We all go through dry spells, getting up in the morning and find a drought in the creative pool. So what can we do about this. No matter what type of photography you are interested in there are a number of different things we can all do to try and start those Creative Juices flowing. Here are five ideas which you may find helpful.
Image Flicking
Pick up some of your favourite magazines and flick through quickly noting the images that catch your eye. List a few ideas on why they caught your attention, and then think how you can apply these observations to your own requirements.
Upon my Sole a Cup of Coffee
Pop down to your local Starbuck, buy a latte and a danish and pick up a paper. Take a while to read through a few of the feature articles. Focus on one of the articles which is completely different to your usual areas of interest and think how it may relate to your own photography.
Ten Random Words
Log on to the world wide web and try one of the online random word generators. Generate between five and ten words and then think about them in relation to your own photography.
I quite like this one from watchout4snakes.com, I set the “Word Type” to Verb Transient and “Complexity” to Obscure.
Podcasts
Type “Inspirational Podcast” into your favourite search engine, randomly select a couple and then listen to them in a relaxing place. I find the bath works well for me as it relaxes me and makes me more receptive to the ideas that flow from the Podcasts.
Photo Books
We all have them on our shelves and far too many of them I suspect. Brows through a number of them and allow the images to drift into the minds, without really studying them. Try now thinking about the problem or project that you are working on and bring back into your mind the thoughts and feeling you had whilst browsing and note down your ideas.
Try a few of these techniques and let me which ones work for you.
[...] In a post last year about inspiration I suggested a number of ways to get those creative juices flowing. so over the next few days I will start working through some of these ideas. [...]