I’ve been thinking about a previous post discussing how taking a break is good for your photography. It’s still on my mind, even more so as we move into the winter months. I find it very challenging to feel motivated to take photos when it’s cold and dark. And this period lasts for months. We’ve all been there: where you were once excited about the prospect of photography, now seems more of a task and maybe even a hassle. More and more, we are less motivated to create. The weeks, if not months, have passed. The camera hasn’t moved. We convince ourselves that “the weather is terrible” or “it’s too cold” (these are excuses I use myself).

The loss of motivation in photography is genuine, and many factors can cause us to lose interest in our craft. It’s easy to get discouraged. When passion fuels your work, it can transform what is before you into a source of joy and satisfaction with better results and continued interest. Many feel joy from their photography: capturing that great photo, editing photos from recent travels, uploading a brand new gallery to our website to be shared, or experiencing recognition with likes and comments on social media. The sense of fulfillment from our creations can be varied and personal. Our enthusiasm enhances creativity and innovation, helps build stronger connections in our work, and fuels us to push further and improve our craft. We need that continued push as we must continue to create because we want to, not because we feel we have to.

The key lies in finding a balance. Personal projects free from constraints are essential to sustaining the passion for photography. No matter what and why you photograph, it’s necessary to recognize when the motivation decreases. Pivoting to other aspects of photography can assist in rejuvenating your drive. Read photography books, create your own book, redesign your website, read blogs, and watch tutorials or documentaries. You don’t have to make new photographs to stay involved. Many options still relate to photography that can give you renewed excitement.

There’s beauty in making art for ourselves as it stimulates creativity and enriches our lives. When it is for the pure enjoyment of exploring, capturing, and creating, it allows us to explore new passions without expectations or limitations. When our drive comes from our love of photography, we can experiment with new styles, techniques, and subjects and push boundaries without the cost of failure. This freedom can lead to discovery and authentic work that means much more to us and exposes us to aspects of our photography that we would have missed without the time towards it. It can reinvigorate our love for photography, reentering the craft with a renewed drive that can spark our creativity and passion.

When we feel the excitement is not what it used to be with what we photograph, it may be time to pivot and approach photography differently, with new opportunities or personal projects.