I was talking with a photographer today about creativity.
We both agreed that everyone has it.
We also agreed that the difficulty lies in expressing it.
Especially with a complex camera like a DSLR or mirrorless.
But, it's more difficult with a simpler camera like the cameras on our phones because those cameras don't offer the level of creative control that a complex camera has.
Beyond our struggles
with camera operation, we struggle with creativity because of our fear of failure, lack of confidence, and rigid thinking patterns.
But there's also our self-imposed expectations and attitudes that praise conformity and avoid distractions
that allow us to be curious and play.
The important thing, regardless of the camera we use, is that when something we see gets our attention, we should give it the attention it deserves and make the best picture we can out of it.
Whether we look or see has a lot to do with our creativity because one narrows our mind while the other opens it.
One usual strategy is to look for things to photograph.
Another
strategy is to stop looking and start seeing.
When it comes to photography, seeing everything is better than looking for something.
For example, I imagine we've all lost something and looked intensely for it but didn't find it.
But when we stop looking for it, we suddenly see it.
One of the reasons for that is our focused searching narrows our attention and creates a "mental blind spot."
When that happens, our brain overlooks or filters out the stuff we consider irrelevant.
Stress and anxiety are another reason because our cognitive abilities take a hit, resulting in a rigid search strategy.
A rigid search
strategy potentially causes us to miss a lot of visual stuff that'd make interesting pictures.
On the other hand, a relaxed approach to seeing allows for more intuitive and encompassing ways of taking in a wider view so we can see more
possibilities.
In other words, our photography does better creatively when we stop searching for things to photograph.
When we stop searching intensely, we allow our mind to become less stressed and more open to seeing things outside our narrowed focus or established mental patterns like rules of composition.
When we get frustrated due to our intense looking for something to photograph or stuck in preconceived ideas of photography like rules of composition, we've gotta take a break and approach photography with an open mind of seeing.
Additionally, while seeing, when something gets our attention, we have to examine how we think and feel about what we're seeing and what we intend to communicate visually through our pictures.
And remember, it's easy to photograph what we see; the challenge lies in photographing things based on the unique way we experience what we see.
You'll learn
to do that during my Introduction to Photography class.
It's a class
that'll get you to understand how to operate your camera in manual exposure mode to have the most creative control possible over your pictures.
When we can do that, we create unique compositions.
If you'd like a personalized way to learn, there's always Private Photography Lessons made to fit your schedule and way of
learning that'll cover the same material you'd get during the Introduction to Photography class.
Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need guidance on choosing the right course.
And remember, we learn and improve by doing, so practice making at least one picture
daily.
