One day you will have renewed vigour and inspiration. I cannot tell you when that will be but it will come. And then you will gambol like a lamb with a newly found spring in your step and before long you will develop superb images.

We all have periods of relative inactivity. It can be hard to get motivated. It can be a struggle to venture out with all that equipment. And it can be difficult to think of a suitable subject to take photographs of.

And this feeling can eat away at you like a cancer. Digital photography, for all its benefits, becomes a viper. Snapping at your very sinews. Everything is a trial and a drudge. Nothing feels fresh or clean and sometimes, just sometimes, you can feel like giving up altogether.

But don’t.

It’s okay to take a rest or a break. The images and all your equipment will still be there when you return. The space will refresh you and you will be back – stronger and creatively inspired!

It can help if you accept the fact that this scenario will happen. That you will lose some interest and desire and that you will produce substandard images whilst you creative mind is on vacation.

Let it pass and look forwards to your return. It will be worth it.

Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com.

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