How can I sustain motivation during a long project?

Question

I am working on a year long photo a day project, and after about 8 months I'm beginning to lose motivation. How do you stay motivated and gain new inspiration to continue in long projects?

Asked by chills42

Answer

Good question. Didn't we all at some point feel like all the money spent on the gear is going to waste as it's lying there catching rust. Some of my thoughts:

• One thing that very easily gets me excited about taking pictures is a new piece of equipment. I wouldn't go as far as getting a new camera to reignite my interest (who am I kidding, I would if I could afford it) but anything that allows for experimenting with new kinds of photography or trying new techniques would definitely work for me. Grab a new filter or something like that and try squeezing the most out of it.

• Another rather extreme example - kids, better yet - your own kids, better still - newborns. You are excited about having them and want to keep every moment of their new life for eternity. You have to be quick though, newborns very fast grow into toddlers and although giving just as many opportunities they become very hard, fast moving targets.

• Travelling is another way to put yourself in front of new, exciting photo opportunities. It doesn't have to be a week long trip to tropical islands (although that would be nice) but a simple weekend away from the city should bring some motivation.

• Unusual circumstances - get up before the sunrise and get some blue hour shots. Very rewarding!

• Local events - car races, flower fair, horse riding competition. All full of photographic potential.

• New exciting hobbies - do a scuba diving course and play with underwater photography.

Answered by Piotr Zurek

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Sustaining motivation during a long project

Question

I am working on a year long photo a day project, and after about 8 months I'm beginning to lose motivation. How do you stay motivated and gain new inspiration to continue in long projects?

Asked by chills42

Answer

Good question. Didn't we all at some point feel like all the money spent on the gear is going to waste as it's lying there catching rust. Some of my thoughts:

• One thing that very easily gets me excited about taking pictures is a new piece of equipment. I wouldn't go as far as getting a new camera to reignite my interest (who am I kidding, I would if I could afford it) but anything that allows for experimenting with new kinds of photography or trying new techniques would definitely work for me. Grab a new filter or something like that and try squeezing the most out of it.

• Another rather extreme example - kids, better yet - your own kids, better still - newborns. You are excited about having them and want to keep every moment of their new life for eternity. You have to be quick though, newborns very fast grow into toddlers and although giving just as many opportunities they become very hard, fast moving targets.

• Travelling is another way to put yourself in front of new, exciting photo opportunities. It doesn't have to be a week long trip to tropical islands (although that would be nice) but a simple weekend away from the city should bring some motivation.

• Unusual circumstances - get up before the sunrise and get some blue hour shots. Very rewarding!

• Local events - car races, flower fair, horse riding competition. All full of photographic potential.

• New exciting hobbies - do a scuba diving course and play with underwater photography.

Answered by Piotr Zurek

Check more discussion of this question.

Do you have any ideas for a photo shoot that I can do at home with everyday things?

Question

I want to take pictures at home, but I can't think of things to shoot. Any ideas ?

Asked by n/a

Answer

Follow @dailyshoot on Twitter. I did that for about a month, and having a daily 'assignment' was a great way to get me to take a picture every day (practice makes perfect, after all!) and to learn and try new things (would you believe, that's where I learned about DOF/bokeh?).

Answered by n/a

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Recommended photography magazines

Question

What are some internationally available magazines on photography that you would recommend to a photographer who's mastered the basics and is interested in widening his horizons, in terms of inspiration and technique?
Personally, I'm looking for something that does not focus on post-production or aquiring expensive gear.

Answer

I agree w/Staale, and to add to that, avoid any magazine that devotes an inordinate amount of space to gear reviews and advertising... well maybe keep one gear one around cuz they're fun to read :) But for mags that I actually derive inspiration:

• photo technique: great photography, great tutorials and very informative in both inspiration and actual technique
• Aperture: More of an 'inspiration' entry, its all photographs and artist's discussion on what they're doing and why
• B&W: Similar to Aperture but focusing solely on B&W

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Which photographer do you find inspirational?

Question

As a change from the technical flavour of our questions I would like to turn to photography as an art, so I am afraid this is inevitably subjective.

Which photographer, in your mind, is especially inspirational, why and if possible give an example of his/her work.

This is a continuation of a similar question asked last year by CodeToGlory (What is your favourite photograph?)

To get the ball rolling I will post an answer below.

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Since this is now community wiki, I (@lindes) will add: one photographer per answer (and please look for that photographer in existing answers before adding your own), but you may submit multiple answers if you find multiple people inspiring. (I think that's what makes the most sense for this type of question. If others disagree, please edit this paragraph. :)

Answer

Gregory Crewdson (more) For the surreal mood and feeling he can craft in a photograph with his controlled lighting mixed with 'in situ' lighting. That and the storytelling nature of the photographs that cause you to linger on the image, wondering what the subjects are doing... or have done.

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