“So, what have you been up to lately?” “Ugh, I’ve been so busy!” This answer is so trite yet I tend to fall in the same gap as everybody else. I need to find a better answer for this question.

So, what are my excuses? I either don’t have the time (other priorities) or I struggle to find the motivation. Let’s examine them a little bit closer.

No time

This one is the simplest of the two. Bar exceptions, we can always win time by either dropping activities or by combining them with photography. Simple, right? Yes and no.

I know the solution is quite clear: I have to make choices but it’s hard to drop something. Should I produce less podcasts? Or spend less time on career, the garden or learning a language? Life is all about priorities and yet, half-way in life I’m still learning. Easy to understand, hard to master, right?. I found some strategies that helped me taking more photos. And some that won’t. 😅

What works for me

Have a camera at hand - I always have one in my shoulder bag or backpack. Not that I encounter a lot of opportunities to grab my camera. Often my focus is with other things than photography (see “Multitasking”). But at least I have a camera at hand when I need one.

Find inspiration close to home - Or even better: in home. Sometimes I look at the garden or some place in the house and really appreciate what I see. Then I get my camera and just take the photo. I have some photos of the interior of my first house and still a pleasure to see them again. So at some point I will also like the interior pictures that I make now.

It’s OK to let go - Well, that doesn’t make me take more photographs, but better to have peace with yourself than chasing goals that only makes your life stressful. If it’s too much stress, it’s not worth it.

What does not work for me (yet)

Multitasking - Even when you’re busy, you should be able to take a picture when you see the opportunity. Take a minute or two and then continue with what you’re doing. That seems reasonable and although I tend to do that, most of the time I won’t because it would get me out of whatever I was focused on.

Often I’m out, I’m on a mission: supermarket, a meeting, commute, whatever. My mind is focused on arriving on time and most of the time I have a folding bike and a backpack. Stopping for a photo breaks that focus. It also conflicts with how I want to take pictures: travel light, no obligations and time to attentively study a scene.

What might work

Plan - Planning works for me as it prepares my mind for whatever I planned to do and can make preparations if needed. If I don’t plan, time will inevitably will be filled up with other stuff to do. This tactic only works there’s space in my agenda. When I’m too busy, I tend to trade in activities for some head space.

Motivation

Sometimes I don’t feel like going out to make pictures. These moments are more worrisome for me as I then notice that I lose interest in something that I would normally like to do.

Most of the problem is just getting out of the house. Once I’m taking pictures, everything is just fine. But quite often the lack of motivation to go out is also a sign that I’m doing too much. Doing the stuff you like in an haphazardly manner doesn’t really help in appreciating your creative outlet.

This year I skipped some events that I normally always attend like the yearly fairground. There was too much to do at home and I didn’t feel like going out. Although I don’t like the fact that I stayed home, I trust that this is just a temporary thing. Eventually I will regain sufficient head space.

Having 1500+ followers on social networks is great but should not become a boring responsibility. At some point I published a photo every day and at some point that schedule became a burden at moments that I have nothing good to publish. To maintain continuity, I switched to four times in a week. That worked better for me and it also forces me to only publish the good photos at moments I do have enough publishing material. By publishing less, the quality of the published material went up.

In the end, having no time for photos has nothing to do with photography but about life and what choices you’re willing to make. Although I really like to document the world around me, photography is not a career path for me so I prefer to stick to a sustainable pace.