PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOT CREATIVE...

But you can be. Lets talk about creative thinking and what that means.
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My name is Ted Forbes and I make videos about photography. I’ve been making photographs most of my life and I have a tremendously deep passion for photography that I want to share with you on KZbin.
The Art of Photography is my channel and I produce photography videos to provide a 360 degree look into the world of making images. We all want to get better so lets do this together!
I make videos covering famous photographers, photography techniques, composition, the history of photography and much more.
I also have a strong community of photographers who watch the show and we frequently do social media challenges for photographers to submit their own work. I feature the best and most interesting on the show when we do these so come check it out and get involved!

[@lightbox617]

I teach digital photography to a small class of high functioning ddd young adults. they are on the Downs syndrome and autistic spectrum. I have taught the he basic relationship among ISO, shutter speed and f stop. The work that they give me is original, insightful and imaginative. No "sunrise over the Grand canyon " of flower petals, but interesting. In October of 2016, I will integrate their work into an exhibit contrasting the work that they did on their first visit to Newark with work done by local pros. I hope that they will give the audience a definition of expressive creativity. By the way; no mention will be made in the program of any disabilities. The quality of their work stand alone. This is going to be fun. thanks for this post. I have watched it 4 times and it still keeps me pondering

[@theartofphotography]

I think that's amazing Timothy - hats off!!! I really respect what you're doing.

[@lightbox617]

If you saw the work that they are giving me, you would be amazed and even happier. These young people have no expectations of what we want. I find it incredibly difficult to do work that is even vaguely original. Theses guys give me new stuff every Wed.. I very much appreciate your response. Pleases remember; It's there work, not mine. I give direction and I may crop a shot but, it's theirs. Thanks again tim for artfrontgalleries.com

[@andrewcowley3584]

Sounds like a incredibly rewarding programme Timothy. I will have to look into seeing if there is such a programme here that I could donate my time to helping out with.

[@lightbox617]

Thanks, Andrew. What I did was write a proposal and present it to local organizations who worked with hi functioning young adults, the local JCC or YMCA, there may be a chapter of a group call Arts Unbound near you. I actually get paid $45 and hour to do this but that's mostly because the State of NJ is notoriously absent in these areas. If you are interested, let me know and I'll send my proposal. You can use it with whatever changes ay apply to your geographic location.

[@lightbox617]

Hi, Julia. Three of them have work in a show in Newark, NJ, right now. We opened last Friday night. Not a huge turnout but we actually got people from the comparative "rich" suburbs to turn out. There was no distinction made between their works and works of other artists from Newark. Jessica Coleman and Logan Thoelen sold works. We have posted some things on the Artfront galleries Facebook page and artfrontgalleries.com. One of them, Andrew Weatherly, has shown paintings in London and NYC. I feel privileged to be his photography instructor. If you would like, I'd give you a Google Drive link to folders where I have stored their work

[@michaelandersen5453]

This I feel drops right into your train of thought. " He who works with his hands is a labourer. He who works with is hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and head and his heart is an artist." Francis of Assisi

[@RabbiJillZimmerman]

Ted - WOW - I am deeply moved by your video AND how much you got from what I was sharing in the #AskTheRabbi AND how you wove it into your own perspective. I love your idea and would really be open to having further discussions about creativity. Similar to lessons from the wilderness, there are profound lessons on creativity from the stories of creation. You may be particularly interested in the Kabbalistic notion of creation which is all about light :) which i know is a BIG DEAL in photography. Let's keep talking and THANK YOU - I can't get over how you put this together and are bringing a new thing forward. I'm IN! Can I be one of your non-photographers?

[@theartofphotography]

Of course Jill! Thanks!

[@theartofphotography]

How was this divisive?

[@peterwalshutas]

Weaving spirituality into our creative process has been around since art began. It doesn't have to be divisive, it can also be unifying - show us our common ground. Also, using spirituality as a *source* of creativity doesn't mean the outcome has to be blatantly religious - it can just speak to our humanity. Just my 2c worth.

[@alsTechGuide]

Religion can be divisive when approached with a closed mind. But there are many fables from every religion that can be used as a metaphor such as the great example in the video. When used as you have here, and approached with an open mind, there are great lessons to learn from all religions. Thank you for the work that you do and the thought you put into your photography.

[@thomassantos1337]

These are exactly the conversations that can push you in a new direction! I'm glad to see the differences in opinion that the base of this channel have, as someone who has been a long time follower of The art of photography I would love to see more of this. Thank you +Jenny FTOL for bringing a different point of view to the conversation.Now I would love to see an image capturing the division and alienation of man through the filter of a religious theme, and better yet a third party response to said work! I may be an idealist but I find this difference in thought beautiful. thank you Jenny and thank you ted!

[@nerwin]

Ted, I think you might have stumbled upon something here that would very much be interesting. You have all these people in the creative world who are artists like ones who draw, paint or ones who are graphic designers like you mentioned. You also have interior designers and architectural designers and much more. These are all people who use creative thinking. It would be SO interesting if you really could get some of these on the show and give them a camera and a task. That would really be fun. Great video as always Ted. I've been struggling in the creativity department for a while now so I've really just been watching a lot of these kind of videos in hopes I can get some kind of creativity back.

[@props651]

good idea

[@micahredding9630]

How do I go about looking at other mediums. I would love to get into paintings and contemporary art and all that good stuff. But I don't know where to start.

[@danielschuller5221]

Hi Ted, as you state from time to time in your videos about photographers, how they have classical training in painting, drawing, design etc., I very much think that any input you can provide into the topic will help develop anybody's photography who is open to it. So I very much welcome the idea. When watching your videos I always think I should find other creative stuff to broaden my view on how to look at things. To have these information on this channel as well as the other insightful stuff that you produce is just the greatest news. Thank you for motivating people to be creative and to think a little more before acting. I always get a smile on my face when a new video pops up in my subscription-list. All the best from Germany!

[@pjl626]

Chase Jarvis recently did one month series involving extended interviews with people outside the photography community. I bring this up not to point out that it's been done before, but to share what I found useful. Mostly what I took from the series was the importance of a positive attitude, perseverance, and getting your work out to the public. I did not, however, find the series particularly useful for increasing my skills as a photographer. If you did do your own series involving people outside of the photographic community, I think a focus on creativity from other visual arts would be the most beneficial to me personally.

[@MeAMuse]

I think a common stumbling block is subject. The way to get interesting photographs is to stand in front of interesting things. This means that you often saturate your interest on certain subjects, or do not have the time or money to go travelling to go to places to explore more. Other hang ups tend can just be around the effort - so it takes conscious decisions to get out and take photos. It takes even more to process your photos (selecting the ones you want, processing in lightroom, some photoshop etc) it all adds up. I almost think this is why people get so obsessed with gear... the new gear gives them the excuse / motivation to get out and shoot and want to spend the effort to ensure they have good images. Lastly, the other thing that tends to be a hold-up that I have seen is people. Photography does tend to require to be around people that don't mind stopping for a while to let you take photos, and spend the time trying different things to get the right image. I know that in some groups I just can't take the photos I want to. I feel that photography for a lot of people becomes a thing that they have to go and do alone. Maybe it's why we like challenges that people give us on youtube, maybe we should actually just actually meet other photographers and make a habit of going places with them. Great episode. I certainly think understanding, and being able to recognize the things holding you back is a great topic for discussion. Only once you know them and can identify them, can you actually overcome them.

[@hiche2045]

What really keeps me from getting out and take pictures is that I'm super insecure and I get shy when I take photos around people. I know it seems stupid but that's a real problem for me.

[@TNMYcFan182]

Same here! I wish I could do so much more street photography but when I do actually get the chance I never can because of anxiety. I wish I could learn what to do to start getting out of that.

[@poppop-oj6by]

I had this problem. I am not really a photographer. I dont have any fancy equipment etc. Most of the time I use my phone wich has an ok camera. For me it was just a matter of clicking photos again and again until people don't notice me anymore. At this point I am not influenced by them seeing me. They no longer care. Then I can really go crazy without being looked at etc. If people ignore me like that it helps me to capture real moments. This is easiest to do with people you know. The moment they stop looking at me or the camera comes sooner when I am with friends.

[@poppop-oj6by]

+pop pop This is harder to do if you just want to capture outside in public places.

[@MK472009]

Find a busy corner and just stand there till you feel comfortable. Start putting the camera to your eye and you will see how little or rarely people notice or care. The more relaxed you are in public the closer you get to people without any issues. Shooting everyday helps you gain more confidence and be less self-conscious.

[@lawrencewatts1838]

For me it was absolutely getting the right tool for the job. I used to use (and still love) my Olympus film SLRs, the OM10 and the OM2n specifically. The problem is, they look like cameras. More than that, they look like big, loud, professional cameras that people notice. Then one of my uncles gave me an Olympus XA2 and it has completely changed how I shoot. First of all it's tiny, which means I take it everywhere. It's totally black so it doesn't catch the eye as much and it's completely non-threatening. When someone sees me taking a picture they either don't notice or they assume it's a holiday snap. And yet it's got one of the sharpest lenses of any compact camera! The way the lens is set up is inspired as well, it's a 35mm 3.5 which sounds a tad slow but it basically means that for 99% of all my pictures it's set on the "mid focus" point and everything is in focus! Anyway, I'm gushing, but sometimes it can be about the tool for the job. And what's more, if I go out with my bigger SLRs now I feel far less self-conscious about taking pictures than I used to.

[@thephotovideoshow]

Bored? Burned out? Feeling uninspired? Shrooms :) (seriously) I tried assignments on my channel a couple of years ago. It was ok. But I'm looking forward to what you come up with. Count me in, Ted!

[@asklysdahl8767]

I think it would be very interesting to have non-photographers take part in forming the assignments. Musicians and writers could be interesting as they are creating mental images from other than visual media. Artists like painters and sculpters are cool, but still work within the realm of visual imagery, so the difference in thought process would not that big.

[@theartofphotography]

Excellent suggestion!

[@ryanehoward]

This is a great suggestion. I would love to get other creative/artistic thoughts as well. I spend a lot of time on photography related websites and books and I could use other perspectives. Especially when dealing with the pitfalls and hangups that we all deal with.

[@asklysdahl8767]

+The Art of Photography By the way, Ted, I like the perspective of this new approach, you are brewing. To be honest, I kind of think your videos lately have missed something that the older ones have. I feared for the future of this channel. But this could be the spark, I have been missing from you. So please run with it, it will be awesome!

[@williamfredette-huffman2261]

As you said in your video, I have stuck for time because of kids and job. I have to say that there are a lot of youtube channels out there, but yours goes to a totally different level, and that's what I like about it. You make the case of not just clicking the shutter, but making an image with purpose. I'm new to photography, so I will admit that I am clicking the shutter right now, but I aspire to make more meaningful images and become more of an artist. There are thousands of contests that reward clicking the shutter, and photoshop genius, and while I do partake in those, I would love to have a challenge like this that goes to the next level. I think bringing in artists from other genres is the perfect way to do that. I would definitely tune in, and I applaud your striving to be different than the rest.

[@DanielSchwabe]

Talking and interacting with creative minds/bodies is always refreshing and a great learning opportunity. Obviously people tend to think about other kinds of (non-photographer) _artists_. I'd like to suggest you broaden this a little bit, to also include _scientists_ and _researchers_. Being (also) a researcher myself, I can attest that doing research is a creative endeavor, and involves its own kind of artistry as well. And you'll find that photography is often a shared passion among them too!

[@ChrisProuse]

For years, I watched other competitors in the corporate video production industry arriving at shoots wearing dress shirts and suits... I took a little flak from some people for showing up in a t-shirt, black North Face vest, and jeans. Though because of what my competitors wore, they never got down on the ground with their camera, laid in the dirt, or climbed up into dusty spaces... they just showed up, put their camera on a tripod and did the same thing they did before. I'd always be pushing for something different, and putting a lot of deliberate thought into how to make a shot more interesting... and so I think a big part of being creative comes from regularly pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone, experimenting, and developing the foresight to be able to see (to a certain degree) new permutations in our mind before we even press the shutter or hit record... then have the discipline to follow it through and just make it work somehow. As always, love hearing your perspective Ted, and would totally watch! Your content's already helping me think differently, and more of that would be great :)

[@sethadam4266]

I'm a musician that uses photography to enhance my passion, if I was stranded on an island, I would beat on hollow logs with sticks to make rhythms, its ingrained in me, part of my 23 chromosomes. Creativity is like a muscle, the more you flex it, the more you want to.

[@andrewcowley3584]

My problem is that I am sort of stuck in one location, due to health and wealth problems. It's getting tougher to see the artistic, compelling photograph in an area that I have mined for years for the good stuff.

[@wganz]

My issue is having to work two jobs to get a daughter out of college so my time is limited. And Ted's AoP is a Godsend in helping me when I do get out with my cameras. I do get to plug into the web at one job and can listen to Ted with an occasional peak at times. So any help or inspiration is more than welcome.

[@andrewcowley3584]

Really love the home macro, I got me some extension tubes and love trying out different things, though really basic stuff atm. I might try building different scenes and backgrounds for the photos, some better lighting is on the cards once I can get them financed. .

[@sbrazenor2]

How about working with forced perspective or alternative viewpoints? It can change the subject in ways that you may not have seen before. I showed a friend a few pictures that I took. One was eye level, one was waist level, and one was around about 1ft from the ground. The ground shot was the most interesting, because it made the subject seem massive and gave it a more prominent stance in the shot. (It was a truck.) Just because you see something doesn't mean you can't start looking at it with new eyes.

[@ashtrayfairy6038]

I know what you mean, I´m stuck in a small town with a time eating job and a small child. Creative still life is a really cool way to keep on photographing when your stuck at home. You can get a lot of cheap props at the thrift store and build whole worlds on your kitchen table :-)

[@andrewcowley3584]

Thanks everyone, you all have some superb ideas for me to try out. Looking forward to some assignments now from Ted. :) Wishing everyone a wonderful day.

[@willgotsch7292]

There are a few roadblocks that keep me from working to my full potential as a photographer. The first and most noticeable, is when I burn out of photography itself. There's an easy fix to that for me, and that is shooting analog. However, there are a few things that make that difficult sometimes. Not only is shooting and printing film expensive, but it also is very time consuming. Also, like any treatment/medication, shooting film could no longer suffice as an outlet for creative thought if I shoot too much film. In other words, I might grow a tolerance to it and it wouldn't help as much with promoting creative thought. Secondly, I've just about shot my entire area that I live in. I live in a very rural area, and I don't have a car or any reliable transportation to and from places to shoot pictures. Not only have I beaten the dead horse in my own neighborhood when it comes to taking pictures there, but I'm also finding it very hard to take pictures that aren't duplicates of some of my older work. I'm only 16, so I should have enough to buy a crappy car within the year, but I don't want to permanently burn out before then. That would really suck.

[@SpiderXweaponX]

I'm a loner. That's why photography and I work really well together. Admittedly though sometimes I have a hard time liking my own photography. In the end that doesn't matter really. What matters most is that on that day I got out of bed, made my mind up to go out, grab my camera and shoot the city, the streets, the people, something, anything. Then I come home and force myself to unload my sd card onto my pc. I can't let those photos sit in that card otherwise I'll procrastinate and avoid them for days. Now I'm working those photos over, looking at what I shot, what I missed, what I accidentally captured. My point is photography is a process in which we all sort of follow, personally. From start to finish it's how that act of photographing, something, anything, defines what we were that day; a living, breathing, actively creative set of individuals. And that's my point, the proof of it all is not the photograph, surely that's the end result, but the real proof of my efforts is in the act of doing what is most difficult for a lot of us, continually living a life which actively records time and space, and the light that shines there upon it because that means the world to us. We capture our lives and the lives of others because that gives us meaning. That's worth the struggle and sometimes desperate efforts in photography, music, writing, in all art, really. It does for me anyway. Thanks for the ongoing inspiration. I always look forward to your videos because maybe I'll discover another angle at looking at art & photography, one which might reveal something I never thought I could understand or appreciate before.

[@rkan665]

I can fully relate to this video. 5 years ago all I took pictures of was flowers and stuff, in my eyes at the time it was cool, but looking back it seems so amateur. Moving from digital to film made me really think about composition and framing rather than finding a different flower. I liked the Rabbi story as well.

[@RabbiJillZimmerman]

Thank you. (from The Rabbi )

[@paristo]

Remember, Professional is who gets their income from the work they do, that is counted as 51% of the income to be professional. Professional doesn't mean that you are skilled, talented or good even, just that you get paid. Amateur is latin, and it means "Loving to do it", and most often amateurs are far more skilled, talented and better than professionals, but difference is that they don't get paid from what they do. Many most famous photographers, like Henri Cartier Bresson has said that they consider themselves as amateurs, instead professionals: “25 years have passed since I started to look through my view-finder. But I regard myself still as an amateur, though I am still no longer a dilettante.” So what is the difference between an “amateur” and a “dilettante”? An amateur is someone who does something for the love of it, whereas a “dilettante” is a person who is interested in something “…without real commitment or knowledge". I would say that many, if not most camera owners are dilettante, but not amateurs. Even most professionals doesn't have the amateurism in their work. And after all, Olympics were for amateurs only, meaning you couldn't get paid for training or give any other benefits making you equal between all. Then they allowed professionalism and Olympics has gone since then.

[@jamesurzykowski4918]

Yes, I would love to hear a different perspective on photography related ideas. It sounds like Rabbi Zimmerman has some great stories. When you look at some of the great photographers work what makes their work so good is the post processing work they put into the image. In the digital world Photoshop and Lightroom allow you to create images that you can't do in a camera. One of your past episodes that really touched me was the High School photography teacher getting together with the Chemistry teacher to teach about the Chemistry of Photography. Science and Creative Arts together in one class.

[@RabbiJillZimmerman]

I would love to work with photographers perhaps integrating some of the profound stories from biblical texts: like Moses at the burning bush, or Jacob dreaming of angels and waking up and saying, The Divine is in the place and I didn't know it. That story in particular - that any place/ground is holy ground except that we don't see it - wouldn't that be cool to link with photography? Great painters have done this throughout the centuries - it would be really interesting to put a modern photographic angle on it. (It's late and not sure I'm being coherent.) Jill

[@BenHorne]

For sure, I think it would be great to have a different perspective from people who aren't necessarily photographers.

[@paristo]

photography is and isn't Art it is and isn't creative. or is all about what and how you do photography with the camera. Photography itself isn't either one, the way is.

[@RicardoRMedina]

I enjoyed this episode and share your views, great work Ted!

[@bluebagski]

Fantastic idea... Go for it..... I am one of those photographers who really only have time to scratch my itch on weekends as work and family intrudes. Love your show....

[@clayfisher3194]

Ted, I totally agree with the idea of having someone removed from photography to share their creative insightfulness. In terms of challenging aspects of photography, I find that I struggle with creating work that interrelates (a body of work) but work that likewise, can stand strongly on its own. I've recently moved into shooting in medium format and love the experience. I find that this experience has helped me in loosing my phobia of photographing people and thus will continue to move through this growing pain while cultivating overall my street photography skills. In summary, my fundamental question is how do I build a body of work and work that matters verses just a lot of one offs? Perhaps this is 'wilderness' I must travel as so well expressed in your video.

[@LandonWard]

My wife and I get stuck replicating other photographers instead of creating more original work. I think it would be amazing to have interviews from other creatives.

[@tamilhoward9708]

Ted, non-photog guests would be great. All the great photographers have a broad based education and expose themselves to many different fields. We can all learn from each other.

[@GothRush]

All art and design are always welcome.

[@bradleyweghorst9473]

1) I think it would be very beneficial to have opinions and insights from other artistic fields/ realms. 2) Stumbling blocks: accepting my current gear is good enough given the amount of new tech coming out. It's tough to resist the urge to "upgrade". 3) Thanks for keeping the videos coming!

[@peterbarna6151]

Bringing non-photographers into the show would be definitely awesome!

[@Eric_Rossi]

I would totally watch man, as always!

[@theartofphotography]

Thanks Eric!

[@jambuttymegasize]

+

[@Fie.Franciska]

I started getting a little bored with digital and I still do most of my work on digital but for more fooling around being relaxed creative I now shoot film (getting in to medium format when I find the right camera for my budget) and so at the moment I feel so much more creative when I'm "limited" as I am on film ..

[@MrMonikerjay]

Totally. I bought my first dslr last August and I'm already going backwards to a Polaroid 100 Land Camera. Bought one 3 days ago and got so excited about the projects I want to do with it. I started with film and miss the look and the feelings of what film gives us. Awesome you went back to film.

[@Fie.Franciska]

I'm a digital era child, so film is so new and exciting for me ;) I love that I can develop myself and I have so many ideas that I want to try on film ;)

[@mikemendoza750]

I recently grabbed my moms cannon 35 mm and I just bought some black and white film... :)

[@thetypewoman]

What a wonderful analogy! Thanks for sharing this.

[@prescillagcon]

Great analogy! I needed to hear this. And also I have been stuck for a while now. My biggest stumbling blocks is trying to be different. How do I find my style? How to separate myself from all these instagramers. Lol. Not hating I love them lol. My biggest question is, when do you call yourself a Photographer? I guess it doesn't matter as long as you're enjoying it.

[@bigheadtaco]

I find the majority of my photographer friends (both pro and amateur alike) have other creative pursuits, and I always try to find if there is a correlative or causative relationship. Music seems to be the most common passion. I've had many non-pro photographer friends on my show because of this curiosity and I would love to see painters, musicians, graphic designers, architects etc. on your show as well. Look forward to the series if you decide to run with it.

[@sbrazenor2]

I write as my alternative 'art'. I don't have an English degree, so it could be terrible, but I enjoy it. Photography is my primary passion. I shoot things constantly, including ordinary objects, but try to make those objects interesting. I took a picture of a 'No Swimming' sign and it ended up in a highlighted collection, despite not being extraordinarily interesting. My goal is to merge my ideas into a single place and write a book that I also fill with pictures that inspire me. :)

[@ak1354]

That's an amazing idea! To provide a different perspective brought by people in different fields. :D Go for it.

[@carmenb1059]

I've been a professional photographer for 30 some years now and just recently I've been trying to get that passion I had in the beginning back. I feel like I've been in the wilderness. Your video's have challenge me to think differently and have been helping rekindle that fire. I'm looking forward to the photo assignments.

[@djrbfmbfm-woa]

when i get a block when writing music, i turn to the camera for breathing space. and vice versa. j.

[@dunnymonster]

You are correct Ted, photography in and of itself is not creative. What you take the picture "Of" is what is creative, the act of photography the means by which it is manifest :-D

[@JohnLuciaPhotography]

You're looking for stumbling blocks in the process of photography, I suppose I have a pretty common one among those of us who are practitioners of photography in a working capacity. I know I frequently run into periods of heavy work wherein my mindset is locked into a very solid regiment of rules which stifle the expansion of though and creative thinking (as you described it). Arguably it's similar to burnout, however the underlying drive to create images of personal significance remains, the execution of them is simply stifled by the rules by which photography-for-work imposes on the mind. And it doesn't necessarily stop there - I've done graphic design work for several firms as well and similarly the blocks remain for even months at a time, hindering the true potential of a genuinely unrestrained creative mindset. I'd be super enthused to consume content from other creatives in the working industries going over how they surmount the oppressive blocks that "working brain" can impose on the creative process. Do a degree I think you've covered such material before, but the variety of perspectives would absolutely be an appreciated thing on my behalf, I suspect on a multitude of others less apt to voice up (pardon, this is admittedly a measure of gin talking).

[@jacklydon]

Is it "metophoric?" Or is it "metaphorical?" Oxford English Dictionary has same definition for both.

[@Akentrophyta]

Yes to non-photographers. Cross pollination is the key to diversity of thought/ideas. Go nuts, get the guy/gal on your garbage truck to present an assignment. The more out there, the better! Also, when you do photographers, get a variety of backgrounds: photojournalists, portrait folks, wildlife photogs, wedding photogs, fine arts people. Really mix it up so we are challenged.

[@marcelsuurmond6031]

Sounds like a great idea. I would love to see different artists with different crafts discus a curtain topic or body of work just to see there different perspectives and there way of judging work.

[@EddyWegz]

Having some other kind of art on the show would be amazing indeed, as long as it say around creativity and photography. Great idea. One thing I find hard is that after travelling for almost 6 years, I find it really hard to take pictures in my own city (Bar-le-Duc, France) but I guess it's a problem for a lot of photographer (The grass is aways greener on the other side). Thanks again for your videos. Have you ever consider doing a video or something else with Eric Kim, I really like his thinking, I learn most of what I know in photography with him and you (plus tons of books of course)

[@rorrt]

Great video.. For my photography BA first year there were 3 units not related to photography at all. They were about painting, museums, and those sorts of things. As a primer to thinking about photography. Out of, maybe 35 people guess how many people were complaining to the lecturer or to the head of faculty about "we're here to do photography, not study painting"? About 10 people that i knew about. Which is so depressing! I get it, photography degree. We aren't here to paint... AND bearing in mind, i studied in London, some of the best galleries in Europe, if not the world were on our doorstep. Having a guided tour by a lecturer of 20-something years. Who was just crazily knowledgeable. Getting up close with Bathers at Asnières, or The Arnolfini Portrait. Invaluable knowledge and understanding. Which helps painters and photographers equally.

[@flickrmark]

Yes bring in non photographers! Especially musicians.... the relationship of sound & silence is certainly akin to our light & shadow. A student at a W. Eugene Smith lecture complained that Smith only talked about music that day. Smith's response? "What goes for one goes for the other". Just last night I re-watched a Keith Jarrett dvd and he stated "Music doesn't come from music" and went on to explain about the importance of life's experiences for a musician. And I thought virtually everything he said would be applicable to photography as well....time to drag out those LP's & CD's again before I go out to shoot ;-)

[@malcolmnzable]

Ted, great video, like the direction your heading as it have nothing to do with which F-Stop I should use for my selfies!!Key observation on your 'creativity' track is the ability to actually apply critical thinking to the creative process. Ergo, OK I'm in the wilderness, the fish stinks and I'm not taking any photos. So, what can I learn from other who have also wandered about, and rather than just copying their formula actually thinking about how I can apply their experiences to create my own 'style'. So to your questions: 1. Other creatives, absolutely, getting to hear from anybody who has stumbled around in the wilderness and got to the other side to create their own authentic ‘voice’ is worth learning from. 2. Am I stuck…yup. Went to Vietnam for the month of March, shot over 2,500 photos and in going over them to see if I could tell a story (taking a led from your recent videos)...not a lot going on!!. It’s like taking ‘mindless’ photos. So, would love to learn from you and other creatives, how to apply ‘mindfulness’ to creating my authentic art in photography.Keep up the great work and I have to dash, as I think I might need to go stumble around in a gear shop looking at some new lenses for the camera which will greatly improve me ability to take meaningful photos! ;-)

[@ItsCurtisLife]

I would watch other artists! Oh one of the things I stuggle with is editing, like I can but sometimes I edit it too much and they look weird and then I burn myself out because I'm scared to edit more incase I ruin what I have, idk that probably didn't make sense

[@jeanberube7168]

YES, absolutely, you should invite other people (artists, philosophers, workers in manual fields, etc.)... I once heard speak a (general practician) doctor about poetry... he had never written a verse, nor had he ever read much poetry, but his thoughts about what he felt was poetry and the links he could suggest between his field of work and poetry were just so amazing! I could never read and write the same way thereafter. I also believe that what one has to say about his/her art often applies to me... Also a suggestion : you should eventually start a discussion about the concept of "beauty" (and its counterpart). I know it can get a little (too) philosophical at times, but it is central to any genuine gait in "art" (and not so "art") photography. Whether what we do is or not ugly in the eyes of others, we probably all aim for beauty in what we do. And to respond to the other question... I too have inspiration blocks these days and I find it terrifying. I just came back from a two month travel (to beautiful Mexico) where I took hundreds of pictures daily (I am more into Street Photo)... I am now back to my country (Montreal, Quebec) and I am not even able to think about going out with my camera at this point ! ! ! :-( I was talking to an old friend recently (I have not seen him in about 10 years). I was telling him how depressing this uninspired period was... his response flabbergasted me : he has been quite a good semi-pro photographer for a long while (probably 20-30 years)... about 7-8 years ago he decided to organize an exhibition of his work and produced a lot of pictures for the show. The exhibition was held about 5 years ago and the day after the closing of it he put his camera away for what he thought would be a little break. He never touched his photo material since (except for a few photoshoots here and there requested by friends). He was not really happy about this... I am afraid to be stuck in something similar (even if I have not had photography for as long in my life as a hobby)... How to awaken the fat bear of creation when winter lasts too long? :-)

[@RajbirBhattacharjee]

Bringing non photographers would be awesome. Artists, especially, have a lot to teach. Regarding some of the stumbling blocks, here are a few 1. I have a very busy schedule and I can't take time out to shoot. Most of my shooting is reactive (I consider myself not visually creative, I just react), and I shoot wherever I go, with my cellphone This is the stuff that I normally shoot everyday: instagram.com/rajbir.bhattacharjee/ 2. For me, if shooting requires taking time out specifically for it, it will not happen. If it requires requires elaborate setups, it will not happen. I have a couple of speedlights, and a C stand - I haven't used them in three years. 3. I'm too lazy. The week takes its toll, and I have to catch up on sleep on the weekends 4. If the topic is rule of thirds, its tough to get me interested. Trees, on the other hand, would get me in. Though I don't know if I will be able to produce an interesting photograph of a tree or not, but it will be challenging. :)

[@LisaMarieStevens]

YES I totally LOVE the idea of bringing other creative into the process. I have meet ups with a group of photographers quarterly where we bring prints to share and critique. This month my friend who hosts these events invited a graphic designer friend who added SO much to the exchange. I received some really valuable feedback on my work from a different perspective. After Friday nights JAM it was unanamous....he is a regular invitee now.

[@paulthelast3rd574]

Thanks Ted, nice video. I'm new to watching your videos, and I haven't yet watched any of the interview videos you have out there. I will say, however, that sharing the ideas and experience of those who aren't professional photographers would be good. Contrasting their ideas with those of the Pros would be interesting, I think... perhaps there is a universal creative process that Humans need and go through in order to survive in the world. You mentioned religion, and though i'm not religious at all, I often conclude that religion along with its interpretation or practice is the result of some very creative thinking. Could writers or story tellers and their creative thinking have commonality with that of a photographer? So for me, in answer to your first question, yes I would definitely like to hear about photography from non-photographers. Second, my stumbling block so far has been about finding my own voice. What is *my* creative process? What do I want photography to mean for me? Often, a portion of my 35mm roll stumbles around shooting for an understanding of technical details (e.g. "test shots"), resulting in only a few shots that I would say was an attempt to express something "creatively." I feel that will change over time, and so I usually search out videos that will aid (for me) in developing that. Anyway, thanks again...I'm a new subscriber, and am enjoying your vids.

[@BobAMac5761]

So it is not the photograph for that is merely an image, but the creative part lies in the image, or rather in what the image represents. The photograph is a instant of creative art captured...to be held for an artist to share.?

[@Doemphi]

I'd love to see non photographers, musicians, sculpturs, painters, ... We could all learn from each other, each different perspective applies a new input to our mindset i think, example, the way a painter uses different kinds of lightness to lure our eye into to photo.. I hope you understand what i mean! (: Sorry the bad english, sadly english isn't my native tongue! Love the show, learned alot from you!

[@miamidolphinsfan]

Ted after watching this video, I'm more enthused than ever to work with you & our assignments. THIS will help me grow more than anything else as an artist trying to be a photographer.

[@Nevermanvideo]

In art comunication and interaction is very important. We use the word DUALITY for the motion of idea and skill. The duality between medium and individual help create new idea. So YES I do believe inviting guess non related to photography would be a good idea.

[@filipsvacha]

Hey, really enjoyed your video and the thought process behind it. I find your approach with the photo assignments very interesting and will be more than pleased to try my take on it. I am a user on a tookapic website, which is a kind of photo social network, where you everyday upload one photo taken during that day. To spice things up a little bit, there is a weekly theme - this week its toys, last week it was smoke and so on, casual stuff, but what I found most interesting and engading creativity, was, when the theme was abstract, like round, doubles, time, magic, for example. It made me think, and really try to came up with something other than just a another boring landscape or a street photo. Just things fleeting trought my mind. Thank you, cheers!

[@HarryLawlor]

Ted, you are spot on. I'm genuinely frustrated with the amount of garbage on youtube when it comes to photography. There is only so much that "gear talk" can do. It doesn't help people who are starting out get into thinking about why they are making photographs. It's much easier for them to be drawn in to those distractions, such as which lens or camera they used. Whilst understanding the technical aspects of photography is certainly important in fulfilling what you want to achieve creatively, it is not essential. It doesn't help you to fulfil your creative vision. There aren't many people on KZbin talking about this aspect of photography and in my opinion it is the most important part of the process of making a photograph. I'm glad that you are on here and I hope that beginners stumble across your channel before they get to the ones that just talk about megapixels, lens sharpness and bokeh.

[@gavinstuart4412]

I am that person described in your video Ted.I have a full time job,2 kids and other commitments too and probably only get an hour to myself for photography a week too,so I'm really keen to maximise the potential in the time I've got ... So sign me up!!!

[@lhjmhdj]

as a professional writer and translator, who is increasingly developing his longtime hobby of photography in a serious manner, I'm also discovering, that my literary interest in some sort of storytelling reflects in how I see photography, let's say, as a stream of more or less mutually dependent images. So yes, I fully agree with the idea of artistic crossfertilisation, you're suggesting here, Ted. Much looking forward to its possibilities!

[@ChristopherMay]

Yes! Please bring some non-photographic artists on the show! What makes this channel unique over most of the KZbin photographic world is its focus on the art. It would be refreshing to see some non-photographic input about visual art on KZbin and I can't think of a better venue than this!

[@ales_krejci]

Maybe there could be some other way - It might be beneficial to talk about history of other visual arts, especially painting and its techniques, milestones, most influencial painters and their work. Photography in my understanding is all based on that, would be good to know the roots.

[@philipd.6257]

I like the idea of occasional input from those outside the photographic medium. A good creative writer creates images with words. From a good poet the message of the poem is often "between" the written lines. Or as I once heard a poet say, 'the meaning is on the"white" of the page. With many photographs the meaning sometimes comes from what is absent in the frame or what is symbolically or metaphorically hidden within the frame. Creative writing, poetry, and fine art photography are very similar in their formulation, execution, and presentation of ideas

[@avirupchatterjee7151]

the more the merrier! please do get more people to come and talk to us. and speaking of stumbling blocks, i myself have only one, i feel stuck in a place. i dont feel myself improving and i criticize myself to the point of giving up. i did this when i was playing the drums! but that was a long time ago! it would be great if you could shed some light on this dilemma i have here! thanks.. love you videos as always :)

[@MrMonikerjay]

I get stuck getting inspired and when Im ready to sell or present, how to do that. Prints only? A show? I've been doing it long enough and went through the Wilderness long enough (personal rants about the oversaturation of "photographers") to start figuring out a personal style. But it's traveling and presenting that I need to do more of.

[@bradygriffith1893]

I'd love to see non-photographers. This channel is titled The Art of Photography, one of the photography channels on KZbin that put the Art in the forefront, and discuss how photography is a peice of that. I think this would fit that really well.

[@joebosak8502]

Yes great idea to draw in influences from outside photography. I gave up painting through lack of inspiration [technique not an issue, deciding what to paint more so]. Not yet at the creative stage with photography - I think for me just finding time to go out and take pictures every day is the most important step there.

[@millerbn]

This is something I would love to see. Cross pollinating vision, perspective, backgrounds, ideologies...it's a rabbit hole of endless discoveries. Can't wait to see how it evolves!

[@shellyn2911]

I think it would be a grand idea to have non photographers involved.Im sure they will bring someting different to the table.Excellent idea!

[@indygo19]

other professionals would be very welcome!

[@myownirvana]

Oh no! I was looking forward to shooting trees! j/k I think artist outside photography would be a great addition. Looking forward to it.

[@terryclair2914]

Love your ideas Ted, please carry on!

[@baxtermarrison5361]

If your only source of inspiration is other photographers then how will you work stand out from the crowd? I for one would welcome a broader view.

[@mjdrhd0318]

I heard you say once that the challenge is to "live creativity or live a creative life" the question is how? while there is no right or wrong answer I think bring on other creatives can provide insight to that process so yes bring on other creatives who are not photographers

[@clemensfriese9875]

I think it would be great to get some different perspectives on the assignments : )

[@bobamysdad]

Stumbling block. My friend, a paint artist and art teacher, wouldn't tell me which of two edits of mine he preferred, because, he said, 'If you make pictures with pleasing other people in mind, you won't move forward'. I like 'likes'. Will I get more if I do it this way or that? I can feel this hanging up my development. I would like to hear from anyone who understands the way out of here.

[@legofest]

I would love to see some interviews with artists from other 'genres', I think it's really interesting to learn about what other people are doing. :)

[@DeniCaryPhillips]

Hey Ted. I am wandering around in youtube world, still discovering segments you put up along the way. I'm doing photography assignments and working on a portfolio. I am very interested in art of all kinds, as well as the more technical aspects of photography, from getting the camera to comply to my wishes, to moving beyond the mundane, or seeing the mundane as creative. So yes, to watch other types of artists display and talk about their creative process would be very interesting to me. I haven't run across many of these in your catalog, so perhaps this is a latent reminder, now that it is May 2017, to do a few more. Or, perhaps, to put up a list of all the youtubes you've done so I can find them! Is there such a list? I always enjoy what you have to say. I just went to your dad's website yesterday. That was very cool. Anyway --- thanks. And, "later."

[@vernonsza]

Finding more time for photography and lack of inspiration from time to time.

[@ceciliavk]

Yes, to other creative thinkers!

[@robingshade]

id love different artists! and a stumble i usually find is i have huge ambitious ideas for series but i cant figure out how to do them with just myself. its hard to plan since im a college student so most of my peers are typically too busy to help with an hours long shoot and modeling

[@synnoveg.solberg7174]

I love your idea. I have lost the inspiration. The internet flows over with photos. How can I make something more special and creative than all the brilliant photos out there? Are there really new things to do? I'm looking forward to the assignment!

[@tfrerich]

I don't normally reply to posts, but I felt I had to in this case. My friend, quit worrying about "something more special and creative." That's the post-modernist "every photograph that can be taken has been taken" nonsense. Every photograph you make is unique if it is true to YOUR vision. No one else is you; no one else will see or tell a story the way you do. Make photographs that say what you want to say, even if you're speaking only to yourself. Then enjoy it when others are interested in what you are saying.

[@amandaleahspears]

as for the video it has refreshed my take on photography. thanks.

[@tarunmittalphoto]

hey Ted! I think it would be amazing to get other artists, such as painters, writers, actors, and all other mediums of art because we all have the same challenge: conveying something through a certain medium. I think it would be cool to see how people work around challenges in their creative field. And the biggest problem I have with my photography is getting caught up in the trends. Trying to be trendy instead of unique. I know I have to push and know that uniqueness makes me stand out. I just have to remember it more, especially when shooting.

[@AuthenticSound]

The interdisciplinary aspect of art and artist is something that always appealed to me very much. I learned so much from your show as a musician -or from reading Ansel's autobiography, because it is all about the same things, but from another angle. So great idea !! As with the perspective of the challenges, I'm totally with you on this!

Incredible content there. I'm really looking forward for those photo assignments, and the more you speak about them the more excited I get! Sure like the idea of bringing different artists, what would you say of analysing photography in movies? I know other channels are doing similar work, as Every Frame a Painting. Thanks man! JP

[@killahbong]

I don't see any Photos though it's easy to speculate how creative people can do photos by means of blah blah blah Talk about the psychology of being creative but where are the pictures? or it's credible analysis of famous photographers technique. NOTHING.

[@halakaddoura9]

Hey Ted. Thank you again for sharing this :) Watching movies inspires me, listening to music, meeting other artists and going to galleries. inspires me. Full support for bringing other artists to the show. I think it a great idea. My best friend is a Painter and I am really inspired by her work. I think collaboration between different artists really pushes you to see things from a different angle. I myself am trying to figure out how to combine photography with different form of art. And answering your question about being burnt out: Sometimes I can't concentrate. Every day I wake up with an idea in mind, then bomb it vanishes. I just get distracted working different jobs and having the family around. You just feel everything is hectic.

[@davedavito]

I would love to see collaborations. I would also love to see more off the process of making clients, in the form of how you will most certainly face setbacks, where you ask 20 people if you may photograph them in an way that captures their goals, and meanings. Where you get 5-10 people saying "sure, it´s an fun idea, and canceling in the last minute, several times", and you will, out of the 20 people maybe make 1 client. I guess it´s much about self esteem and making your vision clear, through story boarding, and stuff, but i would love to see how photographers go through setbacks, (I know how stupid this sounds, but hey, you asked for an opinion).

[@obsoleteoptics]

Yes, that's me. I'm in a rut. I do nothing but watch KZbin videos all night and sleep all day. How do I get inspired again, and more importantly, get motivated to get out there and shoot? I keep getting distracted by my thoughts and feelings, and discouraged by those around me. All my friends have moved on and my family is unsupportive. I don't know what to do with myself anymore. HELP!

[@mariorruiz]

Waiting for the first assignment, and very excited!

[@aloksankhe]

Wonderful video as usual! A confession to share here. I was never in to photography. I am a musician and an engineer. Just to get break from music, I started watching some random photography stuff on KZbin and came across this channel. The composition series moved me a lot and for the first time I really felt someone was talking about art involved in photography and got hooked to this channel. Only after that I started borrowing my friend's DSLR and taking images. It's been a value addition in my life. I really welcome this idea of having other people on show. About limitations in photography, my first and most important challenge is that I don't have any direction to progress. I don't know what should I shoot next. So if there is an assignment or some challenge, it will give me direction to move. Eagerly waiting for photo assignment. Thank you, Ted!

[@lenzwizard]

Loved this video. I'm not Jewish but I have heard the "Wilderness" story before and I too always looked at it in a metaphoric way although you have really driven home the point in a deep way. I think the idea of bringing people from other walks of creativity into your videos would be awesome. With both my music and photography over the years I have had many influences that have come from other areas of creativity. Watching a man carve artistic wood sculptures with a chainsaw many years ago was a very inspiring thing for me (strange I know). And having outside sources review my portfolio was actually inspiring (although painful lol) to see what other people see in my work that I could not see, good & bad. Working with makeup artists who have a vision or an athlete who has a concept, designers, illustrators... the list goes on and on. I'm 51 years old and sometimes sitting and listening to younger creatives can also be very inspiring. So "yes" to other creatives in your videos.

[@MasticinaAkicta]

I make a choice. I can go somewhere and nerd out, as in be that pro photographer with my good gear and do all that stuff. OR maybe I Just take a very basic model with few choices and go there to enjoy the music, watch the plays, see things happens and not care about missing "The Shot." Among my friends I am the photographer. True I got the tools, I got the training and sometimes I like to make photographs. Other times I drag with me a cute little Nikon J1 and .. I don't care. There also is walking outside for sport reasons, or for photographing reasons. If it is for sport obviously it is about walking fast and getting those miles in my feet. If it is for photo reason I don't mind standing still, looking around, waiting for the moment, maybe ending up 2 miles further within the hour. So there are different "modes", different minds one has to have. As you say, you also should find time to enjoy things. Being the photographer doesn't means you always are on the job. Sometimes you are just there to enjoy the show yourself.

[@reflexfilms]

Hey -Its post modern! Great piece as always. You can always apply an infinite amount of creative thinking to bring new and original elements into your photography. As a videographer with the infinite possibilities of camera movement, sound and framing I love the creative potential that it brings. Ironically its often the restrictions and parameters you put on a project that deliver the most creative thinking. I saw Forces of the Universe with Brian Cox on Tv last night (the episode on light) - the production team behind that show brought creativity to the show by the truckload.

[@haroldpatrick7772]

Ted, thank you for all you do here. I love the idea of bringing in non-photographers in from time to time. I think it will bring fresh ideas and perspectives. On the subject of what I get stuck on.... I think the biggest thing I get stuck on is just hitting that old mental block (hitting the wall). I find it very difficult to think of creative new ways to shoot something. Fortunately it does not last long and I get back out there and shoot. It is not uncommon for it to hit on only ONE area of my work and not others.

[@CarlyWaarly]

To get inspired....I look at other still Life photographers, past and present works that are inspirational, it grounds me and reminds me why I became a photographer. Past publications that used to list photographers mainly in London that included page, quarter page, half page listings. Some fabulous work and some not so good. I work on projects and ideas that other photographers are not doing, fortunately whilst a portfolio is being build up ready for exhibition / publication.

[@L4LTVuk]

A lot of people would say there isn't "Creativity" or "Creative thinking" per se but there is creativity within specific fields. Creativity merely means "making" and including different "makers" would be a good idea. Why not bring a sound artist in as well.

[@AlborzA]

My main problem is that I'm afraid take out my camera outside. For over a year I went out with my camera in my backpack and carried it all the time with other things and I was only able to build up the courage the take it once. I constantly think what if people think I'm just showing off, or what if they think I'm trying to take their photos? What if I actually see an interesting person and try to take their photo but they confront me? What if I get mugged and someone steals my camera? All these fears makes me unable to take out my camera and try all the ideas that I build in my mind while I'm sitting at home. When I knew nothing about photography I never had any issues. I even felt cool with my camera, the more I read books about photography and see amazing ground breaking shots, the more I learn, I become more afraid and hesitant to take out my camera in public.

[@notdjjones]

This is a great idea! I think it's super important to get different perspectives so you're not just speaking the same language over and over. As a musician who is messing around with film photography I've found this so refreshing, simply diversifying the conversation. Definitely use diverse people for these videos. I love this channel!

[@EviEhvee]

Im excited by all of this. It's almost like taking a photography or even a philosophy class. I can't wait to see what else you have in store for us. Thank you for the effort. Yes I do think it would be beneficial for other types of artist to be brought in. I'm pretty sure that a lot of us do other mediums besides just photography so having someone who works in other mediums could benefit us in multiple ways. As far as my stumbling blocks I would say that I am demotivated by my gear. My camera is 6 years old and I've been shooting with my kit lens since I bought my camera. I desperately want to upgrade from my 18 mega pixels and I would love a new lens to work with. I've become tired of my current gear after using it for SO long and I'm ready to move on from apsc to full frame and just make some advancements in my gear. I have a lot of projects that I think would turn out beautifully. I could do it with my kit lens and 6 year old body but I really want this to be special. And those extra mega pixels and faster lens would really help with the look I'm going for. So I just feel like I'm limited by my gear even though I do know I can make stuff with my current gear. I just have this mental block where I feel like I don't want to waste the effort with my current gear and I just want to wait it out until I get my new gear. So I find myself being timid and procrastinating about what I shoot because I feel as if I'm going to put all this time and effort into these projects I want it to be as good as possible.