What do you do when you've run out of ideas?

Calamity Jane · Sep 30, 2005

Funny, I was just in that situation last weekend.

I had a batch of E-6 chemistry that was getting old and a brand new box of Kodak E100G 8x10s that I wanted to try but not a single idea what to shoot. Everything close to home that struck me as "interesting" had been photographed too often.

I took my 8x10 across the road to my neighbour's farmyard, set up the tripod, and started looking at the world on the groundglass (without even looking around first). After a few minutes under the darkcloth, I started seeing potential pictures I hadn't seen before. A few relocates for a better angle, height adjustments for the right view and I had my picture.

The world always looks different on the GG (or thru the viewfinder)!

Les McLean · Sep 30, 2005

Andrew, there is much good advice in the posts so far including two that I tell every student I teach. The first is the 25 steps. Put a roll of film into the camera and select one fixed focal length lens, start your walk anywhere you wish but make the first exposure from that point, walk 25 steps in any direction, point the camera anywhere you wish and make an exposure. Continue this until the roll is finished. This discipline forces you to LOOK and SEE.

The second discipline that I would encourage you to do is to start a visual journal. Again I would insist on one fixed focal length lens with the brief being to expose 1 roll of film each week, photographing anything that takes the eye and lots that don't even take the eye. Develop, contact print and select one image from the weeks exposures and make a working print on 8 x 10 paper, date it on the back and file away in a loose leaf binder. My advice would be to carry on with this discipline for months, or even better, years. After say 6 months have a look at the images that you have selected each week and you'll be surprised at how your way of seeing the world pops out at you. Should you decide to carry on with this discipline for a number of years you will see a gradual change in HOW you SEE and how your style changes and develops.

Don't get depressed about the present dearth of photographic ideas, it happens to all photographers from time to time. Also and as has already been said don't get pre-conceived ideas and plan for photographs you are not in the right frame of mind to do that but the time will come when images begin to flow and you can then plan for them.

I'll be in London in a few weeks Andrew so I'll call you and hopefully we can meet to chew the fat.

removed account4 · Sep 30, 2005

photograph breakfast being made, or your unmade bed, shadows and sunlight on the morning floor, sun behind the drapes ... a trip to italy sounds better though

gnashings · Oct 1, 2005

Les,

I read your post like a hungry man at a buffet! I think your students are some truly fortunate people, and I am very envious of them! Thanks for the insight!

Peter.

roteague · Oct 1, 2005

I've given this a bit of thought myself. I really never run out of ideas; I maintain a book of projects and ideas (in Microsoft OneNote). Get yourself a notebook and just write down the ideas that come to mind during your day.

Quinten · Oct 3, 2005

Put your camera in a closet and don't allow yourselves to touch it. Great ideas will come up and before you know it you realize you can't live without her.

But don't put yourselve under presure, when you tell yourselves "I need to make a great picture soon" than it is not going to happen.

Best of luck!
Quinten

Andy K · Oct 3, 2005

Forget to take your camera with you when you go out of the house. You will see plenty of ideas!

stark raving · Oct 12, 2005

Forget art. Pick a mundane object at random, and go for a technically competent picture. Not brilliant, just illustrate the object. Boring is OK. Now raise it a notch, go for an unusual angle, a color, a small detail, a texture. Doesn't matter if "this has all been done before", just raise it one level from the picture you made in step 1. Now, imagine the object that you're photographing is unique, there are no others, and this one is about to disappear from the universe forever. Snap a view of the thing you want to remember most. Don't think, do this quickly. (Obviously this works best in 35mm). Now find a different object, repeat the sequence. Allow no more than 2-3 minutes to elapse between objects.

I find when I'm dry, forcing myself to shoot something, anything, tends to loosen up the creative juices. It's like priming a pump. It's like the brain needs to go through the physical process of seeing, before it can start seeing.

Jonathan

(didn't read through the whole string, so if this duplicates someone else's suggestion, I apologize.)

k8do · Oct 17, 2005

How many letters 'R' can you photograph in one day or week?
How many red doors can you shoot? Green houses?
How many broken car tail lights can you find in a walk around the block?
Park near an intersection and have your camera premounted and focused and use a remote release so you are not seen pointing it; take pictures of people waiting at the stop light...
How many objects can you find to 'take' in trash cans or dumpsters?
How many objects hanging from the power/telephone lines can you take?
How many windows can you shoot reflected light in at one time?
Use a long lens to shoot window shoppers so that you get the backside and their reflection in the glass..
How many windmills can you find to shoot in your town?
Use a long lens and shoot couples holding hands as they walk - shoot just their hands... Do the hands tell a story? Who is in love? Who is going to break up soon? (the mall is a good place for this)
Is there a harbor in your town? Go to the docks and offer to shoot pictures of the owners and their boats and give them a print for free... This is a good place for a picture essay... Make friends, hang around...
Is there a general airport that you can hang around? Especially if there is a sky diving club there... Lots of interesting picture stories with sky divers... Think picture essay not just that one one great shot...
How many spider webs can you find to shoot at dawn when they are dew covered?
How many skinny people can you shoot going into a weight loss clinic? How many fat folks going into the ice cream shop? Hang the photos in pairs!

Gosh i can't even begin to write it all down... The ideas I have, it is time I don't have after working 12 hours a day...

have fun ... denny

firecracker · Oct 17, 2005

I go out to meet people including my friends and randomly ask questions, any questions. It could be about the weather, the politics, or even your cellular phone. But once a conversation starts to roll, I just sit back and stay as a listener. I don't really do much else other than just listening and sipping coffee, beer, or whatever there is at the table. Then I might pull out my P&S camera and take a few snaps if I feel like, but even if I don't, that's not a big deal. And I go home, process the film ASAP, and see the result.

The point is that I don't put too much effort on this but still look for the moments to take pictures.

severian · Nov 24, 2005

see

andrewmoodie said:
I've run out of ideas.

I've got a nice new camera (and mountains of film) and I've taken it out with me a few times lately but I can't think of anything to go after.

What's a good way to break out of this? All suggestions welcome.

Andrew

Andrew.
Don't have ideas. You are trying to impose your will on the world. When you go out to make photos go out seeing not looking.
Jack

gr82bart · Nov 24, 2005

andrewmoodie said:
What's a good way to break out of this?

Try something else:

1. Sports
2. Concerts
3. Glamour
4. Fashion
5. Macros
6. Architecture
7. Nudes
8. Portraits
9. Themes - cars, bikes, trains, trees, fire hydrants, windows, doors, insects, flowers, whatever...
10. People on the street with a wide angle lens only

The thing about photography is that it makes you realize how much you are NOT seeing in the world.

Regards, Art.

bogeyes · Nov 29, 2005

Friends and family

So I screwed up bigtime, I was going to photograph everyone I knew within reason, (even the ones I don't like much) during the year 2000. My excuse for not doing the project was a combination of laziness and ill health, (major back surjery). How did I screw up you may ask, here goes:7 people have died,4 couples have divorced, 9 persons emigrated, 6 left the area. The main thing that I am trying to say is if you have an idea DO IT!

Claire Senft · Nov 29, 2005

Yogi Berra has been quoted as saying "You can see a lot just by looking".

So, what interests you? If you are interested in scenery look at your surrounding area say within 5 miles. Imagine when that area will have the right light to make the scene appealing to you in a photograph.

If you are interested in photographing people being themselves then go out with your camera where there are people.

If you are interested in cars go to a car show or auto museum.

If you are interested in still life photos then get some objects and put them in an arrangement and in light that appeals to you.

Take your photograph. Expect to fail. Analyze what you could do to correct the situation. Then go out and redo it. Again. Again.

Do not try to makes someone elses photograph because you are not going to be another Edward Weston and nobody else is going to be another you.

I have one maxim that experience has proven to be true to me. THE WORSE THE WEATHER THE MORE INTERESTING THE PHOTOGRAPH. Of course I am not advising your beoming a lighting rod or the victim of a tornado..safety first. I can also feel fairly certain that you wont have a lot of photographers standing in your way when it is -20ºF wind chill factor or there is pouring rain or a blizzard.

So, pay attention to Yogi..look...

Ansel Adams has quoted others saying "Chance favors the prepared mind". Or consider the old saw about how to get to Carnegie Hall "Practice, practice, practice"..

So what are you waiting for? Got some film on hand? Pull up your socks. Tie your shoes. and go.

lee · Nov 29, 2005

steal

lee\c

fhovie · Nov 30, 2005

I did not do Holga - I did pinhole. My darkroom is full of negatives where the images are very pleasing but I am retching about areas where there could be technical improvement. So sad - with pin hole it is truely how I feel and not about the technical abilities. I am headed to Catalina Island this weekend with only a pinhole camera. I am so far behind in my darkroom, I sometimes feel foolish in developing more film.

fingel · Nov 30, 2005

Drink

modafoto · Dec 1, 2005

I have the opposite problem at the moment. I have several projects to work on and lots of ideas...but work, family, health and general wellness stands in the way right now...even more scary...

Morten

nze · Dec 1, 2005

In fact I find the way to solve this state by taking note anytime I ahve an idea or saw an interesting place. I often add a drawing to my note. This note could be about a flower Isaw and think I could make a good still life with it. I try to make the best draw I can with information on the light and so on. For Place I careful write the day and the time if there is a good light or not when I saw it.

So When I have no idea I take my note book and I find something to do.

George Losse · Dec 1, 2005

What do you do when you've run out of ideas?

Take a deep breath, lift the camera and tripod to my shoulder and walk around the next corner. There are always wonderful images to make that are just around the next corner.

And if that doesn't work, I put the Camera back into the jeep and drive to the next town. Park the Jeep, get out look around, find something and start working again.

Don't look for photos, just enjoy what's in front of the camera.

roteague · Dec 1, 2005

Being a landscape photograher, I find that I can get ideas by looking at other peoples' work. In Hawaii, I have found there is a real lack of talent, when it comes to landscape photography, so I go to some of their locations and create something better.

NikoSperi · Dec 1, 2005

gnashings said:
Holga. (no, seriously - it works wonders!)

Allow me to chime in too...
Holga. (no, seriously - it works wonders!) for sparking your originality... :rolleyes:

I just tried some studio shots with it... alot of fun using three monolights and a Holga! Gets you funny looks. My next trips will be Paris and Cairo, and I'm seriously thinking of taking just the Holga... or maybe a Holga and a Leica...

David Brown · Dec 1, 2005

"What do you do when you've run out of ideas?"

Since I've never had an original thought anyway (photographically), this is not a problem for me.

I try to copy only the best, however. :rolleyes:

severian · Dec 2, 2005

holga

gnashings said:
Holga. (no, seriously - it works wonders!)

Agree. Everyone should carry a Holga around at all times
Jack

severian · Dec 2, 2005

holga again

NikoSperi said:
Allow me to chime in too...
Holga. (no, seriously - it works wonders!) for sparking your originality... :rolleyes:

I just tried some studio shots with it... alot of fun using three monolights and a Holga! Gets you funny looks. My next trips will be Paris and Cairo, and I'm seriously thinking of taking just the Holga... or maybe a Holga and a Leica...

If not a Holga try carrying a 35mm around. If you are a LF person this can have the effect of making you look at things differently. LF people are usually(generalizing) photographic control freaks, me included, with the Holga-35mm you have to give up a large degree of control. Anybody got an Olympus Pen-F for sale?
Jack B

What do you do when you've run out of ideas?

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