One Simple Idea that Changed My Photography
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- Опубликовано: 7 июл 2024
- A few years ago I changed the way I look at the creative process with my photography and filmmaking. This simple idea saved me from burnout, brought balance, and I think in the end made me a better creative. I hope you take something away from this.
This video includes some recent super 8mm footage from my Beaulieu 4008 ZMII, and some throwback super 16mm footage from the Bolex REX5. Enjoy!
Also, big thanks to @Tom-Humble for capturing some footage of me filming around London. Go give him a follow!
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Kyle, your ability to connect with other creatives through your channel is unparalleled. I aslo spent the past two years experimenting, and just now I am finding that "direction". Keep up the great work!
Thank you, Maxim!
I've recently discovered my period of idleness with my photography. This is the first time its happened as i'm relatively new to it all (about a year and a half in) I would like to think it's because of the weather here very uninspired to get out and create so get stuck in ruts. I must say discovering your channel recently has really re-lit my creative spark! So just want to say thanks man appreciate everything you do 📸😌
Happy to hear that. Glad you've been enjoying the channel!
Wow this is huge. I feel like the last few years I been in the production stage and I think social media has made me stay in that season but eventually it caused me to get extremely burned out. I was at the point of selling all my gear and giving up. But instead of quitting, I quit social media and I think has helped me push myself into the resting season because here it is March of 2023 and I've hardly taken any photos of importance since last fall except for my cat of course. But maybe this resting stage is something I've needed for a long time to kind of disconnect from it and follow it by experimenting and not having to have the stress of social media making me feel like I need to produce content 24/7 that I don't even like myself. Thanks for making this video Kyle, you definitely a huge inspiration for me and to know that I'm not alone makes me feel a little better.
Glad you resonated with this one, Nicholas! I've been there before-being totally burnout and questioning my interest in photography. Turns out I just hadn't stopped for a very very long time.
I put myself into corners by working in a painting series mentality. A rigid structure that begins playfully, but whose corridors narrow and become a little sterile as the journey continues. Everything becomes weighed down with the expectation that all my work must adhere to this one note "rule". Everything must be gravid with meaning and connect with each other. When this happens, we forget that we are forgetting to play. Play and experimentation must be brought kicking and screaming from our childhood into adult life, or all our work suffers. Don't ever stop playing.
Great video, Kyle. I'm constantly having to remind myself that creative work doesn't always have to have a "why" to be worth doing. It's difficult to let go of that mindset, and to let go of perfectionism, but I'm always glad when I do!
Cheers, Russ. Yep, definitely need those times when you let go and just embrace the process. It's all important.
Kyle, I'm a musician, not a photographer, but my partner adores your channel and showed me this video. Thank you so much for your thoughtful wisdom. I have been in a period of rest since the pandemic started and this video has me thinking seriously about entering the season of play. I look forward to all your future work!
Thank you, Clara! Glad you enjoyed this one.
Something to live by no matter what creative field you’re in. The K man does it again!
🙌✌️
I didn't realize how strongly I agree with you in that. Thanks
You are 100% right! I never thought about it but it makes sense.
Agree completely man.
A simple change every time the stage you’re in stops being enjoyable. When creativity is no longer fun it’s time for production. When that’s no longer enjoyable it’s time for rest.
The cycle goes on.
Also that super 8mm came out great. Can’t beat the 16mm footage though 😍
Absolutely. Sometimes it's even just a day or two of rest. And yeah, good times man. I was surprised that even the super-expired 500t looked half decent. Thanks again for filming me.
I totally agree with you and the worst thing nowadays stopping us to rest and thinking is the internet and our mobile phone ^_^. Things are speeded up to an extend that everyone from any part of the world can approach you for something 24hrs a day 365.
Yep. My relationship with my phone is one that I'm always trying to better at.
Such a great message. For me, this applies to designing & sewing my own clothes - I‘ve been taking a rest lately but at the same time put myself under pressure for not being productive. I now realize that this is ok and inspiration and motivation will come to me again. Acceptance is key here, thank you for emphasizing that.
This is a concept I’ve been struggling with for some time: I know this to be true, as the saying is, “Trust the process.” (I) we tend to just apply that to the production process phase, instead of this Trifecta.
Phases of time, phases of life, breath, exhale.
I worry too often of not bringing in a honest income or one I’m at peace with.
I’m in a rest/play phase, and at moments, try to force it into production.
Thank you for this reminder. 🙏🏼
totally relatable... experiment is the most playful, production is great for your ego and rest has been such a struggle since it leaves you in a space of failure and lost. I have come to terms with this period finally. it is great to hear someone talk about these phases i have been experiencing! keep up the good work (as always)
Great stuff Kyle. The super 8 footage has such a charm. I live in London and it was fun to see it in a new way.
Cheers, Pete. Always fun to shoot some motion picture film. Although it's not the cheapest process!
Dude. Such a great message. I feel like I am always in a season of production - and then get restless due to a lack of a rest or experimentation. As someone who's trying to kickstart some fresh ideas and feeling to gassed to do so I really appreciate your perspective. Thank you.
Glad you connected with this one, Nick. Hope you're well!
Love your channel Kyle. This one really resonates with me. I always feel like everything needs to be big and grand...you're right. It can lead to negative results. Thanks for this. Keep it up.
Cheers! Glad you connected with this one.
Thank you for this video! I wish this concept would be more used in other creative fields as well. As a scientist and photographer I think the cycle is more or less the same for both, but the expectation, especially also in science, is to always produce, produce, produce. It is no wonder that so many people get burned out when there is no time for the phases of rest or experimentation, even though these are crucial for creativity!
You're welcome. And yes, I think this can apply to many different fields.
I absolutely agree. I have noticed that I have two seasons - Execution and Inspiration. These usually align with travel periods in China vs. being home in the US (mostly during the winter). I shoot furiously during part of the year and then evaluate my work / other people's work / techniques / processes during the off-period. Yin & Yang.
Sounds like a good way to work, Jim.
Hearing my music in a Kyle McDougall video is something I didn't think I'd be able to say this year..
Thanks Kyle! Great video as always!
Ah, no way. That's super cool. Big fan of your music! Small world that you watch these vids. Thanks for all the great tracks. 🙌
This resonates with me as well. I think many of us go through creative cycles.
This totally makes sense! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, needed to hear this
I completely agree with these key points. I was producing much more work when shooting digitally a few years ago, sometimes accidental, where shots would become some of my favorites when unplanned vs using only medium format today and I’ve slowed down and put more planning into pictures, but have realized I’d like to find a balance and allow the free experimentation in again. You worded it perfectly. Also amazing shot at 6:25
Keep up the amazing channel!
Fabulous!!!!
Thanks, thanks, thanks. It was sooooo needed.
Thank you! You defenately helped me with this video!
Thanks for making this..great reminder to try something different. Will be trying super 8mm soon..
Thank you for the inspiration
I’d never looked at it like this, or at least labelled it this way but you’re right. I have periods of time when it feels like everything you see or shoot could be a banger or something you’re stoked with and other times it feels like a winter or drought of anything of any significance (to me or a client). Great video and good insight.
Cheers, James.
this hits different from other videos like this because ive been trying to pull myself out of a rut in finishing my videos. I have 4 videos shot and ready but I feel like I have to force myself to finish the video knowing I'll feel great about it afterwards. funny how something so small can block you from creating for months
Hi Kyle, I've been in the rest period from photography since the first year of the pandemic and I feel the burn to produce and experiment. Produce more film photos and experiment with how I share it socially because that's also another creative venture in itself, telling the story and picking the sound track, these are what I'm beginning to get stuck into again. I'm sooo happy you moved to the UK! I think you mentioned this in your Pentax 645N video (yes! I've taken that long a break!) lol, belated welcome to the UK dude! Thanks again for sharing these seasons of creativity!
Cheers, Ren! Glad you enjoyed this one!
Loved every single second of this. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it.
I gotta say the groove this channel has carved of sharing useful, applicable, and thought provoking advice is not only very helpful to me but also very entertaining. Much appreciate the content!!
Thanks, Sam. I appreciate that!
What a really great idea. I've been feeling a bit stuck in a rut and knowing in the back of my mind that I need to stop trying to produce all the time but not knowing how to give myself the permission to rest/experiment. I think watching this video may have just done the trick. Cheers Kyle. Best, Chris.
Happy to hear it helped, Chris.
Another thoughtful creatively nourishing episode. Loving your channel Kyle.. May it grow and grow ⛰️
I appreciate that. Thanks, Mick.
Yes to this!!!. Intuitively makes so much sense. I burnt out as a new phographer very quickly as I now realise I’d reached limits in creativity, knowledge and capability so experimentation (after rest!) feels like the right phase for growth and to become unstuck. It also helps take the pressure off and avoids getting caught in an endless cycle of self analysis and “shoulds”. Really does help and made toral sense. Shared it with a few other creatives. Hope you’re liking London (albeit not our weather)! ❤️❤️
Glad you connected with this one, and thanks for sharing!
I needed to see this. Thank you Kyle.
I never have ideas 😅, I just wander around and try to observe
Rest and time away with play from the creative process is vital. A cool way at looking at it as seasons. Being present (grounded) is really important for me too. It has taken me a while to work this out too. Great reminder mate. Take care.
Cheers, Paul.
Unbelievable video Kyle! Guy and I really enjoyed watching it. We love your photos.
Thanks, Mary!
It's not just yourself in these periods of idleness, your surrounding environment will also have, ehm... low "baseline of understanding" for these, which can add on top of your own anxiety and to that feeling of "God, I should be doing something, producing". The PLAY is SO, so important, yet misunderstoon in the world of grown ups. John Cleese made an extraordinary speech on this subject years ago, there's a video somewhere on RUclipszz. Cheers! 🤗💙
Rest and play are the two that I'm trying to get better at. I definitely have no problem getting consumed with production, hah.
thank you Very Much that Video was a Hardly needed Reminder and wake up call
You're welcome, Toby.
great message, i think i needed to hear this
Well said Kyle. I'm definitely moving from a season of rest to a season of experimentation. Moving back home to the US has put me in a place where I have to find my way all over again. Going to have to experiment for a while.
Thanks, man. Sometimes the experimentation phase is the best, and when the most growth comes. I'll be looking forward to seeing what you make!
I needed to hear this today. Thank you.
You're welcome.
That's a good plan and if it works for you, even better.
Glad you took the time to share it and the super 8 film looks great.
Cheers, Andrew.
I can definitely see these phases in my creative pursuits, even though I’m not a professional. I imagine for hobbyists it looks a bit different in some ways because we don’t spend hours on production day in and day out. But I’ve realized that I haven’t allowed myself to embrace the "experimentation" period enough, thinking I had to be better than the crummy little experiments I would sometimes come up with. Thanks for this valuable reminder to fully embrace the phases and consciously make the most of them. Thank you, thank you, thank you. =)
Love the concept, Kyle. I feel like this puts into words what I've been feeling the last year.
Happy to hear that, Steven. Thanks for watching.
Your communication style here really resonates. I really enjoyed this video and totally agree. Playing with no expectations can be one of the best ways to break a creative slump. Thanks for inspiring me to go create again.
Cheers, Alex. Glad you found this one helpful.
Great advice, like you said, don't forget to have fun!
Absolutely!
I can definetly relate to this 3 process thank you for such a clear explanation this will bring more awareness and peace of mind when going trough each phases.
You're welcome. Cheers.
This is very relatable
Great insight into your work - love to hear how different artists approach the creative method. More of these videos please!
Glad you enjoyed this one. Cheers.
Well timed video. I am just getting into that experimental phase myself after a few months of not being very productive in my photography. I've gone back to shooting film from digital and am just playing around to see what starts to stick. I've no idea what'll happen next, but that's part of the fun of it all.
Cheers, Mark. That's what it's all about. The biggest progress in my career came at a time when I was completely burnt out and finally decided to let go of how I did things in the past. Embracing new tools, and new styles, and just having fun with them brought on things that I could have never imagined.
🤯You so perfectly articulated thoughts that have been on my mind since the beginning of the year - probably even further back if I'm honest about it. Most any attempt to get a project going have been like smashing into a brick wall, for myriad reasons, not the least of which is my day job (not photography). I've chosen to just experiment - take some test portraits with a particular lean lighting setup, play with a lens I haven't used in a while, try E-6 film development before all my Velvia/Provia expires. I don't feel like I have the mental bandwidth (or physical time) to create on the scale I want to, but I'm hoping that it's coming and if I've spent my time futzing on meaningful play that I will be ready when the time comes. Thank you for offering this perspective. When you said "make a bunch of shitty photos that you show no one" I was like 😳- he sees me. I always appreciate your thoughtfulness and approach, Kyle. I can't wait to receive your book when it's ready!
Really glad to hear that you connected with this one, Christopher. Sometimes the experimentation phase lasts a long time, but at least in my experience, you always get back to an energised state of production. I've had a few of these extended ebbs & flows throughout my career, and every time, when the production phase returns, it takes me somewhere I never could have imagined. Keep at it!
Great message. I’ve never thought about it like this! Definitely interesting.
Cheers, Mike!
Very nice episode. I think this applies to any type of work not just photography. Thanks for sharing.
Beautful video and excellent ideas.
Funny to see this pop up! I've been scripting a video about Creative Output vs Creative Input for a while now. Glad to know I'm not alone in the idea of rest somehow feeling difficult
🙌
Ist helps me 👍🏻 enjoy all phases ❤
Really great that you shared your thoughts! I think we spend little time on experimenting and exploring new tools and ideas…
what an awesome perspective. really brings things into focus.
Cheers, man.
This makes a lot of sense! Thanks for sharing, definitely resonates with creatives everywhere :)
🙌 Glad you enjoyed.
Insightful, as usual. Appreciate your way of photography and reflection.
Thanks, Jack.
This is SO TRUE and so important. Thank you for sharing :)
great words 👍
Cheers, Chris.
Could not agree more with everything you said. Felt very resonant with where I've been at lately. Beautiful as ever as well :)
Cheers, Aram.
Thank you for this video. This is really validating. I actually feel a lot better with where I'm at. I guess I'm in a my phase of rest.
Cheers, Jen. Glad you found it helpful!
Is the a-roll shot on the fuji xh2s?
'Cause it's so soft and pleasing...
A really great DoP effort on that 🤩
Yes it is. Cheers.
great video! i’ve been struggling with the same things recently, thanks for putting out your output on it
Glad you enjoyed.
What a great video, very uplifting and it came at the perfect time for me
Glad to hear that. Cheers.
Thanks for the thought-provoking video; given the comments, I think it touches on something many of us experience. I think the overarching problem is that because of the democratization of media, we've come to see creativity as something that can be commodified and marketed and therefore have started treating it as something that can be treated in the same way. It's quite clear that if you talk to a lot of companies or organisations not used to dealing with creative pursuits, they view it like just another job like accounting and don't often make considerations for the talent or tools their requirements for creative content warrant. Social media has also contributed to this by the ever increasing and shifting requirements for your posts to be picked up by the algorithms: the way social media operates with a constant need to push out consistent volumes of production is anathema to how a lot of creativity functions. So we have created a vicious circle of sorts whereby we could promote work more easily, thereby setting a demand for even more easily accessible work which we then feel obligated to satisfy. Feeling uninspired and burning out is the natural outcome of feeling obligated to be continuously switched on in order to keep up in a system that by the very nature of its design drifts off somewhere else to get what it needs, since its idea of its needs is so much simpler than ours.
The big thing to take away is that we shouldn't feel guilty for not being constantly switched-on creatively: we simply cannot function that way, regardless of how much the world around us wants think that way.
Thanks for the comments and interesting thoughts. I agree, we definitely can't be switched on all the time. As a creative, I've found at times it can be tough to know what is resistance and what is burnout. I think we all face resistance often-where we tell ourselves we don't have any ideas, or aren't in the mood, or are tired, etc. And those are the times when you have to push through and commit to the process anyways. But then there are definitely times when a break and creative input is necessary. I'm still working on getting better at figuring out which is which.
Thank you
Wow - absolutely resonated with this video. I would say that I’m in the stage or process of experimentation. I’m still growing in my photography and really don’t have much of clients as much as I would love to be doing photography day to day. but as a full time mom my priorities are my family and home. So I’m learning to shift my perspective to how I can grow and be a student of my craft right now and experiment how I can share my voice in this season right now. My photo biz may not look like most photographers who have a more solid business and grinding daily but this video was so helpful to know it’s ok where I am and something will come about from all this time of experimenting. - Ivy 🙏🏽✨
It's all part of the process, things change constantly, and it all matters. Just gotta do what fits you best, and not compare to other people. Thanks for watching!
Hopefully I will bump into you in the streets of London some time and thank you personally for making these heartfelt and inspiring videos. Can you also make more videos about cinematography? I really enjoyed your two part series about character-driven documentary.
beautiful video. thank you for making it
Glad you liked it!
Loved the insight on this!
Glad you enjoyed it.
rest is key. whether in creative pursuits, day to day life, working out / fitness, etc. gains are made in recovery.
Yep yep!
Dear Kyle, great video again, keep on producing such good content.
Cheers!
Some very sound advice !
I think of guitar playing this way.
Sometimes I’ve about theory or technique. Sometimes I’m about writing.
Sometimes I don’t do anything for months.
Definitely. I think it can apply to a lot of different crafts.
Good stuff 😎👌
Thanks for sharing this, Kyle. It's helped me understand a little better where I am at the moment (although not having picked up a camera at all this month, and very little this year so far had already indicated I was in a period of Rest) and where I have been for the past few years - which was a period of Experimentation, albeit one that I was often trying to make into a period of Production. I've been switching back and forth between Colour and Black & White but not able/willing to settle on either one, as well as making generally unconnected work albeit on fundamentally similar enough subjects (I have a decent idea of what interests me and what doesn't), and this would be why.
I'm not trying to rush out of this Rest period ... I'll pick up the camera again when I feel like it ... or I won't, and that would be fine as well, ultimately this isn't my job (most of the time, and in those times I'll pick up the camera because I have to but I don't really consider it part of 'my' photography) so until I feel particularly like doing some Photography, I'll be out riding my bike instead. The next step is to not try and rush my next Experimentation phase, which I think will be more difficult.
Thanks again, Kyle.
Often, I've found the disconnected work actually becomes connected with time. It's amazing what time away, or just an extended period of creating work without any expectations will do. Cheers!
love your vids man. I always just nod my head to what ever you say aha
Cheers, Ollie. ✌️
Great Video!
I love street photography but lately I have been feeling like I am just taking pictures of people in the street and not street photography
These videos always come at a perfect time, Kyle! I think rest is something which has become more important and apparent for me, not just in photography but for life in general. Need that disconnect and time to reevaluate things.
Your ability to create these videos in such a way that connects with us all is incredible, they always resonate man!
Cheers. I'm happy to hear that! And yes, I've been placing a lot of focus in my life on being present, even in the production phase. Just trying to take nothing for granted.
Enjoyed the video and the thought process behind it. Quick question, I’d love to see a video on your process for capturing and how you develop/edit your super 8 film. Thanks again for sharing 👍📷👍
Cheers, Chris. I definitely plan to do some Super 8mm content in the future.
Kyle, I really appreciate not only the message, but also the immense amount of work that you put into what could’ve just as well been a simple talking head video without any B roll. The extra footage (love the 8mm film!!! =)) and animations tell me that you’re passionate about what you want to communicate. And btw I appreciate the XLR cable with a Neutrik plug. Those are awesome!
Can I give you a tiny bit of audio advice? Your compressor settings are a bit radical. I’d try a shorter release time, knee as big as it’ll go (if you use a compressor with simple controls like 5 or 6 steps anyway), possibly turn down the ratio to something like 2 or 2.5. I think you nailed the threshold and attack though. Oh, and you could try moving the mic away from your mouth an inch or two. Your room seems to have little reverb, so I think that would be fine. What you’d gain though is less proximity effect and you’d get rid of a little bit of wind noise.
I’m sure you know a lot of these things, so I don’t want to come off as knowing it all better. :) Just thought I might point these things out and maybe there’s something for you in there.
Advice is always welcome, Rick. Thanks. Especially with audio stuff which is admittedly the area I lack the most knowledge with production. My compressor settings have always just been a drop on default, so I'll definitely give this some thought and play around. I appreciate it!
@@KyleMcDougall That’s great to hear, good luck with finding what works best for you! 🙂
Thanks for sharing this wonderful video. I certainly see seasons in my work too. I might label them differently, but I think you're right. I also struggle with the spiral of not feeling creative, then being annoyed at myself thinking I should be creative, then feeling even less creative because I'm forcing it. The healthiest thing I can do is subdue my expectations and trust that I'll feel sparks again soon.
And that's why I don't buy subscriptions to Adobe products. I may not use Lightroom for 3, 6, or 12 months, enjoying exploring the jpg outputs on my Fuji, or some time in the darkroom, or some video work, and why would I have a paid lightroom subscription then?
excellent video!
Thanks, Joanna.
From my experience, i can verify that. Thank You
Awesome looking vid! Just wondering how you do the digital super 8 effect with the bits of video at the top and bottom of the main video? Thx!
Cheers. All the Super 8mm in this video was actual Super 8mm. It was over scanned to include the sprocket holes and other frames.
As with all the ideas you share on this channel, they've had the greatest transformative impact on my photography, more than than anything else. I'm sure this advice will too. Plus, you also really did suggest here that I try out and buy more gear :D
🙏 Happy to hear you connected with this and the other videos on the channel.
Love it. Would love to see your work boss, also, which 8mm camera is that?
Cheers. This is a Beaulieu 4008 ZMII
Great video and something I've been dealing with and contemplating on. I went into a couple years of the rest period after getting burnt out, since as you mentioned, I kept trying to push through. Now, I'm in the experiment phase for the past half year and my ideas seem to be forming more coherently. This was well articulated on something I loosely thought about.
By the way, what printer is that @6:16
Happy to hear that! The printer is a Canon Selphy. I did a video a couple months ago about it.
Great video! quick question, what's is that printer at 6:16? Thanks!
Canon Selphy 1300. I did a video about it a little while ago.
@@KyleMcDougall thank you! I’ll check the video out!
Beautiful super 8 footage. Do you use the built it light meter or use an external one?
Cheers, Tommy. I did use the internal meter for this. I started for the first few shots with a handheld meter, but they both seemed to match up, so I just went for it.
It’s kool to shoot the super 8 film camera. Where do you get the film, processing, etc. how to set up the light metering for day and night. Thanks.
I used Guage Film for processing/scanning, here in the UK. Metered with the internal meter in the camera.
great video...quick question....that noble design panorama camera on the corner of the desk....which app are you using to compose the shots on the phone?...apple or android? I will have by the end of the week a Fuji GX 617 by the end of the week without the viewfinder and will have to go the app/phone route it seems.
Thanks. I'm using an iphone with the Viewfinder App.