A very special thank you to professional photographer and friend Julie Waterhouse for guest blogging today!
Julie Waterhouse is a fine art photographer residing in Markham, Canada, just a short drive from the local farmland and woods she loves to photograph. She loves to teach workshops, coach one-on-one, and share her passion in any way she can. Her photo tips website was born out of a desire to reach even more budding photographers.
Restrictions Breed Creativity (Why You Should Commit to a 365 Project)
Contrary to what your intuition might suggest, it’s not complete freedom that inspires creativity. Rather, it’s the opposite. Placing restrictions on acceptable solutions demands creative problem solving. If I asked you to design a way to keep a dog contained in a yard, you might come up with a simple fence. If I added the restrictions that you couldn’t chain the dog, or build any visible structures, you would need to be much more creative in your solution. For a photographer, creativity comes from restrictions like photographing with only one lens, only after 8pm, only in your house, or only square, blue objects.
A 365 project provides a restriction of sorts. It puts your photography on a schedule and compels you to take a photograph every single day for a year, rain or shine, wherever you may be, and whether you feel like it or not. It will improve your creativity.
Today marks day 260 of my 365 project. For me, this assignment has been invaluable. I have definitely grown as a photographer. I have made many photos that I would never otherwise have made. I now carry my camera everywhere, and never miss a photographic opportunity. I feel like I’m connecting with my inner creativity, and improving my ability to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. I am truly enjoying the journey!
I highly encourage every photographer to commit to a 365 project. If you stick it out, I guarantee that you will see improvements in your photographic creativity.
Feel free to drop by my Ultimate Photo Tips website for more information on my 365 project, as well as a load of other creative photography ideas for you to try.
~Julie Waterhouse
