Looking inside the Creative Mind

A monkey will use his time wisely to be creative.
©Kent Smith Photography
http://www.kentsmithphoto.com

Being creative is something we all have inside us. I believe we are born with that creativity, but it continues to grow within us throughout the years in our work and passion for expanding our thoughts. So, is it true some people are more creative than others? Maybe. Or it may just be some are better at tapping into that part of their brain allowing themselves to flourish. Or maybe there is a formula to all of it…

Could this formula be linked to the Golden Ratio? Is it some understanding from another time or place that has made a mark on our human thinking? I’d like to think that it’s a combination of many different things including the things we see every single day, Life itself could be one of the most influential factors. Something so simple, but yet so complex has most of us spending a lifetime trying to figure it out. Could it be the influx of images that we see everyday and our own personal translation of those images that drives the mind to think outside of the box? Creative thoughts are made from a combination of other thoughts that have then been translated to another form, such as art or words. So how do we understand the thinking that goes into to this process?

We have 86,400 seconds in a day to process thoughts. From those thoughts, the creative mind captures one or two good ones that have a chance to make a lasting impression. I liken this to being a photographer. When I have to edit down an entire photo shoot to just a few images. We should do the same with our creative thoughts. We should pick our best from all our creative blurbs and turn full attention on just a couple of the best to create a masterpiece.

Unfortunately for the creative minds time is our biggest enemy. The best ideas often come from hours and even days or years of making everything just so. For me there aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish all the things I would like the world to see. But I take each day at a time and produce the best work I possibly can with the hours I am allowed.

I would love to hear your thoughts on how you get through the creative process. I think we can all learn from each other. Let’s face it, we all want to be better humans and not just another monkey hanging around.

Follow Kent Smith Photography

http://www.kentsmithphoto.com

http://www.luckyyoufilms.com

Master of your Fate

“I am the Master of my fate.  I am the master of my soul.” - Nelson Mandela

MIke Minter for a Visit Charlotte Advertising a few years ago. It shows the power of digital.

Powerful words are never overlooked.  As an creator of images both still and moving, we must always be looking for heart felt words to inspire our work.  I have decided to make some major changes in my fate over the years.

One that stands out in particular to me is my move from traditional film cameras to the new technology of digital.  It’s hard to believe that it was so many years ago when I was shooting stuff for Topps Trading Cards.  They decided to make a set of select cards that would be shot and produced in the same day. This probably doesn’t sound like anything new now, but at the time this was big news for the entire industry.  There was actually a CNN crew there recording this attempt to do something that no one else had ever done.  Much to my delight we accomplished it, mostly because we had some amazing people working on the project; all of whom believed it could be done.  Everything took just three hours.  The cards where shot and the images were brought in to the computer.  They were then dropped into the layout and then they were off to the press to be printed with a lovely glossy coat.  Three hours later the cards came rolling back to the site where each one of NFL draft picks sat down and signed their cards.

The reason why I tell this story is because I believe you must make your own fate.  It was the fate of the client that believed enough in me and my team to take a risk and put all their cards on the table to make this happen.  This all came to life because  I decided a few years before to make the jump to the digital world.  I invested in a digital camera that would allow me to the make the jump into this new wonderland.  It was a decision I will always look back on because it was such a big one and it had such a huge impact on my career and where I am today.  I often ask myself where would I be now if I hadn’t made the switch; the answer is more than likely out of business.  To think, jumping off the cliff would lead me to find the gold at the bottom of the ocean. It was my fate.

So keeping up with the changes in technology are only a part of the many things that you must do to keep up with your fate.  Next up, how do you look inside yourself?

Follow Kent Smith Photography

http://www.kentsmithphoto.com

http://www.luckyyoufilms.com

Studio for Rent in Charlotte, North Carolina… Built on a Gold Mine

This is the same location that many commercials, celebrity photo shoots and yes, even a movie (The Last Passport), have been made.  We think it’s a very unique place that offers lots of options and space, but not so much that it isn’t affordable!  So when you make a trip to find your next nugget of gold in Charlotte, make sure to check us out!  We have daily and weekly rates.