Keep Swinging
My motto was always to keep swinging, whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was to keep swinging. – Hank Aaron
I made a commitment to put more effort into improving my photography at the beginning this year. I decided the key to accomplishing such goal is to form a habit of shooting regularly. Therefore, starting in January, I went out to photograph at least once a week, if not more when my schedule permitted. After a few weeks of steadily committing to the set schedule, the habit was formed. I noticed once my habit was formed, the act of following through became second nature. There was never any hesitance of picking up the camera bag and heading out the door. I was motivated and was ready to go for every planned outing.
I don’t limit myself as to what genres of photography I look to do with each shoot. I keep my mind open and stay engaged with whatever draws my attention. There were times I came away with lots of images to work on, and just as easily I came home with nothing worthwhile. Despite the ups and downs, I always feel a strong sense of fulfillment with each outing.
During this past winter, I was on a particularly productive streak. I found myself producing work that were great departure from what I had accomplished before. The more I photographed, the more I felt confident about my skills. I credited such newfound confidence and consistent improvement in the work produced to my established routine.
Then suddenly my enthusiasm towards photography came to a halt during the summer. While I continued to produce on a regular basis, I didn’t feel there was a spark with any of my work. The magic seemed to disappear. I was able to make technically proficient images, but they no longer excited me. I lost the passion for the craft, and the work were lackluster as a result. During that period, I fell into the trap of attempting to revive my enthusiasm by trying out new camera gear. While the new camera system brought some fleeting moments of excitement, that turned out not to be the lasting solution I was hoping for.
From then on, my photography continued to go on a downward spiral. The less enthusiasm I have for my photography, the more hesitant I want to go out to shoot. There is this feeling of no matter what I do, I will fail to achieve the same level of excellence I accomplished during the winter. All this doubting of myself seemed to drag on with no end in sight. During the last couple of months, I have hardly touched my camera equipment. There were moments when I contemplated if my interest in photography had finally run its course.
But as in years past when I find myself falling into such a slump, instead of retreating further, I actively look for ways to bring myself out of it. One of my tried and proven methods is to sign up for some photography meet ups or classes. I need someone to hold me accountable. Once I make the commitment of having to show up and do the work, I no longer afford myself any excuse to stay in my cocoon of comfort.
The strategy works again this time around. I participated in a landscape photography workshop this past Sunday at a local nature reserve. Our small group was greeted with pleasant weather after a passing storm during the early morning. The foliage was in full glory, and because the nature reserve was inundated with rain brought on by the storm, ponds and rivers were full. Instead of not knowing how to get started, I surprised myself by how quickly I seemed to fall into the rhythm of creating again. The moment I made the first composition of a colorful reflection on a pond, the sense of joy was so overwhelming, how could I ever doubt myself for not wanting to create, one wonders?
If you ever find yourself being trapped in a creative slump, instead of dwelling on it, look for ways to force yourself to get moving again. Creativity is like a muscle, the more you do, the stronger it becomes. By forming a habit of creating since the beginning of the year, I have made a declaration to myself photography is a significant part of my life. By photographing regularly, my body and mind are always on the lookout for more opportunities to create. If we don’t wait for inspiration but keep on taking photographs even when we don’t feel the motivation, we bound get to through the lean time much faster. Once you show up, remind yourself to take photos not only to see the results, but to enjoy the process as well. Remind ourselves how when we were small children, we were absorbed with the joy of creating with no care in the world. It is easy for us, the photographers, to forget the journey we take is just as enriching as reaching the destination.
Keep swinging.
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