This is my main problem at the moment. I have a full time (non photography related) job; a four month old son; a new role at work; a new house and a nine year old husky. I kept moaning to anyone who would listen. I’ve got no time to shoot. I’ve not picked up my Leica in months. Even if I did when would I process them? I’ve rolls of film sitting, waiting patiently for me to process them and I’ve not even unboxed my darkroom equipment yet!
But is it really true? In fact when I think about it I’ve still been shooting. Maybe not on my Leica or Fujis or one of my film cameras but I’ve been shooting without even really thinking of it as photography. I’ve been using my smartphone. A Sony Xperia Z5.
I’ve shot landscapes both urban and rural plus portraits, a million portraits (of my son usually) It’s been quite freeing really. I’ve been trying to find interesting shots in amongst the mundane. My walk to work, when I’m out with the dog or shopping with my wife. So here’s a challenge. Put away the full frame camera for a while. Forget looking for dramatic locations. Use your phone and just take more pictures.
Maybe interesting cloud formations? I took this shot walking to work one morning. I don’t carry a camera to work with me but I do carry my phone. Normally I would have thought, man I wish I had my m9 with me to catch that cloud formation.
Or grafiti can be interesting. I found this shot when I was out buying dining room chairs. I’ve seen it a million times but because I was consciously shooting with my phone I took a snap.
Look for details. We stopped off at a cafe one day and I popped out to get something from the car and spotted this urban mosaic. How often do we walk over these and never even think to photograph them?
Signs of the past. A dusty old shop here reminded me of something from the 1940s. A plumber and electrician? Hopefully not at the same time…
The human impact upon a natural environment. I’ve walk along this path dozens of times with the dog but I noticed a faded, “Keep out” ominously sprayed into the trunk of a tree.
The weather. An early morning dog walk caught this foggy morning. The churned up soil reminded me of a battlefield in France somewhere.
Robert Poole 
May 1, 2016 at 7:27 am
Many of us (photographers) had periods of less shooting, not because we want to, but there were other important or time consuming activities. Don’t worry times will change . . . .
On the other hand my opinion of taken photo’s is taken photo’s. Does’t matter if they were taken by for example a cell phone or a Leica, proven with your photo’s. Remember it’s not the camera but that 30 centimeters behind the viewfinder that does the job.
Oh, for I forget, take a lot of photo’s of your family, when days went by you will be more and more happy with them as they bring back memories . . .