Because of my job, I often get creative burnout. Testing many cameras and lenses in a way that most people could understand limits me from always reaching my fullest creative potential. Even now, while I’m working on a larger photography project, I still don’t feel like I’m reaching it and using all of the tools that I’ve got available to me. Two parts of this can help anyone struggling with their photography. Right now, during some of the darkest times of my life and career, it’s helping.
A Lesson in Empathy and Emotional Availability
I strongly believe that every landscape photographer, urban geometry photographer, and astrophotography shooter should work on photographing people. It teaches them how to interact with one another, how to get feedback from others, and how to put a smile on someone’s face that will eventually become so infectious that the photographer will love the work that they’re doing. This is far different from posting an image online and watching a bunch of random people like or heart an image.
I also really believe that every portrait photographer or those who work with people should try other genres where you don’t work with people.
And eventually, I think that we should all use the skills and ideas that we already bring to the table and find a way to apply them to the other shoe. If you’re an HDR photographer, perhaps find a way to do subtle HDR black and white portraits — which I’ve seen done really well before. If you’re a portrait photographer who loves Rembrandt lighting, then why not try it with food or products?
In the end, the work will still be holistically yours. This is an idea that photographers like Ansel Adams, who is so highly praised for his landscapes but disparaged for his journalistic work, could’ve embraced more.
Try Experimental Processes and Smash Your Mental Blocks
There are tons of experimental processes that I’ve had fun with over the years. Sometimes, I’ll incorporate them into my article reviews- knowing full well that there’s some troll that won’t like it. But here’s what brings me joy:
Slow Shutter Speed Painting Techniques
I like calling these in-camera paintings. And I explain how I do them far more in-depth here in this article. These are consistently some of the most rewarding things to do with digital photography but not so much with film photography, where I have to be more precious about the results. The thing is, too, that the results you get are always different. After a while, though, you learn to look at scenes, judge how painterly they are, and make photographs around those.
Multiple Exposures
Image by Brandon Kidwell. Used with permission in our interview.
Many photographers find multiple exposure processes to be very difficult. Well, first off, only a few cameras can do it. And in this roundup, you can find the best ones that we’ve tested over the years. For some inspiration, one of our favorite photographers who does this work without Photoshop is Brandon Kidwell. And we’ve interviewed him many times before, but here’s a recent one.
For a bit more detail, we’re going to quote A Beautiful Mess from an article on how to do it with the Canon 5D Mk III, which is similar to how it’s done with other cameras from Canon:
-There is a little button on the back. It’s on the top left, and it looks like a little paintbrush and a rectangle. Press that button and it will take you to a menu.
-Scroll to the middle option, which says “multiple exposures” and select it.
-Now select “On: Func/Ctrl”. On the multi-expos ctrl, select “additive”.
-Next, on number of exposures, choose “2”.
-Next, on save source image, choose “all images”.
-Then, on continue mult-exp, choose “continuously” only if you want your camera to keep shooting double exposures. If you want your camera to stop shooting double exposures, select “1 shot only” and your camera will go back to normal mode after one double exposure is made.
-The very bottom option lets you choose the image for your base image. Since you need two images, you can choose one that you already took! So if you have a photo in mind that you’d like as a base image, select it! If you have a Canon 5D Mark III, you can turn on your “Live View” option and see both images together. This is called an overlay.
With the live view option, you can see exactly how you want to frame and compose your second image on your base image.
A Beautiful Mess
Mind you, though, only cameras from a few brands can do this. Older Panasonic cameras could do it, but none of the ones from the past few years can. Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, and OM System are often the best ones to reach for. I truly wish Sony and Leica did it, but they don’t. It would be even better for Panasonic, too!
Handheld Long Exposures
Photo by Matthew Jordan Smith
Image by Matthew Jordan Smith. Used with permission in our interview.
Image stabilization in-camera is so good these days that you can watch motion go by and handhold a camera while taking a photograph. Sometimes it can be really cool and you can freeze a subject perfectly while watching motion go by. A true savant at this is Matthew Jordan Smith, whom we interviewed about the process here and who made photographs that take our breath away. Even crazier is the fact that there is no post-production in his photographs.
In-Camera Live Composite
Essentially, I try not to do any sort of post-production if I can help it. Panasonic and OM System cameras do such great job at doing in-camera live composite work as well too. It’s very fun, and it can be a fun time with friends too.
The other night I was on my rooftop shooting some Live Composites, and sipping whiskey. That’s when I realized that it would’ve been nice to do that with other photographers shooting Panasonic or OM System cameras. Of course, all of this can be a very fun activity that you do with others.
