Whether you consider yourself someone who develops visual content or an artist, compelling materials are often required to maintain a certain level of motivation. Art has a long history of creators drawing (in some cases blatantly stealing) from each other. Without delving into the question of “what is art,” this is by and large a major factor in the creative processes.
It would seem natural, then, to look at the abundance of visual imagery as a good thing; however, the proliferation of visual content, made possible by the internet, can often overstimulate, leading content creators to question the quality of a work.
For these moments of overstimulation-induced creative lethargy, here are a couple resources I’ve found helpful.
B&H Photo
B&H has a wealth of information on everything from gear to their own lecture and podcast series. The lecture series covers topics from drone photography tips, social media marketing strategies, and street photography experiences. If you want to get inspired to go out and take photos, make sure to check them out on YouTube.
Personally, I’ve found that Pinterest is a phenomenal tool for organizing ideas. On the internet, which is often organizationally unconquerable, Pinterest represents a filing cabinet of compartmentalized inspiration. Have an engagement shoot coming up? Search through Google or any social media site and sift out the best ideas into a mood board. Have a client that’s not communicating their thoughts? Gather ideas onto a board, sit them down, and sort out a coherent vision for the shoot.
Go in Depth
With the ability to go on Instagram and flip through the work of hundreds of photographers, sometimes it feels good to delve in deep and really get a feel for someone else’s process. Let’s say you’re watching a video and listening to a particular photographer talk about one of their projects; make that encounter last longer than that ten-minute video or that brief scroll through their Instagram. Try to find their larger body of work. Follow their blog, watch their videos, see what types of people they associate with, etc. By researching the methods of others and analyzing their photos, you'll be able to more clearly see and reflect upon your own creative choices.
Just Get Out
Take the crappy photos. Fill up your SD card with throwaway shots. A lot of photographers (myself included) are afraid of taking bad photos because they feel as though it makes them a bad photographer. However, that’s not the case. Photography is a skill that is developed over time. Just like other professionals, people mess up, get dissatisfied with themselves, and fall prey to competitive mindsets. While you can’t expect to revive a creative streak or develop solely by taking bad photos, sometimes the act of getting out and engaging with your interest will kickstart a moment of motivation. Additionally, looking back on a card filled with unusable photos doesn’t feel good. You’ll see things in your images that you wish you hadn’t done, you’ll have ideas on what you’d like to do next time, etc., and soon enough you’ll get back into a creative mood.
There are hundreds of other suggestions for finding inspiration that didn't make it into this list. For example, The Art of Photography's Ted Forbes is currently running an assignment series. Through these assignments, Forbes challenges photographers to perform tasks that force them to move out of their "creative comfort zones." In addition to offering assignments, The Art of Photography is also a community with a respective Facebook page. Photography communities can be incredibly beneficial to those who join them. Being surrounded by individuals interested in the same pursuits provides access to many differing and unique perspectives on topics such as professional development and reinvigorating a sense of motivation.
Encountering a lack of motivation isn't necessarily detrimental to success. Whether you're interested in photography as a hobby or more, uninspired moments strike everyone. Instead of feeling forced into these motivation-deserts, I like to think these moments challenge us to do things differently. Whether that means seeking out communities that share your interests, or just taking a walk with your camera, I hope that the process of finding motivation leads to some of your best work!
