AlanKlein
Been spending a lot of time on here!
Equipment, methods and craft only get you so far. How do you try to get to the next step of creating meaningful, inspirational and creative photos?
Equipment, methods and craft only get you so far. How do you try to get to the next step of creating meaningful, inspirational and creative photos?
Creativity isn't magic. The way I see it, creativity can be divided into two things: Interpretation of the world and the ability to divide and merge methods. Let's use cooking as an analogy. If you want to be a good cook, you gotta know your ingredients and your recipes, you need to know what every thing tastes like, also in relation to every other thing. You nail skill, but you want to be more than a good cook, you want to be a creative cook, to make unique art. Luckily, since you know not only your recipes, but also your ingredients, you can combine these ingredients to make something new. you'll know what each thing you add and each choice you make does to your final dish. Now, you must develop ideas for new dishes or new interpretations of old dishes. This is the core creative part. This is where you need to experience. You need to go out and taste a lot of food, but not only that. You also need to go out and see the world, to interpret it. Inspiration comes from your interpretation of what your senses deliver to your brain. If you do not see or experience new things, you'll run out of ideas. Go for a walk. Take a train to somewhere you've never been before.. Go dining at a new place. Try something new. The keyword is new things, try new things, got it? Not only will new experiences develop your art, they'll make you develop as a person. Now when you have seen and interpreted all these new things, you'll be able to use them, combine them, develop them. Now you want to express this. You know what each ingredient does, so you know what ingredients will help in the expression of your ideas, and how to combine different ingredients or parts of recipes to make further your expression. Now I shouldn't need to explain how this applies to photography, but oh well, the ingredients are methods and styles in photography, the recipes are types of photography. Know not only your types of photography, but also each method within them and what different methods will do to the photo you're taking. This applies to every part of the photography skill-set. Then go out and get inspired by new things. Don't bring your camera. Without experiences, you'll run out of creativity. So go experience things before you take more photos. If you want to try being more creative, my best advice is this: Keep a small book where you put in your ideas, concepts, drawings, symbols, styles, whatever, EVERYTHING! When looking for something to make, look in this book! When something interesting goes on in your head, put it in the book! And now I just spent an hour thinking about what being creative means. Sorry for the textwall of cliché, generic quips about photography.
Equipment, methods and craft only get you so far. How do you try to get to the next step of creating meaningful, inspirational and creative photos?
Last thought on the matter: the ability to shoot meaningful and/or inspirational and/or creative photos is more about you, your personality and experience than it is anything else. So ask yourself what is it about you (and your experience and your worldview and your perspective) that would allow you to see meaning or inspiration, or creativity in a situation.
This last thought is the most important. That is where the meaning starts. Your every photo is nothing but your own selfie. All the rest can be easily learned.