Over the past few weeks, I have been in a little of a photography rut. I do not want to call it a lack of inspiration or motivation to take photos, but there is something missing.
It may be the sudden resurgence of COVID-19 and staying home more. Not that I do not love my home, but it can be hard to notice new angles and spots to take photos. Maybe that is just it — how to take photos of places you regularly go.
What new things can you notice that you never noticed before? Is it the way the sunlight looks at 8:02 am versus 8:04 am? Did the random squirrel in the yard grab the neighbor’s trash in a different way than the day before? Photography has taught me to slow down and be more observant of my surroundings. To take the full experience in and find new ways of looking at things.
Some of the time this means not looking through the viewfinder or grabbing my phone. Sometimes it is not about “capturing the photo” and more about experiencing the moment. Reminding myself that some things do not have to be photographed no matter how amazing you think it would be to capture that moment.
Part of the problem may also be that I am always looking for inspiration. Looking at photos from people who are at this photogenic spot in the mountains or a beach thousands of miles away. Honestly, I am not even looking to get photos like that. Oftentimes, they look nice, but they are cliche. The photographs that give me pause are the ones that are right in my own backyard. The ones where someone captures a street, a person, or a place that you go to regularly in a different way.
I think these places have more of a hold because they are part of your life. You have more of an emotional connection to them. They are part of your identity than the beautiful beach you went to a few years ago. Sure, the experience is amazing but there are amazing things a few miles away that are just as memorable waiting for you to get a closer look and attention.
One of my goals this year is to challenge myself to take different photographs. To tell better stories with my photos no matter if I am 5 miles from the house or 1,000 miles from my house.
To help me with this journey, I have joined a photo challenge hosted by 52Frames. I am two weeks late but better late than never. Each week there is a challenge where you upload your photos and people can like and provide constructive feedback. I will probably go back and do the previous challenges I missed.
This is incredibly helpful because sometimes posting photos on my website or social media can be like posting into the void. You never truly know who is seeing your photos and what they think about them.
The best part is, they encourage you not to seek the “perfect shot” and you know sometimes the ones with the most imperfections are the best ones. They often tell better stories.
If you are interested, you can join me in the challenge by making a weekly commitment to capturing photos. Join and learn about the weekly challenges.
Joe Gullo