Since hitting the road again and spending the 2020/2021 winter season in California, I'd lost a lot of interest in photography.
The urge to go out and capture what I saw around me had been at an all-time low. It'd become harder to find the motivation to get out and shoot. Even though I'd been surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges and secluded lakes, it'd been rare for me to feel the urge to bring a camera and snap a few pictures of my adventures in Mammoth. Hikes made it more likely for me to take pictures, while sunrises and sunsets didn’t. The opposite is true when I'm in Wisconsin; sunrises and sunsets are my most opportune times to go out and shoot! Even when I’d been back in Wisconsin for almost a month, the urge to shoot hadn't come back.
Getting a camera in my hand and actually using it had become a strange feeling. Clicking the shutter on a camera reminds me of the joy photography brings me. It also reminds me of the rest of the work that goes into the hobby: finding a nice location to shoot, packing the right gear, going out at an ideal time, and then importing the images and editing them. It all seemed like so much work then, all for something that no longer brought me joy as it used to.
This feeling seems to come and go during the winter months, as everything outside looks dull and lifeless. I've noticed other photographers falling victim to this feeling too. The combination of Covid and the winter months made it more difficult to find the motivation to do anything on your days off, let alone go outside and take pictures. The cold temperatures and social restrictions made it much easier to feel little to no remorse about not spending as many days with friends and family, two of my main sources of inspiration.
Throughout life's ups and downs, I've grown increasingly aware of my ever-changing desire to pick up my camera. I understand that these cycles of inspiration and photographer's block are part of the creative journey, so I try not to stress myself out over them too much. However, there are moments when I can't help but feel uneasy, realizing how long it's been since I last picked up my camera. Yet, a significant part of the joy in photography lies in overcoming inertia, finding the motivation to get out and capture moments even on cold and cloudy days. In those moments of lethargy, it's crucial to get out and shoot, to create the inspiration required to get back into it all.
Comments