Has Anyone Else Lost Their Creative Mojo From This Long Winter?

Winter? Oh yeah some people live where it's cold. Attitude is everything so change yours if the weather is bringing you down.

nope. i don't go outside, but i have plenty of pictures from when it was warmer and i've been concentrating on learning new things and creating new stock and series.

as for winter pictures - get as many as you can for later on. the wind is supposed to be bad today, between squalls get big waves and such. take advantage of it while you can. you'll edit these next fall or so, when your tired of summer. right now edit summer.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

I painted this in my winter slump:)

No not at all, I am far more productive in the winter, since there are less distractions from outside. I am happily staying indoor painting away. it is lot of fun when I can create spring with just paints and paper.
maybe you should take up painting?

I guess you have had quite the storms there, is that right, Gregory? Maybe you can take some comfort in knowing that your winter will probably be about a month shorter than ours here in Montreal! Mind you it has been cold and maybe a little more snow than usual, but no gigantic storms so far, knock on wood!

I love it when the seasons change. Helps the creativity flow. Winter is the time to be in the studio for me and then work on videos or networking when bored.

But this time of year is the worst - it could be a month or even two still before we can go outside in any comfort - CABIN FEVER!!!

I've been accompanying my wife once a month trips around the state as she attends leadership conferences/classes. It gives me an excuse to be out all day shooting in new areas although this last time my fingers got so numb I ended up doing some shopping and going to a museum. Then we were in a white out driving home.







I don't mind having time to work on art indoors but the constant shoveling takes up a lot of the day.

No, but I have in the past. Would a new toy help? Maybe buy a new lens or a pinhole camera. Try doing a series of indoor shots.

I have a hard time relating to what mojo is.
My eyes are my eyes..I see abstracts everywhere!

I would LOVE to take up painting... But I am color-deficient (technical term). I have an incredibly hard time distinguishing between greens and yellows. reds and pinks, blues and purples, silvers and greys, etc. Whenever I am done working on a photo, I have to ask my wife, or my 5 year old son, if all the colors make sense. I have actually posted online purple clouds in the past without realizing it! Stupid saturation option ;)


ETA, great idea Julia! Maybe if we et back any money from taxes, I can get a prime lens.

Most of my work is done during the winter months, just because I'm forced to stay inside. I look forward to winter, knowing I'll get some work done. Think positive.

Nah….but I still hate winter and cold. My life is too short at this point to live in such a awful weather.

Thanks Otis.

This is incredible:

Gregory, painting doesn't have to be in color, you can paint with just black on white. such as the Chinese ink paintings. if you looking for other creative challenges you can try paper cutting which just working with paper with no colors. I also take photos and this one just playing with light and shadow on one of my paper cut.

Nope. Being cooped up indoors has set me off on all sorts of weird, unrelated journeys...




- Richard Reeve
ReevePhotos.com

Hi Gregory!

No way. As long as there is sun and no snow in my way, I'm out every morning. I actually prefer the cold weather as opposed to hot and humid. The stairs down to the beach below were wiped out from the last blizzard, however.

I live in Minneapolis, surely one of the grayest, drabbest winter cities in America. This has actually been a relatively mild winter but by this time in February, I'm at a low.

Yes, most definitely :( We've hardly had any snow this winter and the landscape is so dreary. I've been looking at art sites hoping that something motivates me.

I love all the seasons...especially winter captures! -15 last night...piece of cake! ;)

Not Me.
But these things can happen.

Yes, I have but it has nothing to do with winter as I live in Florida. This happens frequently with me, although I would not call it losing my creative mojo but it's more like working in creative cycles. I have yet to understand these cycles as there really is no pattern. Once I went close to 2 years with no new sculptures. I don't worry about it at all, other times I am so charged with creativity that I can produce 30 sculptures in one month. I did this just once. My theory is that I cultivate the creativity with out even knowing somewhere in the subconscious and when it's time, it finds it's way out.

a big gain actually

Dave

We're still waiting for winter here in the Rocky Mountains...

Joe Burgess
jb-imagery.com

Hey you guys, you're all inspiring me, thank you. I guess it has more to do with just my own creative cycles as Mario was talking about, rather than it being winter, though the uninspired times seem to be more potent in the winter. I need warmth and sunlight, I can't help it! Thanks to Vanessa for suggesting I take vitamin D. Every little bit helps.

As far as motivation goes, winter is a challenge for me. What I do like about winter are all the bare trees, but not much else. Shorter days means less time outside and more time on the computer -- and in front of the tube, sadly. I'm catching up on all those international mysteries I recorded to dvr. Winter is the only time I read. I guess I try to make the most of it.

I lose my mojo PERIOD in the winter. It is ugly and cold and dark. I probably have that SAD but won't do anything about it.

Explaining "mojo":

I've had about enough... tomorrows high is -2 here... Its hard to use the camera in this weather... I already got frostbite on my finger once this winter getting this photo



I'm heading to tucson tomorrow though... hopefully a couple of days there will get me going again...

Haven't been shooting as much this year. But I do get out in the sub zero weather. Been another hard winter in southern New England.

CNN just came out with this article today. I am not the only one that is ready to be done with this winter!

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/13/health/how-to-beat-the-winter-blues/index.html

Nope. I look at it as a challenge to get out there and bring something back. Feeds my creativity and often leads to pleasant surprises.

I want to thank you all so much for giving me fuel to keep at it! I forced myself out of my house before nightfall this evening with a sense of mission, and refused to come back home until I had something. The following is what happens when one is inspired by so many amazing artists (I am NOT at all saying its on the same level as all of you, but it is still my statement that art CAN happen, even in the midst of a loooong winter!)

Geez let's see! Right now in Guelph On Canada it is -37 with wind chill, there is an extreme cold warning and a blowing snow advisory - so yeah I am not going anywhere and we have had this for the last couple days - I am sick of winter and need spring - Who said -2 was a problem with frostbite? I have no problem going out in -20 but not -37 and since I am not a winter person, I am trying to get some photos worked on from vacations etc that I haven't had time to do so really it's no problem as far as losing the "mojo" - I have lots of work to do to keep me busy for the next couple months!

That's a beautiful shot, Gregory! Looks like you timed it just right, capturing the blueness that you only see briefly in the morning and evening.

Fantastic work, Richard! Love the Flatiron piece. (I posted here instead of commenting under the images because logging in and out between FAA and AW drives me crazy. Sorry!)

Yep...I've been in the portrait studio for the past month and a half shooting boudoir, which is great, but its kinda zapped me a bit from going out after some new art photography.

V-Day signals the end of the run....so hopefully I can get some time in before seniors start up hard!

Yes, a bit unmotivated, as of late...not sure why

John Crothers I have SAD…..people just do not understand how dehabilitating it is mentally. I go tanning and it helps only for a day…..but I have not done tanning in a while now.