Creative Culling

I don’t know about you, but I am a “saver” of subjects for future photography – for “someday.” They are saved with the intention of creating images that have not quite emerged from the “idea bin.” So, they and I wait for that to happen. This waiting results in an accumulation of dried flowers, seed pods, petals, leaves, shells and much more. To be clear, I’m not exactly sure where that shell collection is, but I know it exists. All these things wait for inspiration and execution. They wait for me to make a move, and often they wait a long time.

That said, there comes a time when some things have got to go. The problem with that for me is that it is hard to let go of things I have saved for a “someday” reason. (My sister asked me why I keep so many dried flowers when I can always get more. Well, because they’re uniquely curled and amazing, that’s why.) With regard to my overwhelming collection of dried stuff, I find it difficult to get rid of any of it until I have done something with it. In other words, I often wait to be inspired and motivated to execute whatever idea comes to mind.

Keeping it Simple. Starting Fresh.

IN COMES A DOSE OF INSPIRATION – A SPARK

Then, I learned of Mary Jo Hoffman (@maryjohoffman on Instagram), a former aeronautical engineer, now artist and photographer. I learned of her project, “STILL.” Every single day for over a decade she has made a photograph of nature, and the project continues. Her new book, STILL: The Art of Noticing, includes 275 images from this ongoing project. The project and the resulting images are beyond wonderful. Mary Jo’s commitment to creating one photo every single day, no matter the circumstances, is beyond admirable. Early on she decided that a black background did not work for her, so the images created utilize a white background and are shot primarily using available light. They are exquisite and filled with beauty no matter the subject. Part of the promotional material for this book and project (and its impact) says that it encourages viewers to pause and contemplate one thing at a time, to be still, if only for a moment. If you’re looking to be inspired and “sparked” on many levels, I highly recommend following Mary Jo on Instagram and her blog and getting a copy of her book. In part, she is the reason for my mini project of “creative culling.”

Hydrangea for Culling

WHERE THE SPARK LED ME

Now that a spark had been ignited, what could I do? First, I have no intention of making the creative culling a daily practice, though I recognize that it would be most helpful on many levels. Rather, I’m choosing to clear out a small chunk of clutter from my gatherings. Second, what parameters should I set? What rules or boundaries will I lay out for this first wave? I get to decide (and so do you). One of the first things I chose was to start and stick with the square format – shooting square in camera, not cropping later. Then, I had to think a bit. Ultimately, I gave myself just a few parameters, which offered me a level of flexibility. It started with the commitment to the square format. Then, it moved to “Square and Story (of some kind). I found that this slowed me down too much, so I modified the parameters to: Square, Dried and/or Fresh, and In and Around My Home. These three things gave me the flexibility I needed to move forward, move some subjects out of the way, get creative and not be too “boxed in.” As much as I admire the work and commitment of the STILL project, it’s not where my mind or life is at the moment.

Hydrangea Construct

Hydrangea Deconstruct

GETTING STARTED – ONE THING AT A TIME

One thing I knew I needed for this project was for my own muse to be jolted into paying even more attention to what has been in front of me for a long time – my dried collection. Because I have limited space to store it neatly and behind closed doors or drawers, my collection just keeps growing. I keep adding to it and rearranging the stuff into an eclectic display. I must admit that I do have more than a few drawers filled with plastic containers of more stuff. I don’t think of that much due to the “out of sight, out of mind” perspective. Still, I realized it was time for another wave of intentional culling and creating. Of course, I do recognize that I am just making room for the next wave of wabi-sabi. Embracing the old and new, and watching the transformations make me happy. Therefore, I accept the cycles for what they are – opportunities to observe, to wait, and to be inspired to create … when the time is right. I knew for this wave I needed to work with one subject at a time.

I began with the baptisia seed pods from my neighbor’s garden that I gathered last year. I worked those pods and seeds according to my parameters. Once I felt I was done, I separated the seeds from the pods. Instead of simply tossing them all in the trash, I saved a few pods and all the seeds. I will sow them in the sunshine side of my front garden with hopes that they will come forth next spring and bear beautiful purple blooms. If they don’t, I’m okay with that. I am hopeful, but I know where to find more if I am so inclined to attempt cultivating my own crop.

Baptisia Beginnings

Baptisia Seed Shower

Next, I played with some hydrangeas – first the live ones growing on the back side of my patio fence. Then, I pulled petals and stems from my dried collection (not all of them, but a lot). I worked them for a while. When I felt I was done with them – mostly plucked bare and offering no future décor potential, those petals and stems have also made it to the compost bag. I actually had to pluck and crumble and make a mess of those petals and stems so that the only place they could go was out the door. The mess is gone. (Confession: I did keep some of the petals – just in case another round of inspiration rises before this wave of culling is over.

A few more subjects were on the table and made their way into this very mini project: tiny, dried maple leaves, tulips (stems, leaves, petals) and some allium from my neighbor’s garden. I gathered all of what I had floating around in the various displays so that I could be truly done with each subject. (Shame on me, the more I looked, the more I found.) There were lots of tulip remains. While making my selections for what to include in the cull, I considered what I had the most of or what had been waiting the longest (exception, the allium) and what was in clear view. By no means have I removed enough stuff to provide a clean slate or space for future models, but there is a bit more room. It is noticeable to me and feels good.

Hydrangea Dried Petals

Hydrangea Dried Petal Dance

A COLLECTION OF “P’s”

While I was working out ideas for my mostly wabi-sabi subjects, a series of words kept bubbling to the surface and the forefront of my mind. Among the words a “collection of P’s” evolved – Play, Practice, Progress, Process, Perspective and Perfect. Each word and concept reflected an element of my mindset in the ‘doing” of the work (selecting, arranging, re-arranging, creating and culling). Surprisingly, “PERFECT” reminded me to let go of it. These sessions were not about being perfect or producing stunning results. They served as opportunities for me to practice and play. This, for me, is more important as it keeps me plugged into whatever makes me happy and what instigates unexpected surprises in the creative process. Practice and Play keep my mind open and engaged in the seeing and the noticing. They push me into the doing – the practice.

Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.”

–Salvador Dali

I am reminded that if I don’t start somewhere, nothing happens. I also remind myself that I am creating these images for me first. I don’t have to do everything perfectly. I don’t need to seek approval from anyone else. I don’t even have to share them, ever, if I don’t want to. I am reminded that if I wait too long between sessions with my stuff and my camera, it takes longer to re-engage. It takes longer for the creative lights inside my brain to turn on. It makes it harder to get into the play zone.

As for Progress, Process and Perspective, these are all elements that rise up in the Play Zone. I play, make progress, sometimes set a “flow” in motion, and I switch gears or perspectives as I move from shooting overhead to a “portrait” orientation or change lenses for different effects (macro, telephoto, Lensbaby, etc.). With the guidelines I set for myself (square, dry or fresh, and in and around my home), everything else becomes an option and opportunity. For now, these parameters have helped me get started, stay focused, make progress, and at the same time they allowed me to stay open.

Alliums End to End

Allium with Character

FINAL THOUGHTS

Are there things you have collected with the intention of “Someday?” I certainly have, as you can see from this series. Perhaps it could be a right time for you to pull out a few items from the collection(s) and create your own mini-project with boundaries of your own choosing. Long ago I heard someone say, “if you’re going to collect and keep these things, you need to honor them.” This creative-culling mini project is my way of honoring what I’ve collected and saved. It also allows me to keep my creative muscles flexing in the process. Of course, since I’m drawing from a collection of mostly dead and dried nature, I can let them go (meaning they get out of the house). Your collection may be more special and include items that are meaningful to you, meant to be kept. I have those as well and will “someday” photograph them or incorporate them in some still life images, eventually.

For now, instead of embracing the current excuse of it being too hot to photograph, I encourage you to ponder the possibilities within your own home. Come up with your own collection and make your own rules. Remember to “let go of perfect” before you begin your sessions of practice and play. Share if you like (or not), but be open to being surprised by your results and by what you learn in the process. Me, right now? I’m hoping to be surprised next spring with some purple baptisia in my garden!

Progress, not perfection, is what we should be asking of ourselves”

–Julia Cameron

Dried Tulips for the Pour

Just One Reason Why I Keep Them …

Where the Hydrangeas Ended