When It Just Isn't Fun Anymore - Recharging Your Creative Batteries

Photography is a lifelong passion for me...and many of you as well. When people first get involved in photography, or see a photographer working, they often think that it has to be a great job/hobby to take photos all day long. Well, even when you simply adore what you do, there comes a time for everyone when it just isn't fun anymore. These bouts of "its not fun" generally come and go, the trick is knowing how to recharge your creative batteries to make it fun again when an "its not fun" moment hits.

The latest "its not fun" bout for me was an assignment with the local arts council. Photographing bicycle sculptures from across the community sounded interesting enough. Two and a half hours later, everyone involved in moving 30 or so sculptures had some sort of injury. Bruises from falling, scraped shins from bicycle pedal attacks, skinned elbows and stepped on toes were the order of the morning. Add that to bicycles falling into light stands and several hours of cloning out dirt, glitter, and unidentifiable bits of sculpture embedded in the backdrop and photography just wasn't fun anymore.

So how do you recharge when you have an "its not fun" event? First, take a moment to breathe and relax for a few hours. When you feel rested, pick up your camera and go take pictures of your favorite subject. Take photos for you, not for showing to anyone or pleasing anyone else. This is purely for you. If you like butterflies, go to a local exhibit or garden. If you like to photograph your children, give them some dirt and a garden hose - they'll be plenty to photograph soon enough. For me, I love nature photography. And one of my favorite subjects is a particularly cranky feral cat that has claimed my backyard (and porch). Walk outside and she's hissing. Photographing her angry faces helps me remember that life shouldn't be taken so seriously. The bottom line is, when photography isn't fun anymore its because you have treated it like a job (whether you get paid or not) instead of your art/hobby. Throw considerations for everyone else out the window and do what you love. Pretty soon the scars of photography as work will fade and it will be fun again.

So what happened with the bicycle sculpture photos? The photos got taken, they were edited, received with much happiness, and are on their way to several publicity campaigns. Would I do it again? Yes, but it'd bring an extra assistant or two with me...and a big bottle of aspirin!

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Photo © Liz Masoner 2008 licensed to About.com, Inc.