Earlier this week I attended a work staff meeting. I sat next to a good friend and she commented on my blog posts and my daily Pic Of The Day pictures. She had wonderful things to say about both. I was happy for her kind words, but it was what she said after that intrigued me.
"I could never be that creative," she said.
It's not the first time I've heard basically the same thing, and it probably won't be the last.
Books and academic papers have been written about how to be creative. I haven't researched the subject, but I do have an opinion. I believe if you want to be more creative, you need to just start. My co-worker said that she believes I have a great eye for photography. Perhaps, but I also think that something I decided to do years ago have made me a better photographer. I decided to post a picture on social media every day.
And I've done it--everyday.
Posting a daily picture means I've got to consciously think about taking a picture. I need to look for something interesting. Some pictures are better than other others--it's the way of things. But by doing that, by thinking about taking pictures and actually doing it, you're training your mind to see things like a photographer. The same can be said about writing. If you write everyday, your writing has to improve--it just does.
For my Pic Of The Day after the staff meeting I took a photograph of a pamphlet we discussed. It's not the best picture I've ever taken--not by a long shot. But I thought up a somewhat interesting caption and it shows a bit of my day, something I've tried to do with my daily pictures.
I told my co-worker that if she wanted to, she could take better pictures and become a better writer. Whether or not she decides to do it, that's up to her. She doesn't have to do it, but I just wanted her to know that it's possible for anyone who wants to try.
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