Today we’re going to put aside our cameras and calculators, and talk about creativity. We’re also going to take a few days break from our cameras while we look for creative ways to work our magic.
I have a slew of quotes on photography and creativity, but I'm only going to use a couple here to emphasize the need for creativity.
“A Ming vase can be well-designed and well-made and is beautiful for that reason alone. I don't think this can be true for photography. Unless there is something a little incomplete and a little strange, it will simply look like a copy of something pretty. We won't take an interest in it.” From the book "Pictures Under Discussion" by John Loengard, one of Life Magazine's most famous photographers.
This quote brings home how essential creativity is in our photography. Ayn Rand viewed photography as a vocation, or craft, because of the lack of a creative process. Many people do not take the time to be creative when making photos. We often find the image we want and make the photo, without putting more than the rudimentary thought into the process.
ISO 160, f/8, 1/20
Gloria Lux, the Glory of Light. A creative expression of the majesty of this common and beautiful Orchid. The exposure placement and element positioning work with the light and lack of color to create an image that's more than "a copy of something pretty."
Ansel Adams referred to photography as “more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art.” If you view any of his photos, you will notice beyond their magnificent scenes, that great effort went into making them. His books on photography begin with chapters on visualization. Before you can visualize your photo, you need to have an idea of what you’re photographing. Begin visualizing all the ways it can be photographed long before you arrive. By the time you get there, you’ll be ready to survey and really visualize the image you desire to make.
I speak of visualization here quite a bit. I’ve discovered that slowing down, seeing the scene, and visualizing the shot, make for a more expressive image. Our photographs are our expressions. They express our thoughts, feelings, and most of all, our vision.
Creativity, and the art of creating, can be inspirations for you in and of themselves. You needn’t have a camera to be creative in your photography. In the words of Minor White, another great photographer, “Often while traveling with a camera we arrive just as the sun slips over the horizon of a moment, too late to expose film, only time enough to expose our hearts.”
Take a couple days without your camera. Go out and drink in the glory around you, expose your heart, and feel the scene surround you. You will come out with a better appreciation of the world around us, of our Hohenfels area, and your own magnificent creativity. The feelings will stay with you and inspire more creativity and expressive images. Reward yourself today with inspiration and creativity by feeling the scenes and sights around you. Enjoy the world and life, and share the results with us on our Faceboook page.
Is there anything you’d like to see here? Do you have a question? Share your thoughts here or at the Hohenfels Volks Facebook page. Of course, commenting on both Facebook and here is always appreciated, too! Don't forget, we're on Google+, too!
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