How to Stay Creative as a Photographer

Photography Tips

Do you ever feel like you are losing your creative abilities when you can’t come up with a fresh idea for your next photo shoot? You’re not alone, and you don’t need to worry. You’re still creative, you just need to know how to harness your creative energy to get your wheels turning again. Listen below to pro photographer Lindsay Adler talk about her creative process and how she goes about lifting herself out of a creative slump:

So, how does Adler manage to churn out one creative shoot after another? Here are few tricks from her creativity bag:

• Start with figuring out the one element of the photograph that you know you want for sure. This could be the makeup, wardrobe, location, or some other prop. Write down that element and make a list of what you love about it, then build off of that.
• Look for inspiration on the internet. Use Google Images, Pinterest, Flipboard, etc. to create your own “tear sheets” to refer to when you are trying to jump start the creative process.
• Create a mood board. Add photos to the board to help you visualize how the shoot is going to happen. Add photos of the location, the model, hair style, clothing, lighting or photos that have similar lighting you want to use.

Adler also suggests you surround yourself with a group of creatives. If creativity is contagious, then you can establish a breeding ground for it simply by seeking out the input and thoughts of fellow creative thinkers.

“What I found is what all successful artists do: they develop a creative process they can go back to over and over again to help come up with new ideas.”