Someone asked me if I suffer from creative block, like writer’s block, and how I overcome it. In photography, that might mean mental fatigue from seeing all these creative pictures from peers and competitors and being drained and feeling hopeless to produce something fresh. It might mean, there is no spark. No composition is singing to be captured during another great adventure. There are many ways to define creative block.
I don’t suffer from creative block. As someone who researches new places, imagines new compositions, always has plans and enjoys starting multiple projects every year, I just don’t lack in creativity and never have a slump by what most may assume to be a creative slump. At least not yet!
No, for me, I suffer from something else. I just call it practical block.
Sometimes, I refer to it as lazy block. I can know exactly where I want to go. The idea, composition and lighting are in mind, but wow, getting out bed is rough and maybe it will be cloudy, so I’ll stay home. For me practical block comes in when I think of the inconveniences of going out and doing photography:
- My car doesn’t have enough gas to make the trip without stopping.
- It’s raining, cloudy or too icy slick for my sedan to make it to the park.
- I really don’t want to get up at 5:00am.
- I work at 9:30am plus all the above factors so….nah. Let’s sleep more.
- I forgot to prepare my clothing, camera gear and snacks the night before.
- I didn’t get the coffee ready for quick start in the morning.
- My wife doesn’t want me alarm to wake her earlier than she needs.
Does that make sense? So all these little factors come together and dissuade me from heading out. I’ve also noticed that if I prepare haphazardly, my chances for going out in the morning lower significantly and vice versa.
I will share my advice for getting out of creative block, however, as I can see myself being in that state one day and this advice should be remembered by us both, dear fellow creative.
When you feel creative block, the best thing to do is get back out in the field and practice creativity. For me as a photographer, that means getting out into the landscapes feeling the sun on my cheeks, noticing the perfectly shaped dew drops on colorful leaves, listening to the waves crash on the beach in different strengths, and more. The immersion of what once was passionate produces reminders and excitement back into the blood. Plus for me, being alone in nature has always been refreshing. That and the adventures I am on are all ways to get me excited again. Because I think it’s important when in a slump to get past the feelings in the moment and remember the highs of when we’re on location.
At least, that’s my opinion and method for me.
What’s been your experience for creative block and how you deal with it and try to overcome it?
The North Star Nook 