what's your favourite creativity exercise ?

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

01/03/2008 08:51:23 AM · #1

I'm looking for suggestions, for a small book I'm trying to write. I have quite a few already but I'm always interested in more. More information in the blog post about the project and a place to submit suggestions too, or post them here if you are okay with them being used.

Message edited by author 2008-01-03 08:51:30.

smilebig4me1x

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

01/03/2008 09:03:45 AM · #2

I left ya this comment (might not be what your looking for but what the heck)good luck with the book.

In every store I go into I always make a pass throught he clearence section. I look for things that have unusual shapes,unique,funny, just plain colorful, or that I could possably use as a prop for portraits or my woody collection. Find your muse first then go from there...usually creativity strikes as soon as you see the "perfect" thing.
~~Cher~~

Rgarcia

Olympus OM-D E-M1

Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II M.Zuiko ED

01/03/2008 09:05:11 AM · #3

This one was a homework for a composition course I took some years ago. You have to find letters with forms in nature or man made that are not intended to be letters, and form your name with it. It is a very enlighting exercise for your observation and abstraction skills.
I like it so much I use it with my students!

Message edited by author 2008-01-03 09:05:50.

smilebig4me1x

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

01/03/2008 09:07:06 AM · #4

Originally posted by Rgarcia:

oooh...good one..I might have to borrow that one if ya dont mind :D

Rgarcia

Olympus OM-D E-M1

Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II M.Zuiko ED

01/03/2008 09:09:32 AM · #5

Originally posted by smilebig4me1x:

Originally posted by Rgarcia:
This one was a homework for a composition course I took some years ago. You have to find letters with forms in nature or man made that are not intended to be letters, and form your name with it. It is a very enlighting exercise for your observation and abstraction skills.
I like it so much I use it with my students!

oooh...good one..I might have to borrow that one if ya dont mind :D

Be my guest! :-)

FocusPoint

XIAOMI Redmi Note 8 Pro

01/03/2008 09:19:35 AM · #6

My only exercise is carrying my camera with me 24/7. Why, because you never know when inspiration will hit on you or what you would see and when. If I go for an assignment, I try to shoot more than my assignment. If you ask what this has to do with creativity, all my photos give me idea how can I improve myself to be more creative :)

But, i think better exercise would be to look into magazines, any magazine that has photos, or pictures in DPC or other websites. Some people might think we copy those ideas, but not true. We enhance the ideas, put our own flavor and make it our own. I think even similar photos taken by separate photographers have their own personality.

Check the winning photo in DPC, you will see winning photo and similar photo in 45th place... same subject same idea, but one wins, the other doesn't.

One other suggestion I might have for new photographers who wants to be more creative, give a break one or two days a week sometimes, and don't think any idea at all. If nothing inspires you don't force to be inspired... Forcing yourself or trying to be creative constantly might backfire.

FP

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/03/2008 09:56:37 AM · #7

I memory dumped on your blog.

01/03/2008 10:55:34 AM · #8

Originally posted by Rgarcia:

I've used variations on that before - shooting signs to spell a word or shooting 'found letters' to spell out the name of the town I'm in.

01/03/2008 01:22:06 PM · #9

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

I memory dumped on your blog.

Thanks for taking a dump on my blog. Urm, or something. Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. I've been surprised by how much commonality there is between all the suggestions from different people.

Message edited by author 2008-01-03 13:22:17.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

01/03/2008 05:17:02 PM · #10

Originally posted by FocusPoint:

I've never been good at carrying a camera with me 24/7, partly due to work restrictions, partly due to high summer temps I think.
I certainly agree with the general idea of the more you shoot, the more creative you can be though.

banmorn

Nikon D750

01/03/2008 05:22:28 PM · #11

Originally posted by smilebig4me1x:

$ stores, baby! $ stores.
"Do you have your camera with you?" Yes. Opportunities from others.
Dreams.

violinist123

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

01/03/2008 05:47:09 PM · #12

Dropping acid and carving celtic runes into the ceiling. It really expands the mind. Dude.

Louis

Nikon D800

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

01/03/2008 06:35:22 PM · #13

I like working in series. I've an ongoing series of arrows that I've been doing for several years. I did one-time series of trees in winter, tarmac footpaths, forest hiking trails, dead fish, balls, and many more. (Some from some of these series are in my portfolio). The common thread is a shape, either strong or loose, that caught my attention some way or other, and that I kept my eye out for.

tnun

Ricoh GR III

Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] WR DC

01/03/2008 06:54:02 PM · #14

DEFINITELY carry camera. (Since I got the little one, I can at least carry it anywhere). Like banmorn's suggestion: people IN the dollar store are worth a shot if you are daring. And I sometimes hope that when I shoot the same sort of thing again and again that a pattern will emerge that I can work with - close to Louis' suggestion.

Olympus 50mm f/1.8 MF Normal Zuiko

01/03/2008 07:46:11 PM · #15

Originally posted by routerguy666:

Dropping acid and carving celtic runes into the ceiling. It really expands the mind. Dude.

Awesome. Dude.

emorgan49

Olympus E-5

01/03/2008 09:30:05 PM · #16

One in an art course I had to take 100 pictures of eggs.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

01/04/2008 12:25:26 AM · #17

Originally posted by emorgan49:

One in an art course I had to take 100 pictures of eggs.

That's a tough one. How did you do ?

raish

Olympus C-2500L

01/04/2008 01:22:48 AM · #18

Originally posted by routerguy666:

Dropping acid and carving celtic runes into the ceiling. It really expands the mind. Dude.

I think Gordon's looking for things outside of your normal everyday behaviour. Dude.