Do photographers have slumps?
Seems reasonable, but I don’t think there’s a great body of research on the subject.
Last week, I had two appointments with winemakers to do portraits and I felt like Tim Lincecum on the hill without his fastball. I had nothing, not an idea in my head. I couldn’t seem to find a situation that worked; even when I had a decent location I couldn’t find an interesting composition. It wasn’t just the fastball, couldn’t get the curve or slider over either.
What is it, what causes it, and how do you deal with it? At the time I just kept pushing, hoping for a gift that didn’t come. In both cases I kept moving and moving my subjects until I sensed that time was up. If I had a manager, he would have pulled me long before I quit. When I got home I didn’t really need to look at the photos, I knew.
I imagine it’s somewhat akin to writer’s block; it feels like there’s a vacancy where your creativity used to be. It’s one of those dreams where you show up late for school and realize you’re naked. Maybe it’s not enough preparation, not taking it seriously, maybe I was just tired or forgot my medication.
There’s fear too, that maybe I’ve just run out of ideas, have nothing left to give, or maybe I’ve exhausted the subject. Or wait, here’s another, ADD. Just can’t seem to concentrate. Watching Lincecum this year, I thought that was his problem, maybe it’s mine. That might also explain why learning French has been so hard.
That’s enough of that, what I need here is a new approach to portraiture with a consistent style that I can exploit through a body of work. I don’t think we’re talking Avedon white backgrounds, but I’m not sure. The environmental, let’s go out to the vineyards thing just isn’t working anymore.
So send me your suggestions, or prescriptions, I need to get back out on the mound soon.
In the meantime, here’s something I did recently that I do like.
That picture is a great metaphor for your plight.
A facebook friend posted this website and I found some of the art intersting, you might enjoy flipping through it.
http://www.juxtapoz.com/Current/the-photography-of-maleonn
In the mean time, I will contemplate a deeper answer to your question and get back to you.
Interesting work. Very theatrical. The kind of photo that always feels like a puzzle.
Ron, I wish I was clever enough to say something that would work, but here is a best effort from someone who is working on similar questions that, I think, we already know the answers to – we may not have articulated the question however, i.e.: What was it we were looking for in the first place? Has/is our current direction(s) gotten us closer? Are we willing to concentrate on seeing ourselves approaching what ever “it” is? Do we even need to care about any of this?
Good questions. Two issues for me I think: these portraits were not part of the central body of work I’ve been producing here and I may not have treated them with the same concentration; but I’ve always prided myself on professionalism and that I did not produce acceptable work, regardless of the situation is disturbing. The good thing about all this is in asking these kinds of questions.
Hello Ron,
I always like portraits of people in their homes and offices. I know in this case, a lot of the offices have been the vineyards. If you feel this has been tapped out, what about where they do all their admin and paperwork? Where do they make their morning coffee? Feed their kids breakfast before school and heading off to work themselves? Etc. Obvious stuff I know, but all that ‘set dressing’ and ‘props’ would be fun to show people not familiar with this region.
Mei Lai.