Creatively Drained... send help.

ThinkPotato said:

Hey everyone!

I know this is right into the middle of what's considered "Off topic" so I thought this post would fit right in here. I work in media doing photo and video production and I have found that especially during the current status of the world that I have been really drained creatively. I want to take up a new project to force myself back into it a bit. The problem is I can't think of any ideas... this is where I'm hoping you can help! I don't have any ideas but my main creative "escape" is photography, although I do enjoy writing (especially screenplays). As far as photography goes lately I've been into long exposure & macro photography if that's of any help. I am wondering if anyone has any ideas that may help reignite my creative passion. I know this is a long shot, but why not ask, right? Anyways, if someone has a good idea that I could try and the result is decently successful I'll share the results here. On a closing note: I think apart of my "creative drain" is due to a lack of interaction with people with creative passions of their own, so if you have a creative passion and are interested I would love to discuss it and see some of your work here or on discord! Anyways, thanks for reading, hope to hear some responses soon!

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Aekalix said:

Do not pursue your hobby or pressure yourself into becoming more creative. Do nothing for a while or listen to some music while walking outside. Oftentimes, everything then comes running back to me once I either get a bit bored or have enough of not being creative.

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Aekalix said:

If you ever are up for a creative chat then we could hop into a voice call sometime and discuss some interesting topics!

But, having said that I know what it is like to be in a creative rut. While this might seem counter-intuitive what helps me is taking complete breaks so that your mind can rest. Do not pursue your hobby or pressure yourself into becoming more creative. Do nothing for a while or listen to some music while walking outside. Oftentimes, everything then comes running back to me once I either get a bit bored or have enough of not being creative.

Also, note that if you're going through a stressful period your mind automatically becomes a lot less creative since it does not have enough freedom to think and wander. Too much wandering happens to be bad too so find the perfect balance between rest and creativity!

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MrDienns said:

I can absolutely second this. You can't force creativity. Give your mind some quality time off and get rid of any form of stress. You'll be able to think much clearer. Read a book, listen to some music, play some games, go on a trip somewhere (when possible), etc.

As poor as the state of the world currently is, perhaps you can use that to your advantage. Streets are empty, roads are silent (although depends where you live). If you have a pet, like a cute dog, why not take it on a trip and take pictures of it in empty streets or areas which would normally be packed? Although nobody likes it, the emptiness and loneliness on the streets could be a once in a life time oppertunity for something creative. I'm not very artistic myself, but if I had to do something, that'd likely be a route I'd take.

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