Creating your stories

“You will recognize your own path when you come upon it, because you will suddenly have all the energy and imagination you will ever need.” - Jerry Gillies

Last year was a tumultuous year for my photography. I was introduced to a lot of concepts in photography I was not aware of prior to the online classes I took. I learned in fine art training, besides learning the nuts and bolts of photography, forming the personal theme, or narrative is important. I was asked “what do you want to say?” with the images I showed. This concept of having something to say was all new for me. I thought having the hard skills behind the camera and the computer screen was already enough, little did I know it was only half of the battle. Nowadays, the technical skills are seen as commodity as it’s easy for anyone having a camera calling themselves photographers. Your personal themes, however, are more valuable because they cannot be easily replicated, hence finessing that unique view has become my priority.

I must admit it has not been an easy transition. It is fraught with challenges and moments of self-doubt. The main challenge I see with exploring and developing one’s themes is losing touch with the audience who once knew and understood me. I think every artist goes through phases of immersing yourself deeply in what interest you only and stepping away when you notice you are fast losing the interest of your audience. When staying in too long in your own world, your work risks becoming self-indulgent. When stepping away too far, your work can become common place and lose the essence of your personality. It is a struggle to find that balance, at times I feel I am spinning in this lonely web.

I choose to continue this path because the exploration of one’s own path gives me the opportunity to explore things deeper and have a better understanding of what interests me. It is within the moments of quiet contemplation; personal narratives pop up out of nowhere. I am seeing threads of my emotional response bubbling up. They are showing depths of my own being I did not exist.

So how to you find that arc for your narrative that will help drive your work moving forward? This may sound cheesy, the first step is to get to know yourself, pay attention to what interests you in your life. Knowing yourself is a path for becoming an artist. Your narratives are reflection of your mind’s interaction and your view of your reality. They are the understanding of your interpretation of the world around you. When you embrace that exploration of what makes you who you are, you are opening yourself up to new thoughts, and new ideas.

Give yourself plenty of room to daydreaming and encourage yourself to have those wandering around moments. There is a reason why some of the best ideas show up when we take showers. Ideas come when you create space for them, and when they show up, honor them by writing them down. I keep a journal and write down ideas even when they seem random and incoherent at times.

Get inspiration from all genres of art. Be it books, music, paintings, movies, etc. Keep a good collection of inspiration so you have access to them regularly. Get yourself educated with the language of art by learning how other artists create and understanding what their thought process is. Inspiration is not only about learning someone’s techniques, but also about understanding their ways of abstract thinking – how does an artist move from conceptualizing abstract ideas to making actual work?

When ideas show up at your door, don’t wait long to act on them. Great artists act on ideas when they are half-baked. Photography frequently involves planning, but when you find yourself coming up with a new theme, act on it before the excitement vanishes. Give yourself the opportunity to explore that idea, let it grow and percolate. Granted, those ideas may not always end the way you envision when they first showed up, but by acting on it quickly when you feel the most enthusiastic, you can come away with a lot more than when you have weighed all the pros and cons.

It is not an easy and straightforward process to discover the narrative that drives your work, and in the process, you may lose some of your audience. Nevertheless, I enjoy the challenge of making work that speak of who I am, and I find the process hugely satisfying.