How To Keep You Motivated on Your Photography (or Passion)?

Are you on that phase that things are getting redundant, uninterested, and boredom lingers in your work or passion? Are you seeking for some encouragements and something to make it work like it was? If Yes, then you are in the right place!

So this is my first entry and yesterday was my birthday (Happy Birthday to me)! I decided to start writing, even though I am not the best writer in the world, because I want to share and inspire people. Sharing knowledge is also precious, as they say: "Knowledge is power" other than donating millions of dollars to poverty or cancer research. It motivates me to give back to the community (If that sounds so noble) in my own ways. It is so rewarding when people appreciate and apply it in their lives.

Speaking of motivation, how do you motivate yourself on your photography (or any passion that you may have). It can be any form of art, cooking, pottery, singing or whatever that makes you happy or enjoy your humanity worthwhile. For me, it is photography so it will be more elaborate on this subject. Paragraphs that in Italic are non-photography subjects. You may skip on your own discretion.

Here are the five things that make you motivated. Let start with the list:

When you are doing a project - commissioned or personal project, always do the best you can. Always think that you need to impress someone and give it to a client (Insert your dream client here may do to motivate you more). Do not "half-ass" nor swing that "just trying" approach. Your client (Dream client if you may) will not hire you with that kind of attitude. Make sure you are giving your 100%, always!

When I am making dinner, it may sound mundane, but I always try to serve my "A-Game" like I am one of the best cuisinier. I put my best effort and love on it, decorate and plating it as a 4-star Michelin restaurant would serve you. I surely get more appetite indulging my dinner in this way.

Check some of my culinary masterpieces boomerang. You can always follow me too! @imgerardsantiagofor my personal account.

2. Do What You Really Love!

Most of the time, you need to do the things that you not really like. These can pay your bills so be thankful to have it and have patience. But when you get that chance, apply what you really like to do! If you like black and white photography, then try to edit one of your client's work. Try to squeeze that on the deliverable and they might select that to publish. If you really love doing that then most likely you excel on it. If you really like travel photography, you do not need to go to the faraway countries to get the best shot. You can plan a weekend trip that is an hour away from where you are. Discover the place and start taking photos. If you love taking photos for babies, then call all your pregnant friends and coworkers to set up newborn shoots.

So this series was started just for fun then it evolved as an on-going project then created my first solo exhibition. Click to read more.

Aside from being a photographer, I also do graphic designs. It has a vast spectrum of specialties like typography, logo making, layout, web, and many more. Many people always assume graphic designers always like making logos. I am one of those individuals who's not a big fan but I can make logos when I am in the mood or if you pay me well. To be honest, I am not a big fan of Illustrator (Sorry for that Ai) which is important in making vector images. I prefer working in Photoshop though. I just need to adjust on its specifications. Actually, I enjoy doing layout and typography. Creating magazine and book contents are interesting for me and I can do it all day every day (if I need to).

3. Have Some Downtime and Use It To Get Inspiration

Maybe you think it is a contradiction but being motivated also mean that you are open for new ideas. Gathering new techniques or concepts to execute those. Sometimes, when you are on the mood of creating work, there are some times that you feel stuck or battled that the things are not working. At this moment, gathering answers and options are good considerations. This is part of the problem-solving process that we encounter because we are not just playing games when something is not aligned on our original vision then we stop working on it. Solving these hurdles are part of our conquest to succeed. Try visiting the museum or bookstores. Checking Pinterest, Google Images, or scanning your favorite magazine that is connected to your passion will help to gain inspiration. Looking for new works are helpful too, giving you new perspectives.

I visited SFMoMa for a class field trip. I thought it is very helpful to students having this kind of activities.

I usually make my own dinner in a week but sometimes I find my food getting redundant in some ways. So dining out is helpful for me, not because I am lazy, but to get new ideas of what salad dressing works well with chicken. Getting new ideas on what to make for the next Asian cuisine night. Well, if I am lazy cooking, then I can always catch some Shawarma or poke bowls down the street.

4. Give Yourself Some Demands and Deadlines

At this moment, you are not playing around. Challenging yourself will make you better rather than being in the "safe zone". In real life, everything has expectation and demand. A client has criteria that needed to meet. When doing a personal project or test shots, give yourself some requirements needed to be fulfilled. Doing high-key, maybe doing 3 different looks, working with an h&m artist, or shooting using film and limit it only with 24 shots. Setting a time limit or a submission date, wrap up time like any other shooting. It gives you the pressure of course. But it trains you how to deal with these when you actually experience these kinds of situations. Rather than freezing and start tearing up because of these stressful events.

With this shooting, I go beyond my comfort zone, I made mood board, I work with creatives, Tried something new, visualized my output and execute it.

I love to travel and this kind of passion is not a cheap one. Whenever I get a chance, I try to make some mental checklist (demands) for that trip. Like I need to see ... (Insert here the recommended place from 100 places before you die) or do this ... (insert here the top activity from Tripadvisor) and try their authentic... (insert here the food you saw in Food Network), or only spend this X amount. or I will not spend so much time on social media so I can immerse myself more wandering, or not using Google map and letting myself get lost unless I really need to. In some ways, these demands make my trip more interesting and fun.

5. Always Aiming for Something New and More Challenging

There will be a point in our career (or lives) that we feel our course is stagnant. This may damage our relationship with our passion. Like the therapist always say "Why not adding some flair on it". That flair does not mean you are adding blazing visual effects on all your images. But to ignite that burning desire to create something different, something exciting. It is good to try out something that we have not discovered yet and master it to add on your creative arsenal. Challenges motivate for the betterment. At first, we might think it is a problem but it is also a way to figure what we know and solve it as part of the mastery of our craft. If things getting easier, then that means you are not getting motivated pushing for more and it can lead to boredom. Why not trying to recreate the front cover of Time Magazine that you like. Participating in some photo contests, or starting doing your personal project (or a new one if you already working on one) that you have been daydreaming the past months. Keep leveling up your photography skills!

This was my master thesis at the Academy of Art. It started as a self-portrait of my childhood fears. I got a little bored then I challenged myself. As my final review, it evolved to shooting other people with moody black and white portraiture. Click to read more.

As an avid karaoke singer (One of the returning patrons of The Mint in San Francisco, Wanna B's in Virginia Beach, and a winner "Singer of the Night" in Bar Rendezvous - Munich, Germany) singing the same "go-to" tunes may seem safe but it will get boring and the other local patrons who frequently saw you start whispering "The Ironic Man" (Always singing Alanis Morissette's song). Why not try the new Justin Bieber song, singing that groovy music from the radio that stuck on your head while driving yesterday, or belting Sia's Titanium (which my winning piece in Munich, by the way). When I am with some friends, we are playing to do some theme round-robin. Like some Disney soundtrack, Break-up playlist, Classic Rock, songs that will make you dance, or Broadway pieces when people started getting too drunk. It makes it hard figuring what songs to sing but it makes the karaoke party more special and fun.

I hope that you enjoyed this reading and get some motivations. So your turn, what is your passion and what keeps your motivation?