“Creative Rut” is often overlooked and even many Photographers won’t realize that they are in someway, at some point caught in this trap. Firstly, let’s take a look at what is ‘creative rut’ and then what’s the fuss is all about.
Every artist including Photographers will suffer from this at some point in their career. Have you ever felt that your brain has stopped manufacturing unique and creative ideas ? Are you struggling to find inspiration or bored from being so monotonous ?
If your answers are ‘yes’ to the above questions then you are in a creative rut. I know its quite easy to set this feeling aside thinking that it would be fine over time but be aware being in a creative rut can lead to question your sense of purpose or even deviate your path permanently. It’s important for you to address them as much as every other aspect in your business or artistic journey.
Try out New Genres
So you are an expert in Portraits? There are chances that you may be in a creative rut due to shooting the same genre for a long period of time. Trying out new genres of photography will allow you to explore new areas that you haven’t ventured out and will give you a new perspective. Try out landscape, street, macro, night sky, architecture, wild life photography anything that comes to your mind other than portraits. This will certainly refresh your mind and should enlighten the creative side of your brain.
Travel to new place
It might sound odd but the place you live in, your routine might also be the reason for you to get stuck in creative rut. Your routine and experiences limit your thought process and confine them within boundaries. Travel to a new place, get some fresh air. If possible, travel to a different city you never been to. According to studies, new experiences will help in developing new neural connections. These neural connections in your brain can help you to get fresh ideas and inspire you to create masterpieces in your work.
Unplug
There is no doubt photographers these days have to rely heavily on digital devices and social media. However, did you know that this might be one of the reasons behind your creative rut. Digital devices and social media often disrupts your thoughts and create distraction if not used properly.
Moreover digital media push people into the trap of multi tasking and loose focus of their task and without focus the task you intend to do, hit the rock bottom. Next time you hear that notification pop out in middle of your brainstorming session – shut it off.
Take a break
You will be prone to experience creative rut when you are tired and beaten up with no meaningful breaks in your journey as a photographer. Many photographers love to hustle and in the quest to do more photo shoots they eventually burn out and get caught in vicious monotonous circle. Periodical and meaningful breaks are very much necessary for every photographer irrespective of the genre they specialize.
Life outside photography
One way to improve your creativity in photography is moving out of Photography – for a while. It might sound odd but you might want to put your camera aside to break out of creative rut. Do or learn things other than Photography. It is been proven when you expand your knowledge in diverse things it will help your brain in making better interconnections which ultimately will boost up your creative thoughts.
Keep an Idea journal
Ideas strike can strike out at any moment and you have to be ready to pen it down. Most of us would have lost plenty of ideas and missed out glimpse of inspirations just because we failed to jot them somewhere we can look back. . Practice the habit of carrying a journal with you to pen down the inspirations you may get. You will be surprised to see the amount of creative ideas popped in your mind.
The above methods have certainly helped many photographers in regaining their creative engines running and am quite it will help you. You can find other resources related to Photography in our website here.
Do comment your favorite method of getting past that creative block in the comment box below.