Comments on: 10 ways to break photographer’s block

By: JenLler

JenLler — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:56:21 +0000

Thanks for the tips!!! I’ve been getting bored of taking pictures and its hurting me very bad. but i realize that is because ive been taking the same pictures over and over and over. I’ll try these tips and see if I still got it!!

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 03:21:45 +0000

Self Portraiture- I do agree!Photography really kills boredom especially when we make our self the model, discovering what angle we looks pretty cool.

By: Skips

Skips — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 22:07:16 +0000

You know that random word game? If you thought Bloviate was bad my random word was extramundane – Not of the physical world.

By: Royce Bair - free stock photos blog

Royce Bair - free stock photos blog — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:43:45 +0000

Some great ideas. I especially liked the one about recreating a photo I love. Good advice.

By: Mike Sartin

Mike Sartin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:54:52 +0000

The Worst and Most Expensive Way to Break the Block:

Buy new lenses.

It works, most of the time, but I’ve always found it to be expensive. I only mention it to prove that Tom’s advice (March 2,2009) to lock- yourself-out-of-your-car-miles-from-a-locksmith is not a bad option.

Nice article. Your writing is fun to read.

By: Juan C. Hamparzumian

Juan C. Hamparzumian — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:12:10 +0000

I use one, a bit like #6, I randomly chose a letter or a number (A,B or 1, 2) and go out and look for it (10 of them). In a tree, in a cloud, in a building, in a corner, anywhere! Try it, go look for 10 pictures that include the letter A.

By: Tony Traub (t1957 on flickr)

Tony Traub (t1957 on flickr) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:51:30 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25297105@N06/ –
I really like your ten tips, very well thought out. I’ll definitely keep them for future reference. I like your site and now have bookmarked it.

By: Virginia Smith

Virginia Smith — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:05:15 +0000

This is helpful. I found your site thru a strobist discussion and will add it to my bookmarks. The encouragement to do self portraits is such a great thing! My daughter is doing that for her 365 project and is really growing as a photographer. Here is her latest. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammysaur/3836493076/

By: Dom

Dom — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:28:00 +0000

I’ve recently started a “365″ project – taking at least one photo every day. The interesting thing about that is that you are always on the lookout for a new shot so you don’t keep using the same theme/subject/lighting e.t.c.

By: Scott Paterson

Scott Paterson — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 01:33:00 +0000

Awesome! And thanks!

By: Kerry

Kerry — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:14:43 +0000

Thanks for this. We enjoyed it so much we linked to it from my blog this week. I hope many get to read this these dog days of summer.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:52:29 +0000

I thought you were going to take this to one of the Best ways to break the block that I know of, Haje… with #11.
The title was right, anyway; “Help your fellow photographer”
From my teaching days, I know that helping someone else solve a problem or break Their block gets me right past my own block. Not so easy with writing, maybe, but with photography and software edits, cellphones, internet video chats, all Sorts of media connectivity, even if I can’t physically join someone, I can at Least encourage, cajole, challenge, playfully deride, punk, admire, improv, etc someone about Their pictures. That way I pretty much need to get off my butt to Have that conversation.
The Win-Win is that, in order to expect Them to get moving on something (even if it’s “wrong”), I have to be willing to do the same, and by declaring what I’m up to, I’ve activated an expectation that it Will happen. Sometimes that is All it Takes.
Hey, even if I and the other person agree to flip a coin on some random idea, even if that doesn’t work, sometimes by choosing Not to do one thing, another comes up to replace it that I Would want to do.

By: Regina

Regina — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:42:23 +0000

Hi Haje, I just found your blog yesterday when I was looking for an article about how to critisize photos and I put the link on my blog for easy reference. I hope this is ok. And today, I have read more articles here and you have put heaps of amazing articles here. I really enjoy them. Thanks for sharing the information.

-regina-

By: yasser

yasser — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:00:20 +0000

i got sent a link to your post on red bubble for selling images online . i like the feel of your blog , i have started one myself very recently , that i want to use to generate publicity for the work that i want to sell.
http://www.yasserbooley.wordpress.com , i look forward to hearing your comments ,
thanking you in advance

yasser

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:28:13 +0000

Drive to the middle of nowhere. Get out of your car, taking your camera and cellphone with you. Make sure your cell phone ‘hits’ service. Hold your breath and lock your keys in the car.

In the FOUR hours or so it takes for the locksmith to find you… shoot a billion pictures. watch the light change. llok for interesting lines. pee behind a bush. shoot a billion more pictures.

My ‘research’ into this tip cost me $100 bucks, but seriously, i learned there’s always a shot near you – just sloooooooow down. wait for it.

Also – take snacks.

By: Carrie Olson

Carrie Olson — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 06:06:14 +0000

going through other photographer’s work usually inspires me, but the one thing I think I get the most ideas from is music videos. may sound weird, especially since MTV never shows them. but if you have kids, I have a little boy named Jackson, than you can catch a few in the early morning on VH1 and MTV. most are shot in a way that tells you a story, but really quick. I find that most of the concepts would be great ideas for shoots. try it out, see what you think:) xoCarrie

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:14:58 +0000

Great tips! greatly needed at times. I hate when I get the block

By: Laurent

Laurent — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 00:46:14 +0000

eheh, inspiring article. Thank you.

By: Joel

Joel — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 07:33:42 +0000

Robert Frank shot 25,000 images and culled them down to 83 for The Americans-in photo school you learn the lesson-shoot, shoot,shoot. This philosophy has its limits in terms of modern day Photoshop stuff but is still essentially sound. Shoot.

By: Kristina Marshall

Kristina Marshall — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:04:17 +0000

Wow! Completely simple ideas but oh so very true! I’ve definitely been having photographers block lately even though i have all these ideas racing around my mind. time to get some of them out!!! :-) thanks for your advice!

By: Haje Jan Kamps

Haje Jan Kamps — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:05:30 +0000

CGW – you should totally post a link to that photo, I’d love to see it :)

By: cgw

cgw — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:33:36 +0000

Great tips.

I especially like the 100 step challenge. And oddly enough I do have a photo that would illustrate bloviate.

By: tagec

tagec — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:03:49 +0000

I like this “Perhaps if you don’t feel like taking photos, it means that you’re not ready to take any photos. Hey, it could happen. Dig out your library, see if there’s any of your photos you’ve missed.”

By: Tanya Plonka

Tanya Plonka — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:38:30 +0000

Take a single object, and do a photo study of it. You’d be surprised by what photos you can get of something like a fork or a tea cup!

By: danne

danne — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 02:59:44 +0000

very inspiring…thanks!!

By: Tucker

Tucker — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:37:34 +0000

Find an old picture of your city then try to go and take the exact same picture from the same spot. Really cool if your reference picture is a few decades old

By: Edwin

Edwin — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:19:48 +0000

Thanx! Great article, great tips :) I think I should take my camera with me more often…

By: Dave aka EditorDave

Dave aka EditorDave — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:10:27 +0000

Awesome ideas for breaking out of the duldrums. Although I’ve been more of an editor-writer over the past 30 years, I have been involved with photography (camera, darkroom, digital, and software) for most of those years as well. As a newspaper photographer, I frequently had to get shots that would attract attention to the front page. Ideas like those you’ve just presented are what I could have used then.
Best regards,
Dave Gardner aka EditorDave
http://www.squidoo.com/photo_darkroom