Creativity

Creativity is a subject often heard when photographers talk, but do we (and many times they) know what it really is?

An example of what it is not is the repetitive reproduction of stairs curving around itself.  Just look at a past DPreview challenge and you`ll se that the winner was NOT CREATIVE in any way!!!  Actually about 90% of the entries were in no way creative.  They were just REPETITIVE!!! Repeating the same old shots with more Photoshopping to try and make it look creative.  Sure some of those are STUNNING but definitely NOT CREATIVE!!!

REAL CREATIVITY is when looking at subjects in an unusual way.  OK I concede what the Bible says that nothing is new and it has all been done before.  It is just that some of these have been done so many times it is really getting BORING!!!

By now you may say that this photographer has nothing to say, thus the ramblings.

A great number of "tourist photographers" and even more serious "tourist photographers" visit the ghost town of Kolmanskop near Luderitz in the White Dunes area of the Namib Desert.  And...  they take the same old photo`s all the time. 

Just look at the following photo`s.

The 1st & 2nd photo`s are the "STANDARD EVERYBODY TAKES IT" to show that I`ve actually been there ;-) 

The photo to the right is slightly less conventional but still just a "I was there"  photo









But look at the opportunities for creativity !!!

Forget about straight and non-converging lines !!!

Lie on your side and take the unusual photo!!!!  If not why not?  Here the photo does not only convey desolation or abandonment but the white sand that want to make it over-exposed also emphasize the harshness of the environment.

THIS is much more INTERESTING and shows creativity!!!  The onlooker has to "interact" or "react" to this photo.  It does not only convey "ah nice" photo.  When someone looks at this photo they have to "look-and-look-again" because it is unconventional, thus CREATIVE !!

And here we have a combination of the creative shadows combined with the harsh blinding whitish sand outside.

The sand inside on the floor actually "force" the viewer to look out to see where it came from !!!








A good example of creativity is combining the rusting Coffee Shop sign with the lonely wooden boat in the background.

Sure these photo`s might not be the sharpest competition winning photo`s around but so what?

Each of these photo`s had the "viewers" make some or other positive comment.  Something like "Really a nice combination !! I was there but did not SEE THAT!!! "

An herein lies the SATISFACTION of CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY !!!!

Maybe a last controversial word.  "Photography Competitions actually KILL creative photography because the entrants take photo`s to WIN not to enjoy the Art of Photography !!" 

Till Next time. Cheers !!!!