After several years of battling with the cycle better known as the rat race, I could take no more
Tapping into your creative thoughts can be a difficult process. Challenges such as lacking motivation, direction and ideas can be common brick walls almost every creative has to try breaking through at some point or another. What makes the sometimes painful journey through your creative flow even more of a challenge is trying to balance it with everything else life throws at you. Working a job, keeping a home, remaining committed to your family and friends – these are just some of life’s workload that takes time away from your creative space. What, however, would happen if all those other aspects of your world disappeared? What if life’s distractions were no more and all the thoughts in your mind could be channeled creatively?
Think about it; back home you get up at the same time each morning, do the same commute and see the same people. In a street photography sense, you become so accustomed to the streets you walk that you stop really seeing them anymore. Life becomes automatic, which is harmful to your content because you run the risk of not being present anymore. Your eye becomes both tired and lazy, and your becomes mind closed: this is not a good place to be in.
Away from home I am experiencing a new culture, a different attitude to life and a different scene to the one I know. I am excited when I leave my hotel room, I am open to what I will find, both the good and bad. The best part is that I can shoot on my time, when I feel my mind is at its most enthusiastic.
I set out to personally answer the previously alluded questions. So I quit my day job, gave up my home and for the next few months said goodbye to my family and friends. I made a conscious decision to walk away from my so-called security and focus my energy on what I truly felt passionate about and believed in – my art.
Personally speaking, my art is street photography. I have been honing my craft through the streets of London; it’s a great spot for any serious street photographer. During that time I came to know the streets inside out – when to go one way and when not to go another. I dedicate most of my time to street photography on a weekend (although my camera was with me daily). I tried to shoot through the week. However, if I had a long day at work, it would often leave me feeling lethargic and without enthusiasm to be creative. This also meant I had to be mentally ready each weekend to shoot, which isn’t always realistic. This resulted in my process becoming more mechanical, rather than full of positive energy, thus sometimes leaving my work flat without inspiration.
After several years of battling with the cycle better known as the rat race, I could take no more.
On the 29th March 2018 I stood on the streets of Mexico. This would be the start of a three month journey through Central America. It also marked the beginning of a mental journey in which I would devote myself fully to both photography and writing.
No more excuses
When we are not creating our best work it can be easy to hide behind excuses. ‘Your boss was rude to you’, or ‘you had to get up too early’ are just a couple of examples of the negative thoughts we latch onto in order to justify not pushing ourselves hard enough. However, when you remove day to day life from your routine it leaves you exposed. If you do not get up and walk with your camera until you can walk no more, then what is there to hide behind? The answer is nothing, and you must take full responsibility for your fault. With other forms of photography you can often find a way to channel those feelings into something else via the creative process. But street photography involves more of the documentary process. To that end, there is a much different mentality involved.
Being accountable is difficult. And the fear of looking non-productive in an environment perfect for free thinking and creativity is a great building block for me to create the content I want.
The reason traveling has been great for free thinking,is because it removed me from the repetitive and mundane. Sure you may have a plan for the next two or three days, but on the most part, life with a backpack is spontaneous and proactive.
Reunited with the love for the art
Personally, when I am not happy with my personal life, my art suffers. Everything becomes ‘what is the point’ and the thing I love the most becomes a chore rather than a passion. Whilst this isn’t a constant feeling, it does have a negative impact on me as I become resentful that I am not enjoying something as much as I should. Making such a big life change as I did put me fully back in touch with what I love the most. I smile every time I put my camera in my hand and the feeling of euphoria I have when I take a shot brings back the romance that was there when I first got a camera.
I had to work extremely hard and push myself to the point of breaking so that I could take myself away from the standard role of life. However, unquestionably, it was all worth it as right now; my life is perfect. I am on my time going at my pace and the center point of it all is my photography.
As the trendy kids of today’s generation would say – I’m woke.
