Staying Fresh...

No I don't mean personal hygiene, I mean keeping your photography fresh...

I am slowly seeing myself fall into the trap of being too busy to try something new or to even shoot for the sake of shooting. I have been concentrating 150% on the business side of things that actual photography has taken a backseat.

I hear some people say that the camera doesn't even come out of the bag unless they are getting paid. I dont want to be that guy.

What do any of you do to stay on top of things and to stay fresh in creative ideas? Any self assignments that you adhere to? Personal goals? Competitions?

Would like to hear some ideas from anyone that has similar issues.

Thanks

I wait for rainy days, then sit down and think about new ideas I want to put into place. What I found that really pushed my creativity down another route has been video recording now. In theory, the same sort of skills apply like composition so only need to learn few more basic skills and then get going.

If it works out, another are which you can provide as a media service.

Stalk an area.

In the case of landscape shooting, both urban or rural, pick a mundane - or interesting - spot that perhaps most people ignore under the boring midday sun. Ask yourself: how would this same place appear shortly after sunrise or before 10 AM? What about the early evening? What sort of new textures, contrasts and nuances may appear that where boringly absent under full light?

Once you've found those areas - work 'em.

Experiment, returning day after day, different time after changed time.... and with different focal lengths. And when you've completed doing that during the summer, return and do the same thing in the Fall, Winter and Spring. And then do the same thing in good weather, and lousy weather, foggy, rainy, snowy..... You will be amazed at the wonderful variety of stimulating and exciting images you can discover and create.

I only got into digital in 2006, but immediately began applying this philosophy to my favorite parts of the city. I have sense then - and continue - to produce a very satisfying body of work which has given me a great deal of personal pleasure. And a few other folks have enjoyed these images too . - Stu

What I've done is become the photographer for my local volunteer fire company. That gets me out shooting a fair amount and it's often pretty fresh - something different each time.

While I'm not saying to do exactly that same thing, perhaps get involved in shooting for some volunteer organization - or organizations - you're already involved or interested in.

I find that by doing what I've done with the fire company it gets me out shooting more than if I just had a general intention to get out shooting more.

I shoot racing, so to keep things fresh I try many different things.

First - I shoot as many racing types as I can, everything from go-karts to rallying, from motorcycle track racing to radio controlled cars. Big and small, fast and slow, tarmac and gravel, day and night...

Second - I use different lenses from UWA to tele and do my best to try and find new angles and views. It doesn't always work, but I keep looking.

And third - sometimes I pick something completely foreign to shoot, like cross country skiing or hot air balloons; getting out of your comfort zone really pushes you to think and learn.

lots of body lotion

Trying to figure this problem out myself...

I'll try to bring my small bag with an extra lens when I go out for a walk or drive but often end up not even taking the camera out of the bag. One problem I think is the fact that I live in an apartment, so I have no room to set up a small studio, or go in the backyard and shoot some flowers or bird or something. Getting kinda of sick of the balcony view...

What has kept me going is Model Mayhem (even though I've only shot 2 models in the last year, it's really hard to find reliable ones and ones that have free time.) My wife has been [Surprisingly] supportive of me shooting pretty girls. I also have a wedding this fall I am very excited about. I would assist more weddings but half my weekends are busy.

Time is just not on my side, especially after a long day of physical work.

Thanks everyone! Great ideas... I like the firefighting photography idea. That could lead to a great editorial type of port. I really want to get involved in the community more so this may be a good route to take.

spkerer - How did you approach them to do this? Do you mind sharing your terms you have with them?

Been thinking about landscape photography as well... Florida has a lot of boring places, especially where I live, so I can try to make something interesting...

Working on the Model Mayhem thing to get a different perspective of shooting and apply that to my wedding work.

Keep the ideas coming!

The only thing that will keep your photography from becoming stale is motivation.

Are you motivated enough to get out and shoot something outside your comfort zone? I generally shoot landscapes but I will occasionally go out and shoot other things (motorsports, airshows, portraits) just for fun and to challenge myself to do it well. Note these are mostly events I would be attending anyway but to try to capture them well pushes my skill level (managing available light, panning, choosing shutter speeds for action, personal interaction with the portraits etc).

I feel it makes me a better photographer than if I only concentrate on one aspect.

Self-Assignments
Creativity, nature/nurture Two pages of posts on the subject.

cory1848 wrote in post #10582426
Thanks everyone! Great ideas... I like the firefighting photography idea. That could lead to a great editorial type of port. I really want to get involved in the community more so this may be a good route to take.

spkerer - How did you approach them to do this? Do you mind sharing your terms you have with them?

I don't mind sharing at all. But it's not much of a business model.

I was taking photos of my son training with them and they approached me about becoming their photographer. I think you could equally just approach them offering your service. After that I became a member of the volunteer fire company, and therefore the county fire-rescue system. So I am covered by their insurance, etc. but I'm also covered by such things as HIPPA. They've also provided me with company-issued gear (helmet, turnout coat, etc.) and a minitor (voice pager that "wakes up" when calls for our company go out) and pager.

My terms are:
1. When a call goes out and (1) I'm available and (2) it sounds like it might make for interesting photos, I respond directly to the scene.
2. I have pretty unlimited access at the scene, but that's developed over time with learning and trust. I don't go into any IDLH environments - anywhere I'd need a mask and air, keep out of collapse zones, etc.
3. I take photos of whatever I want - I focus on photos I think will be interesting, dramatic, and such, photos of individual FFs doing their work, photos that show the company apparatus in the context of the scene, etc.
4. After the call, the company has the right to say which photos can be made public and which can't. Sometimes the Fire Marshall has specific requirements too. Detailed photos of the point of origin and photos showing patients are a couple of the types of photos that don't become public.
5. I retain the rights to the photos, but I grant the company and its members permission to use the photos. The company uses them for promotion, fund-raising, recruitment, retention, training, public education, etc. I think allowing the individual FFs to use them helps with retention and morale.

I'm also involved with the fire company in helping produce some of the public education materials, photos for around the fire house, etc. And they provide me a modest budget for expenses (printing, mounting, etc.).

I haven't made any business model out of doing this because I'm doing this strictly to help the fire company and I'm not interested in doing this for pay.

spkerer wrote in post #10583166
I don't mind sharing at all. But it's not much of a business model.

I was taking photos of my son training with them and they approached me about becoming their photographer. I think you could equally just approach them offering your service. After that I became a member of the volunteer fire company, and therefore the county fire-rescue system. So I am covered by their insurance, etc. but I'm also covered by such things as HIPPA. They've also provided me with company-issued gear (helmet, turnout coat, etc.) and a minitor (voice pager that "wakes up" when calls for our company go out) and pager.

My terms are:
1. When a call goes out and (1) I'm available and (2) it sounds like it might make for interesting photos, I respond directly to the scene.
2. I have pretty unlimited access at the scene, but that's developed over time with learning and trust. I don't go into any IDLH environments - anywhere I'd need a mask and air, keep out of collapse zones, etc.
3. I take photos of whatever I want - I focus on photos I think will be interesting, dramatic, and such, photos of individual FFs doing their work, photos that show the company apparatus in the context of the scene, etc.
4. After the call, the company has the right to say which photos can be made public and which can't. Sometimes the Fire Marshall has specific requirements too. Detailed photos of the point of origin and photos showing patients are a couple of the types of photos that don't become public.
5. I retain the rights to the photos, but I grant the company and its members permission to use the photos. The company uses them for promotion, fund-raising, recruitment, retention, training, public education, etc. I think allowing the individual FFs to use them helps with retention and morale.

I'm also involved with the fire company in helping produce some of the public education materials, photos for around the fire house, etc. And they provide me a modest budget for expenses (printing, mounting, etc.).

I haven't made any business model out of doing this because I'm doing this strictly to help the fire company and I'm not interested in doing this for pay.

Thanks! That helps a lot. I am not looking at this as a money making venture either, this would be strictly personal work, I guess on the job education. Definitely the type of thing I would be looking for rather than going in my backyard shooting birds to get new ideas.