Learn Digital Photography - Creativity Can Be Learned

Those of us who admire the work of great artists and the award winning images of outstanding photographers, marvel at the creativity of these artists. A little envious of their amazing abilities and natural talent. We look at our own photographs and wonder how we'll ever get anywhere near the masters. All is not lost or as bleak as it appears.

I know that in my photography experience I would look at these photographers, look at my work, try to copy theirs, fail and then give up. It became a cycle of failure and discouragement until I realised that I could actually take good photos. It wasn't an instant change but a process. What I realised was that the masters never painted a perfect picture the first time they held a brush nor the great photographers the first time they held a camera. They began their creative journey somewhere. The important part of the process was on the journey and how they developed along this road of learning. So, equating this to you and me we have to start somewhere. You need to make a conscious choice that you are starting a creative journey. You need a starting point, a point of departure. It's back to this point that you'll look and use it as a comparison to your future work.

With all this said and done, how do we start our creative journey? Let's take a look at a few points that will get you going:

1. Discover your area of passion

It's sometimes necessary to discover your passion as we often keep these areas of ours lives hidden for various reasons. Society says that a man shouldn't like flowers or a woman can't get excited by motorcycles. So it's essential to rediscover what excites us and what makes our creativity tick. This in it itself is a small journey within our creative journey. Once you have uncovered this you have a foundation for fresh ideas and a platform for experimentation that will keep you motivated and not give up or become discouraged. Find a quiet place now and relax as you think about what are your passions.

2. Begin with the end in mind

You need to have some ideas about what you want to achieve through you creativity. Have an understanding of what you want to create in your images. If you can't see something in your mind's eye and have no idea of what you want to achieve, you are lost before you begin. This is where the help of the masters comes in. Get inspiration but don't copy. There is a difference between copying someone else's work and being inspired by it. Allow it to get you excited and driven to take images of similar quality and beauty. Let them give you ideas and understanding of their techniques and methods of composition. They should motivate you to go out and shoot.

3. Take time out and take your time

So often we want to do something and do it now and have the results now. Instant gratification is one of the great warts of life in this modern age. We want to be creative and we want it now. Creativity takes time and conscious effort to develop. It doesn't just happen over night. Think about the possibilities for a good composition and imagine the various possibilities, angles, colours and perspectives. Get away from the hustle and bustle and find a place that makes you feel good about yourself and where you can enjoy the moment. Many artists have a place where they go to for inspiration.

4. Choose an inspirational location or setting

To help your creativity, find a place that inspires you. If you love old buildings then find a location that has many of them. If you love flowers and insects go to a botanical garden. Whatever it is, find it and go there. And, leave your camera at home. Yes, don't take it with you. You need to experience the environment, imbibe the atmosphere and just observe. We are so tempted to start taking pictures and by doing this we miss the moment and get to involved with technical issues before we are inspired.

5. Think, observe and let your creativity run wild

Walk around, sit down or lie down in you chosen location. Observe your surroundings carefully and look for opportunities. Look at the different angles. Carefully examine colours and shapes. Look for lines and repeated patterns. Observe how the light falls on an object and the direction of the shadows. Look for details you haven't seen before. All these factors play a part in your journey of creativity.

Once you have been through these five steps you are starting to get to a point from which your creative ideas can start to flow. Creativity cannot be rushed. It's like the flow of honey from a jar, slow and sweet and once you've tasted it you'll never forget it. You have to create an environment for it to begin. This is a learned process and cannot be crowded by the everyday hustle and bustle and concerns of life. We all have creativity within us but we need to create the setting that will coax it out. Once you discover this, there will be no end to the exciting images you will be able to create.

Do you want to learn more about photography in a digital world? I've just completed a brand new e-course delivered by e-mail. Download it here for free: CLICK HERE. You can also learn to take perfect photos in 21 steps by taking a look at my new ebook 21 Steps 2 Perfect Photos Wayne Turner has been teaching photography for 25 years and has written three books on photography.