Episode 26 - Using Constraints to Improve Your Photography
- Michael Rung
- May 5
- 6 min read
Why setting uncomfortable challenges as a photographer can sharpen creativity, field craft, and visual growth
In episode 26 of Shutter Nonsense, Michael and Jeffrey explore a surprising idea: sometimes the best way to grow as a photographer is to give yourself fewer options. From one-lens outings to black and white challenges to learning how to work within the limits of local locations, they dig into how creative constraints can push photographers to see differently and work more intentionally.
The conversation also gets into the mental side of photography, including decision fatigue, creative ruts, and the pressure that can come from carrying too much gear or expecting too much from every outing. For nature photographers who feel stuck, uninspired, or overly reliant on familiar habits, this episode offers a practical and encouraging look at how a well-chosen challenge can reset the way they shoot.
Join the fun! All Patreon members, whether free or paid, can participate in our community chats for each episode (select paid tiers also gain access to new episodes a week early). Don't miss out!
Contents
Listen or Watch Now
Or find us on your favorite podcast app: just search for Shutter Nonsense!
Episode Summary
Michael and Jeffrey dig into a topic that sounds restrictive at first but turns out to be surprisingly liberating: constraints in photography. It is easy to think that better photos come from more options, more gear, and more freedom. But Michael and Jeffrey make the case that the opposite can often be true. The right challenge, applied at the right time, can force deeper seeing, better decisions, and more intentional photography.
Why Constraints Can Be Good for Photographers
A key part of the conversation is the shift in language from “constraints” to “challenges.” Michael admits that the word constraint feels restrictive to him, while challenge feels more useful and motivating. That distinction matters because it changes the mindset behind the exercise.
A constraint can sound like something imposed from the outside. A challenge feels like a tool a photographer chooses in order to grow. Not punishment. Not arbitrary rules. Instead, it is about choosing boundaries that force better habits, different ways of seeing, and more deliberate creative work.
The One-Lens Challenge and Learning to See Differently
Jeffrey shares one of the clearest examples from his own growth as a photographer. When he first started getting more serious about landscape photography, his instincts pulled him toward wider focal lengths. Even after getting a 100-400mm lens, he kept defaulting to what felt comfortable. So he forced himself to leave every other lens at home and spend a full day at Hocking Hills with only that one telephoto option.
Because he had no fallback, he had to interpret familiar scenes differently. Instead of reaching for the usual wide or midrange lens, he had to work within that tighter field of view and find compositions that fit it. That process helped him stop thinking of the 100-400mm as a specialty lens and start seeing it as one of his core creative tools.
Local Limitations Can Become Strengths
Michael brings up another kind of constraint that many photographers deal with all the time: location. Not everyone lives close to dramatic mountains, famous national parks, or endless variety. In his case, much of his work has come from repeatedly photographing a local Texas park with difficult woodland conditions, scrubby undergrowth, and limited “classic” landscape opportunities.
Because he kept returning to the same place, he learned it deeply. He got better at recognizing what worked and what did not. He also learned that different focal lengths opened up entirely different possibilities in the same location. What once felt like a boring or frustrating constraint turned into a long-term training ground for refining his eye and developing his style.
That is a valuable reminder for any nature photographer who feels stuck with local scenery. A familiar place is not automatically a creative dead end. Sometimes it is the best possible place to improve because it forces photographers to stop relying on novelty and start relying on observation.
Fewer Decisions Can Mean More Creative Freedom
Another important theme in the episode is decision fatigue. When photographers head out with multiple lenses, a full camera bag, filters, a tripod, and a long list of expectations, the experience can start to feel heavy before they even take the first frame.
Jeffrey talks about how sometimes the best way to reset is to leave most of that gear behind. A single camera body and one flexible lens can remove a lot of internal pressure. Without all the choices, there is less mental clutter. The outing becomes less about making something happen and more about being present, noticing, and responding.
For photographers dealing with creative burnout or just feeling mentally overloaded, simplifying the gear can make photography enjoyable again. It can help reconnect the process to curiosity rather than performance.
Constraints Can Help Break a Creative Rut
The episode also gets into how creative challenges can help when photography starts to feel stale. Michael shares that one of the most important self-imposed limits in his own development was deciding to stop photographing sunrise and sunset for an extended period. At the time, he had become too dependent on dramatic sky conditions. If the light was not spectacular, he felt frustrated and uninspired.
By removing that crutch, he forced himself to look for other kinds of photographs.
That decision pushed him toward seeing more intimate scenes, smaller details, and compositions that did not depend on obvious spectacle. In a very real sense, that challenge changed the direction of his photography.
The Goal Is Discomfort, Not Misery
A challenge should be uncomfortable, but not destructive. There is a difference between pushing creatively and putting yourself in a situation that feels pointless or miserable.
Jeffrey points out that timing matters. For example, trying a black and white only challenge right before a major trip, when the conditions might be perfect for color, would probably just create resentment. Doing that same challenge during local outings or lower-stakes days makes much more sense.
The point is to create productive discomfort, not to sabotage the experience. Frustration will almost certainly show up at first, but if the challenge is chosen thoughtfully, that discomfort can lead somewhere useful.
What Nature Photographers Can Take From Episode 26
Creative growth does not always come from expanding options. Sometimes it comes from narrowing them. A one-lens day, a black and white month, a limited shooting radius, or even the decision to leave the tripod behind can all reveal something new.
For nature photographers, those kinds of limits can sharpen observation, improve field craft, and reduce the mental noise that often gets in the way of seeing clearly. More importantly, they can help turn photography back into an active, curious process instead of a routine built around habit.
If photography feels stale, frustrating, or too predictable, adding another lens or another destination may not be the answer. Sometimes the better move is to do less, limit more, and see what opens up because of it.
Related Links
Moterra Vans: https://gomoterra.com/
Thomas Heaton: https://www.youtube.com/@ThomasHeatonPhoto
Gavin Hardcastle (Fototripper): https://www.youtube.com/fototripper
Alan Ross: https://www.alanrossphotography.com/
Ephemeral / Permanence: https://www.michaelrungphotography.com/product-page/ephemeral-permanence
Support the Podcast
We have been pursuing our passion for nature and landscape photography for over a decade each. Developing Shutter Nonsense has required plenty of time, patience, and monetary investment, all of which falls on top of our existing efforts (and expenses) to manage our nature photography businesses. Without our supporters, producing the podcast on an ongoing basis would not be possible.
Every contribution, no matter the amount, allows us to continue recording new episodes for your ongoing enjoyment, education, and entertainment. Your support goes directly to covering the costs of our website, hosting and distributing the podcast itself, recurring charges for recording and editing software, and more.
Become a member of our Patreon to earn exclusive perks, such as member shoutouts, free merch, and other benefits. Paying Patreon members are also able to submit questions, topics, and more for exclusive episodes that are only available to them.
Join the Community
Even if you're not ready to become a paid supporter, you can still join our Patreon for free to engage with us! Every episode will have a corresponding community post where you can ask questions, provide feedback, or share your own stories and experiences related to topics we discuss.
Follow your Shutter Nonsense Hosts
Michael Rung
Michael is a nature and landscape photographer based in Texas, with a deep appreciation for quiet forests and the unique character of trees. His photography often explores the subtle beauty in overlooked scenes, capturing atmosphere and emotion through careful composition and light. Michael brings thoughtful insight, honest reflections, and a grounded perspective to every episode of Shutter Nonsense.
Jeffrey Tadlock
Jeffrey is a landscape photographer from Ohio who finds inspiration in waterfalls, scenic overlooks, and the ever-changing light of the natural world. He enjoys sharing stories from the field and helping others improve their skills through practical, experience-based tips. With a passion for teaching and a love of the outdoors, Jeffrey brings clarity and encouragement to fellow photographers at all levels.
