Create Something So You Have Something to Change

Tribute to William Goldman and Clint Eastwood © Jim Miotke All rights reserved

Something I read last night by the great screenwriter, William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Princess Bride), really struck me.

He was telling about the struggle he had adapting the novel Absolute Power into a screenplay. At one point, we was "floundering" - so worked up that he could not move forward. This form of writer's block, he could feel, was quite likely going to cause him to miss out on a great opportunity - the chance to work with the legend Clint Eastwood.

Fortunately, he remembered an extrememly important guideline that I think translates to photographic creativity as well:

Write Something So You Have Something to Change

What you write doesn't matter... it could be anything. Goldman found over the years that it is much better to write less-than-perfect material than to write nothing at all. By getting something out there, he had something to work with.

In writing, Web developing, and photography, I have found this to be the case, too. Even if it was the most awful stuff, having any material at all has always been better than having nothing. I find it much easier to edit bad material than to come up with brilliant material right out of the box. I so admire creative storytellers like William Goldman (and Clint Eastwood) and I am always delighted to find similarities between their art and the art of photography.

So if you ever feel immobilized with worries or fears, simply make something - take pictures of ANYTHING. Then review your work with a thoughtful eye as to how you can improve your efforts. After going over your images, you can either head out for some more picture-taking or open up your favorite less-than-perfect images in Photoshop to improve them there. Either way, you're actually moving on the road to creative success.

Comments

[Vidya]

Hi Jim,
Thatz an amazing article! I love taking pictures but I am always a little hesitant to start with ; probably with the fear that it might not turn out to be as good as I wanted it to be. As a result, I hardly take photos. I shall heed to ur advice and take more photos - I am sure, I will have something to improve upon when I take atleast something :-)
thx again.. keep inspiring all of us ..
Vidya

[Linda Shapiro]

Hi Jim, I just read this entry and found it so resonant. Recently I have been feeling blocked about making photos, even though I came away from the Summit with so much energy. I just thought every shot was worst than the one before. I'm eager to get started in my next class, which always seems to give me the structure I need to go out and make something happen. Thanks!

[Bonnie]

"So if you ever feel immobilized with worries or fears, simply make something - take pictures of ANYTHING. Then review your work with a thoughtful eye as to how you can improve your efforts."