How do you keep it fresh....?

Ok, for those of you who shoot sports regularly, how do you keep from becoming complacent with your work. I just finnished processing up a batch of shots for a local volleyball team and I just realized how unchallenging it has become. In a way that is a good thing. But one of the things I have loved about sports photography is the challenge of capturing events I have not been familure with. Once things become easy, I loose interest. I still do them, but I worry I will not be as carefull to keep my work level up to same standards I did while try to learn.

Any of you all have this same issue, and if so, how to keep from becoming complacent?

Try shooting with a different camera so you have to think about things more.

I have recently done this for concert photography - my 20D is being repaired and I have a 1D Mark IIN as a loaner until mine is back. Yes it is a better camera but I have had to think about what I am doing a lot more and the results are showing.

I also occasionally break out the film camera for the same reason.

Complacency can be a dangerous playground. I think that we have all found ourselves there at one time or another. Not necessarily with our photography but with some aspect of our lives.

I can honestly say that the only thing that has ever worked for me is to take a break from it. Sometimes you have to do this yourself other times life makes you do it. For the past 5 months I have been laid up with a bad back and have only been able to muster my way through some very easy jobs. I've given 7 weddings away to other photographers. I'm just itching to get back at it. Soon....very soon.

This is somewhat similar to the times when you hit a dry spell when you just can't seem to find a subject that excites you. I've tried the different body thing and it didn't do it for me though it might for others. Taking the break was the only real thing that made me realize how much I missed it. Going back into it was a real treat. I've only had to do this twice and they were very short breaks of a couple of weeks.

I immersed myself in other things like reading some good books, spending time with friends (this time without a camera), do some woodworking which I enjoy.

I know that financially it is not the best solution but one thing I have found in life is that if you do not tackle these things head-on they will get the best of you.

The thing that saves me is the fact that the sports are always changing. About the time I've seen all the volleyball or football I can stand then along comes the next sport. It does get very boring sometimes shooting the same sport for weeks and weeks at a time. I kind of have this thing though when the National Anthem is being played....I always stop and think of how lucky I am to do this for a living.

Tom

Thanks all for your comments back. Some good suggestions here. I am always seeking out new events to shoot just to stay fresh - and it does help. The summer break from sports usually works well and I am ready to roll again when fall sports - but this last summer stayed busy and I took on a project that is a lot larger then I am used to which has contributed to it. I took on shooting all the team and individual shots for a football conference/league - and boy has that kept my weekends hopping. Money was excellent but I am not sure worth the burnout. And tbfoto - yes - there are plenty worse ways to get make a dollar..... I just don't want it to ruin what I enjoy so much. But I am with ya on this... things could be a whole heck of a lot worse.

Cheers All!

Take one prime lens to a non paying event. See what you can find in the viewfinder.

Shoot a sport you don't ever do and take something back to your regular sport from it.

Shoot an entire game with a remote - from above on a monopod. You'll get good at blind aiming and guessinf DOF - Focus distance.

I know what your saying and I can relate to "the same old game" thing but, each game I look to get that perfect action shot. One that is better than something from last week, a flying tackle, batting the ball down by a lineman on a pass attempt. A blocked field goal. Nothing can get the old adreneline pumping like it does when you get the interception/reception of a pass and you have two guys stretching for the ball and it is on the fingertips of one of them.

Then I start looking at doing things that are a little different, a slower shutter speed and try to pan on one player freezing him and seeing the other player still showing motion.


I am always looking for a new and different angle, something they may not have seen before. Last year while following a girls basketball team thru the state tourney I was down below the basket when a girl was shooting a free throw. Dropped the camera down to floor level and shot it. Different angle from anything they had seen before and I had more comments on that simple floor shot than any fast action I had all year long.
It is a challenge each game no matter what the sport, football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, wrestling, swimming, diving (which I hate to shoot with a passion), hell even tiddly winks can prove a challenge if you look for somethig different to shoot about it.

You want to get really challenged? Try shooting a fast moving sport like football or basketball and get rid of the spray and pray method and use the one shot mode. Your timing has to be right on time.

Try changing things up. I like to get out of my "happy place" once and awhile (after I have a few safe shots int he bag) and try stuff out. If you shoot head on alot, try dragging the shutter and shooting pans. If you shoot without flash, try some second curtain work. If you shoot tight and centered, start shooting off center and wide. Works for me.

Thanks. While shooting a football game saturday I found myself falling into my regular routine, same locations, same setup, same shots, etc. The one thing I did do was shoot very deliberately - less then 100 shots for the entire game. I haven't spent much time with the yet - but it will be interesting to see what if any difference it made. At least I was looking at the game differently.

Thanks for the advice.