5 Ways to Stay Motivated to Photograph Your Family

One thing I hear a lot from other photographers is how they lose their motivation to photograph their family. It’s funny how we can stay passionate about creating art for other people but that can sometimes mean our personal images take a backseat. I have been lucky that I have been able to find a balance between both shooting for clients and shooting for myself. How? There are lots of ways I have found to encourage myself to “just keep shooting” and I’m happy to share them with you today.

5 Ways to Stay Motivated to Photograph Your Family

A Personal Project – One of the great things about shooting for yourself is there are no rules. You can focus on any subject or any lighting situation. You are free to do whatever you want. Sometimes all that freedom needs be reigned in with a little focus. That’s where deciding on a personal project can help. A few personal projects I have done have included the following: a 365, 100 days of summer, 100 days of winter, 5 days of black and white, and a backyard project. After completing each project, there is a great sense of pride and accomplishment along with the wisdom that comes with shooting more frequently. I think the key to completing a personal project is having a clear focus and timeline. Decide what you want to accomplish and how long it will take you. And if for some reason you don’t meet your deadline, allow yourself some grace and try again.
A Collaborative or Blog Circle – There is magic that happens when you collaborate with other photographers. A subtle push to create by a deadline can spark images that might not have been created. A few of my favorite collaborations that always inspired me were A Year of Stories and Wherever I am I am With You. Some of my most favorite personal images were taken specifically for these collaborations. So ask around and see if you can join in on a collaboration.
Get Inspired! – Sometimes the best thing to do when you lose your motivation is to put your camera away and look for inspiration in other places. Talk a walk and really soak in your surroundings. Watch a movie and notice how the light falls on the subject or the different camera angles. Read a book and visualize the scenes. Listen to your favorite songs with your eyes closed. Let other areas of the world trigger your creativity. Then when you come back to your camera, you will be surprised how much more naturally it will feel.
Try Something New – There are lots of new techniques you can try that can spice up your personal images. Play with freelensing, a prism, a fog machine or try the ring of fire (that is on my list!). The plus side of practicing something new in your personal work is there isn’t any pressure to produce something perfect. You just get to play and discover what feels right to you.
Print Your Photos – It’s hard to describe that feeling of holding a photo in your hands. It can be emotional and joyous all at once as you reminisce to that moment you are seeing all over again. It’s also so much easier to share those moments with others when they aren’t hidden on a hard drive. My kids love to pull down our albums and go through each image. They ask questions about their younger selfs and it leads to some fun family bonding. There are so many fun ways you can display your personal photos, so pick a wall or shelf and get your print on!