All the photos in this post are by Luis Valadares, a young 500pxer from Portugal who is in the middle of a really cool “Love Photography” 365 project in 2016. Check out his profile for a lot more cool shots like this, and follow his lead with your own project!
The month of love is almost over, but we have one more piece of advice to dole out on the subject… well, 5 more.
Just like the fire of romantic love can fade if it’s not tended to regularly, so your love of photography can also flicker out and die if you’re not deliberate about keeping it alive, vibrant, and constantly evolving.
But there’s good news! Even if you feel like that passion for capturing beautiful photos has faded to nothing, even if you think it’s gone for good, there are ways to light the fire once more. Here are 5 that I can’t recommend highly enough.
1. Take your camera everywhere for 1 week, no cheating
When we say everywhere, we mean everywhere. Unless you’re in the shower or sleeping, don’t take your camera off you for an entire week.
How many times have you been witness to a beautiful moment or just plain beautiful light as you walk down the street, but you decided not to try and capture it because you ONLY had your smartphone with you (more on that later). For one week, or one month if you’re brave, don’t take that camera off you.
When the perfect light hits, the decisive moment arrives, or inspiration strikes, you’ll have your tools with you.
2. Take one photo of the same subject every day for a month
A favorite of mine because it’s turned into some really cool photo series that I’ve covered in the past, try photographing the same subject every day for as long as you see fit.
Go at least a week, and preferably not less than a month, and see how creative you can get when all the “standard” compositions and angles and times of day have been taken up. How do you capture a fresh take on the same subject the 30th time? We can’t wait to see what you come up with!
3. Switch camera systems
We photographers usually talk about G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) as a bad thing to be avoided. But when you’re in a slump, that little jolt of excitement that comes with a new camera, lens, or photo accessory can be huge.
Sell all your Canon gear and pick up a Sony for the first time. Or trade in that Pentax and give Fuji a shot. A brand new system to learn, new lens catalog to shop in, fancy new features to experiment with… if that doesn’t get your heart racing we don’t know what will!
4. Go smartphone/point-and-shoot only for a month, and share one photo per day
The benefits of limiting yourself can’t be overstated. So, for a month, shoot using only your smartphone or a cheap point-and-shoot camera.
But that’s not all.
Challenge yourself to capture something good enough to SHARE every day of that month. You’ll find yourself leaning much more heavily on composition, light, color, shape, texture, and the things that really matter in photography when you can’t rely on long-exposures and fancy filters and heavy post-processing tricks.
5. Imitate a different photographer every week for a year
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; well, I’m encouraging you to imitate your ass off for a year. Every week for a year, pick a different photographer you admire and try to copy their style and capture one keeper in that style.
By the end of the year you will have captured and shared 52 images in 52 signature styles and, just maybe, discovered a hybrid that you may call a style of your own.
Different styles of photography can and do inform one another, but rarely does a landscape photographer spend time trying to capture and process a great portrait. Rarely do you see an urban exploration lover try her hand at macro photography or abstract work. But do you think that doing so would teach you something about photography you’ll never learn if you keep taking the same shots you’ve always taken? You bet!
This one is my favorite, but also the one that requires the most effort… which probably also makes it the one you’ll pass over. I sincerely hope not, because it can make a huge difference.
There are, of course, many more ways you can get out of a photography slump or rekindle your love of this art of ours. The tried and tested technique is the 365 or 52 project. What I tried to offer above are some slightly different, unique takes on taking a photo every day or every week.
If you suggest another technique, or something else has worked wonders for you, don’t stay quiet! Share it in the comments below and let us all benefit from your experience.
As always, stay inspired and keep shooting!
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