not very inspired (health reasons)

I need a pep talk. My health has been miserable lately and it's effecting my photography. I'm having trouble taking photos some days and it's frustrating me. I'm not sure what to do? I know once the weather is better I'll find more stuff to shoot, but getting down on the ground is proving difficult. I looked around for a pillow/cushion to use and can't find one that'll work how I want it to, plus the bigger ones I want (so I can lay down for macro shots) are to big to carry around easily.

Any ideas?

The only think I can think of is picking the flowers and shooting inside, but I really don't want to do that. I love being outside, plus I often shoot in gardens other then my own.

But until then I can't think of anything to shoot that interests me. I'm getting bored, but the pain stops me from doing what I want.

I guess I just need a pity party!

Just try shooting other things - Go planespotting! You get to stand and you can look up instead of down all day long. You never know, you might find something you like. Try a day of shooting what you normally shoot, but always from above. Might find something cool.

I have always welcomed artists into our greenhouses to paint or photograph flowers. There are a few things blooming now, go make friends with the local horts.

Yeah our local garden center had a flower show that I photographed, and also shot in their greenhouses. Still had to get down, but only to a squat which hurts in it's own way.

It's more so the problems I'm having are causing a lull in my shooting. It's making me feel like I just can't go out and shoot, as much as I want to.

A few times I even got stuck on the ground and had to have my husband help me up. For $@*$ sake I'm only 32! Sorry for venting it's just so frustrating! My husband did tell me he's going to buy me a "bitchin' cane" not some old lady gray medical looking cane. At least we can laugh about it!

I went through a similar situation when I was recup. from a broken neck/sugery...after reading my fishing/photo magazines 10X each, and totally frustrated, I set up a couple of bird feeders at the window. I can't say I got allot of award winning shots but it inspired me. I think what was so helpful was that type of photography was new to me, there was always anticipation of the next bird and since I was new to it, each photo gave me a challenege to improve upon.....another suggestion, if you have not already tried it....I read the thread on this site about setting up a mini macro "studio" inside. I can't remember exactly what it was called but basically, using a variety of different materials you can make a box with lights for photos. I used one of the designs shown on the thread and made one for maybe $25...I'm sure someone can refer you to the link...I had great fun photoing many small items around the house as well as flowers picked and brought inside....someone please help on the thread...thanks

Mike J. wrote in post #7609079
....another suggestion, if you have not already tried it....I read the thread on this site about setting up a mini macro "studio" inside. I can't remember exactly what it was called but basically, using a variety of different materials you can make a box with lights for photos. I used one of the designs shown on the thread and made one for maybe $25...I'm sure someone can refer you to the link...I had great fun photoing many small items around the house as well as flowers picked and brought inside....someone please help on the thread...thanks

https://photography-on-the.net …4&highlight=diy​+light+box

Op, sorry to hear of your troubles! Keep your head up. A positive attitude will do more to get you through than anything else.

Thanks I don't have time to read through 219 pages, but I'm getting the idea of it.

My landlord built our house for his son and ex-daughter-in-law who are 6'6" and 6'2" respectively, and custom built our kitchen and bathroom cabinets. So they come up between my chest and bellybutton, rediculously tall for normal people! Try rolling out pie crust dough when it's almost to your armpits! But for this set up it may be good! I won't have to bend down or anything to shoot. I'll have to try this this weekend, I buy some flowers while grocery shopping tomorrow and see what I can come up with.

Are there some other kinds of lights to use on the side though, ones that don't get so hot?

Derek, you're right. I almost sold off all my camera stuff to buy a p&s due to my health. I wanted to keep shooting but the camera and lenses are too heavy some days. But I told myself that would be giving into this crappy disease. If I ever get to the point where there is just no way to do I'll sell, but I'm going to fight on until then! I "keep in shape" with photography I make myself shoot 25-50 photos a week minimum. Normally a get about 25-50 keepers that I put on my pbase site very week, and that's weeding through. But I try to shoot once a day even if it's only for 5 minutes.

Try flourescent lights. Good 'daylight white' flourescents don't have the odd color balance issues. Besides if you shoot RAW it is fixable. I used white flourescents for my lightbox shooting and they came out just fine.

If you have two flashes and a remote trigger you can use that setup as well.

Keep shooting. Photography has its therapeutic benefits as well and if you give that up it will only go downhill from there. I have found that even if I get nothing good, it helps just being out there or just shooting indoors to take my mind off things. And with digital you never have to worry about the cost of consumables (yes I shoot film too).

If you are shooting indoors you can also use a tripod to keep the weight off your hands too.

gardengirl13 wrote in post #7609476
Are there some other kinds of lights to use on the side though, ones that don't get so hot?

You can use any kind of light you want, but you'll need to use longer shutter speeds with cooler (weaker) lights. A tripod and remote shutter release (or the camera's timer option) is necessary. Also, be sure to shut off the other lights in the room, otherwise you'll get nasty color casts from multiple lighting sources.

thanks DDCSD........I'll get a kick out of going through the posts again, myself.

gardengirl, I can sympathise completely. I broke my arm quite badly just before Christmas, and couldn't even hold an SLR during the festivities. It made me so glum. Even shooting guerrilla-style with my wife's Ixus 850IS didn't cut it.

Other posters in this thread have given you some good advice: heavy use of tripods and a different perspective can help. Me, I just dosed myself up on painkillers and went for it. I don't know if that's an option for you.

Gardengirl,
Well, misery loves company so here I am, lol. I completely sympathize with you. I have health/pain issues that also inhibit me. When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. I used to let my condition limit me, then my stubborn streak kicked in. If you can't go to the pictures, bring the pictures to you. Once you start photographing weird and wonderful stuff in the house, you'll never stop. I much prefer the outdoors to being cooped up inside but some days I have no choice.
Your funk will pass, I get them too and they don't last too long. Keep your chin up and I hope you are feeling better.

Do like me, I'm trying to get the local park systems to allow powered wheelchairs on the jogging/biking paths...new vistas.

GilesGuthrie wrote in post #7615474
gardengirl, I can sympathise completely. I broke my arm quite badly just before Christmas, and couldn't even hold an SLR during the festivities. It made me so glum. Even shooting guerrilla-style with my wife's Ixus 850IS didn't cut it.

Other posters in this thread have given you some good advice: heavy use of tripods and a different perspective can help. Me, I just dosed myself up on painkillers and went for it. I don't know if that's an option for you.

The only problem is my back won't really allow me to use a tripod. Bending forward like that really hurts. Inside it's ok since I can have it at the height of a chair to sit on, but outside sometimes it just won't work no matter how I feel.

As for pain killers vicodin isn't working any more. Even going up a dose doesn't help, it's just not stronger enough. Right now I'm on prednisone to help the pain a bit, otherwise I'm a bit worried that the next step may just be oxycontin.

What stresses me the most is this disease is progressive. Meaning I may get worse and never will get better. They have no drugs to help. There isn't much they can do. The drugs I'm on now can cause lupus, MS, and cancer as well as lowering my immune system so bad an infection can send me to the hospital.

chauncey wrote in post #7615719
Do like me, I'm trying to get the local park systems to allow powered wheelchairs on the jogging/biking paths...new vistas.

I thought they had to allow wheelchairs?