#1 of 5: ideas to jumpstart your creativity

Stand out from the crowd

It happens to us all. The muse has left and you’re just not finding inspiration anywhere. Maybe this is it, maybe your love affair with photography was more fleeting than you thought. But don’t panic just yet, you haven’t lost the passion. Perhaps it’s just time for a little break, and if so take it. And enjoy it. Do something else and then come back to your camera when you’re feeling refreshed.

More likely though, all you need is a little outside perspective. For someone else to come up with a new set of ideas that will send you off spiralling into the giddy depths of creative flow. I’ve been there before (and will no doubt again), and I have many sources both on the internet and in books to thank with giving me fresh juice when my own well had run dry.

I’ve decided to start a little series here, to put together those practical and conceptual ideas that have pulled me out of a rut in the past. The single post I intended when I started up a few paragraphs ago has actually kind of gotten away from me, and so I’m going to break it down and spread it out over 5 separate posts. That way you won’t get bored wondering when I’m going to shut up already, and I can spend more time fleshing out each of the sections.

I sincerely hope that you find something here that will get your pulse racing, make you grab your camera and get out there to keep shooting the stuff you love.

#1: Find a medium to long-term project

This is bit vague perhaps, but if you pick the right project it will be something that keeps you going for a long time and that you can pick up and put down around other activities and commitments. Don’t rush into this though, take your time thinking about what you would really enjoy engaging with over a defined time period.

A 365 day project is the obvious place to start, and there are plenty of examples all over the internet. The clue is in the name. 365 days, 365 photos. There are many variations of this one out there, but for starters here is the Flickr 365 days self-portraits group.  Think of a theme, get a-googling, find yourself a group or go it solo. It seems like madness to me, but I know my own limitations and know that I woudn’t see this one through. Imagine though, the satisfaction of completing such a mammoth, sustained effort….

If an image a day is too much to commit to, think about scaling it down. An image a week. Or a set of images per week. The blog 52 suburbs is a fabulous example of a well conceived and well executed long-term project. The author of the site is even going to be publishing a book of her work once it’s completed. And that’s kind of the point; getting yourself entangled in a fabulous project all of your own could lead you and your photography to new and exciting places.

Less time-intensive but as ripe for creative opportunities is the bi-monthly photo challenge, over at photochallenge.org. A thriving community already exists just waiting for you to throw your creativity into the fray.

Another great idea I came across was to use your skills in a voluntary capacity. I’m not talking about doing a job for free that you should really be getting paid for. Think about it more organically. Think about what aspect of photography you would like to focus on. Say you want to really work on portraits, specifically improving your use of flash or perhaps simply getting a better understanding of how to work with natural light. Find a charity or small organisation that could benefit from having better quality portraits of their staffs to use on their newsletters or website. Offer your services. Be upfront and honest about the fact that you are creating this opportunity as a learning tool for yourself as well as giving something back to them; and then get in there and see what you can do.

The key here is to pick your project wisely. Work within what you know you like and what you know you can achieve.  Either join an existing community, or build up your own, but I bet that as long as someone else is keeping tabs on your goals and milestones, you’ll be more inclined to stay focused and committed.