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by nicolasd 4292 days ago
I am in the same situation, thanks for this question.

Printing them helps, but I've printed out all of my favourite photos (~15 photos, size: 100*70cm) and it doesn't get me more motivated when I see them. But printing helps if you struggle with self confidence in your photography. (seeing them in a large format makes a big difference)

I don't take that many photos anymore, maybe because I have a higher standard than at the beginning and only think "oh this photo will not turn out that good, I don't make it". On one side, this is good but you don't have practice anymore.

Maybe it's because you don't know what to shoot. I only take my camera with me when I am travelling, I don't discover my environment anymore, like I did before.

Solutions? - Make a challenge (something like 1 photo every month) with topic-based photos - Ask another photographer to go out and shoot with you / or join a photowalk in your area - Ask a girl if she wants to make a shooting. If you don't have the confidence anymore to make good photos, ask a girl you already shooted with.

2 comments

Very good points. If only my Lightroom could notice my fading interest and could say "Hey, pal. Grab your ass off the couch and go shoot a cityscape (you've enjoyed them). I'm challenging 5 other guys like you to make the same." and then show our photos each other.
There's a few "weekend/topic challenge" groups/hashtags on Instagram and, if I recall correctly, there's a few iOS apps which are similarly "here's a theme, take photos, submit them" based.
"The best camera is the one you have with you"

Solution - carry it everywhere, take millions of photos, never stop learning, never assume you know how a shot will turn out (maybe you catch that one in a million fluke showing a frog with a bird hanging out of its mouth as the lion leaps down from the tree, on fire, just as an elephant gives birth in the background.)