Photographers and writers share a lot in common.
They both practice to perfect their technique, convey stories and emotions through their craft, and both benefit from deep wells of creativity.
Unfortunately, they also share something negative in common: block.
Just as a writer may feel trapped trying to find the right word or form a sentence, a photographer cannot find anything to photograph. The trained eye that can find fascinating subjects in mundane settings stops working.
Once photography becomes a constant in your life, at some point you will come across a serious case of photographer block.
The good news is, there are three steps you can take to get your creativity flowing again.
Take out your camera
This probably sounds like the dumbest advice ever. Of course you have to get your camera out!
But let me take this tip one step further: make sure your camera is in your hand.
It is not enough to have the camera in a shoulder bag, and it is not enough to have it hanging from a strap around your neck. When you feel blocked, you miss out on photo opportunities due to a lame excuse: it is too much effort to prepare the camera.
But when you have the camera in hand, it is always ready. You have no excuse not to shoot.
Once you take one, your right brain kicks in and you start seeing large photographic subjects around you.
Get out of your comfort zone
Many photographers tend to go for a subject they like: flowers, people, buildings, food, pets, or children. Let’s say that flowers are your passion. Once you have taken 1000 photos of flowers, you will be quite comfortable with the subject.
When you feel blocked, spend a whole day photographing something totally different: children, for example. Unlike flowers, they never stand still and are unwilling to wait for you to adjust your camera settings.
It is almost guaranteed that many of the shots you take will not turn out well. This is to be expected: you are out of your comfort zone, filming something new.
The benefit of this exercise is that it takes your mind off your favorite topic long enough to see it differently when you return to it.
Start with your shoes
This technique has worked well for me in the past when I’m just not thinking (and seeing) creatively.
I take photos of my shoes.
I point the camera down and try to find something interesting about the pattern, texture, or color of my shoes to make it stand out in a photo.
Once you spend about 5 minutes trying to make your shoe look interesting, look up. Suddenly you will see a wide variety of subjects much more interesting than your shoe.
If you approach those subjects with the same eye that you applied to your simple shoe, you will surely take some attractive photographs.
