How can I stay inspired and keep photographing when I only have 15 minutes a day?
Asked 7/24/2010
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2 answers
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I’m finishing a thesis and have very little time and energy for photography right now. On an average day I may only have about 15 minutes total, including editing and sharing. I’m also mostly limited to familiar places like home, work, and my commute, and when I’m out I’m usually in a hurry and shooting in less-than-ideal light.
Given those constraints, what are some practical ways to stay creatively engaged and make at least a little photographic progress instead of stopping completely?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
16y ago
2 Answers
7
I would suggest creating a multi-day schedule of events that can be repeated for different subjects. I don't think 15 minutes per day is worth running around looking for something to shoot. You'd get much more value if you divided the process into segments (one segment = one day = 15m). Possibly something like this:
- Segment 1 - Research a subject - Browse online photo galleries for interesting ways to shoot subjects found near home/work. (plants, pets, kids, cars, house, etc)
- Segments 2-4 - Shoot the subject(s) trying to recreate or innovate on some of the interesting techniques you found during Segment 1.
- Segment 5 - Post-process & publish. Do a gallery review for the subject and choose your favorite(s). Do a quick exposure & white balance adjustment (assuming RAW) and simple alterations like cropping and get your shots published so you can start getting feedback.
- Segments 6-7 - Consume feedback on your published images. Compare/contrast to original research. Pick a new subject for next week.
Originally by user288. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user288
16y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Use the limitations as a creative framework rather than fighting them. With only 15 minutes, don’t spend that time wandering for subjects. Instead, work in small repeatable projects.
A good approach is to split the process across several days: one day to research ideas or examples, a few days to shoot, then one day to review, make quick edits, and publish. Familiar subjects near home or work can still be productive if you approach them with a specific goal.
You can also give yourself simple constraints to trigger ideas: take one photo at the same time each day, photograph the same place or subject repeatedly, or rotate through themes such as color, people, city, abstract, or water. A color challenge like focusing on one color for the day can make ordinary scenes feel fresh.
Another useful exercise is a short time limit: give yourself 60 seconds to make a photo, or stand in one spot and find an image without moving. These kinds of restrictions often help creativity and make it easier to start quickly.
The goal during busy periods doesn’t need to be high output; it’s to maintain momentum and attention.
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