Whats grinding my gears

BananaRepublic · Feb 25, 2017

Last year I raided the piggy bank a bought myself a newer flashier camera, but since then I found myself not making the time to use it. So much so that I have almost forgotten the basics of how to point and use the thing , same with photoshop, I'm in a camera club and no, I have an interest but I just cant almost be bothered :dejection:

and its aggravating cause the enjoyment I had is gone, at the moment anyway .

Is there a solution to this at all :icon_idea:

Overread · Feb 25, 2017

It's perfectly normal to have periods where you're not as interested in a hobby. Sometimes people push through it and force themselves; but that often builds resentment and can make it hard to appreciate what you do achieve. Other times its simply a lack of structure and a project or similar idea can give some structure and rekindle the interest.

Other times new gear or new options can make things fun again; shooting different subjects and situations or the same ones with different gear etc....

And sometimes you just gotta put it down and focus on something else for a while. Have a break and get into something new until the interest strikes again.

smoke665 · Feb 25, 2017

BananaRepublic said:
no, I have an interest but I just cant almost be bothered and its aggravating cause the enjoyment I had is gone

The reason behind your feeling are as varied as there are people on this earth, and frankly could be totally unrelated to photography. One thing for certain, forcing yourself to continue is a sure fire turnoff, as is going out and buying new equipment. Why add guilt at not using it, to the mix. Take a break, put it up, forget about it for awhile, and concentrate on finding something that does give you joy (even if that's doing nothing). If photography is meant to be your thing, you'll eventually drift back.

cgw · Feb 25, 2017

I found camera clubs to be stultifying. Didn't like what they shot, how they shot it and the overall conformity, not to mention the non-stop a$$-sniffing around gear. Cut-throat club competitions and criticism did help me wise up but also stifled creativity and risk-taking.

Can't help much with specifics since we're unacquainted but will share what's helped me out out the doldrums. Look outside your areas of interest. Check out the NYT Lens blog or anything 90 to 180 degrees wide of what you usually shoot. Cameras are just tools, means to an end and not the sole focus of photography. Most of my "grab-first-when-the-house-catches-fire" albums are full of film shots of family and friends taken with an SRT-101+58/1.4 when I was a broke-ass grad student 20+ years ago. Have way more better gear now but rarely make images as personally important or communicative as those. Still, I do occasionally pop something out that comes close and that's what keeps me at it. The possibilities just around the corner are irresistible.

table1349 · Feb 25, 2017

BananaRepublic said:
Last year I raided the piggy bank a bought myself a newer flashier camera, but since then I found myself not making the time to use it. So much so that I have almost forgotten the basics of how to point and use the thing , same with photoshop, I'm in a camera club and no, I have an interest but I just cant almost be bothered and its aggravating cause the enjoyment I had is gone, at the moment anyway .

Is there a solution to this at all

Yes, quite whining here about it, pick up the camera and go use it. :allteeth:

jcdeboever · Feb 25, 2017

I do mini projects to try and learn new things.

BananaRepublic · Feb 27, 2017

cgw said:
I found camera clubs to be stultifying. Didn't like what they shot, how they shot it and the overall conformity, not to mention the non-stop a$$-sniffing around gear. Cut-throat club competitions and criticism did help me wise up but also stifled creativity and risk-taking.

Can't help much with specifics since we're unacquainted but will share what's helped me out out the doldrums. Look outside your areas of interest. Check out the NYT Lens blog or anything 90 to 180 degrees wide of what you usually shoot. Cameras are just tools, means to an end and not the sole focus of photography. Most of my "grab-first-when-the-house-catches-fire" albums are full of film shots of family and friends taken with an SRT-101+58/1.4 when I was a broke-ass grad student 20+ years ago. Have way more better gear now but rarely make images as personally important or communicative as those. Still, I do occasionally pop something out that comes close and that's what keeps me at it. The possibilities just around the corner are irresistible.

jcdeboever said:
I do mini projects to try and learn new things.

I admit that I more or less staggered into buying the new high end because my original wasn't good enough for a certain situation that sprung from work, not photography but stage shows, and all in it did the job required and was required and I am glad I have it now, and I got a discount off around $1200.

I agree with the statement on camera clubs, what I find in this club is they are asleep at the wheel and far from cut throat criticism they are to liberal and this keeps the beginners down, something that annoys me as the thing would be a lot better with more competition. But on the other hand they are socially active. Anyhow I do have a concepts in my head that I hope will reactivate my interest again involving other hobbies of mine.

Thanks for the comments