I have seen a number of would be Photographers come and go over the years. All enter with a passion for making beautiful images and some are able to maintain that passion for life while others have their enthusiasm fade after a few years. This is not to be unexpected in any hobby or profession. The number one thing I hear though is that lack of inspiration is to blame.

If you specialize in animal photography how do you find new animals to photograph when you have explored all your local parks and zoo's? If you love to shoot architecture you city only has so many buildings and we can't all travel at will how do you continue on? What should I shoot today, I can't think of anything. It is a kind of mental road block that I think all photographers struggle with at some time or multiple times even.

Affectionate Time

I was asked what keeps me shooting. How am I able to go out and shoot over and over again. I have given this some thought and I came up with a list of about 5 key things that I credit with helping me stay on the path of photography and may help others as well if that is their goal.

Japanese Doll

1) Diversity of interests - I think being interested in a great many things helps keep photography interesting. It is difficult to run out of things to shoot when you like to photograph people, animals, plants, toys, trees, buildings... The list goes on and on of possible things to shoot. The world has many forms of beauty.

2) Sharing with other Photographers - Belonging to a community of fellow photographers is a fantastic way to learn new things and pick up inspiration by viewing others works.

3) Feedback - Getting constructive or positive feedback can give us great drive. Showing your work to your subjects, friends, family members can be a great motivator.

4) Taking the next step - Entering photo's into exhibitions at the local fair, art galleries, coffee shops, contests etc can both be soul destroying when your photo's are not selected (and often times even for Pro's they are not always excepted) and invigorating if they are selected. Having a photo on display at a gallery is a huge inspiration to top yourself.

5) Buying something pretty - Buying a new lens or camera gear can be an aphrodisiac for the tech junkie photographer as well as being a new tool to capture images in a different way. Hey nobody said photography was a cheap hobby right?

Kingyo-sukui (Goldfish Scoop)

Stay tuned for the next issue due out 7-1-2012

Got a topic you would like to discuss let me know.