Photographing the same subjects in the same ways is not necessarily a bad thing. It is an effective way to improve your skills. However, all photographers periodically get bogged down in the monotony of shooting: photographing the same things without showing obvious progress. If you find yourself in a similar situation, learn some popular ways in which it’s easy to overcome creative stagnation. Let’s face it, a good way is to explore new camera and lens options. Perhaps you’ll be inspired by an article on Skylum’s blog that examines the topic of a 50mm lens vs a 35mm lens.
Discover the possibilities of your equipment
Today’s cameras are overflowing with features, although most photographers persistently push the same buttons. So as a next step, we suggest you open your camera’s manual or press the menu button on your camera and explore all the features available to you.
You’re sure to find something interesting to you that you haven’t encountered before. Maybe it will be the intervalometer, an essential feature for time-lapse. Or maybe you’ve never really explored all the image style options. They can give a new look to your JPEG images. Whatever you discover, think and fantasize about how you could use it and what kind of scenes it might be useful in. Then find the right scene and take the picture.
Find funds for new purchases
A new photo accessory can inspire you with the new possibilities that come with it. For example, a lens with a focal length and aperture you’ve never shot with before can do wonders! By the way, you don’t have to spend a lot of money. For example, you can take long exposures of running water or clouds floating in the sky with an ND filter during the daytime. You get an interesting blurring effect.
Give yourself more time
Many of us have to squeeze photography into a routine of urgent matters. Even if you’re too busy, think hard about our following suggestions:
- A walk or a trip with the family are the moments when you can capture a few shots. It’s very rare to develop a scene and discover its full potential. Besides, your relatives often greet your tripod with groans of regret.
- One of the surest ways out of a creative stupor is to give yourself enough time. Inspiration and creativity are not something you can turn on or off with a snap of your fingers. They require conditions: time and space.
- For example, imagine that you are a player on a soccer team. One week you’re practicing, and the next week you’re playing in matches. Preparation for and participation in competitions happen at different times. Treat your photography class the same way. Set aside a time each week during which you concentrate entirely on taking pictures.
Come up with an original photo project
Set yourself a goal. This is a surefire way to discover new expanses of the art of photography. Choose a goal that emotionally touches you or is valuable to you. For example, it could be some theme you’ve long wanted to explore in the language of images or a wall calendar of a series of shots about your hometown.
Also, you can challenge yourself: enter a contest or join a professional community of photographers. Whatever you choose, plan your actions, grab your camera and take pictures.
Explore new territories
Finding and visiting new locations will invigorate your inspiration. You’ll discover promising subjects in new places to shoot. If you’ve lived in the same area for a long time, you’ll have to make an effort to find something truly new to you. Don’t let that stop you!
Arm yourself with a map of the area. See if you can find places you haven’t been to before that might be of interest to you. Also, have a look at brochures or tourist sites. Finally, you can learn about a new location from TV programs, and they often have information about places of interest.
Take a break
Vacation is great for free time and getting out of a creative crisis. Not only does a vacation foster new ideas and create the conditions to engage in photography, but you are also likely to be surrounded during this period by natural beauty and interesting places.
Before you explore a map of the area and look at thematic sites, think about what sights and scenes you would like to capture. Photo tours are another possibility. Not only will you encounter photogenic scenes here, but you’ll also find yourself surrounded by like-minded people and an experienced mentor. By doing so, you will be able to add to the baggage of your skills and knowledge of photography.
Ask for support
All of us have a friend with whom we talk about photography in one way or another. So why not organize a photo shoot together? It has every chance of being the straw that fills the cup of your creativity. The first thing you should agree on is the location and time of the shoot. Perhaps your friend has some favorite locations that you haven’t even heard of before. This new knowledge alone can spur your inspiration.
Discover new photo editor features
You can find new inspiration if you play with the photo editor settings. Take some time to experiment and process images in a style you’re not used to. If you are used to working only with Photoshop or Lightroom, discover a whole new software.
We recommend Luminar Neo from Skylum. The editing process of this tool does not require much time and effort compared to other image editing tools, such as Photoshop, because it is very easy to use. There is also a lot of interesting material on the Skylum developer’s site that will bring you inspiration. For example, an article about the pros and cons of a 50mm lens vs a 35mm lens will come in handy.
