As I look back over the decades of creative endeavors, there’s one thing I really wish I had understood when I was just getting started on my creative path: Creativity is not a constant. There are ups and downs, twists and turns. Sometimes things go smoothly. Sometimes you take several steps back. The one thing you must understand is that creativity is chaotic. But it is always rewarding.
Let’s discuss this a bit more literally. There are times when you don’t feel inspired or when you feel unmotivated. This is normal. Creativity is not something that you can turn on or off at any given moment. Sometimes, you need sparks.
As we’re rounding out the year, you’re going to see creative friends talk about projects for the New Year. In the photography world, it’s not uncommon to hear about daily photo projects or weekly projects. In fact, I often have projects of my own, such as my No Words project that I continued for many years. The goal was to take a photo every day (or every week, some years) and share them on my social media accounts. Every year, I would come up with new rules. From the beginning, I held to a square format (1:1 ratio). In later years, I limited myself to black-and-white photos. This sustained me for many years. My No Words photos were a catalyst for better photos. It trained me to be on the lookout for great photo opportunities. I eventually moved on to mental lists. For example, I am constantly looking for new photos of shopping carts in odd places, or old stand-alone garages. These are just subjects, but they are also something to look for.
The key to success is that your project has to have rules. You have to have a specific subject or a specific pace. Some creators I admire limit themselves by old technology – maybe using only film, or only cameras that are at least 20 years old. The limitations force them to think differently. But, if I’m being honest, it also demonstrates the concept of “the best camera is the one you have with you”.
I no longer share my daily projects constantly. I’m less enamoured with daily praise. I have since been focusing on editing, sharing only the photos that I truly feel are worthy of public consumption. But I still have projects to spark my creative process.
The moral of the story is that while you cannot control your creativity, you can at least inspire it. Projects like a daily photo project can inspire you to develop a routine. Such a routine is beneficial for your creativity. And while you won’t land a great photo every day, it certainly increases your chances. So come up with a project to spark those creative juices. You don’t have to share it with the world, but it may benefit you in the long run.
