On Inspiration
Being inspired to create work is a magnificent state of cognitive excitement. There is simply nothing like it. The adrenaline flows, the synapses fire, and the world seems to be infinitely exciting. It is the stuff of our most creative dreams.
But it doesn’t happen every day. Or every other day. In fact, being inspired can be very difficult as a commercial photographer. We may be inspired to create amazing images of those things that inspire us. But what about luggage? Or a headshot? Or the fifth catalog of garage door openers in this quarter?
Garage door openers. Inspiring?
Perhaps to someone, but generally not.
The challenge is we have to do it anyway. We have to be enthusiastic, giving, generous with our creativity and our technical expertise. The mark of a great photo of a garage door opener is to see sales go up by 2.8%.
Commercial photography is not a string of highly awesome, super creative jobs that just roll in as if by magic. Many times they are frankly boring, or work-a-day stuff for our clients needs.
So we have to be creative on the spur of the moment, so to speak.
Here is a good quote from Chuck Close on being “inspired”.
“THE ADVICE I LIKE TO GIVE YOUNG ARTISTS, OR REALLY ANYBODY WHO’LL LISTEN TO ME, IS NOT TO WAIT AROUND FOR INSPIRATION. INSPIRATION IS FOR AMATEURS; THE REST OF US JUST SHOW UP AND GET TO WORK. IF YOU WAIT AROUND FOR THE CLOUDS TO PART AND A BOLT OF LIGHTNING TO STRIKE YOU IN THE BRAIN, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE AN AWFUL LOT OF WORK.
ALL THE BEST IDEAS COME OUT OF THE PROCESS; THEY COME OUT OF THE WORK ITSELF. THINGS OCCUR TO YOU. IF YOU’RE SITTING AROUND TRYING TO DREAM UP A GREAT ART IDEA, YOU CAN SIT THERE A LONG TIME BEFORE ANYTHING HAPPENS. BUT IF YOU JUST GET TO WORK, SOMETHING WILL OCCUR TO YOU AND SOMETHING ELSE WILL OCCUR TO YOU AND SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU REJECT WILL PUSH YOU IN ANOTHER DIRECTION. INSPIRATION IS ABSOLUTELY UNNECESSARY AND SOMEHOW DECEPTIVE. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED THIS GREAT IDEA BEFORE YOU CAN GET DOWN TO WORK, AND I FIND THAT’S ALMOST NEVER THE CASE.”
And here is one from Steven Pressfield;
“Are you a born writer? Were you put on earth to be a painter, a scientist, an apostle of peace? In the end the question can only be answered by action.
Do it or don’t do it.
It may help to think of it this way. If you were meant to cure cancer or write a symphony or crack cold fusion and you don’t do it, you not only hurt yourself, even destroy yourself,. You hurt your children. You hurt me. You hurt the planet.
You shame the angels who watch over you and you spite the Almighty, who created you and only you with your unique gifts, for the sole purpose of nudging the human race one millimeter farther along its path back to God.
Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.”
And as the amazing Seth Godin reminds us; We don’t just talk about stuff – we ship.
Seth Godin: Quieting the Lizard Brain from 99U on Vimeo.
Use the Facebook group for your thrashing. Plan ahead. Work to ship.
See you soon.