qsysue Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 I'm having one of those terrible weeks where I just don't feel inspired to do anything. (Except go benching, but I can't do that all the time.) This is normally one of those times when I'd start doing photography experiments like I've posted about in this thread. But I just don't have any ideas, or feel like doing anything--blergh. What do you do when you need some inspiration? Anyone else got the winter blahs? I was going to try putting some Instax mini film in my medium format SLR to see how it worked, but I got interrupted and haven't gotten back to it. Maybe I'll do that this afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!@#$% Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 when i'm really feeling out of ideas, i try to learn something totally new, or go on a trip. obviously the trip can be inspiring in it's own way for many reasons but i've picked up some new skills just out of tiring of something i do regularly. in the past few years i've turned toward learning about sewing, fabric and crochet for example. yes, i still love painting, photography and drawing (though i don't draw so much anymore) and i do get back to it.. i guess i'd liken it to a problem you might be trying to solve, that you don't think about for a long time, then BOOM the answer hits you while you are singing in the shower.. you turn away from your regular habitual hobby, get out of your comfort zone trying something very new, then you suddenly get all these ides about your photos. you already do photography experiments, try drawing or sculpting or something? i sometimes also get hit with ideas when i go to a great museum... stealing other people's shit is good for that too hahaha 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qsysue Posted December 11, 2011 Author Share Posted December 11, 2011 Thanks that's a really good suggestion. I'd actually been doing some new creative stuff lately. I wish I could go on a trip but I'm often stuck without a vehicle. I went out yesterday with a camera I hadn't used in awhile, inspired to get some shots with it, but discovered after I'd left home the shutter was broken. I intended to go benching in the morning then head out to some non-train related places to shoot, but ended up shooting 5 rolls of film at my benching spot and never making it anywhere else. Part of my problem is I'm so obsessed with trains that I never shoot anything else even though I really want to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!@#$% Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 haha well at least you know what you like i realize i forgot about this thread and i'm coming back to comment weeks later but have you made progress with shooting non-train stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qsysue Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 A little. I went out to the desert one day and I forget where else--Hollywood? another day. I'm sitting on about 12 rolls of color film I need to develop--almost all benching shots! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!@#$% Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 haha well, know thyself, right? i'm sure there are lots of great photos in that bunch too... at least you're not out there shooting the same old boring, tired, shitty photos, unlike some people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qsysue Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Well thanks that's nice to hear. :) I'm getting set up to develop my own color film at home now so that should be fun. C41 and E6 both. Can't wait to try cross-processing C41 in E6 chemicals. It's too expensive to have a lab do it but soon I can do it at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fist 666 Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/jan/02/top-artists-creative-inspiration?fb=optOut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!@#$% Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 we are also thinking about starting to do home-developing our local place has declared bankruptcy so it makes sense. B&W should be fine... lil more nervous to try color but then i consider that at work, i used to develop western blot film all the freakin time. fun stuff. nice article fist i didn't read them all but this caught my eye, naturally it reminded me of what i said up there^ haha ... It's very important for inspiration to go elsewhere: to move away from the city into pastoral settings, and to make space for meditation. I also enjoy talking to people who aren't involved in art. For my recent work, I've had a lot of conversations with people involved in digital technologies. It's useful to get perspective on what you do by talking to all sorts of different people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qsysue Posted January 9, 2012 Author Share Posted January 9, 2012 Thanks for the article fist. Interesting how many writers say music is an influence. I sometimes forget how music can be a great motivator/mood changer. My first batch of color film done at home had some white spots, which I think is caused by insufficient agitation (happened the first time I tried C41 last year sometime). Scanning the second batch now to see if the problem is gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavamonstermisty Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 When I'm feeling uninspired I become excessively social. People inspire me, so I submerge myself in situations where I can draw from that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!@#$% Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 qysue, i was reading the other day about a blind photographer no shit that got me to thinking about trying to do stuff we do, with a self-imposed handicap i might like to paint some metal blindfolded haha, just to see what happened. http://www.peteeckert.com/photos.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qsysue Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 When I'm feeling uninspired I become excessively social. People inspire me, so I submerge myself in situations where I can draw from that. I'm the opposite. Well I'm just a dorky introvert--if I'm uninspired I'm also very much into hermit mode. qysue, i was reading the other day about a blind photographer no shit that got me to thinking about trying to do stuff we do, with a self-imposed handicap i might like to paint some metal blindfolded haha, just to see what happened. http://www.peteeckert.com/photos.php Wow that is amazing, gonna have to read some of those articles on that guy when I have more time. I'd be interested in seeing your blind paintings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!@#$% Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 haha i guess i have to actually go through with it first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armand hammer Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 everything, of late ive noticed my work is getting more personal as i deal with my own shit more .. take what you want from that but i find that when you can freely express what you have floating around up there you can create some really personal work that you will most likely end up being happy with as it has taken a lot out of you mentally and physically, music is a big influence as well. off beat tunes you dont normally listen to is a great way of freeing some shit up. i recommend ministry of sound uncovered some offbeat covers of pupular music old and new. from this to acoustic covers of timberlake that sound pretty good. this post doesnt make much sense but i just felt i had to contribute some bullshit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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