Rediscover Your Creativity

Picasso said “every child is an artist; the problem is staying an artist when you grow up.” Where does our creativity go? How do we get it back?

The best way to begin to get your creativity back is just to start. While that may sound meaningless, it is not. You HAVE to start somewhere. Here are some ways to get started:

§  Shoot what you love  -  that will make it easy to find subject matter that pleases you

§  Learn new things  -  take a photo workshop, view online tutorials, shoot with others

§  Stop worrying about what others think

§  Play more  -  fortunately photography is not brain surgery; relax and play

Once you have begun, take lots of images. Shoot subjects from all angles. Really work the subject in a variety of ways.

Experiment at every opportunity. Don’t worry if much of what you take has to be discarded. You will learn from the successful images as well as the unsuccessful ones.

Learn to use all your camera’s controls for maximum creativity. Try slow shutter speeds on a windy day in a field, or for birds in flight. Don’t feel you have to stick to the rules of composition, or any other “standard” approaches to making photographs.

Look for line, shape, color, or texture in all that you see. Exercise your vision like a muscle. Be observant at all times.

Use reflections, or geometric shapes, or leading lines to engage the viewer.

Look for abstracts in nature, or in things around your home. It can be a wonderful creative exercise.

Try shooting outdoors after dark. It can be an entirely new way of seeing.

Use these ideas as a starting point, and then spread out from there. Follow your heart and get in touch with what moves you.

TECHNICAL DATA

Shutter Speed 1/250 sec.  Aperture f/13.  ISO 200.  Lens: Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS, set to 70mm.  Camera: Canon 40D.  Handheld.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life…”  --Sophia Loren