Tracy’s advice on moving beyond boredom

One of my favourite photographic quotes comes from the late Diane Arbus. ‘The Chinese have a theory that you pass through boredom into fascination and I think it’s true.’ One way of passing through boredom is to take an everyday object and explore it in as many ways as possible.

For this exercise select an object that, in your opinion, has no aesthetic value: a cup, a plug socket or bin lid, for example.

For the next ten minutes keep your camera close by, but leave it switched off. Give your full attention to the object, notice texture, lines, patterns, shapes and shadows. View your subject from every angle.

Without trying to produce a ‘good’ photograph, pick up your camera and start creating. When you feel bored, just acknowledge the feeling and carry on. Just remember, the object itself cannot be boring – you have just labelled it as such.