Nature Photography Photo Workshop

10.1. NURTURING YOUR CREATIVITY

While some people are naturally inclined to think more creatively than others, you'll be glad to know that creative skills can be learned and developed. Creativity in and of itself is not useful — you need to deliberately apply your creativity to produce better pictures. If you pay careful attention to what you're doing, you can make interesting and engaging photographs that express your unique vision, as illustrated in 10-1.

10.1.1. KEYS TO CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

The secret to unleashing your creative potential is deceptively simple: (1) know the rules, and (2) break them. Simple as this is, implementing this idea involves a series of many complex steps that can't be accomplished overnight.

On the Web, you can find an infinite number of exercises to enhance and develop your creativity. These shouldn't be only about photography – look for techniques related to creative problem solving of any kind.

You can eliminate mental barriers by focusing on what's possible instead of what is not possible. The difference is subtle but powerful — concentrate on the potential, not the limitations, and you'll produce more high-quality results. Learn to turn problems around and look at them from many angles. Ask the question in as many ways as possible. To create 10-2, I made many photographs of this beach, looking in all directions. As I worked, I began noticing ...