# Boost your creativity....



## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

I read a few posts here about people lacking creativity, so thought I'd share a little tip I was given by a top pro a few years ago...

PICK A THEME

...that is, something that you use as a constant thread through various photos. Instead of wandering around thinking 'what could I photograph today' or 'how can I be creative' you have a theme in your head when you go out shooting or walking about.

Themes can come in various types:

1. subject matter eg _doors_, _graffiti_, _trees_, _water, pattern, lines_ etc and you then search out examples of these. Very quickly you are likely to find unusual examples, unique ways to capture them etc and you will quickly boost your creativity

2. feelings eg _happiness_, _surprise, relaxing, loneliness _ etc and you look for images, scenes, items etc that might envoke the chosen feeling in the viewer

3. abstract eg _energy, colour, noise_ etc and search for images that fit your chosen abstract term. You can then look for different ways to meet subject

Choose a theme and make it a long term focus. Any time you're creative juices seem to have stopped flowing, remind yourself of your theme and get out (or stay in) and create images that meet your theme. Its easy to sit at home and set upimages that meet your theme etc. You will NEVER be stuck for creative ideas again :thumb:

A few images for a theme of colour that I worked on in the past:

*Colour*


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## Multipla Mick (Feb 5, 2006)

Good post, and great photos too :thumb: Photography can make you open your eyes a bit more to what is around you anyway, using themes as you suggest, even more so I imagine.


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## beardboy (Feb 12, 2006)

Nice one Damon - seems to have popped up just as i was lacking any! :lol:


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## parish (Jun 29, 2006)

Top post Damon :thumb: :thumb:

My favourite is the second one - absolutely stunning!!

Not only would it make a great desktop wallpaper, I'd frame it and hang it on my wall.


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

exactly what I did, and it won me a competition 

took it lying on my back, looking up at a canopy of 3 trees on the side of a main road in the town - didnt half get some very strange looks at the time :lol:


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## carensuk (Aug 31, 2007)

Nice photo's Damon, and some good advice m8:thumb:


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## Epoch (Jul 30, 2006)

Bigpikle said:


> exactly what I did, and it won me a competition
> 
> took it lying on my back, looking up at a canopy of 3 trees on the side of a main road in the town - didnt half get some very strange looks at the time :lol:


Now those same people will be saying

"You remember that bloke lying on his back in town taking pictures of the sky, well now he's spraying his car with shaving foam and then rubbing it with his hands"

Cracking set of pics though.


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

Epoch said:


> Now those same people will be saying
> 
> "You remember that bloke lying on his back in town taking pictures of the sky, well now he's spraying his car with shaving foam and then rubbing it with his hands"
> 
> Cracking set of pics though.


:lol:

dont forget blow drying his car :doublesho


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## parish (Jun 29, 2006)

Bigpikle said:


> exactly what I did, and it won me a competition


Well done :thumb: I can well believe it won a competition.

You want to hope that M$ or Apple see it and ask to include it as a wallpaper on the next version of their respective operating systems.

The guy who owns www.transientlight.co.uk has a pic on there of some pebbles on a beach. One day, totally out of the blue, he got a call from Apple asking if they could use the pic - or a crop of it - on the iPhone. He agreed so if you've got an iPhone, now you know where that pic comes from - *Edit* At the bottom of this page - http://www.transientlight.co.uk/a_frame.php?nav=1&snID=1200

Apparently - from someone who knows the guy personally - Apple paid him enough to buy a new car 



Bigpikle said:


> took it lying on my back,


If this wasn't a family-friendly forum, I'd comment on that :doublesho


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## SURFERROSA (Feb 7, 2007)

Nice pics Damon, like the second last one as well as the second one.


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## Maxtor (Feb 23, 2007)

WOW! what a fantastic post.

Fine shots and a great idea for inspiration.

Thanks for sharing. :thumb:

Maxtor


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## rr dave (May 26, 2008)

parish said:


> Apparently - from someone who knows the guy personally - Apple paid him enough to buy a new car


Thats true - I go to a camera club and the guy came to give a talk and he was talking about what happened. The phone call etc and how the money he made he went and bought a car. 
He also asked them for an iphone and they said no! They don't give them out to employees was what he was told!


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## Gary-360 (Apr 26, 2008)

Great idea that, I'l remember it for future boredom periods.

Cheers mate 

Gary


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