My Conditions for Creativity

I’ve been an active and semi-professional photographer for several decades now.  But despite all that experience, I still struggle—as I’m sure most photographers do—with being creative and making images that are fresh and that reflect my own vision.  Recently, I read a book—The Photographer’s Coach (Kindle)—by Robin Whalley that outlines a series of exercises to help define the sources of one’s inspiration and vision.

An early exercise helped me identify times when I was most creative photographically, as well as those times when I’ve struggled to find my creative vision.  This resulted in a list of conditions when I’m most likely to be creative.

I’m more creative when I have a defined and adequate amount of time to devote to my photography.  I do poorly when I’m feeling rushed.  I need the time to see a particular scene from a variety of perspectives, perhaps using different lenses, because I find that although I may know at once when a scene attracts me, it may take a while to identify the exact perspective that best expresses what I saw in the scene in the first place.

I do best when my photographic goals are clear.  When my thinking is muddled, when I don’t have a firm concept of what I want to achieve, my confusion will be reflected in my images.  If I find myself straining to make good images, I rarely succeed.

I work best when I’m alone.  I find that when I’m with others, I’m overly conscious that they don’t share my photographic agenda and I tend to hold back from expressing myself creatively.  In those situations, I’m apt to produce snapshots, not creative photos.

It’s also important that I feel confident that what I’m doing is meaningful and appropriate.  When I feel out of place, when my self-assurance is lacking, I shrink from making good photos.  In those times, I tend to rush my work and do poorly. 

These conditions are mutually supportive.  In the end, having clear goals strengthens my assurance that I ought to be doing what I am in that moment.  This is easiest when I’ve allotted adequate time—be it an hour or a week—for the project at hand and have freed myself from distractions, either mental or interpersonal.

With greater clarity about the conditions under which I do my most creative work, I’m better prepared to create those conditions for myself when I go out shooting.  I’m eager to get out and put these ideas to the test.  If only I weren’t snowed in!