fresh out of the nest
Many of my students want to take "more creative" photos. At first this may seem like something you can do by applying a colorful filter or by shooting at a quirky angle. But eventually these “creative techniques” fall sort and when the novelty wears off you are back in your visual rut. This is because you have remained one step removed from the true creative process. I can tell you how I step into the creative flow. It is simple and you can do it if you take the time. Creative photos come from connecting to your subject. How do you do that?
First step is to be fully in the world. Being in the world takes time. Slow down and settle into your surroundings. Take three whole minutes to really see where you are without expectations. What do you actually see in the distance, mid range and close to you? What catches your eye? What touches your heart? What do you feel? Stay with that. Observe it, appreciate it, connect to it. Don’t photograph it.
From this point of connection you will notice something fresh and can bring into being an image that expresses your new experience of beauty. In his book The Courage to Create, Rolo May tells us that creativity enlarges human consciousness by bringing something new into being. You can do this by simply bringing your being into your seeing before you click. You will see the creative difference in your photos and in your Self when you take time to create a connection by being with your subject. Give it a try!
