Often, just for fun, I choose a photography hashtag on Instagram and scroll through to see what catches my eye. After passing over 5-10 generic images, I spot one that really stands out. And it’s almost always because that person has captured their subject matter in a unique and mindful way. Try it, you’ll see.
Now there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being one of the other 5-10. We’re all on journeys of self-improvement and we all must start somewhere – usually by sharing our work with pride when we capture something beautiful. But some of us long for something more; to stand out, to awe, to make a connection, to be challenged, to feel interesting, to be validated, to inspire others. We are the people who think differently, who experiment, who say to ourselves – what if?
As humans, we are creatures of routine, and we do the things that make us comfortable. That’s why it’s easy to get stuck creating the same things in the same ways unless we make experimentation part of our routine. I can show the world this flower in all its beauty, but while I’m here I’m going to try this technique just to see what happens.
I made Creative Photo Folk for those people - that one among the 5-10 who longs to create images that stand apart. I’ve thought a lot about why people have hobbies. Often it’s because they make us feel useful and accomplished. And it’s also for connection. We want to create something that draws people to us, to admire our work, to inspire and encourage them, or for them to say, ‘hey, good job’. Whether that be cake making or gardening or photography. When we impress others it lights us up, so why on earth would we ever seek to do something in a half-hearted or mediocre way?
These days everyone has a camera in their pocket. It’s so easy to get lost in a sea of competition but it’s also not difficult to create work that stands out. There are lots of beautiful things to photograph and a myriad of interesting ways to photograph them, and you, holding the camera, are completely different from everyone else. Your story and experiences and outlook are different. We owe it to others to share that uniqueness and make our stamp on the world.
So how do we create unique work?
By embracing and chasing creativity. Creativity is nothing more than curiosity, experimenting and problem solving. It’s knowing that taking a unique photo is more than the click of a shutter and often takes some effort. It’s a process of learning and wondering, of seeking to be in the right place at the right time or creating the right conditions yourself, and not being afraid to push the limits of your gear. When we experiment, we learn. We learn what’s successful, we learn what fails, we learn what an audience reacts to, we learn what we enjoy, and we learn, ultimately, the benefit of pushing boundaries. It’s why the world’s most accomplished photographers make time for personal projects so they can continue to learn and improve without the judgement of clients.
It doesn’t matter your reason to want to be a good photographer, editor or image creator. What should matter, is always embracing creativity, and doing it to the best of your abilities.
Creative Photo Folk was designed with this goal in mind. Because when you learn creatively you make a routine of creativity. Experimenting becomes second nature, as does seeking the unique. And if you want to become good at something, you absolutely owe it to yourself to create something good! I can scroll past 10 photos, but when I see yours and it stops me in my tracks I, along with others, am going to heart it, and you’re going to feel encouraged and inspired to do even better. And you never know who has looked at your image and thought to themselves, how clever, I’d love to try that too. Then you’re connected to something larger than yourself and creativity becomes a movement. Let’s all fill the world with beautiful, challenging, interesting things, especially at a time when so many of us are still stuck at home craving wonder and escape. #creativephotographymovement
A work of art must not be something that leaves a man unmoved, something he passes by with a casual glance. It has to make him react, feel strongly, start creating too, if only in his imagination. – Pablo Picasso
Join Creative Photo Folk to become part of the creative photography movement.
