Burn Out 02 : How To Restart Yourself : Inspiration Is For Amateurs

[@weixiong1.0]

I'm a master of not showing my work and getting to the answer directly. #MentalMath

[@chrisdowswell]

This is some gold...even if you're not a photographer, it translates into so many areas! Thanks for keeping it real.🙌

[@ZackAriasATL]

Thanks, Chris!

[@michelledickie1312]

Wow! I love your truth. I’m burnt out on life right now and have found it hard to do anything creative. I lost my father in March, lost my brother last January and now I’m on the front lines as an ICU nurse facing COVID. I get my happiness from photography and have been a fan of yours for years. Please keep up the content, I’ll be watching with my glass of wine in hand. 🍷

[@ZackAriasATL]

Wow. I’m so sorry for your loss, Michelle. Thank you for the work you are doing. Much. Love. ❤️❤️❤️

[@Anthony-H]

This really resonates. I started out taking photos just for me. People liked my work, and then I began taking photos for them. It sucked all the joy out of photography and I burned out. Sold most of my gear and what was left just collected dust. Picked up my camera again recently and when people ask if I'm getting back into it, I say no. Maybe one day I'll take paid work again, but for now I need to reconnect with that joy I once had. Thanks for this, Zack.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Yeah, working as a photographer is both a blessing and a curse.

[@adamburke7745]

Hey Zack. . . miss talking with you brother! Been following you for awhile and love this post! Chuck Close is the bomb! I had an Art Teacher that said essentially the same thing in that "1 in 100 pieces of art may be great!" So get to work! Another one was " Stop talking about what you're going to do and just DO IT!" the premise being you're wasting time and energy talking about it! Glad your safe & sound!

[@acrummey85]

Hi Zack. I've been a "hobby" photographer for over 40 years and even though my only dips into the professional ranks were a few weddings, events and portraits, I still suffer from burnout now and then. I know it isn't the same as professional burnout but it still leaves that empty, apathy that takes the joy out of it. When I put more thought and effort in, I get something back; dare I say, the passion. When I was shooting my Lego-Me stories, just for fun, photography regained its place as a real creative outlet. Keep this content coming, videos are only long if the presenter doesn't have anything to offer.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Thank you, Ira.

[@AvaSilvery]

There is an enemy. There is an intelligent, active, malign force working against us. Step one is to recognize this. This recognition alone is enormously powerful. It saved my life, and it will save yours. -- Steven Pressfield writing about Resistance in The War of Art. Hey Carl, hey Zack, thanks for the video, and thank you for encouraging us not to do our work for the sake of sharing (is it sharing? Or is it the pressure of exhaustive representing?). We have too much speed on the surface, too many people talking about a story in a picture where there is none at all (let us redefine story and depth - two tomatoes and a red carpet with a green background don't tell a 'story', but I digress) and we lack substance because of it, and then we repeat, unconsciously and ironically contributing to the evergrowing inflation of what it means to create. I hope you and Carl keep this series going, especially with this length. Have a beautiful day.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Well said. Thank you. 🙌

[@JanGodrie]

Thank you for this video Zack, I think this is what I needed to hear. I had never heard of that Chuck Close quote before but it really hit home with me and I love your approach on how genuine you are on these topics. At a certain point I think we all will fall for the trap of pleasing the “audience” which in turn will limit our creative expression. Going back to doing things for yourself grants one the power to be fully creative without limits or outside expectation. I too often just sit at home waiting for inspiration to hit me but obviously that doesn’t work. Come to think of it. 25 years ago i just tried just random things and that process has pushed me in certain directions and brought forth insights and ideas. Thank you for reminding me of that.

[@chrisjackson3144]

My tea cup fell a few years ago in a different industry and I've been staring at the pieces ever since. Need a change and don't know what, how, where to start. This video is soooo what I needed to hear!! Time to pick up the pieces.

[@scottweaverphotovideo]

Over the years I've seen a number of videos with you offering your advice on career, etc.

[@ArguelloFlores]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. "Waiting for inspiration" looks to be a stopper not only in photography, but also on nearly any other area: inspiration to cook, to organize our agenda, our work, to chose a topic, etc. until someone (including ourselves) said: Hands on! do something! And you are right, something we want to show any little baby step. Even as a parent, sometimes, is boring to watch our children baby steps all the time. There are times that we tell them: let me know when you are done. It was a bit long video, but it worth it.

[@macjim]

Many have been, and will be, in that self same situation at some point in their lives so it’s good to hear your story. We all have different ways to deal with it but in the end, we, you, everyone, has to pick themselves up and crawl, fight, and climb their own way back to a good place. Sadly, many do not see a way back and need more help than others and that means medical help, but there are others who, no matter what, will lose that fight too. If you have reached that point, please... please, don’t do what you’re thinking; that you can’t go on... please, please, seek help as there IS a way to get back to a good place. Your life means something and you have something to contribute too...

[@ZackAriasATL]

Amen amen amen. Well said, Mac.

[@macjim]

Zack Arias I edited it a little... didn’t realise there were so many mince steaks in it...

[@bcomeault]

I have so much personal work that has never seen the light of day. I know people won’t like it. Hell, my wife doesn’t like it, and sometimes it even scares me that my brain can go that “dark”. This is a great video through Zack. Needed to be said and you are the right messenger. Cheers!

[@ZackAriasATL]

I haven’t seen your work but I like it! Get all that dark shit out in images. Go wherever the fuck you want to go with it!

[@stevengotz]

Honestly, I have no time to be depressed. But I listen to what you have to say in order to have an idea how to help other photographers. Your experiences have been pretty varied, and therefore, you come up with way more ideas than I could ever even imagine. When I retired, and an income from photography unnecessary, my personal project was to go to the zoo and shoot as many different kinds of shots as possible. One day with a 70-200mm, another day with a 200-500mm, and then a 24-70mm. It was a great way to learn my camera, and my lenses, and practice so much of what I was learning online. But when my photos got noticed, and started showing up on signs, trading cards, maps, membership cards, calendars etc, I realized that volunteering for a non-profit was what I was meant to do. I even became a docent and volunteer without a camera in my hand for many hours every week. I believe that the secret to being happy is to spend as much time as possible doing for others. And since you spend a lot of time helping people, I figure it is something you might know quite a bit about. When this shut down came, I looked for ways to help. I saw that one zoo was posting coloring pages made out of animal photos. I then researched a method to do that and created a couple of 12 page coloring books for my zoo to post online. I then realized that portrait and pet photographers could turn photos of their clients or their pets into coloring pages for their children to color. If anyone reading this wants a free copy of the coloring book for your own kids, feel free to visit this page and download them. And possibly the word search puzzles I created. If you want to know the recipe for such things, it is on the back page of the first coloring book. Think about how much your clients might appreciate you staying in touch. Spread this idea around. I don't care about getting any credit for it, I just hope to see photographers benefitting from the idea. www.oaklandzoo.org/programs-and-events/zoohomeschool

[@ZackAriasATL]

Doing for others. 100%!!!

[@AlanCainsPhotographer]

Genuinely interning Zack. When self isolation is over, you should go for a feature length episode. This has unveiled for me, the most insight to your way of shooting. Truly inspiring to hear you get into your mindset

[@ZackAriasATL]

Thank you Alan. Thanks for seeing all of that stuff in my head. While I like fstops and flash settings and which model of softbox to use, I also really like hearing about the thought process behind images and that’s something I want to share more of. It’s more difficult to communicate at times than “here are my settings” but I think it has value. I’m trying.

[@AlanCainsPhotographer]

Zack Arias it’s a simple process in your own Brian but sharing that privy information can be daunting at time as some people might think it nuts. Really enjoy the honest more and more . Thanks again

[@MichaelWarthStudios]

GOYA Zach...I've been waiting for this. I remember a day in Cincinnati drinking Newcastle Brown Ale in a 2nd floor studio where a guy touring around on a bus talking about photography, one light, and working hard told a small group of people you need to GOYA. Cheers brother, I can't wait to see what this process leads to for you.

[@ZackAriasATL]

That was a great night!

[@hardbein]

I´m not doing photography for a living. Have done some commercial for some time but the last two years have been a long draught. Then I recently sold my canon gear and got back into Fuji but still that didn´t do it. No new pictures. Until today. After watching your videos. Thanx! Been following you from a far for several years. Got to no about you thru *drumroll* David Hobby :-) and I think you are a great photographer!!

[@AlexJacksonSmith]

Agree on the inspiration bit. As I said in one of my videos, my old work shows me opportunity and ideas. - My work is my inspiration. I like nothing more than to go for a day off in the city and see what I see. This has given me skills, observations and techniques that I could not have experienced otherwise. On the caring about the subject or who it is for I agree in so far as the expression is personal, but I would say I follow a personal mantra photographing people. "I like to photograph people the way I think they would like to be seen" This is not just from an artistic look but also from a principle of dignity and avoiding things that they may make them vulnerable. Your thoughts? As for kit for personal work, I sympathise. I carry almost always take all my lenses in a large rucksack with a massive dslr setup to do street! Grinning face That photographers differ is great, that you share your view and thoughts is super. Thanks A.,

[@ZackAriasATL]

I totally get what you are saying about photographing people the way they would like to be seen. I get that. I do. I’d say I do that for my paid work but for this personal work I really think of them as characters that have been cast to be play a part in MY photo. These personal portraits are for me and me alone. It’s kind of liberating to remove the subject’s expectation of the final image away. Of course I hope they like the photo I make and, knock on wood, so far they have but it still isn’t the end goal for me.

[@AlexJacksonSmith]

@@ZackAriasATL Sure, my context was from releasing them in any capacity and later in the video you made it clear they are not for publication. Note to self, stop answering half way through :) A.,

[@RomanSchatzphoto]

This is just what I needed to hear. My wife/best friend/partner died six month ago today and I have not been able to do any meaningful work since. My tea cup is still falling and I don’t want to catch it. Your video however has given me hope and a direction, thanks for that. Will go and plant some seeds now.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Roman. Wow. Tears in my eyes. I don’t know you but know I love you. I’m so sorry. I’m sitting next to you watching your tea cup. I’m here to help pick up the pieces. Or stare at them with you. Whatever.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Whatever you need.

[@PhotoGearFun]

Thanks so much for the chat! Very inspiring. I'm not a pro photographer but I do need to get my butt outside and do some shooting.

[@pratamnak]

Well, you got me again. Two days this video has been popping up on my feed. Nope, that's of no interest to me whatsoever! Now I sit here 30 minutes later feeling I have just watched someone tell it as he sees it. I'm not burnt out, but kinda wishing I was now. Take care Zack. Popping over to Paypal now to send you a little, and sorry but it will be little, times are hard you know. Thank you for the time and effort you have put into this video.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Thank you, Steve. I really appreciate it. 🙌

[@Kiwiphotog01]

Kia ora from Aotearoa ! Thank you. Appreciate your video today, after a long year, and balancing studio, family and trying to find space for me to be creative. Hard! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[@pksphotoart8366]

Once again, You are the one. Hell yeah ! My pathetic personal projects are dead. I need to love myself and get to work. now. Thanks.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Get the f*ck to work!!!

[@garycalve]

I’m not a type of guy who listen 33:44 of one single video on KZbin. I did it because you spoke to me directly. I’m in this situation for a while. I don’t know if the cup of tea break loll but everything you said opened my mind and give some sort of... kick in the f** butt. I go to work right now. Thks Zac 🤘

[@ZackAriasATL]

Glad to be of service, Gary!

[@EdwardKilner]

You are very authentic and caring. Gave good advice too. I hope you do more videos because many of need them. Hope you and family stay well.

[@allan_sh_]

I've just been in the same situation. And what you say in the, about not doing it for the 'Gram, it can't be more true, when you get there, it completely ruins the fun, at least it did for me. So I've started shooting more for myself, not with the intend for sharing online, I might, but it isn't the reason I create the pictures. But it's tough, it seems that everything these days is about likes and followers. Keep up the good work, I really enjoy the type of videos you've been creating lately.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Thanks, Allan. The most important like is one from yourself. Remember that. 👍❤️👍

[@dennywells1640]

I started a 365 with a friend 4/1 - not sharing anywhere, not doing it for anything but getting back in the habit of regularly shooting, no particular rules other than do something different.... I essentially backed into almost exactly what you are talking about here. Not sure if it will last a full 365 or morph into something else. Without doing the 365 I doubt I would have responded to your recent documentary video challenge - which was waaaaay outside my normal comfort zone. Thanks!

[@thebrownthomascrown917]

Been there and back. I think you explained it just right.

[@rhbraly]

A refreshing video on inspiration. I think often what limits us it too much thought about our audience. If we eliminate our audience then we can have full creative expression. This is kind of like a photo journal. A place where I can create images and express what’s in my head without any concern about what other people think. Brilliant! Thanks this was very helpful to me - exactly what I needed.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Well. Said. Thank you!!!

[@GerryBraatz]

Love you brother!!! Dont do it for the Gram!!!

[@davidgilmore2565]

Perfect timing Zack! Off my a.. and working now. Been waiting for the bolt of lightning to strike but no joy. You and Chuck nailed it today. My personal project has just begun and it's not going anywhere but here...Best regards from Hong Kong.. Cheers!

[@ZackAriasATL]

OH HK. I love that city so much. Can’t wait to get back one day!

[@jorgemonteiro5379]

Hi Zack that s the first time that I will comment and share with you. I love your work and above all I love the way you speak and touch us with your sincerity. Life is not easy we all have cups of tea falling and sometime you can’t do anything about it and sometimes like you said when you are down you just don’t even care and let it fall and break in little pieces and then it have to touch you in some way that you want to do something about it and that s the difficult point it must touch you in some way that you will want to react . I sometimes even don’t know I am I am so many things : I am a music teacher, musician , photographer, videographer and I know that I am good at , but sometimes I feel I am nothing. I know you are not a psychologist and excuse me for sharing my trip in this ocean but I know that you lo understand me. I will try to tell myself get the fuck to work but I am so tired right now. I wish you all the best and keep watching your videos bye

[@ZackAriasATL]

There’s so much going on Jorge. It’s ok to take a break. I totally get what you are saying. Much love.

[@jorgemonteiro5379]

Zack Arias thank you for answering me when I will be ready and do something that might be interesting I will share with if it s ok to you ? Thank you

[@meierphotography1975]

I really enjoyed watching this message... I was a photographer for Adidas group here in Indianapolis for 10 years and although there was some cool catalog shoots each year it was the apparel crap on mannequin that absolutely killed my love of photography. So much so that I switched gears into software development. Fast forward it was a decision to learn about music and learn to play a piano that sparked an interest in wanting to get back into visual work (writing music for video footage). Sometimes you just never know what avenue will spark your interest again but for me it was music of all things. Thanks for putting this video together, so many people need to hear the message and just get started on something!

[@dqmoser4128]

CLASSZACK ZACK, good piece, Zack... love your sense of humor with those quick cuts to you drinking... you have a warm tone and are a genuine communicator, if you can't pat yourself on the back, ask a family member to do it for you. I remember seeing some of this personal work a few years ago, and indeed I now see you have some on your website. Very much from a male point of view, can't say I love the portrayal of the women. ANYWAY, 1, I like this new corner very much for your new "studio." And, two, yes, you are SO DAMN RIGHT, you just have to start. Just start. 99% of the time what you think will be one direction takes a left turn and becomes much better, you never would have seen it if you didn't Just Start. I'm glad you're back from your hibernation. Keep going, please!!!!

[@ZackAriasATL]

You are right about that male perspective. I’m trying to find a way to talk about that. It’s something I’m really trying to figure out.

[@dqmoser4128]

@@ZackAriasATL because you've lived life in public, Zack, those of us who spend way too much time thinking about your life instead of ourselves (GUILTY!) might surmise that this came out of the aftermath of your marriage crumbling, and perhaps your view of women was less than charitable. maybe I'm over simplifying? Maybe a new series that shows more empowering images of women, instead of legs akimbo under a car? PS diff question: are you still using your iPhone to film these? they look great!

[@ZackAriasATL]

Still using my phone! 👍

[@rmayrand]

Spark... soul... l'inaccessible Étoile. Your honesty, and down-to-earth-ism. Necessary.

[@seansavoy387]

Awesome vid and timely as hell. About 10 minutes into it the subject immediately reminded me of the song “Eat The Elephant” by A Perfect Circle (highly recommend checking out the lyrics to see the connection). The overlying theme being “just begin” when we’re crippled with a lack of motivation, etc. In the past I’ve definitely found myself waiting for that imaginary “bolt of lightning” to magically inject me with ideas and inspiration. In the end I just ended up wasting time that could have been used finding gold in the “process”. Good stuff...

[@ZackAriasATL]

Love them. Going to listen to that track now.

[@ebowden53]

So here we go. I had been kinda of flitting around doing stuck at home photos here and there. I started off with a bang and then withered. But as the Chuck Close quote says, it's about getting to work and the inspiration will come. About 6 days prior to this video I started a potential new project. I took some lay flat photos of flowers, but didn't think I could do anything with the 2 or 3 I took. Then I watched your video. That flicker of a spark has given me passion now. On your FB page I have posted the flowers and what I learned to do. Then another idea came to me, I took photos of my daughters hairstyling tools. I knew nothing of textures and backgrounds or playing with the lighting. But those items on gray paper, have now become my passion. I want to master the process for me, if it becomes work later, then great. But for now it's me and seeing just what I can bring out and create. Thank you for the help of this video, fanning that spark.

[@ThomasParis]

Thanks a lot for another great video, with a very positive message, the kind of which is badly needed now. As a landscape photographer in an apartment I don't like, with close to no view and light that almost doesn't change these days, I can't do much that would be anything like what I normally do. I can do some, and have done it but I quickly hit the limit to what landscape-like photography I can do. That said, I have done a few other things, that were fun and most certainly a good exercise. Have done? As in don't do any more? No, my mind is busy worrying about other stuff and clearly not available to create photographs. But yeah, even for me, in a place where I can't practice the kind of stuff I normally do, photographically speaking, there's stuff to do. Thanks for reminding people there's a lot we can do, even in these crazy circumstances

[@ZackAriasATL]

I imagine landscape photographers are going crazy as well. Stay strong, Thomas. 🙌🙌🙌

[@dtbsz]

Zack... thank you for the signal. Cheers!

[@ZackAriasATL]

Cheers!

[@BryanLathrop]

much love, Zack. Always 100% real signal 🙏🏼 🙏🏼 🙏🏼

[@lawrencekeeney4317]

This video really hit home! As an 84 year old photographer, who recently moved across the country a few years ago when my wife passed away, I am pretty much in the same frame of mind as you indicated you are. I set up a studio in my new apartment with just about every piece of equipment you can think of. However because of my age, and being new to this community, it has been very difficult to get back in to shooting. I did a bunch of product photography for a local company, but they moved their business out of the state. I started a project with a makeup artist on a very interesting project, but she became unavailable after at the point where we were 90% finished with the first of a 12 shoot project. Because of my age, I hesitate to contact models for different projects I had in mind. I had a new interesting project set up with model who has not worked at modeling for a number of years. Just when this virus hit the country. I may just try your suggestion of doing a project just for myself as you recommended.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Thank you, Lawrence. Wish you the best of luck. 🙌🙌🙌

[@sonriks2]

Zack you are the best photographer therapist I can afford! You get me brother! Thank you so much!!!! ¡Saludos!

[@ZackAriasATL]

🙌🙌🙌

[@iello911]

Pure gold! Of course you are absolutely right about the "waiting for inspiration" part (excuse?), but man, those pictures are SO fucking inspiring. I do hope they will see the light of day in a book form - yes, printed, like god intended photography to be shown :-)

[@carlwarrenphoto]

Thank you for the help with my insomnia/depression, time to get out ,and have a good day

[@danielleonard2470]

Thank you Zack. You have shown me the way out of my depression. I am sweeping up the broken china now. Inspirational! I had a couple of shots of Chivas Regal to warm me up. Thanks again.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Pass the bottle. I’ll help sweep.

[@sidceaser]

Big hugs, bro. Huge hugs. I know the mindset - I'm in there frequently. I wish I lived closer so we could do shit together and keep each other moving forward. I made a picture yesterday simply because I haven't since all this bullshit Covid-45 started. It took hours to set up two flipping c-stands and a 3rd stand with a posing table on it. I was dragging my feet across the studio floor. Stress and anxiety and depression weighs so freaking much sometimes. It's hard to lift your feet. It's hard to lift your head. It took all damn day to take a picture of a toy I have. BUT I did it. And I felt a little bit better. Just a little happier. I moved a little quicker. If I can do it, everybody reading this can do it. And you know why? Because making photographs makes us happier people. It's why we do it.

[@ZackAriasATL]

I. Love. You. Sid.

[@blickwechselfotografie]

Thank you for sharing, appreciated! The whole Chuck Close quote is so true...

[@JohnMayfield-NS]

This is a kick in the arse I needed. With quarantine it's very easy to sit inside and think welp.. I can't do anything but look through my work and think about how not good it is when I should be taking pictures to learn and get better.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Amen.

[@DRDROCKSTAR]

Hey, Zack, Appreciate this video! Don't worry about the length of the video because the people who need to hear this will set through whole thing like me! (plus I think your delivery is awesome!) Thanks!! I'm getting off my ass now....today!

[@ZackAriasATL]

Awesome! 🙌🙌🙌

[@AlGreenLightThroughGlass]

Paralysis killer - bending your technique - awesome advice.

[@PaulOttavio]

Such a refreshing insight, from a beautiful soul. Thanks Zack.

[@sbai4319]

Hi Zack, thanks for another inspiring video. Not the first one of yours but incredibly valuable. Please remember the power of your own ability to inspire others. Thank you!

[@owainshaw]

That Chuck Close quote (in full) is going on the first page of the notebook I'm just about to start ... thanks, and thanks for another honest and frank video. It's great to see someone speaking about the stuff we all try to hide behind our veneer of 'everything's fine' or 'I'm doing really well' - this series is really necessary. Looking forward to the show and tell videos. Also no doctor, but I know I need to touch the bottom, be sure that it's the bottom, and then I can push myself upwards from it. I find that works way better than trying to stop myself getting to the bottom ahead of time. It's like finding the bottom of a swimming pool ... incidentally, I'm a terrible swimmer.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Well said! I’m glad I’m not the only one that does the same. 🙌🙌🙌

[@owainshaw]

​@@ZackAriasATL Good for me to know too. It'll help next time (hopefully not for a while, but never rule it out) I'm sat there thinking "I just need a little more misery, then I'll start sorting shit out" to know that it isn't just me.

[@chillisimo]

Validation and motivation in one video! Thank you, Zack.

[@ZackAriasATL]

I think at times validation is the most important part of sharing stories. It’s good to know we aren’t alone. 🙌🙌🙌

[@vic_the_roman]

You have once again have slapped me in the face. Thank you. I now gotta get to work but quarantine so, yeah ... as soon as possible.

[@ZackAriasATL]

🙌🙌🙌

[@guidolima]

Yah, Zack!!!

[@mikescott8225]

Love your selective use of the BEEP .. because the one time you let the word through, it needed to go through, for emphasis. A little smack upside the head. Thanks.

[@erlantzbilbao9550]

I'd love to see those "mini videos" about how you made an specific photo. Not really interested that much into the technical aspect of it, but I'm really interested in your thought process during the shoot. So if you don't mind to share that would be amazing. Thank you for all your videos, they are always great. But this one hits pretty close to home, you don't even know ... Thank you man!

[@ZackAriasATL]

Editing the first one now!

[@erlantzbilbao9550]

@@ZackAriasATL Thanks man! Pretty rad you replied. Sorry, long time fan (since probably a year or two before you did your first Creative Live). Now I just need to get out of my own pitt ... Yeah, get to work ... I stopped working as a photographer many moons ago. My case is not only lack of inspiration, lately it's also been "I'm not taking another photo for the rest of my life. F photography" type of thing ... Sorry, didn't meant to rant, don't even know why I'm telling you all this. But yeah, want to see your upcoming vids, they always seem to keep a little kindle alive inside of me, lol.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Rant away, Erlantz! Just think of this channel as an unlicensed therapist session. Keyword... unlicensed. 😂🙌😂

[@warsquad]

Thank you... just thank you...

[@ZackAriasATL]

🙌❤️🙌

[@huubkox3537]

Good to see Karl is doing better;-) But seriously. It's great somebody is really talking about this.. I've been a photographer for 25 years or something and while i had lots and lots of cool gigs there where also alot of dark times. Where my joy in photograpy had turned into really hating it. I even sold all my gear at one time and didn't take a single photograph for a couple of years...

[@ShinDongJi]

Hi there Zack, I know its been months since you uploaded this but I just want to give you my thanks as I really need this right now. Pandemic really hit our area hard in terms of photography and because of it, on location photo shoots and even studio ones are prohibited at the moment. I had tried shooting a few street shots here and there but I really want to go back to my core (I do on location fashion / editorial photography). I haven't done a portrait session for a couple of months now and I am itching to do one. Thank you for making this inspiring video. All the best and stay safe always.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Glad to be of service, Donnie.

[@zenflynn]

sage advice with welcome encouragement , thanks

[@MrTigtog]

Brilliant.

[@Trepaxtine]

Again, Thank you!

[@mazettas]

Thank you for creating and sharing this Zack. Yes, you are very firm and you make sense, without coming out as a jerk, at least for those of us who know your style. Being selfish is being authentic.

[@TheLightinmyhands]

This is probably the most important youtube video I've ever watched. I mean, "Gallon of PCP" is probably the funniest, but this one is the most important. I'd say it's been over a year now that I haven't given a shit about how I haven't given a shit about photography. Holding my camera in my hands breaks my heart. I still desperately want to make photographs, but when I think about getting up and shooting it's just, "Meh." Shrug. No thanks. IDGAF. Not today, maybe tomorrow? The days turned into weeks, the weeks into months, the months into a little more than a year. Tomorrow has finally come. So anyhow, long story short.... thank you. I'm gonna go get the fuck to work now.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Get. The. Fuck. To. Work!!! (Now going to search for gallon of pcp. Scared.

[@the_mike]

Those pictures, man they are absolutely impressive! Like them very much, thanks for sharing!

[@ZackAriasATL]

Thanks for watching!

[@twaksak69]

Thanx Zack ⭐️

[@drewsaunders2531]

I watched this a couple days ago, I guess I'm 5 months late to the party, and decided just this past Thursday to go out and just shoot. I'm happily an amateur photographer - photography is how I spend my money, not how I make it - but photography (and cooking) are my creative outlets, and I've not been doing much creative photography since we had to shelter-in-place in March. I haven't shot with my 4x5" large format camera since January, and that's a long time for me to go without shooting it. Shooting with the Ebony is just so different from using a phone, a digital camera, or even a 35mm film camera. Thursday afternoon, I decided to "go wide" and packed four wide angle lenses, 3 holders (6 exposures, for those who are unfamiliar with large format) with Delta 100, and biked over to a public cactus garden near where I live where I've photographed dozens of times over the years (quick check of my Flickr album...205 images from that location starting in 2008). I only shot four out of the six sheets, but something about the last photo just felt great when I took the shot, so I finished with it and went home. Fortunately, that was the only one without any technical problems, but it really did turn out quite well. Not my best photo ever, but my best in a while. You're right, I just had to get up and head out, even to a place I've been to many, many, times before, and do the work and the work ended up being good. Even if all four shots were bad, I would have felt great for having gotten out there, made the images, developed the film, and scanned the film. Just the process felt good! I found subjects I haven't photographed before, and got a bit better at composing very wide angle shots with that camera. I hope to drag that big beast out again soon.

[@craiggillphotography8030]

You are the greatest!!!

[@Giljo58]

Thanks Zack for the courage and love you gave me ! You are a precious person.

[@martinreynolds7025]

Thanks

[@FabrizioZago]

Thanks for sharing your experience, I think it will help a lot of people. Your project is great, I think you've taken really nice photo already. The Show and Tell videos are a great idea too, it owuld be interesting to know the background story. Thanks a lot for putting one of my videos into your playlist, much appreciated. I did not expect to make it :-)

[@ZackAriasATL]

🙌❤️🙌

[@AdrianBacon]

Nice to see Carl again. 😁

[@alexanderluna1158]

Awesome advice as always. Somehow you always seem to have an answer to a question I have without me knowing I needed the answer. Thanks so much for being so open honest and willing to share your personal experience with us.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Glad to help!

[@claussall463]

Love it, there is no better advice in these times! Especially no many of us a lot of spare time to do personal work! Just work it baby!!

[@odinsoffphotography]

Thank you for educating and giving useful advice! I have found myself in a rutt of taking contrived photos in hopes of landing more work. But i think the point is that these personal projects are an opportunity to create a trademark that reflects our artistic expression organically, and gets us work based on our vision as opposed to our technical ability to work. That is where the joy comes from after all

[@Joshuuwaah]

Brilliant quote - totally relatable.. hit the nail on the head.. thank you Great video Zack, I love your honesty I can't remember the last personal project..

[@ZackAriasATL]

Glad to be of service, Josh!

[@jayse1195]

2020 is my 5th year of trying to take photos and I've been trying unsuccessfully to think of a personal project for probably close to 3 years. Hearing you twaddle on for half an hour and finally the egg has been laid in my noggin. Thank you.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Twaddle is word I don’t hear enough! 😂 Glad to be of service!

[@MarkLongos]

Thanks for this Zack! thanks for being real.

[@kevincull1091]

You are a gem geez! Love it!

[@Johanreyfoto]

Loved the video, even though I only started less than two years ago, I now have an insight on what I should do whenever I feel like giving up, or burning out, or not feeling creative, thank you for everything zack, cheers from Colombia.

[@olivierlaublin]

Thanks Zack! Time to get back to MY roots for a little while. Greetings from Belgium

[@antwonmaurice]

Bravo! 👏🏽 Well said. Thanks for this Zack! We all need a kick in the rear end sometimes...

[@kodithebear]

I’m going through the same patch Zack. Struggling for the why - over shooting models for the sake of it. I do have a plan though but been lazy/ scared to go get it. This video is music to my burnt out heart ❤️. Thanks man

[@ZackAriasATL]

🙌❤️🙌

[@onikaimu]

I have been working on my own personal project for about a year now. It is something that I have been working on in between working on my own channel. It may honestly never be "done" but it gets me out working. If you ever want to shoot me for your personal project then hit me up. I am in Japan so if won't be anytime soon but the offer is always there. Stay safe and sane.

[@smittygambles]

Thank you for sharing this Zack! This really helped me put things into perspective. The process of working is really what it is all about for me. When I don't have jobs to shoot I don't shoot. When I am not on assignment I am not really thinking about cameras. When I do pull out a camera and try to create something new and different I am usually afraid it will turn out awful. Sometimes it is awful. Often it is. But a result is still a result. Failure is always an option and you can always learn something from it.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Amen. Well said, Mark.

[@jalakanen]

Thanks!

[@qnetx]

Thanks Zak. I needed that.

[@theodoregreen687]

Thanks for the tough love.

[@eggyjones]

Simply thank you, thank you for this.

[@ZackAriasATL]

You’re welcome. Glad to be of service.

[@williamdavies6958]

Brillant, thank you

[@rezjrprod]

I can totally relate to EVERYTHING you're saying.

[@RideTheDale11]

This is what I needed to hear! You're so right, I feels kind of hopeless right now being a people photographer. But there are other things I enjoy that I've got all the time in the world for right now. Gonna get to work on this!

[@ZackAriasATL]

Get it, Zack!!!

[@fotodestages8545]

Thank you once again for doing this video. It resonates. And got me thinking how I approach my stuff. Like so many others I tend to get my inspiration from looking at other people's photos, and often they follow some trend, which I then also follow -- but sometimes you still get your own twist out of it. Still, it's very important, I think, to look for stuff outside of photography (or at least your genre of photography) to be inspired by. But one way or another, the key is just to start... I got quite inspired by your faces under water series (also featured in this video) that you did a few years back, and just set out to do it. Of course it turned out very different (yet similar) but I still felt a bit like a copycat. But as an experience, it was tremendously useful and motivating. So you kinda got me going years before this video. So I guess the moral is that one shouldn't demonise photographic trends that everybody seems to be doing. If you like it, give it a shot, you never know where it's gonna take you. But, as you say, you have to stop while you're doing it and think about what you're doing and what you wanna do. Don't just copy someone else's shot. Make the trend your own. This is, by the way, the area where I have the most difficulty. I wouldn't be quite so dismissive of fashion, I think one can take it into experimental territory quite easily, if one has a model who's game. Some people who are very comfortable in front of cameras also very much enjoy being pushed out of their comfort zone (no, I'm not talking about getting nekkid). So, tldr; thank you for this video, thank you for doing the faces under water and sorry (not sorry) for nicking it. Excited to see the next videos.

[@ZackAriasATL]

I totally get you. You learn a lot by seeing something and trying to replicate it. Totally get that and have done it many times myself.

[@michaelschmitt5413]

Great advice !!! Thanks.

[@imagesbyjk]

Looking forward to the sample photo discussions.

[@ArmandsSprogis]

Awesome video!!! Thanks for sharing your story. Need to wait till this shit pandemic stops and get out to f... work. Great kick in the but.

[@k_meowington]

Thank you very much for your story! Is very inspiring.

[@tobiaswendl9084]

Wow. Thanks for that video. I'm getting to work now. You just helped me out of something. Thanks for this.

[@ZackAriasATL]

Glad to be of service!

[@tobiaswendl9084]

Zack Arias I really do thank you. For that kick in my ass 😅 .... I just want to add that I love your photography, too. Keep on doing whatever you do. It’s helping people and inspiring people. Best. Tobi