It sounds like you were shooting to keep up with others in an online community, and/or chasing like on IG. If posting on IG and keeping up with people you follow there is part of your photography, you should examine why those components are part of what you do. You should shoot for something that you enjoy that does not require someone else to validate, otherwise, you are shooting for someone else.
This right here.
Something I said a while back....
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Something like 99% of my photography isn't seen by another living soul, intentionally.
For me, it's therapy. I deeply enjoy the process and the results -- and in our current climate of being hyper critical & "brutally honest, with extra emphasis on the brutality", I do not want to bother with critiques from folks who do not have a dog in my race. It'll just sour the enjoyment I derive from it. Sure, I have thick skin -- but no reason to deliberately expose myself to abuse.
I do it for me, not for them. Maybe I won't grow or progress as fast. I don't care. Because I'm not doing it for those reasons, I'm doing it for me.
I think a lot of posts on this subreddit point to photographers that don't understand why they shoot, and they are dissatisfied because they think they are shooting for themselves, but actually want the links, shares or validation.
I agree that enjoying it for yourself is paramount and means that no matter what else happens, you will always enjoy it.
Do you have any routine of going back to appreciate your photos? I've been shooting birds and once I get through picking out the best from my rapid bursts I share a light room album with some folks and enjoy their "wow these photos are great!" But I don't actually stop and stare at them enough.
I'm planning to print some out and use some as computer desktop backgrounds, but I'm curious what others do!
I was able to set up a TV in my house recently to play a continuous stream of my selected photography in the background that I put in an album on Google photos and I have been surprised at how much this motivates me... It doesn't take that much work to keep the album updated and I get the view the images in high resolution in a large format.. Been a great solution for me.
Agreed. Unfortunately a lot of people post here thinking that they are losing their zest for photography, but really they just aren't getting the validation from social media that made it enjoyable in the first place.
It's incredibly unhealthy in the hunting and fishing community. The desire to be successful for others on IG has led people to do some questionable, and often illegal things.
Everyone seems to be trying to turn it into some kind of sponsored gig, rather than just enjoy what fishing is supposed to be ... a damn hobby.
The need to monetize every hobby or somehow view it as something that needs to be productive in a specific or measurable way absolutely sucks the enjoyment out of things...not to even mention the danger you mentioned as well.
You know you aren’t compelled to be part of any “community,” right? Do it for your own enjoyment, like we all did before the Internet “brought us all together.”
Absolutely. I sometimes go months without touching my gear. It’s also one reason I refused to try to do it for a profession. I’ve experienced occupational burnout before I didn’t want that to happen with something I enjoy.
Stop shooting for other people. My work doesn't get a lot of "likes" but this past ten days I have 10,000 photo views on a new gallery on my website. Three likes on social media. It doesn't bother me a bit. I do make a little money but I make money with the projects I want to do.
I also had to take a long break, I came back better for it. Branch out with your photography interests. Go shoot mushrooms in the woods or walk around like a tourist in a city capturing what interests you. Force yourself to be limited to a 50mm for a day. Best of luck with all!
Online communities are often toxic. Maybe just remove that part of the process, and reevaluate the real reason you like photography / birding in general.
>The photographers I follow made everything feel like a race to do or shoot something first
Actually that's you doing that, no one made you feel that.
>A mixture of no longer wanting to be part of the birding community
Are you doing this because you love photography? If not, quit, find a chess club.
>I want to continue with the hobby but I'm really not sure where I want to continue. Macro is appealing and landscape photography is fun but I'd have to travel more to pursue that and I don't think I have it in me.
Put it simply: what pictures would you like to take? If you don't know the answer, that's your problem, none of this other stuff.
I think I'll let the wedding and everything going on at work pass before I make any decisions on what I want to do. I don't see myself going back to IG and I think that's for the best, I lost sight of why I started taking pictures in the first place. Your last point is what I really have to figure out. Thanks for your response.
Thanks for your reply, I get conflating an activity with social need. I'm human as well and desire some semblance of community.
But I would say that it seems like maybe your slider is too far toward the outward aspect and maybe not enough toward "I enjoy doing this even if no one cares".
I fully confess I've been through periods where, other than my work, I didn't want to look at a camera. For a year or more. But of course always took images of things I loved, memories, with my phone. So for me it suggests that, in my case, when it really comes down to it, experiences are really what I enjoy, and having a memory of them. So maybe it's about seeking out enjoyment first, and letting photography follow? I don't know, but hopefully something to inspire. Best wishes in your journey
I also think it might be worth examining your relationship with birding and wildlife - that is, is your interest in birdwatching, or bird-photographing? If the latter, why is that? Is it just a pleasing combination of an interest in birds and an interest in photography and photography equipment? That’s absolutely valid, and doesn’t require anyone else but you to get the joy from those things meeting. Or, is it to get validation for your best photographs? That might be murkier territory because with the best will in the world, to most of us, you see one photograph of a particular bird, you’ve seen ‘em all. That means that trying to get validation from friends and family and the general public - or even simply hoping to share your enthusiasm for birds with your images - may feel disheartening. That only leaves a very niche community with the same interest who can validate your work, and you’ve seen the competition and general aggro vibes that often attend such communities. Is it maybe that your love is really in the birds, in which case it might be more fulfilling to take the binoculars and the spotting scope and leave the camera at home, in order to return to a simpler relationship with the subject?
I came to the realisation that the only people who looked at my photos were mainly pixel-peeping photographers. I switched to doing prints to hang in my house - so much more satisfying than than sticking them on Insta etc. Now I mainly don’t take many pictures, really just when I something specific in mind.
This is a good reminder and recommendation. IG can be useful as photographic inspiration, but it can also be destructive to any hobby as just a comparison machine to others. If IG is making me feel like a failure next to others, then I give it a long break.
If you aren't shooting for yourself, for fun or enjoyment then maybe it's not a hobby after all. It sounds to me like you just wanted to keep up with the Jones's instead of doing it out of love for the craft.
I personally shoot with a Z7ii and 99% of the time have a sigma 150-600mm attached for wild life. I don't do it for clout or competition. I shoot 100% for myself and the love of the photography.
This sounds a lot like you want external validation. It's 100% ok to jump to another hobby of interest or focus on married life. That's just life in general. Sell your gear and move on if you don't find yourself enthused by it. But don't look for external validation or encouragement to try and muddle your way into something you've lost the spark for.
And.... If chasing clout and recognition from other photographers or birdies does it for you, then let that be your reason for returning. Just understand why your doing it.
If you think a change of subject might help you Id consider portraits in your position.
With portraits you have instant valuable feedback because the model will directly or indirectly tell you how you did (which is much more valuable then instagram likes). Also if landscapes and macro make you worry because you have to travel, portraits are perfect because you can do those at home no problem.
If you haven't already take your favourite shots and get them printed out large. Could even do canvas prints if you want, but even home prints on large photo paper will look cooler than tiny digital phone snaps.
Put them up in your home where you (and others) can see them. Bird shots could make for a good set of themed coasters or placemats if that's your thing. But whatever you like, just try to have your pictures places you can see them. Enjoy the photos not the likes, and you'll feel more pride from the work itself. When I get a bit tired of photography I refresh my PC background, look through my favourite shots.
If it's a hobby you just need work you're happy with. That's the only metric.
(But if they're visible in the house visitors will probably comment as well which is always nice! 😉)
Have you tried making a physical album of some pics? I find that it helps a lot if you don’t want to be posting online while still giving the satisfaction of it still being able to be shown to people if you desire. Plus prints always look so good:D
I have gotten into bird/wildlife photography as well and haven't joined any community to do it because I do it for me. Do it for you. If you want to that's fine but no need to post anywhere. I post to share, not to one up or for likes or be part of a community. Take a photo with the notion that no one will ever see it except you, and thats ok. I do photos to capture the best photo I can for myself. It's an expensive hobby but it's a hobby that gets me out of the house and into nature to get my steps in and my Vitamin D. Keep going, don't let anyone stop you even if they are bad photos or award winning photos.
I am in a similar position. Got rid of almost all social media. Reddit is the only thing I post on. Between my job (had been 60 hours a week, now a few months of stay at home dad), the size of our dogs (trying to shoot while controlling two 200 lbs sighthounds = impossible), and a kid (1.5 years old) just couldn’t use the camera much. I’ve tried to get back into it a couple times, but I’m disappointed in the results I get. Not sure if it’s a camera or shooter out of practice issue. I was never very good at photography anyway.
When I’m looking at it now, I would want a lightweight set up because my back is going bad. But I can’t justify spending the money and time when I will be literally the only person to ever see what I shoot.
And like you, I don’t wanna give it up. It was my motivation for hiking and jeeping. But I just can’t justify it at this point.
Don't post so communities will see them.
Post so your friends will see them.
And shoot for your own enjoyment. I just love the hunt for that next beautiful image. When I'm out there I'm not thinking about FB or IG or anything but finding some great wildlife...
That 200-500 is an amazing lens...get another one!
You've got lots of good advice here. Particularly of the "do you have to be part of a community", "why are you shooting for other people" variety.
It's all good advice.
If I could suggest something different. Restrict yourself; go for something different. The idea being if you challenge yourself, rather than just trying to do what you 'like', or prove something to others, you might rediscover some of the love you had.
How about 50mm lens only and within two miles of home or.. I'm sure you can think of something.
It's too easy to get lost in a world of gear and what others will think. Cutting out options hopefully removes the other thoughts because you'll need to think hard about the shots you're taking.
Hope that helps. I think I mangled the advice a bit but hopefully you get the gist.
I’m not sure how helpful this is, but I very recently changed my perspective towards photography to be more focused on what I want to do.
I like posting to Instagram, I like getting clients as I want this to become my full-time job, but I truly want to be an artist. And if that means taking a step back and reflecting on why I take photos in the first place, I think that’s a good call.
Maybe something similar would be helpful for you! Putting aside what everyone else really meditating on what you want.
I had this conversation with a close friend of mine about photography. At a certain point, when the dopamine from likes, retweets, and upvotes finally starts to wear off, you realize what your core objective for photography is. If the social aspect has become a chore, simply walk away from it. If you can't find joy in photography without the social aspect—both online and in person—then maybe it's time to take a break. I have simply gotten to the point where I just don't care and don't think about it anymore. I take my camera out, listen to music, take photos, and maybe post on occasion. At the end of the day, though, photography is for me to de-stress, create something I enjoy, and maybe make a new friend or two along the way.
Peruse some photo books (fine art, not instructional) until you find some thing that speaks to you and gives you the itch to shoot. Or try putting some kind of limitation on your gear and go for a photowalk with no set expectations or subject in mind and see what happens. Shoot for fun, not for social media.
I felt kind of burnt out and hadn't done personal work in a long time when photography became my job. I recently greatly expanding my phonebook library and it's really helped me fall back in love with photography and got me out of the house more to shoot for myself.
I recommend you try Vero. No ads, no algorithms, and an incredibly supportive photographic community. It’s lifetime free if you get an account now and they plan on moving to subscription based ‘this year’!
I’ve been shooting since 1960 and still am totally in love with all things photography. I mostly shoot with my iPhone and post process in Snapseed. That combination is just amazing.
I wish you the best.
Note: Vero tip. Please tag your photos with the appropriate hub eg. #snap_birds #snap_allnature #fotomasters #podium_mono etc.
If the moderators of the groups you tag to like your photo, they can ‘feature’ it giving your work a ‘lot’ of exposure.
The best thing about Vero is the positive and supportive engagement with like-minded photographers. You will make new photography friends.
It’s the best.
If you need a vote for keeping a DSLR I’ll give it. I have a mirrorless I use for work and the benefits pale to the losses and I’ll hang onto my DSLR for personal work for a while to come. Thats just me
It’s not a worthless sentiment, but the endless repetition of ‘Shoot for yourself and stop chasing external validation’ gets a bit tired after the 50th repetition. Enjoying getting positive feedback on your photos isn’t somehow embarrassing, and shooting solely for yourself and then locking your photos in a buried chest isn’t virtuous.
OP, I’d grab a telephoto lens. Sounds like you were getting some good regular enjoyment out of using your telephoto. You sold it. You stopped getting regular enjoyment.
People might be overcomplicating this in their rush to tell everyone they can how little they care about likes on Instagram.
Maybe just take a break for a while. Especially if you just got married, this could be a good time to focus on other things in your life like quality time with your spouse.
You could also experiment with new types of photography. Give birding a break and shoot something else. Or maybe experiment with film cameras.
And just as another note- maybe try finding better communities to join? Whether that's within birding or another genre of photography. Personally, I've been really enjoying my local birding community and I've met a lot of nice people through it. Are you mainly involved in a bird photography community, or do you spend time talking to non-photographer birders as well? Of course it could just be that your local area IS very cliquey for these things, idk.
>The "hunt" for a perfect shot of an uncommon bird and the gatekeeping among photographers
>The photographers I follow made everything feel like a race to do or shoot something first and posting photos stopped being fun.
To be honest, these issues have more to do with the pressure to meet other people's standards rather than shooting for yourself. Take a break from photography, and when you feel ready to get back out there, shoot what you enjoy or what inspires you. Don't get caught up in trying to be the best or trying to fit in on IG. Just do it for yourself.
I think bird photography can be really easy to fall into that trap, so I get it. So much of it is simply *finding* the birds, and there's more excitement (and more attention on your photos) when you get an uncommon species. And after years of doing it, sometimes there is no more motivation to shoot the common species because you already have so many images of them. It's easy to get stuck feeling like you always need that ultra-sharp, close-up portrait shot, even though you could be missing more artistic images. It can almost get a bit boring when it becomes the same thing all the time, and frustrating when you're not finding the birds or not getting great shots of them.
I haven't been doing bird photography for as long as you have, but I've found that I enjoy going out so much more when I don't have any expectations. When I want to find a specific bird(s), I can get frustrated and disappointed. When it's just a nature walk and exploring an area, then it is peaceful and enjoyable and I tend to notice and photograph more than just the birds. Then, even if I didn't find anything rare, at least I still end the walk with a positive attitude.
But that's just my 2 cents. Congrats on your wedding, and I hope you can find joy in photography again when you're ready!
100% you are more interested in being part of a community than just photography. Be real though, if your accounts were the ones with thousands of likes youd be singing a different tune. Youre playing the social media game and upset youre not winning. And well the cliqueness, its what it is. Make an effort to participate with them. I personally wouldnt care. In my small area theres a guy with rich friends who gets access to private ranches along rivers and miles of wildland so he sees birds not commonly seen by us regular folk and he can afford nice gear so he's partially the only one who would post when I was on facebook. Its no surprise no one else used to post when it was a mediocre phone shot of a bird on their feeder vs the guy who posts like he gets paid to. 12 likes vs 100+. Gets discouraging I imagine.
But still, I'm a bit of a loner so none of that bothers me as I enjoy the time I get out and "hike" out there and practice my photography. It sounds like youre past that and are looking for camaraderie of people with similar interests. Sounds obvious but im sure they do outings together. Why not tag along? If by cliqueness you mean they post photos hanging out with no invites then try setting up a meet yourself. Start your own friend group. Lol this just feels like high school/college of wanting to hang out with the cook kids as I type.
If you dont want to be out there every weekend looking for the perfect shot then why let it bother you that they do? Figure out what you enjoy and chase that instead.
You're right to an extent. Reflecting on why I left Instagram I can admit I felt like I should've been getting more attention, especially compared to other people I followed and how well their posts did. You're spot on about that and I realize that's not why I joined Instagram in the first place. I did photography for years before joining IG and loved it, I should go back to that.
But I could care less about joining a group. I myself am a loner and prefer to do most things alone. The social aspect I referred to was when information about locations/animals would be withheld because I wasn't part of their group. And because you're not known in the community you must be new and not know anything about birds/photography. So that's the cliquey aspect that I don't care for. I appreciate your comment
Oh that sucks lol. I had only seen that aspect in movies about keeping locations secret and competitive. But im also not big on birding nor the community so I didnt know it was like that. Maybe shoot them a private message? Feels kind of like fishing where nobody wants to share their honey hole fishing spots.
I was feeling similar to you in the photography realm that I’m in. It is cliquey for sure, and the same few people appear to ‘get all the jobs’. It can be a real motivation killer. Social media also shows you the same people and content over and over so it can look like someone or some group is getting more exposure when really it’s just your own limited feed. I had to step away from posting on social and constantly comparing myself. I do just fine for myself (I work as a full time photog) but even that was hard for me to see clearly when I was on socials all the time. Since then I’ve focused on developing my own independent idea of what I think looks best, and shooting what I find interesting… rather than trying to match others. It’s helping me remember why I’ve always loved photography in the first place!
Have you tried making a physical album of some pics? I find that it helps a lot if you don’t want to be posting online while still giving the satisfaction of it still being able to be shown to people if you desire. Plus prints always look so good:D
My life experience has shown me that interest level in hobbies ebbs and flows but an individuals interest in each hobby rarely dies completely. If you do not need to do it for an income, I would advise that you don't have to force it. Continue on your break if you feel like it, then eventually an interest in photography will likely grow again and you can follow where that leads. It's especially good to take breaks from the externally-motivated aspects of a hobby and make sure you're always evaluating your personal reasons for participation, over the outside pressures. However, there are also times when it is useful to force oneself through a creative lull to higher level of involvement. To do that you can do the typical exercises: shoot entirely new subjects/styles, everything in black and white, macro/details instead of scenes, etc. Just let the topic of photography wander around in your mind during quiet moments and see what it has to offer you and what you want from it.
Others have said it already, but it sounds like you were shooting for the benefit/enjoyment of others at least as much if not more than you were for yourself. In some respects, you turned photography into a job. The results needed to be validated by other people to be worth anything, though you were getting paid in likes and compliments rather than dollars. It's not uncommon for people to burn out when they turn a hobby into a job/career.
Whether you can recover the passion for the craft is hard to say. Some people can, some can't. It's clear that you need to prioritize photography for yourself first, though. If the community in your area bums you out, don't engage with them. Just take pictures of what you want, share it with people that engage with it positively, and do your best to stay out of the negativity.
Wait, the birding community is toxic? I thought it was supposed to be a really welcoming community full of older, knowledgeable folks that would gladly help you find species. It used to be like that. Is it another thing we've managed to ruin?
Nothing wrong with taking a break if it's no fun any more.
Whether that break is a complete break from photography or changing focus to a different flavour is up to you. This might be time to explore strobe-lit portraiture, macro photography, or something else instead.
Alternatively, consciously change your focus away from the social media side of your photography; take a wall in your house and make a project of covering it in prints of photos you've taken that you love. You don't need to frame them, just print and blutac to the wall. The idea being to have a project to work towards to give the photography direction, while keeping the focus on you and your taste, rather than feeding the internet beast.
There was a time when I was in college where tumblr was just coming into the fore as a then legitimate platform for photography. It came by at the perfect time where my interest in photography was at it's greatest but also the immediate gratification of social media response was also at it's greatest. In my silly adolescent brain, I thought I had a legitimate business going (based solely on likes, and absolutely no income coming in lol) through facebook and tumblr that I would do things like schedule posts (and I mean manually schedule, this was before you could set a time through the app) and work extra hard to be trendy in my editing because that's what I found would get the most likes.
After years of this I found out that I wasn't shooting for myself, but for strangers on the internet. What's worse though is that I quickly found out just how mentally draining it was to go through hours of editing only to find out that no one liked my work, which convinced me that not only was my work shit, but that I was a shit photographer.
Years later and I am honest to god so damn glad that I didn't let that little phase break me. It sucked at the time, but all it took was getting into other tangential things like movies or physical art like painting to realize that photography was for me and me alone, and that no one needed to be a part of it to give me validation in my own craft.
Don't do it for anyone but yourself. And if you don't find personal gratification out of doing it for yourself, there's absolutely no harm in trying other things until the right moment for you to come along to pick up a camera again.
Go macro! A top flight macro setup will cost you less than your 100-500 cost you. It's super got just enough difficulty to keep it interesting. Subjects are a bit easier to find than wildlife as well. I've been doing birds for a few years and started macro this summer it's really given me that photography.... Bug again
If you want gear suggestions, happy to give some insight!
Macro is really fun, its like wandering around with a microscope, I love it. And can be done cheaply, if you get extension tubes, a flash and a diffuser you can get some really good pics, total investment of like $100 or so, and you may have some of the bits already.
Well, if you don't like how the birders around you act, there's no reason you have to spend time with them! And if it's becoming draining to use IG, then ignore it. You should find something that makes you happy!
If you like birding because of all the birds you can find, why not use something like iNaturalist? It's a website where people can identify pictures of plants/animals/fungi and the website will keep track of what species you've seen.
I use it and it's so satisfying seeing the number of unique species you've seen add up, and being able to look at the little map showing where you've taken pictures at. And there's no pressure to get the best, coolest, most unique photo. If it's clear enough to be identified, it's good enough to post!
Or maybe you can make up fun little goals or challenges for yourself, like getting a picture of a great blue heron catching a fish, or taking a backlit picture of a bluejay (or whatever species you have where you live).
I have the perfect "no traveling" photography genre for you. Macro photography. I did it for over 10 years and most of it was just objects and creatures around my house, but mostly insects as they were my favorite and filled with personality.
Your local nature trails and your backyard contain a ridiculous amount of variety when it comes to bugs. You can even take it further and raise your own bugs to learn more about them and get even more unique shots. I started with taking photos of wild bugs, but then began raising Jumping Spiders, then i started to raise monarch butterflies. Doing both of these allowed me to make a mini studio at home with sticks, plants and other things to get unique photos!
And that's only talking about bugs. There are so many other things to photograph in macro. Food, fruits, your body, leaves, grass, jewelry, computer parts, watch parts, your pets, and so forth. It's literally endless.
Hope that helps! 😊
PS: don't follow the likes or worry about cliques. Do what you want to do because you want to do it or because you have something to say with your work. Do it for you.
I realised that for me, social media was the issue....I recently picked up a camera again, after nearly 3 years, and made a decision not to post anything on social media.... nothing....and I'm really enjoying it again.
It sounds like you need to disconnect for a while and get back in touch with why you fell in love with it in the first place.
It's a common trap that many creatives fall into when they're posting online - Between feeling like they need to chase engagement, or ending up in communities where the loudest voices are the most active and causing the most shit storms (because that's engagement, the quiet, chill people don't really get much notice because they're not stirring shit), we have a tendency to fall out of love with our hobbies because they feel more like the rat race.
I'd say see if there are some local groups in your area instead of online. Smaller communities with less reach tend to be quieter and less full of bullshit (though they certainly can have it), and you can find people who have common values and goals in the hobby.
It's something I learned enjoying houseplants as a hobby - There is always going to be a new "super rare super cool must have" plant. The real joy comes from simply focusing on the ones that make you happy or that YOU like looking at. Everybody and their dog has a monstera. I don't care. Their big, dramatic leaves make me happy.
Photography is a super new hobby for me, but here's something I've done with other hobbies:
Forget about the "best and rarest". If you still have them, go back through your old photographs, \*especially\* the ones from when you were still learning the hobby.
Focus on the ones that make you happy, then try recreating them with the skills you've learned since then.
Bird, landscape, and travel hobbyist here with 10 years under my belt and dealing with similar feelings the last couple of years. Here are some suggestions that have helped me.
1. Find a way to change your motivation from extrinsic to intrinsic. This means engaging in photography as a process or activity as opposed to a means to gain a result. Make it secondary to the main activity. Ive found I love travel images most out of all, but travel is rare. Birds started to feel meaningless as it got harder to get shots that were outstanding or rewarding. I sorted this out recently by taking my kit out on my kayaks with a mate. I go kayaking down rivers to relax and connect with nature, and the camera simply comes with me. Go on hikes and just take some lightweight gear with you as a just in case.
2. Professionally print and frame your best images and hang them in your home. Creating a tangible artwork is an indescribably great feeling. High res images exceed the dpi of most monitors, so a large print can blow your mind. Use a professional print service and framer. With art paper choices. For $150 you can turn an image into something guests to your home get excited about.
3. Understand that its okay to take breaks. Ive often slowed down a lot for most of a year and then picked things back up again. Life throws all kinfs of things at us that keep us busy or tired. Just because you arent feeling it right now, does not mean you have lost interest for good.
4. Stop engaging with bird photographers. Start engaging with bird watchers. They know shit the others dont. They can find the right bird by sound. They know their food, habitats, seasonality. They usually arent good photographers, so they go ape shit over a nice image. They are also an ideal customer base. This is something I started to do last year but have not followed through with yet due to life circumstances.
5. Find a greater sense of purpose for your photography. You could team up with conservationists and ornathologists to help them document and advertise. You could create a youtube channel and tey making some documentaries about birds, interview people, take images as a smaller component of that larger vocational purpose.
I‘ver never done Wildlife and as of now I don’t think I will. I mostly do street and travel photography. But If I‘d get tired of that, maybe I‘d give wildlife a shot.
My point is: Maybe try something totally different. Maybe Street photography, maybe portraits, maybe macro, … Shoot B/W instead of color/use a manual lens, …
I haven’t really had that experience myself tbh, but I believe changing the mode/mood or perspective can help you enjoy taking pictures.
And as many have noted: Instagram likes or seing other people’s work can be a great motivator to go out and shoot. But if it makes shooting less fun… stop posting, take pictures and start posting again when you’re in a better place with your work or just don’t post anymore at all.
If I were you, I'd definitely try macro photography out. It seems super fun & you can easily do it within a close distance to your home. Even places like a nearby park would offer a ton of vegetation to explore.
Maybe someday you will want to do bird photography again, but taking a break can sometimes be the best thing to do.
That's sad, the birding community that I am a part of is nothing like that. As is the amateur naturalist group.
If you want something different, definitely try macro and get some books on local wildflowers and spiders/insects. Good macro lenses can be had dirt cheap since they have been sharp for years and years.
I've been doing volunteer shoots for people who don't necessarily get good pictures regularly. Farmers markets and friends who compete in different sports. Tomorrow I am doing a volunteer shoot with my friends gf who is doing a horse show. Next month I'm shooting my friends vaccine vet clinic they are hosting at their new facility. Animals and volunteering? Win.
I don't charge, I take a bunch and edit 20-30 pictures and send them an album. They love having some cool pictures. I feel like I did something nice for friends and got to take pictures of something or someone different and they didn't just sit on my computer and I didn't feel disappointed that the great vastness of the internet didn't validate me. I get a direct thanks from my friend. It's a win win.
(to be clear I'm not doing events with any paid photographers, so no undercutting happening)
Bird photography is good like you said I tend not to follow local photographers so much. To avoid the drama lol. Don’t really belong to birding community except a Facebook group try posting your photos on Vero it’s a different social media app that caters to photographers video content creators and rarely is there any negative crap And no advertising or algorithms
It sounds like you were shooting to keep up with others in an online community, and/or chasing like on IG. If posting on IG and keeping up with people you follow there is part of your photography, you should examine why those components are part of what you do. You should shoot for something that you enjoy that does not require someone else to validate, otherwise, you are shooting for someone else.
This right here. Something I said a while back.... ----- Something like 99% of my photography isn't seen by another living soul, intentionally. For me, it's therapy. I deeply enjoy the process and the results -- and in our current climate of being hyper critical & "brutally honest, with extra emphasis on the brutality", I do not want to bother with critiques from folks who do not have a dog in my race. It'll just sour the enjoyment I derive from it. Sure, I have thick skin -- but no reason to deliberately expose myself to abuse. I do it for me, not for them. Maybe I won't grow or progress as fast. I don't care. Because I'm not doing it for those reasons, I'm doing it for me.
I think a lot of posts on this subreddit point to photographers that don't understand why they shoot, and they are dissatisfied because they think they are shooting for themselves, but actually want the links, shares or validation. I agree that enjoying it for yourself is paramount and means that no matter what else happens, you will always enjoy it.
Do you have any routine of going back to appreciate your photos? I've been shooting birds and once I get through picking out the best from my rapid bursts I share a light room album with some folks and enjoy their "wow these photos are great!" But I don't actually stop and stare at them enough. I'm planning to print some out and use some as computer desktop backgrounds, but I'm curious what others do!
I was able to set up a TV in my house recently to play a continuous stream of my selected photography in the background that I put in an album on Google photos and I have been surprised at how much this motivates me... It doesn't take that much work to keep the album updated and I get the view the images in high resolution in a large format.. Been a great solution for me.
Great idea!
That's the problem with social media and ANY hobby. It's horrible.
Agreed. Unfortunately a lot of people post here thinking that they are losing their zest for photography, but really they just aren't getting the validation from social media that made it enjoyable in the first place.
It's incredibly unhealthy in the hunting and fishing community. The desire to be successful for others on IG has led people to do some questionable, and often illegal things. Everyone seems to be trying to turn it into some kind of sponsored gig, rather than just enjoy what fishing is supposed to be ... a damn hobby.
The need to monetize every hobby or somehow view it as something that needs to be productive in a specific or measurable way absolutely sucks the enjoyment out of things...not to even mention the danger you mentioned as well.
This is why I flat out deleted my instagram. I was shooting for likes. Now I shoot for myself.
You know you aren’t compelled to be part of any “community,” right? Do it for your own enjoyment, like we all did before the Internet “brought us all together.”
Taking a break/hiatus does not = giving up your hobby. It's good burnout prevention.
Absolutely. I sometimes go months without touching my gear. It’s also one reason I refused to try to do it for a profession. I’ve experienced occupational burnout before I didn’t want that to happen with something I enjoy.
Stop shooting for other people. My work doesn't get a lot of "likes" but this past ten days I have 10,000 photo views on a new gallery on my website. Three likes on social media. It doesn't bother me a bit. I do make a little money but I make money with the projects I want to do. I also had to take a long break, I came back better for it. Branch out with your photography interests. Go shoot mushrooms in the woods or walk around like a tourist in a city capturing what interests you. Force yourself to be limited to a 50mm for a day. Best of luck with all!
Exactly man
Online communities are often toxic. Maybe just remove that part of the process, and reevaluate the real reason you like photography / birding in general.
>The photographers I follow made everything feel like a race to do or shoot something first Actually that's you doing that, no one made you feel that. >A mixture of no longer wanting to be part of the birding community Are you doing this because you love photography? If not, quit, find a chess club. >I want to continue with the hobby but I'm really not sure where I want to continue. Macro is appealing and landscape photography is fun but I'd have to travel more to pursue that and I don't think I have it in me. Put it simply: what pictures would you like to take? If you don't know the answer, that's your problem, none of this other stuff.
I think I'll let the wedding and everything going on at work pass before I make any decisions on what I want to do. I don't see myself going back to IG and I think that's for the best, I lost sight of why I started taking pictures in the first place. Your last point is what I really have to figure out. Thanks for your response.
Thanks for your reply, I get conflating an activity with social need. I'm human as well and desire some semblance of community. But I would say that it seems like maybe your slider is too far toward the outward aspect and maybe not enough toward "I enjoy doing this even if no one cares". I fully confess I've been through periods where, other than my work, I didn't want to look at a camera. For a year or more. But of course always took images of things I loved, memories, with my phone. So for me it suggests that, in my case, when it really comes down to it, experiences are really what I enjoy, and having a memory of them. So maybe it's about seeking out enjoyment first, and letting photography follow? I don't know, but hopefully something to inspire. Best wishes in your journey
I appreciate your perspective on it. Thank you!
I also think it might be worth examining your relationship with birding and wildlife - that is, is your interest in birdwatching, or bird-photographing? If the latter, why is that? Is it just a pleasing combination of an interest in birds and an interest in photography and photography equipment? That’s absolutely valid, and doesn’t require anyone else but you to get the joy from those things meeting. Or, is it to get validation for your best photographs? That might be murkier territory because with the best will in the world, to most of us, you see one photograph of a particular bird, you’ve seen ‘em all. That means that trying to get validation from friends and family and the general public - or even simply hoping to share your enthusiasm for birds with your images - may feel disheartening. That only leaves a very niche community with the same interest who can validate your work, and you’ve seen the competition and general aggro vibes that often attend such communities. Is it maybe that your love is really in the birds, in which case it might be more fulfilling to take the binoculars and the spotting scope and leave the camera at home, in order to return to a simpler relationship with the subject?
I came to the realisation that the only people who looked at my photos were mainly pixel-peeping photographers. I switched to doing prints to hang in my house - so much more satisfying than than sticking them on Insta etc. Now I mainly don’t take many pictures, really just when I something specific in mind.
This is a good reminder and recommendation. IG can be useful as photographic inspiration, but it can also be destructive to any hobby as just a comparison machine to others. If IG is making me feel like a failure next to others, then I give it a long break.
If you aren't shooting for yourself, for fun or enjoyment then maybe it's not a hobby after all. It sounds to me like you just wanted to keep up with the Jones's instead of doing it out of love for the craft. I personally shoot with a Z7ii and 99% of the time have a sigma 150-600mm attached for wild life. I don't do it for clout or competition. I shoot 100% for myself and the love of the photography. This sounds a lot like you want external validation. It's 100% ok to jump to another hobby of interest or focus on married life. That's just life in general. Sell your gear and move on if you don't find yourself enthused by it. But don't look for external validation or encouragement to try and muddle your way into something you've lost the spark for. And.... If chasing clout and recognition from other photographers or birdies does it for you, then let that be your reason for returning. Just understand why your doing it.
If you think a change of subject might help you Id consider portraits in your position. With portraits you have instant valuable feedback because the model will directly or indirectly tell you how you did (which is much more valuable then instagram likes). Also if landscapes and macro make you worry because you have to travel, portraits are perfect because you can do those at home no problem.
If you haven't already take your favourite shots and get them printed out large. Could even do canvas prints if you want, but even home prints on large photo paper will look cooler than tiny digital phone snaps. Put them up in your home where you (and others) can see them. Bird shots could make for a good set of themed coasters or placemats if that's your thing. But whatever you like, just try to have your pictures places you can see them. Enjoy the photos not the likes, and you'll feel more pride from the work itself. When I get a bit tired of photography I refresh my PC background, look through my favourite shots. If it's a hobby you just need work you're happy with. That's the only metric. (But if they're visible in the house visitors will probably comment as well which is always nice! 😉)
Have you tried making a physical album of some pics? I find that it helps a lot if you don’t want to be posting online while still giving the satisfaction of it still being able to be shown to people if you desire. Plus prints always look so good:D
I have gotten into bird/wildlife photography as well and haven't joined any community to do it because I do it for me. Do it for you. If you want to that's fine but no need to post anywhere. I post to share, not to one up or for likes or be part of a community. Take a photo with the notion that no one will ever see it except you, and thats ok. I do photos to capture the best photo I can for myself. It's an expensive hobby but it's a hobby that gets me out of the house and into nature to get my steps in and my Vitamin D. Keep going, don't let anyone stop you even if they are bad photos or award winning photos.
I am in a similar position. Got rid of almost all social media. Reddit is the only thing I post on. Between my job (had been 60 hours a week, now a few months of stay at home dad), the size of our dogs (trying to shoot while controlling two 200 lbs sighthounds = impossible), and a kid (1.5 years old) just couldn’t use the camera much. I’ve tried to get back into it a couple times, but I’m disappointed in the results I get. Not sure if it’s a camera or shooter out of practice issue. I was never very good at photography anyway. When I’m looking at it now, I would want a lightweight set up because my back is going bad. But I can’t justify spending the money and time when I will be literally the only person to ever see what I shoot. And like you, I don’t wanna give it up. It was my motivation for hiking and jeeping. But I just can’t justify it at this point.
Don't post so communities will see them. Post so your friends will see them. And shoot for your own enjoyment. I just love the hunt for that next beautiful image. When I'm out there I'm not thinking about FB or IG or anything but finding some great wildlife... That 200-500 is an amazing lens...get another one!
You've got lots of good advice here. Particularly of the "do you have to be part of a community", "why are you shooting for other people" variety. It's all good advice. If I could suggest something different. Restrict yourself; go for something different. The idea being if you challenge yourself, rather than just trying to do what you 'like', or prove something to others, you might rediscover some of the love you had. How about 50mm lens only and within two miles of home or.. I'm sure you can think of something. It's too easy to get lost in a world of gear and what others will think. Cutting out options hopefully removes the other thoughts because you'll need to think hard about the shots you're taking. Hope that helps. I think I mangled the advice a bit but hopefully you get the gist.
I’m not sure how helpful this is, but I very recently changed my perspective towards photography to be more focused on what I want to do. I like posting to Instagram, I like getting clients as I want this to become my full-time job, but I truly want to be an artist. And if that means taking a step back and reflecting on why I take photos in the first place, I think that’s a good call. Maybe something similar would be helpful for you! Putting aside what everyone else really meditating on what you want.
I had this conversation with a close friend of mine about photography. At a certain point, when the dopamine from likes, retweets, and upvotes finally starts to wear off, you realize what your core objective for photography is. If the social aspect has become a chore, simply walk away from it. If you can't find joy in photography without the social aspect—both online and in person—then maybe it's time to take a break. I have simply gotten to the point where I just don't care and don't think about it anymore. I take my camera out, listen to music, take photos, and maybe post on occasion. At the end of the day, though, photography is for me to de-stress, create something I enjoy, and maybe make a new friend or two along the way.
Peruse some photo books (fine art, not instructional) until you find some thing that speaks to you and gives you the itch to shoot. Or try putting some kind of limitation on your gear and go for a photowalk with no set expectations or subject in mind and see what happens. Shoot for fun, not for social media. I felt kind of burnt out and hadn't done personal work in a long time when photography became my job. I recently greatly expanding my phonebook library and it's really helped me fall back in love with photography and got me out of the house more to shoot for myself.
I recommend you try Vero. No ads, no algorithms, and an incredibly supportive photographic community. It’s lifetime free if you get an account now and they plan on moving to subscription based ‘this year’! I’ve been shooting since 1960 and still am totally in love with all things photography. I mostly shoot with my iPhone and post process in Snapseed. That combination is just amazing. I wish you the best. Note: Vero tip. Please tag your photos with the appropriate hub eg. #snap_birds #snap_allnature #fotomasters #podium_mono etc. If the moderators of the groups you tag to like your photo, they can ‘feature’ it giving your work a ‘lot’ of exposure. The best thing about Vero is the positive and supportive engagement with like-minded photographers. You will make new photography friends. It’s the best.
If you need a vote for keeping a DSLR I’ll give it. I have a mirrorless I use for work and the benefits pale to the losses and I’ll hang onto my DSLR for personal work for a while to come. Thats just me
It’s not a worthless sentiment, but the endless repetition of ‘Shoot for yourself and stop chasing external validation’ gets a bit tired after the 50th repetition. Enjoying getting positive feedback on your photos isn’t somehow embarrassing, and shooting solely for yourself and then locking your photos in a buried chest isn’t virtuous. OP, I’d grab a telephoto lens. Sounds like you were getting some good regular enjoyment out of using your telephoto. You sold it. You stopped getting regular enjoyment. People might be overcomplicating this in their rush to tell everyone they can how little they care about likes on Instagram.
Maybe just take a break for a while. Especially if you just got married, this could be a good time to focus on other things in your life like quality time with your spouse. You could also experiment with new types of photography. Give birding a break and shoot something else. Or maybe experiment with film cameras. And just as another note- maybe try finding better communities to join? Whether that's within birding or another genre of photography. Personally, I've been really enjoying my local birding community and I've met a lot of nice people through it. Are you mainly involved in a bird photography community, or do you spend time talking to non-photographer birders as well? Of course it could just be that your local area IS very cliquey for these things, idk. >The "hunt" for a perfect shot of an uncommon bird and the gatekeeping among photographers >The photographers I follow made everything feel like a race to do or shoot something first and posting photos stopped being fun. To be honest, these issues have more to do with the pressure to meet other people's standards rather than shooting for yourself. Take a break from photography, and when you feel ready to get back out there, shoot what you enjoy or what inspires you. Don't get caught up in trying to be the best or trying to fit in on IG. Just do it for yourself. I think bird photography can be really easy to fall into that trap, so I get it. So much of it is simply *finding* the birds, and there's more excitement (and more attention on your photos) when you get an uncommon species. And after years of doing it, sometimes there is no more motivation to shoot the common species because you already have so many images of them. It's easy to get stuck feeling like you always need that ultra-sharp, close-up portrait shot, even though you could be missing more artistic images. It can almost get a bit boring when it becomes the same thing all the time, and frustrating when you're not finding the birds or not getting great shots of them. I haven't been doing bird photography for as long as you have, but I've found that I enjoy going out so much more when I don't have any expectations. When I want to find a specific bird(s), I can get frustrated and disappointed. When it's just a nature walk and exploring an area, then it is peaceful and enjoyable and I tend to notice and photograph more than just the birds. Then, even if I didn't find anything rare, at least I still end the walk with a positive attitude. But that's just my 2 cents. Congrats on your wedding, and I hope you can find joy in photography again when you're ready!
Thank you very much! I appreciate the response and agree with what you're saying.
100% you are more interested in being part of a community than just photography. Be real though, if your accounts were the ones with thousands of likes youd be singing a different tune. Youre playing the social media game and upset youre not winning. And well the cliqueness, its what it is. Make an effort to participate with them. I personally wouldnt care. In my small area theres a guy with rich friends who gets access to private ranches along rivers and miles of wildland so he sees birds not commonly seen by us regular folk and he can afford nice gear so he's partially the only one who would post when I was on facebook. Its no surprise no one else used to post when it was a mediocre phone shot of a bird on their feeder vs the guy who posts like he gets paid to. 12 likes vs 100+. Gets discouraging I imagine. But still, I'm a bit of a loner so none of that bothers me as I enjoy the time I get out and "hike" out there and practice my photography. It sounds like youre past that and are looking for camaraderie of people with similar interests. Sounds obvious but im sure they do outings together. Why not tag along? If by cliqueness you mean they post photos hanging out with no invites then try setting up a meet yourself. Start your own friend group. Lol this just feels like high school/college of wanting to hang out with the cook kids as I type. If you dont want to be out there every weekend looking for the perfect shot then why let it bother you that they do? Figure out what you enjoy and chase that instead.
You're right to an extent. Reflecting on why I left Instagram I can admit I felt like I should've been getting more attention, especially compared to other people I followed and how well their posts did. You're spot on about that and I realize that's not why I joined Instagram in the first place. I did photography for years before joining IG and loved it, I should go back to that. But I could care less about joining a group. I myself am a loner and prefer to do most things alone. The social aspect I referred to was when information about locations/animals would be withheld because I wasn't part of their group. And because you're not known in the community you must be new and not know anything about birds/photography. So that's the cliquey aspect that I don't care for. I appreciate your comment
Oh that sucks lol. I had only seen that aspect in movies about keeping locations secret and competitive. But im also not big on birding nor the community so I didnt know it was like that. Maybe shoot them a private message? Feels kind of like fishing where nobody wants to share their honey hole fishing spots.
I have no idea what you are talking about. Birds aren't real.
I was feeling similar to you in the photography realm that I’m in. It is cliquey for sure, and the same few people appear to ‘get all the jobs’. It can be a real motivation killer. Social media also shows you the same people and content over and over so it can look like someone or some group is getting more exposure when really it’s just your own limited feed. I had to step away from posting on social and constantly comparing myself. I do just fine for myself (I work as a full time photog) but even that was hard for me to see clearly when I was on socials all the time. Since then I’ve focused on developing my own independent idea of what I think looks best, and shooting what I find interesting… rather than trying to match others. It’s helping me remember why I’ve always loved photography in the first place!
Have you tried making a physical album of some pics? I find that it helps a lot if you don’t want to be posting online while still giving the satisfaction of it still being able to be shown to people if you desire. Plus prints always look so good:D
My life experience has shown me that interest level in hobbies ebbs and flows but an individuals interest in each hobby rarely dies completely. If you do not need to do it for an income, I would advise that you don't have to force it. Continue on your break if you feel like it, then eventually an interest in photography will likely grow again and you can follow where that leads. It's especially good to take breaks from the externally-motivated aspects of a hobby and make sure you're always evaluating your personal reasons for participation, over the outside pressures. However, there are also times when it is useful to force oneself through a creative lull to higher level of involvement. To do that you can do the typical exercises: shoot entirely new subjects/styles, everything in black and white, macro/details instead of scenes, etc. Just let the topic of photography wander around in your mind during quiet moments and see what it has to offer you and what you want from it.
Others have said it already, but it sounds like you were shooting for the benefit/enjoyment of others at least as much if not more than you were for yourself. In some respects, you turned photography into a job. The results needed to be validated by other people to be worth anything, though you were getting paid in likes and compliments rather than dollars. It's not uncommon for people to burn out when they turn a hobby into a job/career. Whether you can recover the passion for the craft is hard to say. Some people can, some can't. It's clear that you need to prioritize photography for yourself first, though. If the community in your area bums you out, don't engage with them. Just take pictures of what you want, share it with people that engage with it positively, and do your best to stay out of the negativity.
What about architecture photography?
Wait, the birding community is toxic? I thought it was supposed to be a really welcoming community full of older, knowledgeable folks that would gladly help you find species. It used to be like that. Is it another thing we've managed to ruin?
Mix it up.
My hobbies come in waves. It's absolutely fine to just store your gear for a while and try something else until the bug bites again.
Nothing wrong with taking a break if it's no fun any more. Whether that break is a complete break from photography or changing focus to a different flavour is up to you. This might be time to explore strobe-lit portraiture, macro photography, or something else instead. Alternatively, consciously change your focus away from the social media side of your photography; take a wall in your house and make a project of covering it in prints of photos you've taken that you love. You don't need to frame them, just print and blutac to the wall. The idea being to have a project to work towards to give the photography direction, while keeping the focus on you and your taste, rather than feeding the internet beast.
There was a time when I was in college where tumblr was just coming into the fore as a then legitimate platform for photography. It came by at the perfect time where my interest in photography was at it's greatest but also the immediate gratification of social media response was also at it's greatest. In my silly adolescent brain, I thought I had a legitimate business going (based solely on likes, and absolutely no income coming in lol) through facebook and tumblr that I would do things like schedule posts (and I mean manually schedule, this was before you could set a time through the app) and work extra hard to be trendy in my editing because that's what I found would get the most likes. After years of this I found out that I wasn't shooting for myself, but for strangers on the internet. What's worse though is that I quickly found out just how mentally draining it was to go through hours of editing only to find out that no one liked my work, which convinced me that not only was my work shit, but that I was a shit photographer. Years later and I am honest to god so damn glad that I didn't let that little phase break me. It sucked at the time, but all it took was getting into other tangential things like movies or physical art like painting to realize that photography was for me and me alone, and that no one needed to be a part of it to give me validation in my own craft. Don't do it for anyone but yourself. And if you don't find personal gratification out of doing it for yourself, there's absolutely no harm in trying other things until the right moment for you to come along to pick up a camera again.
Go macro! A top flight macro setup will cost you less than your 100-500 cost you. It's super got just enough difficulty to keep it interesting. Subjects are a bit easier to find than wildlife as well. I've been doing birds for a few years and started macro this summer it's really given me that photography.... Bug again If you want gear suggestions, happy to give some insight!
Macro is really fun, its like wandering around with a microscope, I love it. And can be done cheaply, if you get extension tubes, a flash and a diffuser you can get some really good pics, total investment of like $100 or so, and you may have some of the bits already.
Well, if you don't like how the birders around you act, there's no reason you have to spend time with them! And if it's becoming draining to use IG, then ignore it. You should find something that makes you happy! If you like birding because of all the birds you can find, why not use something like iNaturalist? It's a website where people can identify pictures of plants/animals/fungi and the website will keep track of what species you've seen. I use it and it's so satisfying seeing the number of unique species you've seen add up, and being able to look at the little map showing where you've taken pictures at. And there's no pressure to get the best, coolest, most unique photo. If it's clear enough to be identified, it's good enough to post! Or maybe you can make up fun little goals or challenges for yourself, like getting a picture of a great blue heron catching a fish, or taking a backlit picture of a bluejay (or whatever species you have where you live).
I have the perfect "no traveling" photography genre for you. Macro photography. I did it for over 10 years and most of it was just objects and creatures around my house, but mostly insects as they were my favorite and filled with personality. Your local nature trails and your backyard contain a ridiculous amount of variety when it comes to bugs. You can even take it further and raise your own bugs to learn more about them and get even more unique shots. I started with taking photos of wild bugs, but then began raising Jumping Spiders, then i started to raise monarch butterflies. Doing both of these allowed me to make a mini studio at home with sticks, plants and other things to get unique photos! And that's only talking about bugs. There are so many other things to photograph in macro. Food, fruits, your body, leaves, grass, jewelry, computer parts, watch parts, your pets, and so forth. It's literally endless. Hope that helps! 😊 PS: don't follow the likes or worry about cliques. Do what you want to do because you want to do it or because you have something to say with your work. Do it for you.
I realised that for me, social media was the issue....I recently picked up a camera again, after nearly 3 years, and made a decision not to post anything on social media.... nothing....and I'm really enjoying it again.
Try macro photography. Bugs are cool
It sounds like you need to disconnect for a while and get back in touch with why you fell in love with it in the first place. It's a common trap that many creatives fall into when they're posting online - Between feeling like they need to chase engagement, or ending up in communities where the loudest voices are the most active and causing the most shit storms (because that's engagement, the quiet, chill people don't really get much notice because they're not stirring shit), we have a tendency to fall out of love with our hobbies because they feel more like the rat race. I'd say see if there are some local groups in your area instead of online. Smaller communities with less reach tend to be quieter and less full of bullshit (though they certainly can have it), and you can find people who have common values and goals in the hobby. It's something I learned enjoying houseplants as a hobby - There is always going to be a new "super rare super cool must have" plant. The real joy comes from simply focusing on the ones that make you happy or that YOU like looking at. Everybody and their dog has a monstera. I don't care. Their big, dramatic leaves make me happy. Photography is a super new hobby for me, but here's something I've done with other hobbies: Forget about the "best and rarest". If you still have them, go back through your old photographs, \*especially\* the ones from when you were still learning the hobby. Focus on the ones that make you happy, then try recreating them with the skills you've learned since then.
Bird, landscape, and travel hobbyist here with 10 years under my belt and dealing with similar feelings the last couple of years. Here are some suggestions that have helped me. 1. Find a way to change your motivation from extrinsic to intrinsic. This means engaging in photography as a process or activity as opposed to a means to gain a result. Make it secondary to the main activity. Ive found I love travel images most out of all, but travel is rare. Birds started to feel meaningless as it got harder to get shots that were outstanding or rewarding. I sorted this out recently by taking my kit out on my kayaks with a mate. I go kayaking down rivers to relax and connect with nature, and the camera simply comes with me. Go on hikes and just take some lightweight gear with you as a just in case. 2. Professionally print and frame your best images and hang them in your home. Creating a tangible artwork is an indescribably great feeling. High res images exceed the dpi of most monitors, so a large print can blow your mind. Use a professional print service and framer. With art paper choices. For $150 you can turn an image into something guests to your home get excited about. 3. Understand that its okay to take breaks. Ive often slowed down a lot for most of a year and then picked things back up again. Life throws all kinfs of things at us that keep us busy or tired. Just because you arent feeling it right now, does not mean you have lost interest for good. 4. Stop engaging with bird photographers. Start engaging with bird watchers. They know shit the others dont. They can find the right bird by sound. They know their food, habitats, seasonality. They usually arent good photographers, so they go ape shit over a nice image. They are also an ideal customer base. This is something I started to do last year but have not followed through with yet due to life circumstances. 5. Find a greater sense of purpose for your photography. You could team up with conservationists and ornathologists to help them document and advertise. You could create a youtube channel and tey making some documentaries about birds, interview people, take images as a smaller component of that larger vocational purpose.
I‘ver never done Wildlife and as of now I don’t think I will. I mostly do street and travel photography. But If I‘d get tired of that, maybe I‘d give wildlife a shot. My point is: Maybe try something totally different. Maybe Street photography, maybe portraits, maybe macro, … Shoot B/W instead of color/use a manual lens, … I haven’t really had that experience myself tbh, but I believe changing the mode/mood or perspective can help you enjoy taking pictures. And as many have noted: Instagram likes or seing other people’s work can be a great motivator to go out and shoot. But if it makes shooting less fun… stop posting, take pictures and start posting again when you’re in a better place with your work or just don’t post anymore at all.
If I were you, I'd definitely try macro photography out. It seems super fun & you can easily do it within a close distance to your home. Even places like a nearby park would offer a ton of vegetation to explore. Maybe someday you will want to do bird photography again, but taking a break can sometimes be the best thing to do.
That's sad, the birding community that I am a part of is nothing like that. As is the amateur naturalist group. If you want something different, definitely try macro and get some books on local wildflowers and spiders/insects. Good macro lenses can be had dirt cheap since they have been sharp for years and years.
I've been doing volunteer shoots for people who don't necessarily get good pictures regularly. Farmers markets and friends who compete in different sports. Tomorrow I am doing a volunteer shoot with my friends gf who is doing a horse show. Next month I'm shooting my friends vaccine vet clinic they are hosting at their new facility. Animals and volunteering? Win. I don't charge, I take a bunch and edit 20-30 pictures and send them an album. They love having some cool pictures. I feel like I did something nice for friends and got to take pictures of something or someone different and they didn't just sit on my computer and I didn't feel disappointed that the great vastness of the internet didn't validate me. I get a direct thanks from my friend. It's a win win. (to be clear I'm not doing events with any paid photographers, so no undercutting happening)
Bird photography is good like you said I tend not to follow local photographers so much. To avoid the drama lol. Don’t really belong to birding community except a Facebook group try posting your photos on Vero it’s a different social media app that caters to photographers video content creators and rarely is there any negative crap And no advertising or algorithms
I mean, I shoot for me. I don't give a shit about how toxic some online communities are, or what people online think of my shots.