What Do I Do Now!!!?

What does a photographer/artist do with the time he has between portrait and wedding projects? Well, he struggles. And studies other photographers. And learns new techniques. And meditates. And plays computer games... I have always said that it is one of the most difficult challenges I face as an artist - What do I do now? I have just created a pretty nice piece of art. I have incorporated some new lighting and coloring techniques into my recent portraits. A magazine has emailed to publish my work. But now here I am, faced with the most difficult of challenges. I have to pick up my camera, turn the power on, and figure out something new to try.

My first attempts are copies of work I produced already. My mind finds it difficult to change. It wants to go back to the same place, try a different version of the same thing... but that is all it is - more of the same. So then my mind looks for something new. How about we go back to the basics? So I look around outside. I check out the shadows on snowdrifts. I look at the sun's position in the sky and wonder if I could take a drive to that great old building, or that great tree. Well, I have already done that. There is a time to revisit old locations, to try new approaches on old favorites. But today is not that day. So I take a deep breath again. The past is behind me. Gotta find something new.

This process, for me, goes on and on. While it is happening I realise that I have not updated my Blog (so here I am...) And the website could also use some changes (I don't feel like it!) And the house could use some work (the roof is half-finished, the walls need repair, the place is a mess, on and on it goes...) Dang it! I really want to do something cool; I want another photo to work on! Sigh. Resignation. Time to check the email, Gamespot, Tom's Hardware Guide, the Liverpool team news. Ooo, I could check out Photo.net - look at the newest bestest images and develop some ideas from there....

Twenty minutes later... camera sitting beside me on the desk.... sigh...

Okay. You get the idea. Did you think this was easy?