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Photographer’s block is unavoidable. At some point, we’re going to go through a phase where we’re either unmotivated to shoot or just don’t know what we should be shooting. It can be a tough slump to pull yourself out of too. Tough, but not impossible. Fortunately, there are few tricks and tips we can use to jump start ourselves when our creativity doesn’t show up to work. In this article, we’ll talk about a few ways you can help curb photographer’s block and get yourself back into the game. Let’s get to it!

Pick The Right Personal Projects

If you’re finding yourself uninspired to shoot, it may be because you haven’t been focusing on shooting the right things. Things that are interesting to you and, most importantly, things you’re passionate about. If you are already passionate about something, the chances of you wanting to photograph it are going to drastically increase. Think of it as built in motivation.

So ask yourself what do you truly love. Maybe you love wildlife, maybe you love people, maybe you live for moments of quiet peacefulness similar to what the feelings found inside a still life photo. Whatever it is you love, turn it into a personal photography project. Look for ways to capture it in ways that will inspire others to love it as well. Make sure you’re always working on the right projects to foster your creativity!

Try New Things

Following up on the note about shooting what you love, remember, you probably won’t know you love something until you’ve experienced it. That’s why it’s so important to try new things when you’re shooting. I have several professional photographers tell me they got started shooting one style of photography, but found they actually preferred shooting something entirely different after trying out new styles.

So even if you think your destiny to become a landscape photographer, don’t be afraid to try out other styles too. It’s possible you have love for studio lighting you didn’t even realize you had!

Join A Photography Club

Find motivation and inspiration by surrounding yourself by people with similar interests and good attitudes. One great place to find them is a local photography club. Many photography clubs have weekly and monthly meetups and photowalks. These are fun, social activities that will help keep you interested and wanting to shoot. Do a google search for photography clubs in your area and sign up, you won’t regret it.

If you are not a social person, try finding an online forum or group where you can build a circle of like minded comrades. Not only will you benefit from their encouragement to keep shooting, but you’ll also be able to improve your skills by asking them for constructive criticism of your work.

Conclusion

The main thing is to just do it. There are going to be times when it isn’t easy to muster up the enthusiasm to grab your camera and start shooting. But do it anyways. Even if you have to force it. Pick up your camera and get out there. When I’m not sure where to start, I’ll often just start taking photos of whatever I have around me that sparks my interest. This could be anything from a nearby tree to little trinket on my desk. The point is to just start shooting. Once I get a few clicks under my finger, I find myself falling into a rhythm and becoming more interested in making something awesome.