timmah1979 Loc: Utica,ny

Yesterday evening, I came across a topic concerning Black and White photography. And somehow i came out with the statement "Creativity can not be taught", which is i believe. But because my statement took over the posts and sparked discussion, I wanted to bring it over to its own topic. So let me ask everyone,

Can creativity be Taught or is it something you naturally have?

Let the discussion begin

amehta Loc: Boston

Sometimes, a person has a truly original thought, but I think that is rare. Most of the time, our ideas are a synthesis of things we have experienced before, and creativity is about how we assemble the thought. I think that can be taught.

Rbrylawski Loc: Tampa, FL

I love this question. Really. Truth be told, I'm technically competent and creatively challenged. I know the settings on my camera (Nikon D7100) and how use them. My partner doesn't understand anything about the settings on his camera (Nikon D3200), yet if we're out taking a picture of the same subject, his picture is more interesting, while mine is more technical.

I'm not sure my mind thinks creatively and my photography suffers for it. And I don't know if I can be taught to be creative. I hope I'm wrong on that. I will be taking a class with a professional photographer locally in April. Maybe there's hope for the creative side of me, but only time will tell.

Dogman Loc: Michigan

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Dogman

clh3RD

Deep and wide subject. I have been blessed, or cursed, by having three close friends who are so much more creative than me that it isn't funny. But they discuss it all the time and agree that creativity is one thing while technical capability is something else entirely. Capability can be enhanced greatly by study and practice so it can come to rival creativity. But I personally think that creativity is of another dimension.

timmah1979 Loc: Utica,ny

Rby,

Well keep at it. For me i am a little off center (ask anybody who knows me) and the way i view things are a little bit odd.

Growing up (i'm 34), i didn't keep alot of friends so i looked towards books, movies (especially the horror genre) and music to keep my busy.

I ended up with my first camera (kodak disc) at age 7. I had won it in a school contest and it kinda sat on the shelf for about a year because i just wasn't really into it. until 8/9 years old when Wrestling had come to town and i wanted to keep some memories (not to mention since it was MY hobby, i had to find ways to buy film, get it developed. My parents weren't going to pay for it!)

now keep in mind this was 1987/1988 Was a year of firsts for me, i was just getting interested in heavy metal music which if you know much about that particular genre they tend to be descriptive about what they are singing about and certain bands had certain niches they sang about (Megadeth-politics, Guns N Roses-L.A. Scene. Bands like Danzig and Slayer were occult themed...you get the idea) toss this in with seeing my first horror movie (Nightmare on Elm St 3) and getting interested in Stephen King (The Stand was the first book i read WILLINGLY on my own outside of school and yes it was the unabridged version!) it created an influence heaven.

The more my senses got stimulated is when i started to think maybe, just maybe i had something to offer. These things i were getting into triggered an imagination. But the creative with the camera end didn't start happening until about 2002. Because i was hell bent on being a writer. I wanted to write a movie (horror ofcourse) but I was was stuck in what i called short story limbo. Words no matter how good something might have been i wasn't able to express it on paper. Now i wouldn't say i'm bad at words but i tend to go on these tangents and things get repeated and i can't write dialogue to save my life.

When digital photography came about (and my disc camera was no longer because i beat that into the ground from 1988-1997) it was a godsend because i could learn but also experiment more.

When your stuck with film (i am NOT knocking film at all. I gotta make that clear) but if you just use film, you have to worry about the extra costs (buying film, processing, ect ect) Digital you can edit, maneuver and pretty much do what you want (especially when you shoot raw!)

So in 2002 I started to experiment with some ideas. I have an ego, I will admit, or it could be stubbornness, that i have to be different. I want my photos to stick out from someone else.

I started to dive in heavy into just being different. I made sure i learned the basics (fstops, iso, ect) but i was gonna do things that, like my personality, were off.

Example, Sunflower. Anybody can take a picture of a sunflower. You take a picture of a sunflower and i take a picture of the same flower. Heck, we might even use the settings. The only thing that maybe make or break is the quality of the lens. Keep in mind i am not knocking Nikon or any camera for that matter. I am just using for purpose of discussion. but maybe the flaw in your camera lens has sharpness issues whereas mine wouldn't. But obviously could be fixed in a editing program. But to a viewer, what would make it really stand out? Most would say its just a flower and move on.

That wouldn't be good enough for me, I would have to put some kind of spin on it. Me, Anyone who has seen my stuff over the years knows i always put a slight subtle tilt on it. Sometimes its subtle, sometimes not so much but you will always know who's photo you are looking at.

But even without the tilt, i would make maybe some odd crop choices, maybe section off a petal (just one) to be black and white.

I like (and challenge myself) to put interesting things out. Everyone likes what they like but it is a definite need (for me) to be different. I even take old photos and merge/layer them with new photos to create something new and exciting.

Lots of influences. Lots of stuff to "feed my brain" and at the end of the day its how i digest it, turn it into new and exciting that gives me the ultimate satisfaction in knowing that i got someone to take that one second of their life and be like i never seen anything like that before.

Nobody taught me, i was very influenced but i learned on my own, took what i needed to and i think that's what ultimately happens. I don't thing creativity is learned. I think its digested or absorbed. Its what you do with that "energy" is how creative you are. I think everyone has creative in them but they need triggers. Me the trigger started 25 years ago with the entertainment i found refuge in and the finger hasn't let off yet (hopefully never will) for others, might not be so easy.

I think the key is do what interests you, force yourself to expand on it, ask yourself questions "What if I did this or that" or try looking at it completely differently and be like maybe if i flipped it on its side, changed the perspective maybe eye level instead of on top or bottom maybe even change the colors all together.

Don't be afraid to experiment. Remember though, its about what you like. Don't care so much what anyone thinks as long as you're happy with it. and most importantly don't be afraid to be different!!!

John in DC

My guess is creativity, like intelligence is something you're born with. You might be able to tweak it a bit with good education and experience, but that's about it. If you don't got it, you don't got it.

SpeedyWilson Loc: Upstate South Carolina

First, define creativity.

I think everyone has a degree of creativity in their brain. But, it's probably different for each person. Some people are artistically creative; others are creative with words; others are creative with their physical prowess; others excel in monetary creativity. On and on ... you get my drift.

In my opinion, creativity can sometimes be taught, sometimes it is an inherent ability.

Rbrylawski Loc: Tampa, FL

Thanks! Maybe, just maybe there's hope for the creative side of me. One would think I could be creative. After all, I have a degree in Classical Clarinet and my music was creative. But my photos? That's another thing altogether. I marvel at people who see a way to frame something that creates something unique unique and interesting. Of course, I've always been super critical of myself. So maybe I should just enjoy the act of photography and hope that one day I can feel I contributed (even if in a small way) to the art of photography. Thanks again.......

SpeedyWilson Loc: Upstate South Carolina

Ha! I don't have one bit of musical creativity. I envy those who do, like Rbrylawski. Want to trade?

Rbrylawski Loc: Tampa, FL

Gladly. Once I realized my clarinet wasn't going to put a Mercedes in my garage I put it away (LOL), but becoming suddenly photographically creative would be awesome!

SpeedyWilson Loc: Upstate South Carolina

I married a clarinet player, and none of her talent has clung to me. She also dislikes computers and cameras. So, we're a good pair.

Rbrylawski Loc: Tampa, FL

:thumbup:

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Both, with limitations. :D

timmah1979 Loc: Utica,ny

care to elaborate? :)