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This is IbarianX and this is the Candid Frame.

Over the span of a creative lifetime, a photographer will have periods when the work doesn't come as

easily, or maybe not at all. It can be an incredibly difficult time, regardless of whether you're

a professional or an enthusiast. Such periods are incredibly frustrating and lead to moments of self-doubt, but the truth of the

matter is, such moments are a natural part of the creative process. Without them, we would lack

perspective and appreciation for those moments when creating the work seems effortless. Such times offer

moments of reflection. It's an opportunity to reassess how and while you do things. It can help you

learn what different choices you need to make in order to reach a new and different level.

Landscape and nature photographer, Ryan Mateus, has been working through just such a moment in his life. A geographic move from

Portland to the Midwest and eventually back to Portland resulted in changes that disrupted

the way that he had become accustomed to photographing and working,

but that kind of struggle is often a solitary one.

But when you're a photographer with thousands of followers who have come to rely on you for information and inspiration,

it can be a difficult thing to face.

Yet it's provided him a perfect opportunity to reconsider not just the kind of photographs he creates,

but how he wants to use them to communicate with others.

You know, so many people have created photos, right?

So many, and it's gone to the point where it's so boring to me.

...