help me get the creative juices flowing but I have been failing to come up with anything. Any input from some of you more experienced photographers would be greatly appreciated.

I used to have this same problem. Everything was boring and everything ended up seeming like it was the same subject matter over and over again. Even doing street photography wasn't getting it done for me.

Then one day a frined of mine wanted some glamour type shots of herself so I went to her place and took a bunch of photos. They sucked. Not only was the composition horrible, the lighting turned out terrible. We were shooting inside under standard light bulbs and everything turned out harsh and orange.

The next day I decided that I'd just say screw it and spend the thousands it would cost for lighting, so I went to a large forum and with no idea what I wanted and asked, "I have no clue what I'm doing or how to do it, but would some one please recommend some cheap lighting and a website or two to get me started."

Some one posted this link:
Strobist: Lighting 101

I started reading and reading and reading. Eventually about a week or two later and about $500 poorer, I ended up with one Vivitar 285hv, two Pocket Wizard PII's, and the rest of the accessories for a one light kit (which can now be done for much cheaper). Two turned into three, three turned into seven. It became an obsession. I could get photos that were absolutely amazing; photos that I had actually envisioned I wanted instead of just sitting around and shooting and hoping to see something interesting or appealing to shoot.

And the strange thing is, I never had an interest in shooting people. I figured it was probably because my lighting was so terrible and I figured that it was too expensive to be able to get good results and I'd never be able to figure it out.

 

[AgentDrex]

Yes, photography is an expensive hobby...maybe not for the snapshot crowd...but when you want some good photos...you're going to be...well..."un-cashy"

 

[JR Davis]

Reading forums like this and others helps keep me motivated, looking at some of the photos posted and their ideas will help greatly. Mainly be doing something daily, in regards to your profession.

 

[Ryan L]

just an idea. Try to recreate some famous photo. Look up some on the web and see if you can put a twist on them. I saw this on a photo contest one time and it was a neat idea.

 

[Skyclad]

...giving yourself assignments could help (let yourself be inspired by the Assignment threads here, for example, maybe using the Search button and putting in "Assignments" will take you there?), like going for a specific colour, or going for leading lines, or for graphic detail, geometrical patterns only, or your assignments can be as simple as "capture the beauty of summer". If you're bold and daring, you might go into town and take photos of people in the streets. Or you go for wide-open close ups of little things.

That assignments tread would be awesome if it was more alive and better updated on a weekly basis. Plus I think it would be good as a sticky especially in this particular forum since im sure that many, many beginners find themselves in a rut at first.

 

[kundalini]

...-Lock yourself in your bathroom.....

Not always the brightest move.......

... or even worse.............​

But sometimes you find a gem.........​

It all depends on your frame of mind.​

 

[GeneralBenson]

...-Lock yourself in your bathroom.....

Not always the brightest move.......

... or even worse.............​

But sometimes you find a gem.........​

It all depends on your frame of mind.​

Gahahaha. Epic! And that third shot is amazing! Great work. The first two... not so much.

 

[LaFoto]

What a set-up for that droplet photo! Wow, mine was sooo simple in comparison!!!
But hey, you are very (!) brave to take AND POST a photo like #2. Wow.
That's the kind of photos you come across when you lock yourself in the bathroom for inspiration? Oh dear. Maybe Arch's idea no longer is "Top of the Pops" then?

 

[Jay30]

Go to the zoo.

 

[Arch]

But sometimes you find a gem.........​

Niiiiiccce. :thumbup:

 

[Ron Evers]

That water drop shot is amazing & what a set-up to get it. Did you have all the flashes firing for it?

 

[ToMaNyToYsJf]

great thread so far. I definetly find myself in the same positions always wanting to go shoot and never knowing what to...

 

[g-fi]

My advice: Take pictures. Take more pictures. Don't stop taking pictures. Fill up as many SD cards as you have. Then step back and look at them, and see what it is that you like about what you've photographed.

X2 on don't leave home without your camera. If it's really impossible to take your camera everywhere, schedule at least one photowalk a week for a month and force yourself to GO TAKE PICTURES.

I'm all for looking at other people's pictures, but I think you can fall into the trap of "Why is everyone so much better than me?" eventually. I truly believe the only way to discover and develop your style is TO TAKE PICTURES. Whatever "niche" you are looking for, it has to be something that you love. No one can tell you what to photograph.

Also, don't buy into "everyone takes pictures of x, y, z" or at a certain location. You're only as limited as you let yourself be.