Things To Do When You're Feeling Stale: On the Cheap!

As many of you know, I am a reader of many blogs; speaking of, I will update the list to the right soon. The blog I follow most is that of Chase Jarvis, a Seattle/Paris based photographer who has a very active blog aimed towards both photogs, and the creative industry.

Chase recently wrote a post about "what to do when your feeling stale". Many of the things he lists are costly, or not compatible with your agenda; But, for those of us who are more broke than a..... well... Ive got nothing (see! everyone is a little stale!), just broke, I thought I would make an addition to his list that cost, little to nothing.

1. Choose a different rout to work, or where ever you go. Like Chase said, get out of your normal routine. This will allow you to get a grip of what els exists, a new view, a fresh scene. So take a different rout to work, or to the movies, bar, book store, etc.

2a. Meet new people in your industry! As photographers, meet new photographers, new graphic designers, other artists, anyone in your industry will can give you a new perspective on your creative outlook.

2.b Meet new people outside your industry! Get to know people who have nothing to do with arts, talk to them about their views on arts, or talk to them about business, or about what ever it is that they do. This could attract all kinds of creative images in your head, and, if anything, you will learn about something different - getting out of your normal routine.

3. Go new places in your city. What bars do you go to? What bookstores do you go to? Coffee shops? News stands? Find a new one, and give them a little business, or just throw them some smiles. This is a nice way to apply 1 and 2. Instead of the Pizza place across the street, try the hot dog stand over on Main st, even if it's bad, it's good.

4. Shoot something different! If you shoot people, try shooting some product; if you shoot product, try shooting PJ style; If you are a PJ, mock an ad campaign; you get the point. Step out side and shoot something you not used to shooting. Do it for yourself, I dont believe anyone is shooting exactly what they want - Take on a fine art project.

The gist is to get out of the norm, and push your life off track.