Torrey Pines State Park – on my birthday, January 1st, 2009
I’ve decided to start a daily creative commitment on March 1st. I’m excited about where it might lead, and what I might discover about myself.
Why
The idea came out of my teaching. Through teaching, I’ve learned to appreciate how easy it is for me to evaluate and edit an image. I can edit really fast. With Lightroom, I can have almost any image looking okay within a couple minutes, or less.
If I can do it that easy, then why aren’t I creating a lot more images? This is the question I have been pondering. The truth is that I love editing, but when I am editing an image to share with others, I worry too much about whether or not the image is any good to begin with.
I need to think less and create more.
In every photograph, I see things that I like, and things that I don’t like, almost immediately. I know the tools well, and can make quick decisions and quick edits, but I can be better. I can take more risks, and be more creative.
I also have thousands of photographs, going back years, most of which I’ve barely taken the time to really look at.
Image making and creating should be a priority, not something I squeeze in after everything else is done. I’ve been avoiding any kind of daily creative commitment, because I fear that I don’t have time for it, but I do.
What
I will edit and share one photo a day, limiting myself to 30 minutes for edit, save and post. I may share a few words about the image, but I won’t require it. I may share a before and after, but most often I won’t. These will be quick edits of old images, without concern for chronological order.
Goals
- Improve my Lightroom skills
- Take risks and be more creative
- Stimulate my creativity
- Discover something new
- Share more
- Possibly find connections between my past mind’s eye and my current one
- Enjoy the process without worrying about the finished product
