What holds you back with your photography?

This thread may go nowhere at all, but I hope it gets some thoughts and maybe gets some people (especially myself) thinking.

I admittedly pissed away most of this past year rather than making earnest attempts to grow within the craft that is photography. Over the next couple of weeks I have a goal of trying to identify the things that held me back this past year, and start off running in 2011 to break free of those things in order to grow.

What I realized is that it's not so easy to identify those things, at least for me. I think seeing what has held others back may help some of us that aren't quite sure.

The ones I've figured out for myself:

Fear: I've been really scared to step out of my comfort zone with photography. I have found myself shooting exactly what I know to shoot and not bothering to get outside of the box.

Criticism: I let this hold me back a lot, both from posting new work here as well as going to my local peers for their opinions. I've been adamant that criticism is the best tool for growth, but I've often lacked the courage of my convictions to seek that criticism.

Self doubt: That's a biggie for me. I probably won't ever do this full time, but I would however like it to be a decent second income. I find myself thinking that everything I do sucks, I won't ever get better, and I should sell everything I own. Fortunately, it hasn't gone that far yet.

So that's what I've came up with so far. I'm going to dry desperately to break free of these in the new year. As a recent member of the unemployed club I will have a bit more time to dedicate to the process that I have had.

I REALLY hope this thread gets some good insight from both newbies and pros alike.

Probably not an exciting answer, but time is a major problem for me. I work full time managing an engineering group and I have four young kids at home.

I can''t easily just get out and experiment with photos. And when I want to do it on a walk or vacation I get hurried along by the group.

The main reason I shoot youth athletics for the HS teams around here is it is a 'job' that gets me out of the house and shooting now and then. And it is challenging enough (so far) to remain fresh and interesting.

Lack of enthusiasm - plain and simple.

A while back I made an effort to exit a declining sector and target another, and it was successful - sales dramatically improved.

And that made me complacent. It's much easier to sit around all day and photoshop and print pictures than to get out and produce something.

But as any marketing department guru will tell you, you have to stay on top of your product whether it be soap or shoes ("New and Improved Tide" or Nike's latest and greatest new shoe).

Lately I've been making a conscience effort to regain the hunger I once had and get out and produce new product.

JeffreyG wrote in post #11501721
Probably not an exciting answer, but time is a major problem for me. I work full time managing an engineering group and I have four young kids at home.

I can''t easily just get out and experiment with photos. And when I want to do it on a walk or vacation I get hurried along by the group.

The main reason I shoot youth athletics for the HS teams around here is it is a 'job' that gets me out of the house and shooting now and then. And it is challenging enough (so far) to remain fresh and interesting.

Similar problem here.

Weekdays are pretty much shot due to work and lack of light by the evenings (I generally shoot landscapes so light is a big thing).

Weekends get taken up with general stuff or bad weather and before I know it I have lost another weekend.

Due to this I have probably not been out any more than 4 -6 times this year.

The day job: Full time studio engineer...which means gigs come in at all hours...

Gotta keep the kid and the woman fed...so I work the day job.

Work for me, I'm a lighting technician an do all kinds of random jobs at random hours in random places. Then when the weekend arrives I have days out with the girlfriend, while I take my camera out I don't really get to let loose as it takes away from our time and I get wrapped up taking photos.

I have a problem of time flying past me and get wrapped up in things. So I suppose what holds me back is me!! Just need to prioritise what is important for you.

I wish I had a more creative mind. I think I have a good eye and know how to take a great picture, but I'm not as good as I'd like to be in seeing things in a DIFFERENT way. I'll look at what other photographers present at a local club with regular assignments and I always find myself saying, gee, I never would have thought of approaching it that way. And I want to.

Time for me as well. I'm lucky if I can shoot 2 hours a week. I'm looking foward to our annual "slow season" at work (Jan thru Feb) and hoping I can spend more time shooting.

Time is also a major constraint for me - my aerospace engineering job keeps me occupied 50-60 hrs a week and by the time the weekend comes - all I have energy for is my family and to relax (if I'm not in the office the weekends as well!).

The 2nd thing holding me back is probably my own motivation. I keep telling myself to get out there and market myself - but I have yet to do that. No excuses.

My goal for 2011 is to prioritize my time and get off my butt (tired or not) and make it happen.

Right now I feel like the most major thing holding me back is Money, I just can't afford all of the focal lengths and glass that I feel would help me take my shot quality to a new level (10-22, 70-200 2.8L IS II, 300L) with architecture, and sport (paintball, football, and would also like to try soccer and baseball) photography. Plus some more lighting stuff for portraits would help. Luckily for me, I find that money is much easier to acquire than confidence or enthusiasm.

It's funny when I read this,I feel the exact same way.I love photography,but I feel everything I do looks like crap.I have posted some work on here and the critique has been very harsh.I don't let that get me down,but it does enforce my belief that my work sucks.lol.I have very limited budget so high end equipment is just a dream.I know it's hard to keep inspired but I just remember that im doing for me.I guess we all just have to remember why we starting shooting in the first place.

Ignorance: I have some knowledge gaps in understanding the best ways to approach publishers. We're gonna work on that early in the new year!

For me the answer is time and artistic vision. Both of which I don't have enough of.

Being creative. Hope to change that in 2011.

I have all the time I need and adequate money but being mobility disabled is the monkey wrench in the works a wee bit. On the up side my walker accepts the Lowepro Magnum 400 camera ?bag? so when I can go shooting I can take it fully loaded and not blame my back ache on my photo gear selection. On the downside it has tires more suited to pavement and my main love is the great outdoors so I am mostly restricted to paved or well worn paths. Portraits both posed or candid are moderately easy for me but my standing up unassisted to shoot is not possible with a signficantly long(read heavy) tele to support as well.I have adapted to not being able to really go off the beaten path very far. You make do with what you have and keep on truckin.