# I've lost my mojo...



## nerwin (Jan 4, 2016)

I'm sure it has a lot to do with the cold winter season and being stuck indoors. I really hate the cold and I was born and raised in Vermont, go figure right?

Well lately I feel like I have been losing my mojo. I find my self picking up my camera less and less as time goes on. This is evident when I was going through my Lightroom library and reorganizing my photos, I noticed each year was less and less photos.

Photography has been my only hobby that has stuck with me through the years and I certainly don't want to give it up. I'm hoping someday it could turn into a career.

A lot of people say I should go travel, sure I'd love to if they are willing to pay for it. Besides I'm not even allowed on a plane currently. (Stupid legal issues, working on it).

Anyways, I'm not looking to travel right now.  I want to know what you guys do when feel like I do, I'm sure every photographer has experienced this before, perhaps more than once.

What are some things I can do indoors where its warm during the winter season that could help to get my mojo back?


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## tecboy (Jan 4, 2016)

Go volunteer.  Find a goal or challenge yourself.


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## Derrel (Jan 4, 2016)

would start with repeated viewings of the classic Muddy Waters rendition of the song I've Got My Mojo Workin':


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## tecboy (Jan 5, 2016)

What keeps me doing photography is using my camera with limited gear.  Other photographers got themselves with full frames, fast lenses, and Gary Fong's products.  They get so fancy with shallow dof and lighting.  I challenge myself to get the right composition and get the right moment to capture people actions.  I'm just having fun and not taking photography seriously.


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## cherylynne1 (Jan 5, 2016)

My background is in writing and editing. You've probably heard of a little thing called Writer's Block. When I was younger, it used to plague me all the time, and would set me back for months. Then when I started taking real classes and working with professionals, I discovered that they all used the same method to combat it: B. I. C. It stands for Butt In Chair. 

No matter how crappy or uninspired you feel, you sit your butt in that chair and write. It could be the stupidest thing that anyone's ever written in the history of the world, but you write it anyway. The only thing that can't be edited and improved is a blank page. 

So I apply the same thing to photography. Get your camera out and take pictures. They'll probably be terrible. They'll probably be stupid. But if you do it every day, the creative part of your brain eventually gets used to being used and will start to respond. And if you keep going, that part will begin to pipe up even when you're not trying. And that's when the magic will happen. 

There are dozens of 30 day photo challenges out there that would get you started, or you could just do a series on one thing that interests you. Just try to get out of the mind frame that you have to do it well, and just focus on doing something. And if you need to be accountable to someone, you've got a whole forum here that would love to kick your butt into gear.


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## weepete (Jan 5, 2016)

I used to shoot a lot more frames than I do now, but now I'm a bit more experienced my number of frames is down but my keeper rate is up. I'm also more picky about my shots but I don't see that as a bad thing.


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## john.margetts (Jan 5, 2016)

I give myself monthly projects. Last month was my Pentax MX, Agfa Vista colour film and a theme of yellow - 24 frames all including yellow in some way. I also took my Petri 7s with me all month and took many frames that did not include yellow at all. Looking for yellow means you will see so much that is not yellow!

This month my camera will be my Bronica ETRS, Kodak Portra film (400 ASA and 15 frames) and a theme of bicycles. I shall also take one of my 35mm folders with me for non-bicycle pictures.

Sent from my A1-840 using Tapatalk


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## astroNikon (Jan 5, 2016)

If you have hobbies try to take photos of that hobby. Learn to be more creative.

I also take a lot fewer shots than when I first started.
But I also know that is due to being more picky about the composition, etc. making sure I get the shot versus just a bunch of shots.

I'm currently bored too in the cold 11 degree weather that moved in.  But I'm trying to create some artistic shots of my musical instruments.  working on the lighting (shiny brass reflects easily) and stuff like that. It' more of a challenge / experimental than anything.  But it keeps my technical stuff sharp and makes me really think about the shot.


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## MRnats (Jan 5, 2016)

I have limited lighting gear but I'm trying to use the available lighting gear and lighting I have or can find do portraits of my wife. Especially now with it being winter and the days being shorter and colder and being inside more. Trying to find cool things laying around the house to use as backgrounds and what effects I can get from them by trying to combine some clever lighting. Even made a DIY ring light the other day for under $20 that has me pretty exited. These things have me thinking, planning and shooting way more lately.


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## nerwin (Jan 5, 2016)

MRnats said:


> I have limited lighting gear but I'm trying to use the available lighting gear and lighting I have or can find do portraits of my wife. Especially now with it being winter and the days being shorter and colder and being inside more. Trying to find cool things laying around the house to use as backgrounds and what effects I can get from them by trying to combine some clever lighting. Even made a DIY ring light the other day for under $20 that has me pretty exited. These things have me thinking, planning and shooting way more lately.



That gives me idea actually. I have a box full of LED strips that I used on my old desk. I should get my soldering iron out and make a big LED light and use it.


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## Ysarex (Jan 5, 2016)

You posted a thread earlier about getting a compact camera for easier carrying and use. Do it. Nothing helps you take more photos more often than having the camera ready and waiting. My compact is on my desk right now. I'll be going out shopping with my wife in about an hour -- I'm not going to grab the camera bag and take the serious camera along shopping, but the compact is going. That camera goes with me everywhere I go because it fits in my jacket pocket. I take some photo of something nearly every day. I'll see something in the bleepin' parking lot and take a photo. Having the camera with you makes a huge difference.

Joe


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## otherprof (Jan 5, 2016)

tecboy said:


> What keeps me doing photography is using my camera with limited gear.  Other photographers got themselves with full frames, fast lenses, and Gary Fong's products.  They get so fancy with shallow dof and lighting.  I challenge myself to get the right composition and get the right moment to capture people actions.  I'm just having fun and not taking photography seriously.


Greetings from a kindred spirit!


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## gsgary (Jan 5, 2016)

I think the biggest problem is you don't have a favourite genre and just shoot anything
I found this in one of your other threads

The_Traveler said: ↑
You seem to be confounding content with style.
When I see people who shoot a lot of lots of different things, they often seem to have no particular 'style' because they are essentially just pointing at what they see that is interesting at the moment and taking the picture - as it is.
People who go further than that are using their own particular feelings about the situation to be expressed in how they take and edit the picture.
Typically people with such specific ideas develop their own very specific ways of shooting and that often limits the content to that which fits the style.
For example, Chris (Binga) has a very distinct style that probably wouldn't work for landscapes although it might for wildlife. The content is less important than the expression of it.
Sometimes style overwhelms content like much overdone HDR or pointless street photography.

My feeling is that people who shoot 'everything' often shoot nothing specific very, very well.
Click to expand...
If that's the case, then what I'm doing is a waste of time. Maybe photography isn't for me. Hmm, something I'll have to think about.


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## JacaRanda (Jan 5, 2016)

PS4 Rainbow 6 Siege until you get your mojo back.


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## gsgary (Jan 5, 2016)

Had another idea maybe your are using the wrong camera Nikon are safe and boring


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## wyogirl (Jan 5, 2016)

Try forcing yourself to shoot every day or every week. Find a project 52 or project 365 list online and start there... Even cliche photos can inspire you to do more.


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## Derrel (Jan 5, 2016)

Stop telling yourself you've "lost your mojo"--that is a rationalization for doing little to nothing with your photography. If you want to get back on the right track, then do it, a step at a time, beginning today. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. One. Single. Step. The FIRST step in the journey is as important as the 10,959th step is. Without the first step, there will be no others.

Make a goal for the day, something involving you, a camera, and a lens. Make progress toward that goal. Maybe even achieve that goal. Whatever you do, get the  _*H.M.S. Nerwin*_ out of port, and into open water! Do it today! Cast off the mooring lines. Back her away from the dock, then swing the bow around, head toward open water, and get that MF'ing ship under way. Act like the captain, and not some underpaid swabbie.


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## nerwin (Jan 5, 2016)

I had some fun today and made this out of parts in my scrap drawer. I cut a hole in the center for use with my macro lens, but I didn't like it so I mounted it on a cheapie tripod my Zoom H1 came with and will just use it as side light or at least until I order a flash. Still it puts off some rather good light for what it is.






Picture of my lazy cat using the homemade light I made and my 105 2.8G.



 

I dunno, its kind of interesting and got my mind back into photography a little bit.


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## rightup (Jan 5, 2016)

nerwin said:


> I had some fun today and made this out of parts in my scrap drawer. I cut a hole in the center for use with my macro lens, but I didn't like it so I mounted it on a cheapie tripod my Zoom H1 came with and will just use it as side light or at least until I order a flash. Still it puts off some rather good light for what it is.
> 
> View attachment 113945
> 
> ...


Nerwin, I'm in snow country and we have had no real winter for years. This year the snow is back and it's like my photog bug came back like a reformed addict accidentally catching a buzz. Everywhere I look I see a shot. Aaugh...but my 645 is acting up and all I've got is my wife's Canon G6 with an iffy battery. Normally I could afford a used D700 with a used AIS 1.8 anything but it sure looks like my job is, after 30 years, kaput, so buying what I want ain't gonna happen. Like your light project!


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## Derrel (Jan 5, 2016)

Awesome project and good initiative, Nerwin!


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## chuasam (Jan 6, 2016)

I seldom carry my main camera unless I'm being compensated for it.
I have gotten to the point where I use my cellphone 90% of the time.
It's quite liberating.
If you're even 1% unsure about a photography career, just do something else.
The money is horrible.


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## AceCo55 (Jan 6, 2016)

Checkout the two sets of catch lights in the cats eyes!!
Wow!


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## Dikkie (Jan 10, 2016)

nerwin said:


> What are some things I can do indoors where its warm during the winter season that could help to get my mojo back?


What about photography indoors, in your own room. 
Take macro photos of st00pid figurines, gardengnomes, trolls,... plants/flowers if necessary...

Try to make dull stuff look great, it's a challenge.
Play with light, dof, backgrounds, compositions...
At least you feel like you're busy with something in your warm cosy space, while it's raining and windy outside.


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## dennybeall (Jan 10, 2016)

I don't shoot that much anymore but when I'd get hung up in the past I'd go to the local zoo or wildlife park. Here I go to the Homosassa Wildlife Park and there is always a bird or an animal worth a few shots. Of course the CHALLENGE is to get photos that don't look like they were shot in a zoo or park!


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## minicoop1985 (Jan 11, 2016)

That's a really cool catchlight that creates in the kitty's eyes.

I've been having the same issue. I feel burned out on what's around here to photograph, to be honest. That being said, I've been up to my old tricks selling crap on eBay, so I'm behind a camera more and more lately. Still a commercial photographer, but it's been slow lately. Trying to make some extra cash.


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## DanOstergren (Jan 12, 2016)

Over the years I have noticed I take less and less photos, but those photos get better and better. Quality is much more important than quantity.

Yes, go travel. It's scary and you may not ever be ready for it, but it will change your life and who you are for the better. You could meet people who will inspire you and motivate you and bring incredible opportunity into your life, and have amazing experiences that you will never forget. I randomly decided one day to move to San Francisco from Portland Oregon, and that's where I met my mentor Riley Johndonnell, creator of Surface Magazine. His guidance helped me grow a lot both as a person, and as an artist. As well, I decided one day that I would move to New York City (coincidentally I moved in with my mentor who had also moved from SF to NYC), and while I was there I landed an internship with a very well known fashion photographer named Michael Thompson. That internship taught me a LOT, and I am so grateful. None of it would have happened had I decided to stay in my hometown. The point of this is, GO TRAVEL. A good way to get started is to look for seasonal work in tourist towns. Go be a zipline instructor in Mexico or work in a dive shop in the Bahamas. Before you know it, you will be too old to do the things you want. Or you could die next week.


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## table1349 (Jan 13, 2016)

Go to Bangladesh, get a bottle of MOJO and drink it.


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