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i may quit photography.....
I'm getting tempted to just stop shooting. I sort of already have, accidentally. I haven't shot for weeks. And I haven't missed it. Nothing excites me anymore. No models thrill me. No ideas entice me. I'm just bored to the point that I want to projectile vomit for emphasis. It's part of a greater issue, I suppose. Life itself is boring as hell to me. I've done everything I ever wanted to do. Attained every dream and aspiration. Wrote and published a novel. Wrote and directed a movie. Moved to California. Learned to pilot hang gliders. Learned to ride motorcycles. Had art gallery showings of photography. Photography was the one thing that still held my interest. And now that's fading too. Emotional apathy towards every facet of life can't be healthy. (shrug) Then again, although I am admittedly concerned, I'm too apathetic to worry about it too much. (chuckle) Jan 27 06 08:32 pm Link Smack! Slap! Kick! Whack! Go to your room and stop this nonsense!!!!! and don't come out until you're ready to shoot! Jan 27 06 08:35 pm Link Oooo Erics in trouble...........O_o Eric, if you need a boost, come visit us in Seattle and shoot some underground fetish shows Edit, what do you shoot anyways? ::peeks at his portfolio:: Jan 27 06 08:36 pm Link I'll come out to shoot with you....... Jan 27 06 08:36 pm Link I've heard a LONG long time ago, that Photographers have the highest Burnout rate of Any Profession.... and the Number that I know who have dropped out would seem to support this. Jan 27 06 08:37 pm Link "Emotional apathy towards every facet of life can't be healthy." Been there. Sorta am still there. I can at least attribute it to winter in the Northeast. At least that's what I'm telling myself. Jan 27 06 08:37 pm Link I feel that way about glamour. I'm just tired of shooting women that way. It's become incredibly boring and predictable, too many people are doing it (tacky, I might add) and new black models are always told it's the way for them to "get ahead" in modeling. I can't be a party to that hypocrisy anymore. Back to my fashion roots. Now if you'll excuse me, i'm about to go have pizza with Model Sarah and her hubby. Jan 27 06 08:38 pm Link You're just feeling unchallenged... so here.. Let's see ya use a Hair curler, Bowling pin, male model, and Bag of potato chips as props and a female model as the subject. No pro lighting and no photoshop tricks other than adjustments. Love your work btw. Jeff Jan 27 06 08:40 pm Link You need a muse... Jan 27 06 08:41 pm Link Eric Muss-Barnes wrote: yoga baby - yoga Jan 27 06 08:42 pm Link Eric...sounds like you're just in a slump right now. Part of the normal ebb and flow, ya know? Could be that you just need a break. At any rate, I hope that your apathy subsides soon. When was the last time you took a real vacation? Best wishes to you. Steve Jan 27 06 08:45 pm Link What you need to do is pose a situation or question that would challange your abilitites. Don't do what you have done before. Do something that will push you abilities, challange your thinking and explore new catagories. Jan 27 06 08:45 pm Link Noooo! Don't do it! Jan 27 06 08:48 pm Link House of Indulgence wrote: I agree. Also still love that shot of angela. Jan 27 06 08:48 pm Link Eric Muss-Barnes wrote: Dibs on your stuff! Jan 27 06 08:49 pm Link Is most of what you do paid work for clients and models? Jan 27 06 08:50 pm Link sometimes walking away is the best thing to do... been there, done it, came back renewed Jan 27 06 08:57 pm Link My opinion - you lack three things: Vegas, booze and strippers. ;] Oh hush ladies, I'm just kidding. *secretly winks and nods "yes"* Jan 27 06 08:58 pm Link Eric Muss-Barnes wrote: It's part of bigger problem, Eric. It goes to what started happening when I was your age, I'll classify it as the age of "instant new thrill gratification." People born after 1970 are more prone to not accept the "long haul" of life. Change is both expected and accepted and long-term focus doesn't play as vital of a role. There too much diversion with far easier access to new thrills, new experiences. Jan 27 06 09:02 pm Link Eric Muss-Barnes wrote: How serious a reply would you like? If you believe you're leaning towards any degree of depression, seek out some help you would trust. Jan 27 06 09:05 pm Link Last time that happened to me I quit for two years. The time before I quit for five years. Shit happens. Bye. -Don Jan 27 06 09:08 pm Link Boo-hoo Eric Try taking up a sport......you need a natural adrenaline rush. Your lethargic thinking will be nixed Jan 27 06 09:14 pm Link Fear not Eric you shall find your muse and that burning passion to shoot will come back again in full force and drive you mad, mad I say!  Jan 27 06 09:17 pm Link Boy, can I relate. First it was Filmmaking, then Accounting (LOL), followed by Drawing and Painting, Cartooning, Graphic Design, back to Drawing and Cartooning, now Photography. Unfortunately I'm starting to see signs of photography going the way of the wind to possibly start Cartooning, again. I'm not sure if that's being Apathetic or just plain Pathetic. I just don't know what the hell I want to do. I think I'm in Limbo. Sometimes I just think I'm breathing only cause I have to. No advice, sorry, I just wanted to jump on the Apathy Bandwagon, too. Signed, Listless Jan 27 06 09:34 pm Link Crazy Mandie wrote: Gotta love the Crazy! Jan 27 06 09:37 pm Link Eric Muss-Barnes wrote: Wait?! Your a photographer? I thought you were an extension of Tyler's humor. Jan 27 06 09:43 pm Link Eric Muss-Barnes wrote: Hummm let`s not have another Hunter Thompson.....snap outta it! Jan 27 06 09:47 pm Link Eric, I can totally relate!! I feel the same way! Been feeling this for more than a year. I actually haven't taken a single model pic since October! But for a couple of weeks ago I got an idea and felt very inspired, contacted two models and got the props. But then the weather changed and we couldn't complete the idea. So now I'm back again with no inspiration. It feels like every frame has already been shot by somebody else so there's no point of me repeating... but I will not end my photography yet, I still have one goal: To take some beautiful pictures that I can frame and hang on my walls at home. It doesn't even matter if someone out there has done the theme already, at least I can say it's my photos and print as many copies as I'd like to! Anyways, just wanted to give you an invite to Sweden and hope you will find your inspiration again. I sure get inspired when I travel to other countries... (would be more often if I had money) So Eric, I dare you to come to Sweden!!  Jan 27 06 09:53 pm Link Hm, ignoring the snappy two-liners meant to draw attention to the portfolio more than anything else... * I'm not a psychologist of any sort, but I do like to be aware of why I think and feel everything that I do, as anyone else does - my only credentials in replying here... Firstly - when you consider this lack of motivation and its reasons, do you sort of hit a wall (perhaps on the inside of your stomach or chest), where your reasoning is blocked? I've had that happen, learned to identify it, and it usually means there's something I'm not admitting to myself; often something not "good" about me, how I think, how I'm lazy, and so on. But once I delve into that, finding out the bottom line of what's stopping me becomes much closer. And often it really does come down to something. Secondly - what drives you? Maybe nothing now, but... what has it been before? Some of my friends say their goal in life is to help people... to make lives better... to spread God's word... to *have fun and not take anything seriously*... those aren't mine. Me - watch my tag-frequency diminish, here - I seek to challenge my ideas, and if they prove worthy, impart 'em on others, and get some damn praise for it. Selfish - oh yeah! All about feeling... intelligent, honest, and maybe respected. Not the easiest thing to admit at first, but - it's not a bad thing. The ideas of which I want to convince people are, in my opinion, decent ones; mainly about getting people to think for themselves, to not accept what's given without questioning it first. And I just want to get a little acknowledgement for my partisanship in this mentality ;-) Similarily, then - why did you do all these things you did? What was your driving goal? "Making movies" isn't a goal in itself; what is it that making movies did *for you*? I suspect that if you answer this... even if it's less flattering and altruistic than "helping others"... you'll find why photography doesn't cut it for you anymore. And what might cut it now. Also, don't feel... guilty that you've lost your inspiration. In high school, I wrote poetry all the time, then actually got *too depressed* - where an interesting permutation of words would come to mind and I'd rush to write them down, that stopped happening, and I felt bad about it. Yet you can't push these things, as someone so curtly put it above... I'm now writing *better* poetry, partly because I'm in a workshop class that requires me to submit a poem a week or fail :-P Perhaps a change of structure will do it for you? If not, inspiration is something that can only really come naturally. Although I do understand none of this is so simple when it comes to earning money to survive. * So those are my thoughts... any and all of you clever space-wasters can make fun of me or the guy who started the topic - but that just ain't relevant :-P To summarize - honesty with self, no guilt, selfishness, motivation... and - are you by any chance lacking *love*? Sonntag Jan 27 06 10:04 pm Link How about an enema? Jan 27 06 10:04 pm Link Eric, obviously there are people here that haven't even met you, but care when you say those things. It's really sad to see someone head down that path of inward self-destruction. Most of what you said that you've taken up and achieved and eventually got bored with, though, were all about you and finding something to excite you. How about doing something for someone else. Go to a third world country and photograph someone/something for a "cause." Or just go to volunteer in a way outside of photography. I went to India this past May-Aug. and it was mind-blowing and gave a new lease on life. If that fails, find God. Or even if travel doesn't fail... Jan 27 06 10:32 pm Link Erriiicccc - What's up my man? I read you well and must admit that I too have had 'moments' of similar thinking - but they have always ever been 'moments'. Cure? As someone has already mentioned - a Muse! The 'right' one will fast get you remotivted! It has always worked for me - and I have now been happily shooting for some 38 years (Yes!). I must also admit that I would have gone nuts years ago if all I ever did was photograph women. Luckily, I have other interests and find great comfort and satisfaction in photographing them. Guess I never lost the 'passion' and nothing much happens - ever - unless you have 'passion'... Now let's see you pick up that camera again... ~ Philip Jan 27 06 10:50 pm Link BURNOUT!!!! Ohhh I totally know what you are talking about. I fell into Modeling by accident, it was the LAST thing on Earth I ever thought I'd do.....but it was one of the best things that ever happened to me and I realized it. Only 3 months into Modeling it snowballed to where I was Modeling full time, for 2 years. Ohhh it was a dizzying ride....Then.....stuff happened and when I moved out West it was nearly impossible to find serious people to shoot with. Two years ago I was so fed up and frustrated I did consider quitting. I DID quit earlier this year for 6 months sold most of my wardrobe on Ebay, got all that money back I'd spent for it, and hibernated at home and concentrated solely on Art and Writing. Then, I received word that some of my Fine Art photos I shot years ago in my hometown, were being exhibited in a Gallery in my Hometown. That was like the icing on the cupcake to me...and It got me going again. Its hard to find inspiration if what you used to have inside is empty or just not there, but you have to keep looking. It also helps to have an artistic partner to help fuel each others artistic fires. Time to eject yourself out of this stuck feeling. Get on your Motorcycle and drive off to somewhere new with no plans whatsoever, stop for an ice cream sundae at Midnight, act like James Bond at the Bar in Chateau Marmont, spend the whole weekend having sex, learn a foreign language, eat homemade cherry pie at Calico Ghost Town in the Mojave Desert! Maybe you are having a mid life crisis? Like that other poster mentioned, in this day and age, we have more opportunities to do more things, so no dream should be unattainable in one's lifetime. We get to do more, faster, easier than ever before, but we also burn out a lot faster too...I think. Regardless Eric, your work rocks and I wish you the best. Jan 27 06 10:57 pm Link Eric Muss-Barnes wrote: Jan 27 06 11:14 pm Link Anjel Britt wrote: Funny you say that... I just took up yoga! Where do you practice? Jan 27 06 11:18 pm Link I see this happen most with photographers who do a bulk of their photography for money(i.e doing things for hire and model portfolios, often meaning you have to do them in a style that is not your own because they want a certain specific look). I have seen photographers who are in their later years, bitter and cranky because of it and they feel stuck and burned out. Take a for hire break,or at least do less. shoot for yourself, find some models to do more of what YOU want to do. Get back into the fun of shooting for the love of photography. Jan 27 06 11:19 pm Link Eric Muss-Barnes wrote: You know..maybe it is time to take a step back from it..the itch will come back when you are ready to scratch it. You obviously are a person with alot of interests......explore a new one. Jan 27 06 11:21 pm Link Eric Muss-Barnes wrote: Try taking up something terribly boring, like crochet or crossword puzzles. Jan 27 06 11:23 pm Link Jeff Cohn::X-Pose.net:: wrote: I agree with Jeff, and 2nd his challenge. Jan 27 06 11:27 pm Link I don't think its as easy as saying you're not being challenged, or that you don't have a muse or yadda-yadda-yadda.. I know what its like. Its like the emotional equivalent of mind enema...one that washes out everything....and really its not that there's nothing THERE, its just there's no reason to pry for it. If you should stumble back upon your desire, which IS what it boils down to? right? A desire thats been lost...then I wish you the best. If not, then perhaps something else will cross your path which sparks your interest. But I do know that I'll miss your photos (should you quit entirely.) and I think I can safely say that others will as well. Jan 27 06 11:32 pm Link |
