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I've had an acute case of photographer's block lately and have even contemplated selling the gear and giving it away. With such a drastic step beckoning, I forced myself to get out and take some shots today. Not sure if I'm cured yet but it was a nice day at least.

Your comments and advice are, as always, welcome and appreciated.

All taken with the kit lens.

Wellington Point Jetty. I cloned out a light pole shadow that went diagonally up the middle and two people standing at the end.


Same jetty, different angle. No colour adjustment – straight out of the camera, just a crop and a bit of sharpening.


Hawthorne reach of the Brisbane River looking across to New Farm Park, the Powerhouse (now a gallery and entertainment venue) and Brisbane city in the background. Taken from my daughters’ school during their sailing club meet this morning. Some wind would have been nice! This a three shot merge using Photomerge.


Another shot from the school. Not a bad piece of real estate…

classic composition on the first, good to see you working on that image by clonign out a distracting element, as i think end result is everything

Simon - am going to kick your butt on Monday - be warned May these blasphemous words never again pass your lips !!!!!

Great shots - love the 'off to the side' jetty shot - different perspective, and nicely done. The first jetty is great - leading the eye off into the distance, and forcing the imagination to go with it....

congratulations - if you aren't cured, you must be well on the way

Rel & Damo

Nice pix's Simon........ and you have to get out more.......

Manta wrote:I've had an acute case of photographer's block lately and have even contemplated selling the gear and giving it away.

Photographers block = when you've convinced yourself that you've run out of ideas / can't think of anything to shoot.

prescription = grab a book / visit a gallery with a know photog's work and attempt to emulate their style and approach.

... Works for me anyway. You just need to convince yourself that there are worthwhile subjects nearby and that you just need to see them.
Workout a shooting plan of angles, subjects and aspects - visualise how you want the end result to look - then go do it.

I've been struggling with aspect/lens block lately - haven't shot with the 50/1.4 since October, yet I really like it. Just need to figure some subjects out, aspect I want to shoot from and... er go do it!.

Thanks you all for your responses.

Wendell - yeah, I suppose the standard jetty/train track/long road composition is a tad overdone but those structures really lend themselves to it. I'll go back when there's a more interesting sky and try again. The jetty faces due east so sunrise would be the go, preferably with some clouds to reflect the rising light.

Thanks for your comments and the warning Rel - I'll lock my office door!

Bernie - you're right. I've got the equipment, now I just have to pick up some motivation somewhere. EBay perhaps...

Daniel - you and me both. That 50mm/1.4 is a particularly fine piece of glass that spends a lot of time languishing in my kit bag as well. It's a shame to waste it. I will have try to liberate it more often. Your definition of PB was spot on and your prescribed treatment seems very appropriate. Ta.

Manta wrote:Thanks you all for your responses.

Wendell - yeah, I suppose the standard jetty/train track/long road composition is a tad overdone but those structures really lend themselves to it. I'll go back when there's a more interesting sky and try again. The jetty faces due east so sunrise would be the go, preferably with some clouds to reflect the rising light.

what you need int hat scene is a person right in the middle looking through to eternity wearing a red hat, but i will leave creative and art direction to you it's your image making, if you ever feel uninspired
just get ou there and take shots that you wouldn't notrmally take I guarantee a sesion of that will get the creative juices spurting

You could go down to Melbourne and have a talk to Mic....... maybe a few quite ones.......... or we could get a mini meet going on the Gold Coast.........

you have done well considering the photogs block.

just looking at the "not bad piece of real estate" shot

is framed by 3.5 sides worth of greenery.
wonder if you copied the image, flipped it and cloned the reversed leaves into the top if the frame. giving a fully leafy framed image??
I reckon that would make it a great shot.
but I am so photo blocked and apathetic that I havent even taken a shot.

Steve

Bernie - count me in for a mini meet down the coast - and I promise everyone else I will have nothing to do with organising, bbq's or road maps

blacknstormy wrote:Bernie - count me in for a mini meet down the coast - and I promise everyone else I will have nothing to do with organising, bbq's or road maps

You are on........... give me a few days to put something together to submit to the members.........

Manta wrote:and have even contemplated selling the gear and giving it away.

John McEnroe wrote:You CANNOT be serious...

and I agree with him... You've come up with the goods here and your recent nature photos have been excellent... Surely not the time to give up, but rather to improve even further...

big pix wrote:You could go down to Melbourne and have a talk to Mic....... maybe a few quite ones.......... or we could get a mini meet going on the Gold Coast.........

Count me in Bernie on the next Coast mini meet. Brisbane is just that little bit too far from Coffs, but GC, no problems. Max.

I'm still not convinced but I'm feeling better about things than I was before. Steve, I like the idea of framing the shot with duplicate leaf selections - will give it a go. I also left that shot with hardly any PP - could do with a bit of zing! to lift it from being just a snapshot.

Leek - words from the wise. Thanks for the pep talk.

G'day Simon:

Took my first surf shots in 6 months today. Being sick with pneumonia for the last 9 weeks hasn't helped my photography, but I will agree that sometimes the motivation isn't there. A break away from the camera doesn't always hurt either. But I sure had fun for an hour today.

Hope you get that spark back because your stuff is good and appreciated.

Max

After having suffered Photographers block recently i would say to you, DON"T GIVE IT AWAY.'

Have a break first, then have a long hard think about what it is about photography that you like. Then get out and do it.

Or better yet, try something new. That is what i am doing now.

You are a good photographer with a good eye. There is always room for change so have a look around at what makes you say,' That is nice, I could do that,' and have a go at it but with your own style.

Simon I got photoed out once. didnt take a shot for over 20 years.
Still kept the cameras though. Still have them.

got back into it with the purchase of the d70 a year and a bit ago.


the point for me was that I had to go out and photograph stuff whether I wanted to or not.

these days if I feel like going out I do, no pressure.
the pleasure of seeing animals etc is what it is about for me.
If I dont get shots I mightnt be happy but it doesnt matter. next time.

you will kick yourself if you get rid of the gear.

The feeling will pass.

Steve

Or better yet, try something new. That is what i am doing now.

thats why I am going after the birds now.
I used to do people, sports etc. if I can help it I wont take a photo of another person again.

Steve

Its always good to be inspired by others. It can help kick your own ideas and imagination into gear.

Check out http://www.photoblogs.org - there are alot of very insprirational photographers out there

My favs are

http://johnwashington.co.uk/

http://www.dianevarner.com/index.php

http://www.chromasia.com/iblog/

Simon,

Do you remember the chat we had a few months ago where I was seriously going to give it all away and sell the gear after 8+ years? Your response was "don't be daft, you couldn't do without it" and "its too much a part of you" or something to that effect.

Well, mate, I'm giving those words of advice back.

You are a talented photographer, are full of knowledge and above all are very passionate about it.

Good to see you out there shooting again.

Cheers

Michael

Thank you all for the positive vibes you're sending through.
I know I'm not the first to suffer the dreaded inspiration-bypass and I won't be the last. I agree the answer lies in re-acquainting myself with the reasons I like photography in the first place and then pushing a few boundaries in the subject matter, viewpoint and treatment of the image.

To those who suggested immersing myself in the work of others, what great advice. I'm already reminding myself that great shots don't always announce themselves with a drumroll and fanfare but often are just over your shoulder if you spin around quick enough to catch them.

Of course, you have to have your eyes open first. Maybe I need to try that again and not let recent events keep me in the dark.

Thanks again.

Another cure would be to hop on a plane down to Sydney for a mini-meet at Birddog's... As I've told you before, I'm more than willing to pick you up at the airport and take you to the meet... I'll even throw in a quick tour of Sydney's best photographic opportunities...

You could try to capture a picture of the harbour that emulates that great work of art that hangs in your loungeroom

Hah! Now you've really got me smiling John!

Traumatic memories obviously do linger...

As for you kind invitation, it has not been forgotten and is definitely on the agenda for this year. Just have to work out the best time.

And, don’t forget Simon, there’s always Zoloft - it works wonders for me

I might try some of the other methods first Chris!

As Steve suggested earlier in this thread, here's a very quick cloning treatment to fully frame one of the initial shots. I'll play around with it a bit more, as this first go ends up looking a little heavy to me - like a bad Christmas card...

well,
that proves the concept.
I actually like this a lot now Simon. especially considering it is a quick job.

you have managed to frame the city using natural means.

perhaps crop a little from the top if you feel the treatment is too heavy?

Works for me though

Steve

Thanks Steve.

Manta wrote:I've had an acute case of photographer's block lately and have even contemplated selling the gear and giving it away.

You have lost it haven't you Quick, give me your address and I'll have you comitted before someone gets hurt

Seriously........one way you cab ignite a passion is to go out with "only" your camera and 1 lens. If you shoot a landscape don't take a wide angle, forces you to think...move...and recompose.

Once you have to think through with what you have on you you will start to appreciate the already known experience you have and will want to expand on it afterwards.