How I lost my Creative Energy and then got it back!
The making of this video is what got my creative energy back. Read the story below after watching this video. Please use headphones and maximize the screen (LARGE) to really appreciate this video.
How I Lost My Mojo…
Busy Season – Lots of Work:
The busy season is upon us right now, and for me that means I am out there working long hours, photographing families on the beach, doing sales presentations and working really hard in my business. It is full-on right now, This is good for business and for cash-flow but there is a negative side to having your business running red-hot.
I find that when I’m super busy and there is so much happening in my business and life, that stress starts to creep in. I don’t notice it at first, I’m too busy doing stuff, fixing stuff and pleasing customers. After all this is the business I created and these customers are here to experience my photography services and are willing to invest quite a lot of money in their photographs and prints.
Energy Levels Drop:
The first signs of being over-worked and stressed out, are my energy levels start to drop. I’m normally a bit of a fitness freak, running, surfing, kiteboarding, the occasional gym session, but over the last month or so I have not set foot in my local gym. (I have gone kiteboarding though)
Why?
I had no energy for that. I wasn’t that tired, but just didn’t have excess energy to exercise. I had no drive to exercise.
These were the first signs that I was over-worked
Creativity Takes a Dive:
Not only did my physical energy drop, but I started feeling flat.
Uninspired, and my creativity took a dive… south.
Felt like I was just going through the motions and not really enjoying the things that I normally loved to do.
This sucks! Why do things when you don’t enjoy them?
Feeling Flat & Uninspired!
Of course there were moments when I was super fired up too, but overall I was feeling flat.
A little bit down too, if you know what I mean. A bit grumpy.
and then I would notice a beautiful sunset,
and I would think to myself – “I should be photographing this, it’s awesome!” but I just don’t feel like it? So I would force myself to shoot one…
Why was I feeling so flat?
Because my creative energy was GONE!
and for me that’s a very scary thing!
How I Got My Creative Energy Back!
Here is My Story:
Last weekend I went away to a “model shootout” with a bunch of other photographers, models, makeup & hair artists and one body painter. Every year one of the photographers rents out a holiday house (in this case 2 holiday houses) and invites a select few photographers and models to come along and share ideas, create beautiful images and just hang out. I got invited again.
Feeding Off Others Energy:
After I arrived (a day late because I was too busy to get away from my business), I met a few of the models and re-connected with the photographers that I had met last year, plus introduced myself to the new ones.
Everyone was busy shooting, getting their body-paint done, makeup and hair or just hanging out.
I could feel the energy in the air and the creativity around me was amazing.
I started tapping into this energy, started feeling my creativity coming back.
It’s an amazing feeling, kind of like a drug – but better!
Trying Something New:
Most of the other photographers were shooting glamour or fashion (checkout my course on model flow-posing here), but I wanted to do something different.
Something I had never done before. Something I had always wanted to do but had never had the energy or time or the right model to do it with.
Then I met Lara. She is an experienced model from Sydney. I recognized her from last year – but we had never worked together.
We chatted about her modelling, what she wanted to achieve from the weekend and what she had done in the past.
We hung out – played table tennis and got to know each other – as one artist to another.
She had never attempted underwater photography before and was keen to give it a go.
So, we photographed underwater, and because she has a dance background we got some great images. It was quite chilly though!
We worked again underwater that evening, and got more great images. This was starting to be a lot of fun!
My creative energy was starting to flow. YES!
I was feeling a lot better – much more like my old-self.
Why, cause I was feeding off the energy from Lara and all the other creative people in the house.
Loved it. I was an energy magnet! (normally I’m the energy generator – giving others energy – inspiring others)
Shoot For Yourself:
The next morning I was ready to create that personal project.
Yes, the underwater images were great, but I had done them before, and been recognized for my underwater art.
I wanted to challenge myself, do something new, something I had never done before!
Getting Inspired Again:
I showed Lara a few art videos that really inspired me, and then we talked about the video shoot.
Planned it a little, not too much, mainly ’cause I wanted to just go with the flow – you know, see what happens. Too many plans and we would stifle the creative process.
I wanted our combined energy to be in-sync and for both of us to create something unusual and beautiful.
The video above is what we created together: Do you like it?
Technical Details:
It took about 2 hours to film, we shot about 70 different scenes with 2 different cameras. My Canon 5D II with an 85mm f1.8 and my Canon 60D with 24-105mm F4 lens on a glidecam stabiliser. And it took me over 6 hours to edit this video (plus a few glasses of red wine) on Sony Vegas using Magic Bullet Looks for toning and I purchased the sound track on premiumbeat.com
Conclusion:
3 Steps to Getting Your Mojo Back!
Here are the 3 steps that worked for me:
STEP 1: Get away from your work environment:
If you work at home, like I do, then you will need to go somewhere else.
Get away from the source of your stress. Get away from all the distractions. Go someplace new – maybe even into nature somewhere?
STEP 2. Hang-out with other creative people.
Meet some new creative people, surround yourself with people that have a lot of energy
STEP 3. Create something new, something you have never done before. A Personal Challenge!
Challenge yourself. I’m sure there is something out there that you have been wanting to attempt, but have never got to it before. You can even try a new sport, activity, travel to a new destination.and shoot something for you, not for a client, or a model, or a boss – shoot something for you.
Just try something new!
More? Checkout this book by Nicole S Young called the Inspired Photographer – it’s awesome!
Here is the interview I did with Nicole – check it out
Sometimes we need to challenge ourselves – Here Lara is posing underwater at night!
What do you think? Please leave me your opinion below. Cheers, Brent
Found the link to this article from your latest email ( the one with the gift of the beautiful sunset! ), I need to thank you for both! I haven’t touched my camera in weeks, the first time this has happened since I started photography. From North Carolina to New Hampshire I have chronicled my travels. But for some reason I have lost my mojo big time. As I read this article I found myself making plans for my next shoot. Time to get away, definitely, can’t think of a better time! Something new, I’m getting excited already! Thank you for the inspiration, I really did need it! Wish me luck!
Love the underwater pics, just gorgeous! Keep up the excellent work and, thank you so much for all you do and share! You really do inspire!
Thanks for that awesome feedback Terri, that is why I wrote the article, for someone just like you. Glad you are getting excited to go out and shoot again. Cheers, Brent
really glad you posted that brent. it’s something alot of people go through but don’t usually come out and admit. i don’t even tell my wife when i’m creatively drained. You opening up about this assures the rest of us that it happens to the best and we’re not alone. Very encouraging. It reminds me of a biblical scripture that says “iron sharpens iron”.
Thanks Gary – Yes, I was a little hesitant to put it out there at first – but so glad I did. Us pro photographers are only human too, and we have our highs and lows just like everyone else. I actually think that people in the creative fields have a harder time, because we are paid for our creativity, and then what happens when it’s gone? It’s like a viscous circle, stress causes creative loss, which causes more stress cause the jobs can’t be done. Thanks for your comment. Brent
Lovely story makes you think , time to try something new I thought the pic of the model under the water looked really cool upside down thanks for the inspiration Brent .
My pleasure Brian
Congrats, Brent! This is the most impressive article I’ve ever read. The ideas you shared are invaluable and gave me a direction so as to achieve more efficiently some of my projects. It’s really inspiring and the video you’ve made is fantastic.
Thanks Paulo – I wasn’t sure I should write it, but now I’m glad I did – and I hope to inspire others who might be going through the same slump that I did. Glad you like the video too. Cheers, Brent
Wow, I am glad I saw this today. My mojo is disappearing. I am in my early 60’s and still work full time and am on a real downer at the moment where I just don’t get enough time to get out and am limited also by not being game to go out at night on my own. You have inspired me to try and seek out a course to go to with some other people maybe for a couple of days and make that my first step in getting back my mojo. Have often thought about doing it but have never actually gone through with it. Thanks Brent
Thanks for your comment Lyn. That is why I shared my story with you – to hopefully inspire others to get out there and have more fun, find a way of getting through the slump and come out the other side fighting and full of inspiration and creative energy. Now go do it! Brent
glad you got your mojo back. The problem with your passion becoming your vocation is that it can start to feel more like work than the joy it used to be. Glad you’ve reversed it.
Totally agree Trevor, and sometimes you just need to do something different, or hang around people who have passion for what they do. Brent
Great video and great underwater shots, Brent! You have inspired me to get inspired. I’m going to Hawaii next week for some much needed R&R, and I hope to find something there to give me a boost like this retreat did for you.
Awesome Phil. Enjoy your break – and hopefully we will see you new course soon too. Cheers, Brent