Overcoming Creative Block and How to Find Inspiration in Photography and Art

What is creative block and how to overcome it?

Every artist has encountered it at least once. Let’s see what creative block is and find practical ways to turn a moment of lack of inspiration into a new creative idea.

INTRODUCTION

Every photographer, no matter their style or favorite genre, encounters a phenomenon known as creative block. Not only photographers but every artist has experienced this phenomenon at least once in their artistic life, if not more.

But what is the “Creative Block”?  

(Also known as “Writer’s Block” or Creator’s Block”)

Creative block, or creator’s block, also known as “writer’s block”, since it was coined and initially mentioned in 1947 by the Austrian psychiatrist Edmund Bergler related to writers, is that frustrating period when inspiration seems to have evaporated, creativity feels like struggling, and every attempt at producing work seems futile. This feeling of not being able to create anything worthwhile manifests in very similar ways if you are a writer, painter, musician, or any type of artist.

For photographers, though, this can be particularly disheartening. The very essence of their craft relies on finding unique perspectives, innovative compositions, and on creating a deep connection with their subjects. This is often what triggers the photographer’s vision for the work they create. Thus, being unable to use those stimuli to create work that satisfies you can be very painful.

So, this is a serious situation in the life of an artist and one that we need to learn to overcome. Even if you’ve never experienced “creative block” in your life, it doesn’t mean it won’t happen, so when it does, you need to know how to deal with it.

So, how can we overcome creative block and reignite our creative flame?

This is a topic we are discussing quite frequently with my mentoring students, so I’ve seen many times how it manifests and what works for different people and different creative styles.

Let’s delve into strategies that can help us not only break free from this rut but also make sure we find a constant source of inspiration out there, as well as inside ourselves, maybe even more inside ourselves, if you ask me.

Embracing the Inner Source of Inspiration

Reflecting on Personal Experiences

As I said many times, if you know me, I believe that the key to unlocking creativity lies within our own self and life experiences.

Art is based on what we experience and how we interpret it. It is born in the way we express our reaction to the world and in how the experiences we live or the ones we witness in others trigger questions and answers in us as individuals.

The entire concept of (en)Visionography is based on this: on using photography to manifest who we are, our beliefs, experiences, and generally our inner world, conscious and unconscious. This is where we will find the real profound inspiration and this is why that is a source that will never dry up. As long as we live, we keep having new experiences, having questions and finding answers, expressing opinions and reactions to what we encounter in our journey as human beings. As long as that process unfolds and as long as it goes on, we can tap into that wealth of experiences to find inspiration that can take us to the other side of the creative block.

So, reflect on your journey as a human being, as an artist, and as a photographer. Think about what interests you in the world around you and how you react to that. Think about the things that happen in your life and how they can become stories you can tell in your photographs. Think about what drew you to photography in the first place and why this medium is proper for you to express your journey and the things that matter.

Research Your Subject Matter

Studying the subjects we like to work with, or the ones we have worked with in the past can be a simple and practical way to get over a bump in the road when it comes to inspiration and it can help us get back on track.

To continue the idea in the previous point, the subjects you like to shoot will most of the time be those suitable for you as a person, the ones that will help you express your inner world and the experiences you want to talk about. Even when the subjects you photograph are out of your control, like, for instance, when you shoot for an assignment and the client decides on the subjects, you still have control over how you will approach the subjects, and that will have to do with your style and who you are as an artist and an individual. It will have to do with your own personal vision.  

So, think about what subjects are suitable to express those thoughts and feelings you reflected on in the previous point.

If you are shooting landscape or architecture photography, think about what are the inspiring structures close to you or far away that can help you express what you think. Think about the impressive landscapes you encountered during your travels that you can use to tell your story. If you’re a portrait photographer, think about the people who inspire you, the people you would like to photograph, reachable or not, alive or not, or the ones you have already photographed and why you did that. The same process can be applied to street photography, wildlife, or practically any genre of photography.

Think about the subject you are passionate about and how that subject can tell your story as an artist. Not only the story of the subject you photograph, but how those subjects can tell also your story. Revisiting these memories or thinking about future subjects can reignite your passion and offer fresh perspectives.

Document Your Significant Places

Another way to rekindle your creative energy, or a way to ensure that you are prepared for the moment when you would be in a creative block, is to start documenting subjects and ideas that can help you move forward from that moment.

Start by creating a visual diary. This diary can be a notebook (a physical or digital one) where you can start documenting places and structures that hold personal significance. You can write down the name of the place and what ideas it triggers, or you can create a collection of photos of that place that you can look at and brainstorm ideas. These photos don’t need to be photos that will end up as fine art photography; they can be simple snapshots and simple tools for you to jumpstart your creativity. Together with these photos, you can write down your ideas about how you can create a series about that place and what you would like to express in that series. Or if you don’t have any idea, you can just note down the place or add a few photos and come back later to see what comes up when you look at them.

This exercise not only sharpens your observational skills but also creates a reservoir of inspiration that you can draw from during creative droughts. By tapping into your own story, you can find unique angles and narratives that resonate deeply with others.

Mindfulness and Observation

Practicing mindfulness can be a powerful tool for artists and photographers. Mindfulness means being present and aware of what is happening at a certain moment and being able to understand the experience you have in that moment.

We often run through life thinking about the present or the past without realizing that we are losing the only thing that is real, which is the present. If we do that, we can never understand the experiences we have because we will be thinking about those experiences either after they ended or we will be thinking about experiences we will have in the future.

But the real experience, just like the real inspiration, is right there in the moment. It is happening as we speak. Your experience right now is to see these words I am writing. These words make you think about something. Those thoughts make you feel in a certain way. Try to be mindful of this. Look at these words, understand the thoughts, and feel the feelings. Now, you are mindful. Try to apply this to everything you do or as many things as possible.

We can never be 100% aware of what’s happening but mindfulness doesn’t mean to be always aware. It also means to be aware that you are not aware at a certain moment and go back to being aware. In this way, you will be able to have many more experiences in a much shorter time which will result in much more inspiration for your art. Learning to be mindful has given me the most amazing experiences and made me aware of so many more ideas that I apply in my life and work.

So, spend time simply observing your present and surroundings without the pressure to photograph anything. Notice the play of light and shadow on buildings or the landscape, notice the textures of different materials, natural or artificial, and the way the things you see in front of you interact with each other and with you as an observer. Notice how you feel when you see all that. Notice what ideas come to mind. What impulses arise. This heightened awareness can lead to unexpected insights and creative breakthroughs.

One way to do this practically is to incorporate regular walks into your routine, ideally in places that inspire you. Depending on where you are, it could be a bustling urban center, a quaint neighborhood, a peaceful park, or the great outdoors. If none of these are easily reachable, walking a few times around the block can also do the trick. Sometimes, I’m just walking around the house. The key is to be mindful and observe. Observe without the intention of photographing. Over time, this practice will sharpen your observational skills and open your eyes to details you might have previously overlooked.

The power of External Sources of Inspiration

Exploring New Locations

Sometimes, breaking out of a creative rut simply requires a change of scenery. To do that, try to explore new locations that challenge your usual perspective. You could, for instance, visit places that you wouldn’t typically choose for photography. This could mean visiting an industrial area of the city, or wandering through a less frequented park or natural area. Visiting a different neighborhood is also an option.

When exploring new locations, don’t just focus on the obvious. Look for different subjects – a deserted old building with a story to tell, an out-of-the-beaten-path alley with interesting graffiti, or an unusual natural formation in the forest or on the beach. These places often hold the potential for unique approaches, and even if they may not be your regular style, they can give you ideas or simply be an opportunity for you to shoot something else for the day.

Go on a Photography Workshop or Tour – Invest in Your Photography Education

If you feel more adventurous, exploring a new place can mean going on a workshop or a photography tour. If you want to join one of mines, have a look here.

Not only will this give you a new perspective and new subjects to photograph, but it will be a great opportunity to learn from experienced teachers, get constructive, valuable feedback, and exchange ideas with your peers. The collaborative environment fosters creativity and can lead to lasting professional and personal relationships with your peers.

This is one of the most effective ways of overcoming creative block, and doing it in a way that can enrich you in multiple ways, while also being entertaining.

Generally, investing in your education can significantly enhance your creative capabilities. Workshops, photography courses, metorships, all these can help you boost your creativity and get over or avoid creative blocks altogether.

Speaking about photography courses, you may want to check the latest video course I released, Understanding Fine Art Architectural Photography – The Complete Course, which analyzes everything around architectural photography and fine art architectural photography in almost 7 hours of content, with a plethora of information, ideas, inspiration, plus advanced post-processing techniques that will help you create fine art architectural photography that expresses you the best. Even if the course is talking mainly about fine art architectural photography, the principles, ideas, and techniques I present apply to landscape photography too, and to other genres.

When you choose a workshop to attend, it can be a workshop in a place you wanted to go to for a long time but didn’t have the chance to do so. It can also be a workshop in a place you have been to and like, but didn’t have the time to take all the photos you wanted on the previous trips, or where you know you will get new ideas.

Another good idea is to go on a workshop doing a different genre of photography from what you usually do. If you’re a landscape photographer, for instance, you can go on an architectural photography workshop, and the other way around. Same thing if you are a travel photographer. You can try a landscape photography workshop, an architectural photography workshop, or even a street photography workshop.

The good thing is that landscape photography and architecture photography, while they seem different, in essence, they are quite similar, and the skills you get by practicing one of them can be very well used doing the other style. Maybe portrait photography, interior photography, and other types of photography where you shoot in the studio are quite different from landscape and architectural photography, so it may be a bigger challenge that may make you feel less confident, especially when you are in a moment of creative block, but switching landscape photography with architecture, travel photography with street photography, or any combination of these can be an excellent choice to sparkle more inspiration and give you more ideas.

Another good thing that is sometimes overlooked when you try a different genre is that even if you’re not going to become an expert in that genre, you will learn things that you can apply in your main photography genre, not only from a technical point of view, but most importantly in a creative way.

This is what I love to do most to make sure I don’t get into a routine with my photography. I love both architectural and landscape photography, and I like to alternate my landscape photography trips with my architecture photography trips. This is also why I’m alternating between teaching architectural photography workshops and landscape photography workshops. It allows me to share everything I know in both genres and keeps things interesting for me and the students who join me for both types of workshops.

And when I’m shooting in the city, I am also shooting urban and street photography. So I’m never bored, and I never suffer from a lack of ideas. Honestly, what I suffer from is a lack of time to put into practice all the ideas I have. But that is a subject for another article: how to find time to put into practice all your photography ideas. Not sure I have the answer to that question yet, but I keep searching :)

Related to workshops and how to prepare for one, here is a complete guide on how to prepare for a landscape photography workshop or trip that may interest you.

Studying Other Art Forms

Architecture, landscapes, and people are often subjects of various art forms beyond photography. Studying these other art forms can give you a wide range of ideas to trigger your creativity.

So, get into the habit of studying paintings, drawings, sculptures, and even literature or music that focuses on these themes. How do painters interpret light, shadow, and color on buildings, people, or landscapes? How about composition? How do writers describe all these? How does music re-create the impression of a landscape or of people interacting with each other? These insights can offer fresh perspectives and inspire new approaches in your photography.

Attend art exhibitions, read books on the subject you like to photograph so you can get to know them better and immerse yourself in other creative fields. This blend of ideas can lead to innovative techniques and concepts that you can incorporate into your work.

The Power of Experimentation

Trying New Techniques and Genres

One of the most effective ways to overcome creative block is to experiment with new techniques. If you’ve always shot in black and white, try color photography. If you typically shoot during the day, explore night photography. Experiment with long exposure, ICM (Intentional Camera Movement), or panoramic photography. Each new technique you try adds a new tool to your creative toolbox.

However, it’s essential to go beyond superficial experimentation. Take the time to learn and master these new techniques. Study tutorials, practice diligently, and analyze your results critically. Mastering these new fields not only boosts your confidence but also opens up new paths for creative expression.

Here you can find a complete guide on long exposure photography.

And here you can read an extensive guide on intentional camera movement or, in short, ICM.

Changing Perspective – Changing Gear

Architectural and landscape photography, for instance, often involves capturing grand scenes and structures. The same can be said about portrait or street photography. Most of the time, you aim to shoot the entire subject or scene in front of you. Challenge yourself by changing your perspective. Get up close and focus on the details – the intricate details on a building, the texture of a stone wall, or the patterns created by leaves on the ground, the unexpected interplay of light and shadow in a street scene, or a detail of the person shot from an angle that reveals something new.

Using different lenses can also help alter your perspective. A wide-angle lens can capture the grandeur of a landscape, while a macro lens can highlight the details of architectural elements or natural textures. A long lens can compress the perspective and give you another way of looking at your subjects. A tilt-shift lens can help you experiment with geometry and depth of field in a way no other lens can (here is an essential guide on the tilt-shift lens). By constantly changing your perspective, you keep your work dynamic and your creative ideas flowing.

Embracing Failure and Persistence

Learning from Mistakes

Every photographer, no matter how experienced, every artist, every human being encounters failures. Instead of viewing these as setbacks, see them as learning opportunities. Analyze your mistakes critically and identify what went wrong and how you can improve. This process not only enhances your technical skills but also builds resilience.

A practical way you can learn from your mistakes is to create a portfolio of failed shots. No need to show that to anyone :)

Include in this portfolio shots that didn’t turn out as expected, and write down what went wrong and what you learned from each experience. Try to understand if the failure was due to wrong assessments or to the conditions in the field being less than ideal. Try to understand if your compositional approach was the right one or if you needed more time to study the place and understand it so you can find different approaches and compositions.

Maybe the subject wasn’t fit for your vision, or you tried to force your ideas to fit in a certain approach that wasn’t right. Maybe you didn’t know your equipment well enough. Maybe your planning of when to shoot or where to shoot from wasn’t correct. Or perhaps you need to work on your processing skills. Try to record all the things that went wrong and find the way you would correct the mistakes. This not only documents your growth but also serves as a reminder that failure is a natural part of the creative journey, it is how we learn, and that we can correct it if we know what we did wrong and are willing to change it.

Persistence Pays Off

Creativity often requires persistence. There will be times when inspiration feels elusive and every shot seems uninspired. During these periods, it’s essential to keep pushing forward. Continue taking photographs, even if you’re not entirely satisfied with the results. The act of creating, even imperfectly, keeps the creative muscles active. Show up, and it will finally happen.

If big goals are too much for that moment, try to set small, achievable goals to maintain momentum. Challenge yourself to capture or process a specific number of photos each day or week, regardless of their quality. Over time, this persistent effort will pay off, and you’ll find yourself breaking through the creative block.

Take a break – Meditate

Sometimes taking a break is exactly what you need. Sometimes quieting the mind is what is required for those ideas to emerge. When your mind is too busy and you’re struggling too much, there may not be enough empty space in your mind and soul for your ideas to have enough room to evolve and emerge to the surface. Sometimes, giving time and space for an idea to incubate in our conscious or subconscious is what is needed for that idea to reach maturity and be able to manifest in our thoughts so we can transfer it into our work.

When this happens, try to do something else instead of photography for a short while. Focus on reading books, on relaxing, on working on something else, like, for instance, your other hobbies, and try to create that space where ideas can thrive, grow and reach the surface.

If you meditate, this would be a perfect moment to do it. Meditation helps take the pressure off your mind and opens up the space for ideas that are not very loud to emerge. When you meditate, you remove the clutter and ensure you have the silence your creativity needs to unfold.

Share Your Work if This Suits Your Personality

Don’t hesitate to share your work with the photography community and your audience. Creating a portfolio website or having a social media presence where you regularly post your photos will help you get into the habit of making new photographs and it will give you an idea about how others react to them. Sharing your work not only builds your confidence but also creates a sense of accountability that drives you to keep producing quality content. Also, the feedback you get can help you progress and refine your work so it reaches more people and communicates your vision better.

At the same time, many photographers I know prefer not to be very active on social media. I, myself, am not always in the mood to put myself out there and at times feel that I can create better work in solitude. During those times I am not particularly active on social media. If you like me, don’t feel pressured to be out there all the time. Take the time you need for yourself and create in solitude if this is how you create better.

Ultimately, I believe the best is to strike a balance between artistic solitude and being out there communicating through your work with others. But this balance is specific to each of us. So keep in mind the options and do what makes you happy artistically, and what you see will result in better results in your creativity.

Participate in Photography Competitions

Apart from sharing your work with others, participating in photography contests can also be a great motivator. The challenge of competing and the potential for recognition can push you to step out of your comfort zone and strive for excellence.

Here too, be mindful and know that not all competitions are the same. It is important to choose well the competitions you participate in and only submit work to the competitions where you see your photography style is appreciated. Sending your fine art photographs to a street photography competition or the other way around will most likely result in poor performance, and that will not happen because your work is not good but because it’s not suitable for the competition.

So choose wisely and only choose quality competitions. I’ve been participating for many years and photography competitions with great results, winning over 100 awards for my photography, and I’ve also been many times judging competitions. For me, it may be easier to assess which competitions are of higher quality, but if you don’t have a lot of experience, just go for the most well-known ones, like International Photography Awards IPA, Sony World Photography Awards, PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris etc.

Conclusion

A Journey of Continuous Evolution

Overcoming creative block is not a one-time fix but a continuous journey. By drawing inspiration from your own life experiences, experimenting with new techniques, and committing to lifelong learning, you can ensure that your creativity remains vibrant and resilient.

Creativity is like a wave; it comes and goes. And then it comes again. Embrace the sequential character of the creative process, go with the flow, stay persistent, be mindful, and keep pushing your limits. Remember, every challenge you encounter as an artist is an opportunity for growth. This is how you discover new ideas and enrich your life experiences. Keep your eyes, mind, and heart open, and you’ll find that inspiration is always inside yourself and out there, waiting to be discovered.

You can find some more ideas about what creative block is (or writer’s block as we said was first related to) and other info related to it at this link. From there you can find many more resources if you’re interested in studying it further.

If you want to learn more and go even deeper into this subject and more you can join me at one of my upcoming workshops or my online and in-person courses where we talk about this and other fine art photography subjects in great detail.

If you want to hear my thoughts on other subjects and take advantage of free tutorials and other special surprises, subscribe to my website and join our community, where we talk about fine art photography, art and everything around these topics.

If you are interested in knowing more about black and white fine art photography, inspiration, (en)Visionography, long exposure photography, architecture fine art photography, and many other subjects, feel free to read my other tutorials and have a look at my books and courses.