Expectations vs Creativity

Submitted by Keith Bridgman 

There were few expectations that day a few years ago. Hopeful but unsure. Just a sixth sense that maybe the light was going be there. Other than hoping what could happen would actually play out, I was not sure if nature was going to present herself in a spectacular way or as so often is the case, in a ho-hum way. As it turned out, she decided to explode across the sky with a play of light so powerful, I was barely able to comprehend how important this moment of light was to become. 

When the light reached it's crescendo, my creative resolve kicked in and I captured perhaps one of the most iconic photographs I've ever made. The Burning Tree still moves my soul when I find time to relive that day. The perfect nature of the timing of that event taught me a powerful lesson about creativity vs expectations as a photographer. 

Over the next few weeks, we are going to take a journey and explore the nature of those two not necessarily mutually exclusive concepts. We will look at Expectations vs Creativity in this article. Expectations vs Instinct in the next one and finish up looking at Expectations vs Passion. I hope you will take this journey with me as we dive into some of the finer points of the artistic nature of Photography.

So what does Expectation have to do with photography and how does it influence Creativity? I would suppose that most photographers possess a certain amount of expectations every time they pick up their camera and venture out to capture something. There is probably always an element of that concept floating around in the back of conscious efforts. There are many times I head out with an idea of what I want to accomplish. Most of the time the moment fails to live up to those expectations. That in itself can create a sense of...well...failure. I didn't accomplish what I set out to do. However, without an element of expectation, it would be quite easy to fall into the trap of haphazard mediocracy. Simple random shooting can result in a lot of random photographs most of which fall well outside the realm of quality we all want to accomplish. 

Even so, recognizing what makes a great photograph should be the criteria used to develop your expectations before you head out. Knowing what to look for, knowing potential places to find it, then having the technical skill to capture the moment are the driving elements of Expectations. There should be a focus to your efforts in that what presents itself may indeed be a random event, but when you are looking for a specific kind of event, your expectations become more locked in to what is actually there. Being flexible enough to adapt to the changing situation is another key to allowing your original expectations to guide you through a moment that just might turn out to be iconic. 

All artists possess a creative instinct and that includes photographers. Creativity includes personal distinctions such as style. I can recognize a photograph taken by most of my photographer friends simply because I recognize their style and subject matter upon which they tend to focus.  A photographer's style is their own unique way of expression. Style is the personification of Creativity and creativity is boundless where as expectations are limited to a particular moment. A creative mind will find a way to see what is there when others fail to see. They have a unique ability to look beyond the ordinary to capture the extraordinary. They are not afraid to step away from the normal expectations to discover something new. One of the most destructive traits a photographer can have is to lock themselves into believing they must capture the world photographically exactly the way they see it visually. Instead, see the visual world as a giant pallet of color, texture, form, and movement then use your creative desires to create an image that moves the soul.

So you see, expectations sets the stage, creativity then explores and captures the possibilities. Never rely simply on one or the other exclusively, they both tend help the photographer align themselves with the powerful inner drive that propels us on our daily photographic journeys.