Old school
Old school
As I mentioned the other day, I have been frustrated with the lack of photo opportunities lately, I haven’t had my camera out for a week. Then yesterday I was reading one of my favorite blogs.
Otto von Munchow is a professional photographer who writes a blog called In Flow. He teaches photo workshops all over the world, and talks a lot about the creative process on his blog. Every post is an inspiration to find your creative self. Yesterday he was talking about letting our subconscious mind take over the creative process. Letting go, thinking outside the box, letting our instincts take over. The blog post is here, if you would like to read it. (you should, it’s very good) His parting thoughts were, “How do you break out of your customary way of expressing yourself? How do you expand your creativity?”
I commented about how I was trying to answer this question. That I was frustrated with nothing inspiring to shoot, and that my brain was definitely getting in the way. He replied with, “My advise is to just start shooting anyway. Suddenly something will start to happen. That’s often been the case for me.”
So I took the dogs to the park on the corner like I have many times before. Next to the park is an old school, built in 1903. It was made into a museum of sorts several years, But it’s only open 2 days a year. (weird, I know) Instead of just playing frisbee with Torrey, I walked up to the building to see what I could see.
These are the old windows, the old bricks, everything. It doesn’t look to me like anything has been replaced with new material. All around the building kids have scratched their names in the bricks Some are pretty old, some are obviously newer. These names were from the 50’s, you can see the dates.
This is an old drinking fountain. Old concrete base and everything. How many kids paused here for a drink of water during recess?
That’s a door all the way up there. Were there stairs coming down from there, or was it just a landing?
These bricks look they have been climbed on, a lot.
Just some old cracked and weathered paint on wood.
It was different for me than a beautiful sunset, flowers, or awesome scenery. But when I started looking in a more creative way, I found some interesting things.
One note about the look of these photos. I created a preset in Lightroom the other day to give my photos their very own vintage look. Something I can use when I shoot vintage or old objects and places. Do you like it?
Do you have a hard time giving your subconscious, creative self room to grow? Or can you trust your instincts and just let go?
Those are some really great images.
Have a wonderful Wednesday.
Best wishes Molly
I love these photos and the story they tell — and the questions you ask.
After writing a blog for over 8 years every morning, I have learned to simply trust in the process. Even on those mornings when I sit down to write and haven’t a clue what I’m going to write, if I trust in the process, the flow happens.
I like your vintage look you created.
And you do very well trusting yourself. You always have something wonderful to say.
Oh Mary, this is a GREAT post and discussion. Out of necessity, out of frustration comes newness. Where do I begin here…..
Well, first of all, this blogger you follow has it right. Even in poetry writing, we are encouraged to write freely, even write down your dreams. It is in strict and rigid beginnings that awful poetry is stilted and put on paper. It is in freedom and liberty of mind and soul where potentially great poetry begins. I love the quote: “Begin with your head and end with your head.” I also love the idea of writing (and taking photos) from different perspectives and angles, as you have done here. Then and only then can we see things we’ve missed, see things in different shapes. It is in this realm that we start to find another voice.
Wise advice from this blogger. I can see you are on your way. Me too. Anita
This is so interesting to me, this parallel in writing, photographing, art in general. I have always liked to write, I wrote bad poetry as a teenager. LOL But all art is only going to be really good if we get our head out of the way. That for me can be hard sometimes.
OOPS! I meant, “Begin with your HEART and end with your head!” Anita
That was such a wonderful post, I pondered what those kids from the 50’s could do today, who wrote their names on the wall. Many thanks for great photos what are always a good reason to ponder about or to imagine stories.
It’s so interesting how simple photos can make us think. Think about the story, and the people behind the story.
Okay Mary, now you’ve done it. You’ve “tickled the little grey cells” as Hercule Poirot would say. Your assignment now is to track down Johnny D. from ’58 and get his portrait leaning against the wall next to his brick. We all look forward to your next post. No pressure
If I could do that, I would. That would be a great photo.
I love that you got outside of your comfort zone and took these photos, they definitely prove that you have a good eye. We try to see beauty in everything, it doesn’t only exist in the desert! Love Dolly
I’m so use to see the beauty in nature. Buildings are Ok, but you do have to find the story, or different angle to make it work.
Very interesting photos, Mary, I love the stories they can conjure. I do think that sometimes we get stuck in a pattern of creativity, and it’s fun to break out of it and discover new possibilities and new worlds. I’m in Otto’s school of thought – as a writer, I can hit a brick wall occasionally too, and the best thing for me to do is to just write, even if it’s garbage. Rambling thoughts, picture prompts, whatever. Among the garbage eventually pops a gem, and sometimes it’s a pretty exciting gem – it happens the same way with photography as with writing. I love that process of discovery.
Doing a little of both, writing and photography. I am seeing more and more the parallel between them. I always start off with photos and weave my story around that. Maybe a true challenge for me would be to reverse that process. Hmmmmmmm
Great idea! It never hurts to stretch in a new creative direction. :)
That’s was very interesting Mary. It made me want to see more of that old school. Please get inside of the school if you can. Sometimes things are right in front of us and we don’t see them. I love vintage. I’m vintage.
i love the names scratched into the brick. very cool. :)
You have a natural eye for photography. It doesn’t have to be pretty scenery to make it work!
As you can tell by my very diminished blog posts, I am lacking inspiration quite a bit! I could almost let it go….
Well done, Mary. Getting something out of nothing. And, yes, I like your vintage look.
Thanks for the inspiration for this post.
We have our set ideas, but we also like to go out and do new stuff. You never know how things will turn out.
I love the vintage look! Great captures of the old school building. I like the first image especially! :)
I love this look! Very fitting for the photos. If I feel stuck, I do as he does: just take my camera and start shooting, anything and everything. Always works!
I just have to get my head out of the game. Even when I think there is nothing, there has to be something.
Good job! I’m going to check out that blog because it sounds like the author gives great advice. Right on a walk you regularly take, you found some beauty and inspiration that you hadn’t seen before. That’s cool!
It’s odd for me. On the day after a migraine, I absolutely find no inspiration in anything to photograph. It’s like that part of my brain has shut down. Perhaps I should take the same advice that you did!
You do need to check out his blog. Always great posts, and great insight. Being in a place that sucks for me, it’s hard to find something great to shoot. If I can get out of my own head and find stuff, then it will all work out. I bet a migraine throws you through a loop. Maybe just shooting something, anything, could be a kind of therapy for you.
It’s fantastic how your photos make readers think! There’s something special about them!
I like what you did here and the different angles you shot the building with . Just changing the angle on a subject can say so much.
I need to find my writing inspiration again. It’s been so long, do you have any suggestions?
I like the old school photos! I find buildings like this fascinating but don’t understand how to photograph the uniqueness and beauty. You did a super job capturing the lovely features of the old school. I love the names in the bricks:)
Great advice!! And thnks for the link. I’m going there right NOW!