Four Things To Do When You Need a Creative Break

I call it creative exhaustion. Though I’m sure I’m not the first person to use that phrase.

Those times when you completely run out of ideas. When the last thing you want to do is pick up the camera.

It’s a feeling that makes you wonder if you’ll ever find another moment of inspiration and that the time has come to move on. 

It’s not.

You just need to give yourself permission to take creative break.

Part of the practicing and learning process for any skill, including becoming more confident in creating your photos, is working in necessary breaks. 

Growing happens during these breaks. It’s the kind of growth that can’t happen when you are deep in brainstorming your next idea, styling a set, and selecting the right aperture. 

Step away from the camera.

Here are 4 things you can do during this much-needed break that will continue to move you forward without stalling your progress. 

Find something other than food and product photos to look at.

Whether it’s a book, online, or in person, browse paintings, pottery, poetry, illustrations. Set no expectations or a need to translate this into a photo. Enjoy it for what it is, the colors, the words, the art. 

Make something beautiful and delicious, and then don’t photograph it.

When we have such a strong urge to share our food because it’s too good or beautiful to keep it to ourselves, or worse, we need content (believe me, I’m with you), we sometimes lose the true enjoyment of what we love working with most - food. Whether its a bread, dessert, or a fruit salad - create it mindfully, appreciate its beauty, then enjoy eating every bite. 

Shift your focus to another task in your business.

Chances are you have a million things to do regardless of the focus of your work. Take a week off from creating photos and move another part of your work forward. Finally design a portfolio page for your photos. Draft your work or content plan for the next quarter. Get moving on that new logo. Start planning for next year’s growing season. 

Learn a new skill that supports either the technical side or the creative side of your photography work.

Sign up for a quick photo editing course or watercolor painting class. Review videos online on styling a home or a holiday table. Read through blog posts or catch up on podcast episodes from those sharing on topics such as prop styling, creating a brand, or business tips. 

Okay, that should get you started. Now set the camera down. I promise it won’t collect dust. Commit to not making yourself feel bad for taking a week (or more) off from shooting. Dive into something else and then return to it renewed when you are ready. 

What is the best lens for food and product photography?

Before you invest money in what you think is the perfect lens that will make all your photography dreams come true, you should know that the best lens for food and product photography is likely the lens you have right now. 

Yes, you should know a bit about camera lenses if you are planning to shoot with a DSLR or a mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses. For example, don’t get a monster telephoto lens for shooting food in a small space. I trust you could have figured that one out on your own, though.

Beyond that, creating the photos you envision is far less about the lens than it is you mastering how to best use it. 

I use three lenses regularly (I’m on team Canon, by the way):

• 24-105 mm, f/4.0

• 100 mm macro

• 50 mm, f/1.4

Now let me show you why you could pick any one of these lenses and create a similar photo. 

Yes, there are slight differences in these images, but not so drastic that it calls for you investing in a new lens when you are not ready, or spending beyond your means thinking a lens will change everything. 

There are three factors that will have a stronger impact on creating the images you envision. 

• Gaining an intimate knowledge of your photo space and how the light moves throughout the day.

• Controlling natural light and creating directional light.

• Styling with props and surfaces that are fully aligned with your style. 

Do these three things successfully and you’ll see positive changes in the pictures you take with the lens you have now. And it’s a far less expensive investment than dropping several hundred to several thousand dollars on a new lens. 

Sure, eventually you outgrow gear and you’ll be ready to try something new. For now, focus on changing your mindset and the belief that you aren’t happy with your photos simply because you don’t have the right lens. Work on building your creative skills first and leave the tech for later. 

Styling Tips for Shooting Overhead Images

Some foods and products are a perfect fit for overhead shots. But when you look straight down at a big, flat blank canvas you might encounter a few creative blocks that don’t immediately hit you when approaching a set from a 45 degree angle. It can leave you wondering how you should fill all that space.

Keeping my core 5 words in mind, I like to approach overhead photos by answering three main questions. 

• Where will my directional light enter the image?

• Are there multiple heroes or just one?

• How can I add interest by maximizing negative space? 

Let’s explain how these would be answered with photos.

Directional light? This helps me decide with styling by putting what I want to highlight the most in my image more towards my light source. 

How many heroes? Multiple heroes mean I’ll likely have an image with the frame filled with subjects. If there is one hero, I have the choice of keeping it right in the center or following more of a rule of thirds as well as filling the frame or creating negative space for text. 

How can I incorporate negative space? Negative space is perfect when you want to add text overlay to an image or simply to add creative interest.

Approaching overheads in this way puts you on a clear path for how you will or should fill the space based on what you are photographing and what you envision for the final image.