Stuck in a rut? 10 minutes, 25 shots and one well-worn subject is all you need to revitalize your photos
posted Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 6:59 AM EDT
Do you feel like you've gotten stuck in a rut with your photography? If you're constrained by time and budget, it can feel like you're spending all of your time rehashing the same old subjects, and that can sound the death knell for great photos. And if you lose that special spark of creativity, it will show in your creations. Thankfully, there's a quick and simple way to reinvigorate your photography and get those creative juices flowing again. Ten minutes with your camera and a familiar subject could be all you need to help put yourself back in your sweet spot!
In the latest installment of AdoramaTV's Two Minute Tips with David Bergman, the pro sports and music photographer (and since last year, Canon Explorer of Light to boot) shares the advice he relies on when he starts to feel that he's getting jaded shooting those same old subjects -- and it's one he picked up all the way back in his student days at the University of Miami. And yes, it's going to push you outside of your comfort zone a little, but that's kind of the point.
As you'll see in the video above, Bergman's advice really couldn't be much more straightforward. Simply choose a subject, and then take ten minutes or so to shoot it from all different angles. The catch? You're not allowed to change your lens, and if it's a zoom, you can't tweak the focal length either. You've got to force yourself to look at your subject in a new light, shooting a couple of dozen images from every imaginable angle -- and you can't snap the same shot twice.
Will every one of those 25 shots be a work of art? Probably not, but in forcing yourself to think outside of the box, you're bound to come up with some great compositions you'd never considered before. And in the process, you'll come to realize that there's plenty of life left in those old, familiar subjects. They're not worn out yet, they're just well loved, and once your creative juices are flowing once more you'll be able to figure out how to capture some of their magic. There's life in those old subjects yet, and you're the one who can bring it to the surface!
Want more tips from David Bergman? Check out some of the other videos in the Two Minute Tips series, and when you're done, be sure to check out his website and Instagram feed for some more inspiration.
(via ISO 1200)