lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I think I understand your issue and can sympathize. My educational background was in science. I have a degree in Biology. Fairly worthless as far as a career goes. I got interested in photography initially back in the Mid-Nineteen Seventies. First a friend showed me how to print in his bathroom darkroom in his parents' home, then my girlfriend (now wife) in 1977 took a photo class. I'm the one that really got hook on that. But like you, I have really been interested in the technology, science, and history of Photography. This as all of course chemical based photography. Seeing as my field was science and math and not art, I found my photographs rather stiff and unimaginative. My friend on the other hand tries all kinds of crazy photo ideas, many work, many don't. I'm more a control or logic person. After having worked a few years in a museum as a photographer I really appreciate good art and photography and feel I know it when I see it. But up until more recently once I retired more or less and took up digital photography I really liked very few of my images for decades. This was not planned or really under my control, but I think I opened up by not only seeing photographically nature from by love of living things but my love of recorded music. I have a huge number of album covers to look at and some are fairly abstract and psychedelic. Some how all this combined to make me now pretty good with photographing Flowers, Sea Shells (which I've collected since age 5), and often totally Contemplative and Abstract images. As I've gotten older my mind has gotten free-er, and not just with photography. I have grown to like more types of music thru the years and appreciate more painters as well. I know that is opposite most people.

I am not sure what you can actually do to increase creativity per se. But I advise you to look at as many varying images as you can. Especially the Masters. Look at photos and oil paintings in museums and in books, read about photo and art history. And think about that other things that interest you. Say do you like buildings with odd shapes? Rock formations? Tall Trees? Pets? Family and Friends? Possible abstract images of Office equipment, I know, odd. I saw one portfolio by someone who photographed office ceiling tiles and lighting lamps. I did not say it was a good collection. LOL Perhaps someone else can answer your specific question.

SierraP Loc: Eastern Sierras

Concider a good camera club. One with PSA connections. You will have people to help your photography. A club that has a lot of competition is a great learning place.

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

You post Title seems to say you have answered your question.

rgood44

Wow! I am really overwhelmed with the wonderful and lengthy responses. You have all given me great ideas. This makes me very excited to just go out and shoot. First things first though - I will be shooting my son’s basketball game this afternoon in yet another very poorly lit gym. By the way my 7500 does a great job in these low light conditions. Sunday it will be time for a very long photo walk. Thanks again to everyone that took the time to give me advice!

rgood44

??? - Not sure I would spend the time to write post a on a photography forum if I was not interested in photography.