I’ve been thinking a lot about being a creative person entrenched in a position, where you inevitably have to interact with, for lack of a better term, “non creatives”. Artists and Clients. A story old as time. Whether you’re working directly for a corporate client, or a start up, or maybe you’re a wedding photographer and your clients are super conservative. Maybe you’re shooting portraits for a law firm. (maybe its not obvious, but if you click the photos or the link at the bottom of this piece, you get linked to a gallery of dozens more images from this shoot. So click em!)
I was on a location scout a bit ago and was discussing with a colleague a potential solve for a creative problem that we’ve been facing for a long time. Someone else, more of a client, overhears part of our conversation and immediately interjects, “No, we can’t do that” An immediate no. Zero curiosity or investigation. Just a reaction. “No” ends the conversation. “No” kills creativity. Kills creation. It stops the whole damn train and gives it nowhere to go. I think the huge difference between artists and non artists is artists have an inherent curiosity about everything. The world around them, the people around them, the potential solves for problems they face. If you approach problems or constraints with curiosity, they’re no longer road blocks but puzzles to be solved. Thats why I enjoy photographing other creative people. There is rarely a No. There is a “yes, and?” There is a “what if??” It would be incredible if the corporate world embraced that mind set and trusted their creatives, at least enough to hear them out. I understand that in business, risk is scary. Artists risk and try and fail all the time. Its how we grow and learn. Learning to not be afraid of that failure is an incredible challenge and if you’re not aware of the game, you end up living in fear. If you embrace failure as a part of the process, you’ll be freed. I understand failure for a client or a company can mean a lot more. There can be real money on the line. Or a brand’s reputation. (See Bud Light)
Corporations rely on our creativity to make what they need, the products they sell and how they market and sell them. Yet at the same time, we’re not taken seriously enough to be heard over the MBA thats a wizard at spreadsheets. I frequently feel like the roll of photographer is seen as that of a button pusher. There’s not the understanding of the nuance we bring to the table. Photographers are creative people. We come up with solutions to problems. Creative solutions. There is no no in our world. You want it to rain in California in August? There are ways to make that happen. We can make anything happen with enough time and money. Artists have developed a sense of style and taste by paying attention to the world around them. A powerful skill set that could be leveraged. There’s a knowledge gap between people like us and people like them. I’m not trying to be judgmental, but as a whole, creative people are way more open to receive and experience the subtleties of the world. You don’t know what you don’t know.
The thing is, with enough no thrown at us, we’ll stop offering solutions. We’ll stop giving of ourselves. Our ideas, our solutions, they’re personal. They come from the well that we’ve plumbed since we were children. I mean, why would we put ourselves out there just to be rejected time and time again. I wonder if the corporates of the world understand that. That they may be choking the geese that lay the golden eggs. There should really be a managerial course on nurturing and feeding creativity. It would pay for itself ten fold. We don’t need much. A little bit of recognition and a little bit of money goes a long way. If you’re someone that hires and works with creative people try this on. When you hear the no in your head, replace it with “what if?”
Ok, thats enough ranting for one evening. I’m probably just writing to hear myself speak. If any of this resonates with you, comment about it. Lets talk it out.
This month’s gallery is of Lia, aka, Lia Source. She definitely lives in a world of Yes. She’s a friend and neighbor. I’m continually impressed by how she lives life and what she creates and takes on. She’s an inspiration. We shot some tintypes, some polaroids and two or three sets of digital work. I still don’t know how to present all this stuff cohesively. Not that the above writing is cohesive or even coherent. Whatever. Its mostly for me and my tiny little audience out in the interwebs. Be well. Don’t let the bastards get you down.