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How you can strengthen your creative muscle even when you don’t feel inspired

Mar 8, 2023 by Alex Baker Leave a Comment

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It can be difficult being an artist sometimes. There’s a feeling of pressure to be constantly creating something new, pushing those boundaries. And honestly, sometimes you’re just not really feeling it. That can persist for months on end, and it often takes a concerted effort to lift yourself out of that creative funk.

But even if you don’t feel particularly inspired or creative, there are a few easy small steps you can take to get back on track. In this video, landscape photographer Mike Smith shares how he strengthens his creativity on a regular basis.

First off, Mike says that everyone is, in fact, creative, it just manifests itself in different ways. As a society, we tend to have a fairly narrow view of what being creative entails. But just because your 7th-grade art teacher refused to describe you as creative, it doesn’t mean you are. Lead with a sense of curiosity, and see where that takes you. Creativity will likely follow.

The next piece of advice really is to open your eyes and really look at things. Look for interesting light and different patterns. Consider how these things interact with one another. Imagine you are seeing these things for the first time, almost as if you are seeing the world through the eyes of a young child.

Another way to lift yourself out of a creative rut is to try something completely different. Try a different type of photography. If you normally shoot people, try landscape photography. If you shoot digital, try shooting film. Try macro photography and studio lighting. Anything really. Again, it will be that deep immersion and curiosity into something different that will lift your creativity.

Mike has some other good thoughts on how to overcome a creative slump, but you’ll have to watch the rest of the video! It’s not easy to overcome a creative block, but in my experience, it’s always worth the effort.

What are your tips for getting out of a photography rut?

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Filed Under: Tutorials Tagged With: creative block, creativity, rut

About Alex Baker

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

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Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

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