I can’t speak for all
photographers, but for me there are certain conditions that help me enhance my
ability to approach scenes creatively. I
suspect strongly that many of these are true for other photographers as well.
First, I find that I work best when
I work alone. I’ve tried to photograph
with other people along and in general it only results in snapshots, not the
great photos I’m looking for. I find
that other people, even if well-meaning, inhibit me from taking the time and
extra effort needed to be truly creative.
I find myself distracted by the need to give attention to them and the
usual fact that they are disinterested in the craft of photography. But even fellow photographers distract
me. I am often drawn to mimic their
approaches to a scene rather than allowing my own creative juices to flow. As a result, when I’m serious about making
truly creative photos, I always choose to go solo.
I also
find I get the most creative results when I’ve allotted enough time for my
photographic sessions. It doesn’t work
well for me if I’m feeling rushed. When
I’m in a hurry, I’ll settle for the first acceptable shot I find, usually
overlooking other possibilities to express the full meaning of the scene. Such quick sessions are fine for snapshots,
but serious creative work demands both the exploration and patience that only
adequate time can afford.
My
third condition is closely related to the second. I find I get the most creative results when I
settle on a single scene and work it exhaustively before moving on to
another. The fact is that although
something in the scene has attracted my attention, I don’t always see the best
creative possibilities at first. It’s
essential for me to consider different viewpoints and ways of capturing a
scene. To employ varying compositional
elements to best advantage requires both time and exploration. Sometimes a single scene can yield several
compositions that make the effort worthwhile.
But these usually only become evident after thorough investigation of
alternative viewpoints and experimentation with different lenses.
This
means also that I get my best results when I can take off any blinders I’ve
brought with me to a session. In order
to be creative, I need to be open to new possibilities. If I come to a session with a preconceived
idea of the photo I want to create, I’m bound to overlook other opportunities
the scene has to offer. That means I must
not be committed to a single concept, a single lens or only one viewpoint. My best, most creative results always come
when I’m open to the surprise of new possibilities that have never occurred to
me before.
Distractions
of any sort are the enemy of my creativity.
In addition to avoiding other people and allocating enough time, it’s
important for me to keep my mind clear of other issues while I’m
photographing. If I’m worried about some
problem at home, it’s better if I stay and home and address that problem than
to try to make expressive photos while my mind is elsewhere. It’s one of the principles of mindfulness
practice—when making creative photographs, be completely focused on photography
and nothing else.
This
means, among other things, taking care of my own creature comforts while on a
photo mission. If I’m too hot or cold,
too tired or too hungry, my mind will be on these things and they will divert
my attention from creative exploration.
They may be signaling me to wrap up my session and go home much sooner
than I’d planned. So I try to be sure
that my own needs are taken care of before I set out for a serious creative
photo session.
Getting
fresh ideas is important to creativity.
Often it is easiest to find them when traveling to a new place, perhaps
one I’ve never visited before. I usually
find it easiest to see with new eyes in a new place. Scenes that are familiar to me tend to stifle
my ability to see them afresh. Yet
because these are the scenes that are most accessible to me on a regular basis,
it’s important for me to overcome the tendency to boredom and routine
approaches to the subjects. How can I
find fresh creative ideas in familiar spots?
One way is to return to the scene in different kinds of weather. Bad weather may be disagreeable, but it often
yields the most dramatic photos. In
addition to variety in the weather, the variety in equipment provides fresh
chances to capture a scene in new ways.
I can use a different lens than the one normally mounted on my camera so
I see scenes differently. And of course
seasonal changes bring on varying looks that open up further creative
possibilities. What’s important is to
maintain an open state of mind when I revisit familiar places so I’m able to
see fresh opportunities I’ve not seen before.
I don’t want to claim this is easy, but it’s nonetheless essential.
If you
value creativity as much as I do, then think about your own conditions for
creativity. When and under what
circumstances do you find you are most creative? What conditions need to exist for you to do
your own best work? And what do you need
to do to assure that your creativity is at its best? It’s an exercise that is well worth doing,
and it will help you assure that you can get perhaps even better results than
you were hoping to produce.
