I find it very hard to be inspired to take photos in the winter. In Upstate NY, this is not the most photogenic time of year. So I’ve been struggling to come up with ways to keep my camera out, and in use. And to try to see things differently. There has to be something out there worth shooting, despite the mud and dead trees.

Mud?

Yes, mud. To make things more challenging, we are in the middle of a January thaw. It was around 60 degrees today. So, instead of snow covered landscapes, frosty designs, ice, and other snowy types of things, we have mud, the dirty remains of snowbanks that have melted almost entirely away, and leafless hibernating trees. Wow, lots to shoot!

So how do you get inspired? How do you find something to shoot. Here are some ideas I have come up with to try to keep myself busy this winter, and to continue shooting through the time of year when my camera is usually gathering dust:

– Shoot (or think) in black and white. There isn’t much color available outdoors this time of year, at least around here. So unless you live in more southern areas, look at shapes, tones, and shadows instead of the color you are used to.

– Buy a new camera. I know, I know, money doesn’t grow on trees. But if you’ve been looking at getting some new equipment, maybe now is the time. It’ll get you interested.

– Start a photo blog. Don’t want to blog? Maybe work on a coffee table book. Shoot a collection of photos with a theme. Some sort of project to keep you moving. Check out blurb if you want to build a book.

– Check out photochallenge.org for some ideas on themes to shoot. In December, Trevor Carpenter and some other photo bloggers started a challenge to shoot one portrait a day for the entire month. This was fun, and educational. I found this when they were almost done, but this and another challenge they did in October started photochallenge.org, where they are going to embark on more of these challenges. Stay tuned…

– Another site is dpchallenge.com. They have a number of themed photo contests. If you’re looking for ideas, try one of the open contests, or just try out the ideas from some of the past themes.

– Try tabletop photography. This flickr group is all about macro and still life photos. You don’t need to be outdoors, or have good weather for this. There are some very nice photos here to give you some ideas.

– Go to the zoo! Most zoos are open year ’round, but they tend to have a little less traffic this time of year. The zoo in Syracuse NY has having a photo contest through January to pull people in. I’ll be heading over there soon to get in on this.

– Keep your camera with you!! I know, this should be obvious. But after days of driving to work in the dark, getting home in the dark, and being in the office during the daylight hours, I left my camera at home one day. While running an errand, I drove by a house that had a car in the driveway, with a snowman on the roof of the car. The ONE DAY I left home without it…. I went back a day later, and it had warmed up enough so that the chilly passenger had slid off onto the ground. Lesson learned.

I hope I’ve given you some ideas. Leave a comment with your ideas to share with everyone.