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.

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

Thanks for the tough love.

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!

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

That Chuck Close quote is brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just got my butt!

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

Good words at this time locked in 8 weeks

Thanks for this Zack! thanks for being real.

"All the best ideas come out of the process." Yep, I experienced this myself just earlier today while working on a small graphic design project. I started working with a specific idea in mind but ended up ditching it within the first half an hour of actual work because the process pulled me in a different, better, direction.

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...

Yet another great lesson from you, Zack! Thank you!

Paralysis killer - bending your technique - awesome advice.

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.

Thanks Zack. Needed this

Thanks Zak. I needed that.

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

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.

I so needed to hear all of this. Thank you so much Zack! For now it‘s me watching that cup fall. Your honesty gave me comfort that all of this is part of the process. Thank you again!

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!!

Thanks Zac for great advice, that’s what I needed! Good luck! Your stories inspire me a lot!

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

That Chuck Close quote reminds me of my woodworking professor who used to say : when in doubt, DO ! I love that. Brilliant video, it flew by so keep the long content coming ! I do look forward to the short videos showing off work too though ! Thank you for sharing your experiences ! I also want to commend you on excellent sound quality !

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.

Thanks for sharing your journey Zach.

Your best ever pep talk to date Zack, I needed this today. Thanks buddy.

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!

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

Thanks a lot Zack. This is what i needed.

Again, Thank you!

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.

Dear Zack, thanks for sharing. I really like the insight. Glad to hear you got your self up. Length did't really matter. I enjoyed watching it. It was very inspirational.

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.

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. 🍷

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.

Zack, thank you very much. Wonderful video. I found this when I really needed it! 😊

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.

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.

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!

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

Thank you... just thank you...

Brillant, thank you

Simply thank you, thank you for this.

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

sage advice with welcome encouragement , thanks

You are a gem geez! Love it!

It's not always easy for a songwriter working alone. Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4" is testament to that.

Great advice !!! Thanks.

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

Thank you. Simply. Thank you!

Thank you zach!

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

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!

I always get a boost when I nail a difficult shot - usually of a bird 😊. That motivates me when I’m getting down about photography. Great quote too

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

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

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.

Five stars, Zack. Thank you for your personal honesty.

Thanx Zack ⭐️

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.

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

I needed this. Thank you.

Yah, Zack!!!

Thankfull to have you back. Those brain chemicals are a bitch.

Great inspiring video again! I remember seeing you on Scott Kelby Guest Blog with a similar video. It was very profound and so honest. It would be great to see the show and tell videos. I really like the few ones you did in this video. I would love to hear the back story about them. Yes, it is in the process and enjoying the journey of it. On the other side, I had to stop the video to admire "Carl" and laugh!! Thanks again for sharing your process and helping us to get off our butts and do the process!

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..

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!

Nice to see Carl again. 😁

Brilliant.

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.

I love this Zack, thanks :)

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 :-)

I can totally relate to EVERYTHING you're saying.

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.

You are the greatest!!!

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!

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

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.

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.

Thank you so much for sharing these videos! Definitely needed the kick in the arse to pick up the camera and just push the shutter button to get that first crap photo out of the way.

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.

Glad I took the time to pause and watch. The message and your delivery was so helpful to me. Gotta go...time to get the eff to work...

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.

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

Thanks!

Your one of life's good guys Zack :)

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