Sometimes we need to take a break in our creativity, put whatever we’re doing aside, and do something else or just enjoy life. Whether you are a full-time or part-time photographer (or painter or musician or any creative pursuit) we sometimes find ourselves needing to take a break. That’s where I find myself today and I wanted to share some thoughts on this topic, partly for you and partly as a reminder to myself, that it’s OK to take a break.
I’ve often used the analogy that our reservoir of creative energy is similar to a battery, with a certain capacity of discharge before it needs to rest and get recharged. For many of us, expending creative energy is something that can be tiring at times because it’s not something most folks do every day. It is a unique activity that requires a certain way of thinking and working and as such, it can be tiring, thereby depleting our “battery”. I’ve also found that for me, much of my creativity comes from the heart, relating to my emotions or something else deep inside. Having to open myself up and dive deep to put heart in to my work can be quite tiring over time. All the more reason to take a break to recharge my battery.
I have noticed three distinct times when it might be appropriate to take a break. I’m not sure if it is the same for you, or if you’ve noticed this, but over the years I’ve found this to be true for me. 1. In the field actively shooting 2. In Post Processing. 3. In photography in general. I want to share a couple of thoughts with you about each of these times.
In The Field
When we are on location and actively engaged in finding shots, composing, working the technical details…this takes effort and begins to use up some of our creative energy reserves. I’ve noticed with myself, perhaps you have noticed this too, that the longer we shoot, we might not “see” as well, we might not feel the inspiration of the location, we might not be as connected to our subject as we were when we first started shooting on location. This is normal and natural and it’s OK. For me, it’s not overtly obvious I’m running out of creative gas…often times I only discover this once I notice I’m struggling creatively and I pause and look inward to discover my tank is running dry. So what do I do? I take a break from shooting photos. You’ve heard me say countless times to slow down…well taking a break is also a form of slowing down. On location when you take a break, this can give you time to step away from the camera, remove some of the “pressure to create” and give your creative muscles a rest. Taking a break also frees you up to look for new compositions, watching the passing clouds, or just sit quietly and enjoy the experience. Moving away from the camera and soaking in your surroundings helps you re-fill your creative tank for the next session. Expending creative energy can be draining and it’s good to recognize when this is happening so you can not run your tank dry and produce less than optimal images.
In the Digital Darkroom
I am sure you’ve all heard this before, but when you’re processing an image, it’s a good idea to walk away from it for a while and then come back and look at it with fresh eyes. As we work an image for minutes (or hours) we being to lose objectivity and stop seeing things that need attention or aren’t quite “right”. We start to focus on smaller aspects of an image as we edit it and lose sight of the picture as a whole. Our visual system, and brain, become somewhat immune to image we are working on, rendering us less capable to make edits that are good for the image. For myself, I can become so focused on certain aspects of an image when I’m editing it that I definitely lose sight of the broader image. I may be focused on a tonality, a texture, or geographic area in the image and just don’t “see” the good and bad in the rest of the image. When this starts happening, it’s a good time to take a break and give your visual system a rest.
If I am spending a long time editing a photograph, let’s say over 30 minutes, I will force a mandatory break for myself and go do something else for 10-15 minutes and not look at the image. Similarly, if it is a short edit on an image, less than 20 minutes to completion, I will put the image aside for a while and not consider it “finished”. When I come back to an image, either to finish the editing or the final review, with a refreshed vision, I will be able to “see” the whole image better and spot areas or issues that might need further attention. I will look at color, temp, tonality, etc…all the good things we do to our images and evaluate with fresh eyes. More often than not I end up making adjustments to previous edits with my fresh eyes. This is a common piece of advice in the photography community and it is good advice! Take a break when editing!
Larger Picture
When thinking about the larger picture of our photographic journey, each of us on our own path pursuing our own goals, wants and desires, there may be times where it can be wise to take a break. Just like in the smaller examples above, at a macro level we have a creative energy battery that has varying amounts of energy, PLUS, at the macro level, we also have larger choices in our photography such as where do I want to go next with it.
I’ve encountered many moments in my photographic career where I needed to take a break, either to catch my breath, recharge my creativity, or give some thought to where I want to go next. Often times I can sense or feel that I am lacking energy or motivation, or even just excitement about my photography and have a feeling of “stale-ness” about my work. These are prime indicators that perhaps I should take a break. I could have depleted my battery, or I have reached a plateau and need to figure out the next steps. For whatever reason, it becomes evident that perhaps I should step away from the camera to recharge and assess at a larger level.
Taking a break at a higher level, to me, means letting go of any creative pressure, not thinking about photography, and focusing on just being present in the world, in the amazing things all around us. There are times when I don’t have a camera in my hands, actively working, yet I’m still creatively engaged and feeling the creative energy flowing. To take a break, I have to disconnect for a time and do something completely different, not related to photography or art making (well, except making music). I’ll sometimes read books that I wouldn’t normally read. I’ll study painters or sculptors, or perhaps visit a museum or collection unrelated to photography, such as an old airplane museum. I have a lot of interests outside of photography and taking a creative break to recharge often involves touching base with my other interests more fully and giving my “photo brain” a rest.
If I’m struggling to find a new direction, I do engage a bit during these break times to think about and puzzle out where I want to go next. If it’s just a battery re-charge I need, then I don’t think about photography and just enjoy my family, hobbies and the amazing world around me. I still feel creative stirrings during this time, as I recently did when visiting an art gallery with my wife, yet I don’t feel any pressure to act on those feeling to “produce” or “create”. I enjoy the burst of creative energy, acknowledge it, and then keep enjoying myself in whatever I’m doing.
Whether it’s a pro athlete, a concert musician, a Wall Street trader, or anyone else who is devoted and passionate about their craft, there is a lot of benefit in taking a break to recharge the battery and let the brain take a rest. In the end, I want to just say that it’s OK to just “be” and not have constant pressure to produce or create, especially in the art world. Go with the spirit that moves you, regardless of activity, and shoot when you feel inspired to do so!
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