Every photographer, regardless of their skill level, has been through a photography slump at some point. I’d even say I’m in the middle of one right now, because the rainy season came a little bit later than expected this year, completely messing up all of my planned shots. As a result, I feel like there’s nothing much to shoot at the moment as all the hydrangea have more or less wilted away, and I’m avoiding major cities like Tokyo for the time being.
I’ve personally been through slumps a few times over the years, but I’ve always found my way out of them. Here’s a list of things I do when I’m in a photography slump/drought/lull to break out of them. Hopefully you’ll find it helpful if you find yourself in a similar situation.
1) Just Go Somewhere - Sometimes, I just go somewhere with my camera, without a clear idea of what kind of images I might come home with. I simply pick a location, walk around, and see what I can see. Sometimes I come home with nothing, other times I come home with a new portfolio image. I have to admit, I live near some pretty picturesque areas, so I understand success may vary. However, sometimes, the best photos are the ones we don’t plan or even expect. My favorite city shot of 2021, so far, was a quick grab in Yokohama, while I was killing time. Had I been there 10 minutes later, walked down a different road, or been looking at my phone, I would have missed it. While some of my best work is created through weeks or months of planning, some of my favorites are produced by simply being in the right place at the right time while out for a walk. Worst case scenario, I go for a nice walk, or cycle.
2) Go Back to "Old Reliable" - Personally, I have a few locations I feel like I can always go to, regardless of the weather. I try not to photograph the same locations over and over, as it can lead to repetitive work, but going to one of my “old reliable” spots can help recharge the juices. On top of that, it forces me to see the location in a different way, if want to avoid producing an image identical to one I have in the past. Again, I have to admit, my “old reliable” location is Minato-Mirai, in Yokohama, which just so happens to be one of the best skylines in Japan, so I am a bit spoiled, in that regard. However, an “old reliable” spot doesn’t have to be an epic location or stunning skyline, it could be anywhere, anything, or anyone that helps you find your inspiration.
3) Think differently - I wrote a whole posts on my website about how I completely changed my photography style after having a baby, but I’ll write the gist of that verbose masterpiece here. Being unable to go out and photograph landscape sunsets caused me to lose motivation for a while. However, it eventually forced me to turn my attention to the ‘boring’ suburban area around me. Instead of seeing the buildings around me as buildings, I saw them as abstract subjects. This lead to some of my favorite photos in 2019 and early 2020, and helped me land on the shortlist of the 2021 World Photography Awards. I’ve since moved out of the city, so this kind of photography has become a little more challenging, as the towering structures I was using to produce my images have been replaced by surfers, temples, and shrines. However, to prevent myself from getting into a slump, I tried finding interesting ways to create images using them as subjects, which again, led to some of my favorite images of late 2020.
4) Find Other Photography Related Things to Do - Sometimes, I have the opposite problem, I go out too much, I shoot too much, so I fall behind on all of my “housekeeping” and editing. So when things are slow, I turn my attention to all the stuff we tend to pay less attention to when we’re going out and producing image after image. This includes: backing up my photos, updating my portfolio, updating shops, planning realistic future trips, editing old photos that fell through the cracks, being active in the online community, and I sometimes write about photography (as you may have noticed). I sometimes forget that there’s so much more to photography than taking photos. When things slow down, I also tend to forget how stressed I get about “not having enough time for *insert task here*” during highly active periods. Being in a slump doesn’t have to mean being unproductive, photography slumps are the perfect time to be productive in different ways. I’ve also found that looking through my old photos, talking to others about photography online, and writing about photography can help me find that spark to go out and shoot.
5) Look at Local Photography - As much as I love the work of the professionals I follow, it’s not the kind of work I seek out when I’m in a slump. That’s not to diminish the quality of their work, but epic photographs taken in locations like Iceland, misty forests, and the mountains of Northern England don’t really help me find my spark when I live in a mid-sized, relatively flat, beach city in Japan. In fact, I would say that in the past, it’s actually made me feel worse, as I would dwell on the fact that I can’t visit those locations to create something that amazing. I’ve found that looking at local photographs are more likely spark my motivation to go out and explore. The photos you look at don’t have to be from professionals, either. In the past, I’ve found motivation from snapshots on the web, images shared by locals on social media, local exhibits, even just pictures uploaded to Google Maps. I think a lot of us get caught up in the world of photography and following the work of professionals, but sometimes it’s a good idea to look a little closer to home. I’ve found I’m more productive when I focus on the photographs I can take, rather than the ones I wish I could take.
6) Just Let It Be - The fast pace life of social media can lead us to believe that we always have to be producing new and exciting work. However, sometimes it's OK to just let yourself be in a slump. In the past, I've gone over a month without even taking my camera out the drawer. Sometimes it's OK to focus on things that aren’t photography. I think a lot of people believe that by forcing themselves to go out and shoot, they’ll eventually produce something they’re proud of. However, it could also lead to increased frustration and burnout. Put the camera away, close your editing software, and find something else to do. They say that distance helps the heart grow fonder, so put some distance between yourself and photography, you will find your way back to it eventually.
Photography slumps come and photography slumps go. One of the things that determines our success is how we deal with them. I hope this list helps those of you currently experiencing a slump find your way out of it.