Sometimes you feel like you’re stuck. It happens to all of us, what steps should you take to get unstuck? That may depend on what it is you’re wanting to accomplish. Many times it can be simple as just doing something different. Maybe it’s reading a different book or changing up the daily routine. Routines are important it’s how we put ourselves in a comfortable place and helps us to feel at ease. Not many things that produce positive growth come easy so maybe the ease at which one goes through their day is the problem. Not that we need to make our days hard or stressful but maybe just a little more spontaneous.
Spontaneity has been a constant in most of my work. I like to explore many different options along with experiences to see how I respond. What is interesting many times is going to the same places I have visited before. That may sound like exactly what you shouldn’t do to change things up, but let me explain.
The rut many folks get caught in comes from doing or going to the same places but that isn’t the cause of the rut. It comes from doing the same thing. You can go to the same place, in this case I’m referring to “places” for photographic opportunities but just being in a familiar places doesn’t mean you have to do the same thing you done last time. There are always things you can do different. It might be looking at the landscape from a close up perspective rather than the big wide view or just the opposite of that.
I mentioned reading a different type of book than you normally are drawn to. It might be just reading a book period. I have been finding a few new websites and blogs recently that are not photography related and been making a point of doing some reading on different subjects. Some touch on the philosophy of life and learning some are biographical in nature some are instructional.
I came across a site that spoke on the subject of writing. I’ve said before I will be the first to admit my writing has many areas in which to improve. Sometimes I feel like I just ramble on and don’t get to any specific point for the reader. This seems to be boring not much use to readers. I seem to feel like I do the best when I try to put the reader in my shoes and share specific experiences, I think I write more from the heart when I do this, anyway I digress (see what I mean). I read a simple sentence that stated; “if you don’t have time to read you don’t have time to write”. I found that fascinating. I have never felt like I had time to read, I was always busy doing something that I felt was more productive.
The point that was being made became clear once I read this. Unless I am willing to expand my own experiences in this case through reading than I probably won’t have anything very interesting to write. It always amazes me how once we understand something how simple it always is. That may seem obvious but true nonetheless. When we don’t understand something it always seems hard and that’s why we don’t understand it. Maybe it’s just because we haven’t looked at it from a simple prospective.
We must all understand things in our own way. The goal is to find those simple explanations first that allows us to begin the process of understanding more.
I have begun to read some of the dozens of eBooks I have purchase over the last couple of years. Most if not all are about photography in some fashion. My plan is share some of my thoughts on these books here on the blog, a sort of book review. First things first, I must read them to start.
I would like to say Thank You to all who have made this blog a regular stop on the information superhighway. I have garnered many new visitors over the last couple of months and I am very appreciative of that. Hopefully you will make this one of your regular stops as well. I promise to try to not be too boring, (most of the time).
You will always find some of my newest work posted here and sometimes older work with newer thoughts. Thanks again for checking in.
© Brad Mangas
This image was made recently while exploring along a local creek. I had wanted to visit the area while there was still some ice present. Nothing particular was in mind when I got there but some time walking along the icy creek edges soon produced this image. The winters landscape is always a refreshing thing to examine slowly and up close. Just remember to have some good gloves!
Extraordinary photo, Brad. Beautiful composition and color.
Thank You Ken, it’s always fun to slowly walk along and find these simple natural looks.
I’ve never thought much about my writing skills. I think most of that negativity is due to my habit of comparing myself to others, self destructive. In some of the reading I’ve done on writing I hear we need to write for ourselves and not focus on our audience. This is also true in all areas of creating art: photography.
Strange as this may seem but I read your post and started commenting on your writing before I really looked at your image. Also, I do plan on making a few road trips this summer and one location I’m interested in is the prairies of eastern Kansas and Nebraska. If I do wander in that direction I may give you a shout and meet up. Need to see a face and shake your hand. Thanks!
Thank You Monte, I agree with writing for ourselves. My mind always seems to wander as I do that which leads me down that road of, what the heck am I trying to say here and does anyone else understand? I love writing about my own thoughts and experiences and like anything else I struggle to find a way to connect. I know I over think stuff like that so thanks for the sound advice. Hey if you make it this way it would be great to meat up, how very nice of you to consider that!