What do you do when you've run out of ideas?

[andrewmoodie]

I've run out of ideas.

I've got a nice new camera (and mountains of film) and I've taken it out with me a few times lately but I can't think of anything to go after.

What's a good way to break out of this? All suggestions welcome.

Andrew

[Andy K]

I had this problem back in the early summer, so I decided to do something I hadn't done before and had a go at macro and still life.

[Nicole]

Andrew go for a walk through town/city, go for a drive in the countryside, go travelling, look through boxes of old memories for inspiration,...
Good luck!

[Andy K]

Ps. I aso looked at images I liked and researched who made them, ie photographs, paintings etc. I became very interested in the work of Alexander Rodchenko in the Soviet Union of the thirties. It made me want to make images like his and got me back out on the streets.

[Dan Henderson]

Don't go looking for pictures. Go out with an open and clear mind, and let the images come to you.

[modafoto]

I like to go out and open my eyes more than normal and try to spot good photos in everyday things and the town around me.
Sometimes I limit myself to one body with one lens (mostly a 50 mm prime).

Something I haven't done in a while is doing candid shots in the park or the town with my 70-300 telezoom. Great photos can be done this way.

Otherwise I have tried to force myself to explore a certain subject and therefore have to focus (in more than one way ) on something I normally wouldn't.

Morten

[SuzanneR]

Wake up in the morning, and start shooting your morning routine!

[gnashings]

Holga. (no, seriously - it works wonders!)

[richo]

Maybe it is not about searching what to photograph, but more about what interests you, what make you thinking what are your wishes, needs. And than when you know those try to express your views and feelings with your photos.

So I wouldn't suggest you to go out and walk with camera, more I would suggest you to think on topics which has nothing to do with photography and think about them without connecting them to photography. When you make up your mind clear about something (which annoys you or which please you) and you know your point of view than take camera and express it.

[modafoto]

Holga. (no, seriously - it works wonders!)

I agree. The total lack of technical consideration can give you lots of energy to concentrate on composition. And the Holga is a very different way of seeing the world.