^{photo by rudi_suardi via iStock}

It happens to the best of us - despite our best efforts, our creativity wanes and we find ourselves unhappy with just about every photo we take.

It’s a photography rut...and it’s the worst!

The problem can be even more pronounced for beginner photographers that don’t have a lot of time behind the lens. On the one hand, beginners might not even recognize that they’re in a rut to begin with. And on the other hand, they don’t have a ton of experience to rely on to extract themselves from a creative funk.

If you’re experiencing any of the following issues, you’re in a rut, and we’re here to help!

Taking Photos is a Chore

^{photo by Fadyukhin via iStock}

When you’re in a photography rut, taking photos is less of a fun activity and more of a chore. You might dread getting up early to photograph a sunrise or you might not look forward to spending time post-processing your images after a day of shooting. 

This isn’t to say that photography is easy. Far from it. You have to work at it to be a good photographer. But you can work hard and have fun at the same time. It’s when the hard work turns into something you “have to do” rather than something you “want to do” that’s the issue. 

Sometimes you don’t feel well. Sometimes the weather is bad. You have life and work and family obligations that can get in the way of taking photos. These are all understandable life events. But when you have the time to go out and shoot, and you dread it like going to work on a Monday morning, you know that you’re deep in a creative rut!

You’re Probably in a Photography Rut if You Get Lazy

^{photo by Gang Zhou via iStock}

Years ago when I first got into photography, I bought my first DSLR, a couple of lenses, filters, a tripod - all the requisite accessories I needed to help me take the best photos.

Then, over time, I gained more and more skills and became more confident in my abilities to frame up beautiful shots. And then I got lazy…

Why lug around my tripod when I can handhold the camera? Why bring three lenses when one zoom lens will do? Why try taking portraits when landscapes are good enough?

I would ask myself all these questions to justify becoming a lazy photographer. I wasn’t streamlining my gear or focusing solely on landscapes as a creative or purposeful exercise. I just wanted to do the bare minimum to take a decent shot. 

As you can guess, this is not an approach that leads to a lot of photographic creativity… 

I’m all for having a process that works for you to take beautiful photos. But don’t do it for the sake of never trying anything new! Getting bogged down in “the way I’ve always done it” is only going to get you into a deep creative rut. Instead, challenge yourself to try new things, to use all the tools you have in your camera bag, and to get out and shoot frequently in order to keep that creative spark.

All Your Photos Look the Same

^{photo by blew_i via iStock}

Another sure sign that you’re in a photography rut is that all your photos look the same.

Now, this is not a knock on people that focus on one kind of photography. If you really love waterfalls, then by all means shoot nothing but waterfalls!

But…

Find ways to make each waterfall photo unique. For example, don’t just photograph waterfalls from directly in front. Change the eye level of the shot, move left or right to frame the waterfall off-center in the image, or photograph the waterfall from behind or above for a different perspective.

^{photo by DieterMeyrl via iStock}

You’ll still have your waterfall photos to enjoy, but each one will have a different look and feel. Yes, it’s more work this way, but the end result is that you have a collection of images that work well together rather than the same old shot repeated over and over again.

A Surefire Way to Get Out of a Photography Rut

Sometimes you can find yourself so without creativity that extracting yourself from a rut seems impossible. I should know - I’ve been there many times over the years!

If you find yourself hopelessly lost, I think I have a great solution to your current lack of creativity…

Inspiracles Photography Inspiration Cards are the ideal partner for you in recapturing your creative spark.

These cards treat learning photography like a game. You can learn by doing, have fun while doing it, and get inspired to create unique photos all at the same time.

Inspiracles are multiple decks of 56 colorful cards that have creative ideas and learning exercises that facilitate your growth as a photographer. There are three sections on each card:

• An inspirational prompt to get your creative juices flowing
• Professional photography tips
• Examples for additional inspiration.

You even get 10 cheat sheets that cover basic photography techniques to get you started!

You can easily tackle these bite-sized tasks with just a few minutes of your time. You don’t even need special equipment - you can do it with any camera, even with a smartphone ! The whole point of these cards is to be easily understandable and easy to implement.

In fact, you can use your Inspiracles cards any time - on your way to work, lounging in your backyard, or on vacation. The point is that you have the freedom to learn photography on the go.

There are three different sets of cards to choose from as well:

• The Classic edition offers broad tips on the whole spectrum of photography
• The Landscape edition gives you inspiration for creating epic landscape and nature photos
• The People edition focuses on elevating your portrait photography game

Whichever set of cards you choose, they’ll end up being your best friend for those occasions when you just aren’t feeling all that inspired. Additionally, Inspiracles is a great resource for learning more about photography techniques.

To learn more about Inspiracles, head over to their Kickstarter campaign. Truly, if you want to learn more about photography, get inspired, and have fun doing it, these cards are the way to go!