“I work using the Brian Eno school of thinking: limit your tools, focus on one thing and just make it work… You become very inventive with the restrictions you give yourself.”
Anton Corbijn - Dutch photographer and filmmaker
Last week, I wrote about letting the desire for new tools and technology get in the way of enhancing my own skills and artistry. This week, my thoughts are about the problems of not having a plan and too much gear getting in the way of creating.
I believe I have overcome my GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) problem with photography gear, no longer drooling over the latest new releases from the camera companies, and I haven't purchased any gear or accessories for a long time. I do have a high-end mirrorless camera system with multiple lenses to cover everything from macro to super-zoom. I have a couple of great little compact cameras to take on the road or trail when I want to comfort of knowing I can get quality candid shots for any opportunity that presents itself. I have filters, lights, tripods, bags of different capacity for different types of photo outings. And I always have my phone. Yeah, plenty of gear. Too often, it is too much gear.
My problem impacting my creative ability and productivity has been two-fold:
Not having a clear intent or scope for a photographic endeavor.
Having too many choices for gear, tools, and subjects.
The lack of focus for my photographic effort and the choice overload of genres and tools leaves me uncertain of intent and purpose in a photography activity. Carrying unnecessary gear, scrambling with lens changes and camera settings, in order to react to any subject that seems interesting, too often results in frustration with in my sessions and dissatisfaction with my results.
What has been helping me to motivate my creative desire and to improve my skills is to decide what genre I want to shoot when the camera bug bites: wildlife, landscape, street, floral, macro, etc. This decision helps me select an appropriate time and location, and then to choose just the gear that is best suited for the genre I am working on.
Before loading my gear bag, I review each gear choice, oftentimes leaving unnecessary items at home, lightening my load, and limiting my options. But reduced options can be very freeing, even enabling. Restrictions force me to learn the capabilities and limits of the equipment I am using, and allow me to appreciate the creative power that I possess and that I can express with a minimal tool-set.
Let me extend my thinking to analogies in other areas of creativity.
Cooking: I've been in kitchens with cabinets and counter-tops loaded with utensils and gadgets, appearing to be a perfect environment for making anything one's appetite may desire: Instapot, Crockpot, bread maker, blender, toaster, toaster oven, pots and pans of all sizes and shapes, dozens of knives, etc. A shelf or more of cookbooks with recipes to satisfy any appetite. A cooks dream! I could work with this, but figuring out buttons, dials, and settings, reading manuals, following step-by-step recipes, and imagining all the cleanup involved would, for me, limit my "Joy of Cooking."
Pottery: At the invitation of a friend, I attended a pottery class in the backyard of a local area artist. I found the process of Raku to be fascinating, the artwork produced to be beautiful, and enjoyed taking pictures as an observer. The main observation that stayed with me, though, was the overwhelming amount of tools and gear, stored in at least two large work sheds with benches and work tables, racks and hooks holding brushes and blades and torches and glazes and all sorts of shaping tools. Such an environment and tool availability does work for some, but, for me, too many choices offering too much freedom can be a distraction.
My Main Points For This Week:
⦁ Have an intention - Know what you want to make or capture, generally to start, and be flexible as your creativity flows.
⦁ Reduce “Choice Overload” - Work with the basic tools and gear needed for your creative intent, and learn and master what you have.
⦁ Enjoy the freedom that restrictions to your intent and gear can provide.
Creativity belongs to all of us and is unique to each of us. Finding the spur or the spark for a new creative interest, reaching a higher skill level, or discovering a new direction for an existing creative interest can guide us on the creative path.
Discover your creative passions, enter your creative zones, and take pride in your efforts and results. Listen and learn with an open mind from valuable critique. Above all, give yourself the freedom to create and then create with freedom!
I invite feedback from readers for different perspectives on creativity.
If my writings in this photography project can benefit anyone on their creative journey, I am proud to be of service!
#Creativity52 #creativity #create #crafts #hobbies #art #innovation #photography #photographyproject #photoproject #Recovery52
Simple capture and edit with a compact camera.