137 ☼ How I Build A Creative Habit
GIVEAWAY: $150 gift certificate for the Moment shop
Dear friends,
In this week's letter, I dig into the importance of establishing a creative routine or habit and how it helps me maintain momentum and push past creative blocks.
The pictures in this issue were all taken in Oslo last October during one of my favorite creative routines: going on a daily photo walk.
Also in this issue: a fantastic Process Giveaway with my friends at Moment who made available a $150 gift certificate to their online photography shop.
☀️ Shout out to the good folks at Squarespace for helping make this issue possible ☀️
Housekeeping
The current exhibition at WIHH Gallery, featuring Sheila Pree Bright's historic, beautiful, and nuanced series "Houston's Rhythm: The 90s Hip Hop Revolution," is the fourth installment of the Process Projected series. It will be up for two more days and it even has some early childhood pictures of Beyonce. For additional details on Ms. Pree Bright, her work, exhibition opening hours, and more, go here.
The Benefits Of A Creative Routine
Building and maintaining a consistent creative routine has not only allowed me to discover and develop my visual voice, but it has also helped me push past creative blocks.
You might ask, isn't sticking to a routine the opposite of following "the muse" and letting inspiration guide you? And I would say, that is not the right question to ask. One of the greatest myths in creativity is that action follows inspiration. I have found firsthand that it’s the other way around. The right question to ask is, what action can I take to hunt down inspiration, because…
Action Comes Before Inspiration
Contrary to popular belief, waiting for inspiration to strike before doing creative work will almost certainly limit your growth as a photographer. By committing to a creative routine, you're actively putting yourself in a place where inspiration will occur and you build muscle memory for developing your eye and your voice.
Tips For Building A Creative Routine
It’s taken me a long time to come to this conclusion and I’ve developed a bunch of little tricks and methods to develop creative routines into your daily life. Here are some of my favorites:
Allocate Dedicated Time — Set aside a specific time each day or week to focus on your creative pursuits. Even if it’s just 30 minutes one morning per week. This helps establish the habit and that makes it so that your creative work remains a priority. Science tells us that for something to become a habit we need about three weeks of consistently doing that thing.
Example: it’s not always possible, but I know I am at my best when I make time for a photo walk on a daily basis. I went through a huge growth spurt in the process of creating the body of work that would become my book NOTICE, simply by going on a daily photo walk for 123 days in a row, three hours each.
That was during the pandemic so I had the time. These days other responsibilities might get in the way but now that the darkness of winter is retreating and spring is near I will go back to taking an hour-long photo walk at least twice a week.
Set Goals and Intentions — Establish clear, attainable goals for your creative work. Break larger projects into smaller tasks, and set deadlines to keep yourself accountable, possibly with the help of a friend or coach. Clearly defining your intentions helps maintain focus and purpose in your routine.
Example: deciding that you will take one photo a day for a photo diary project is a simple and clear goal and intention, which leads to a routine, which leads to a body of work and developing your voice.
Prioritize Practice — Not everything you make has to be in pursuit of some ambitious project or some big idea. Sometimes we just need to practice our craft, hone our skills, and learn something new. Dedicate time to experimenting with new techniques, studying the work of others, and refining your craft.
Example: I try out lenses, cameras, accessories, and film stocks to get out of my comfort zone and try something new, like shooting portraits on crazy wide lenses, using red filters for landscapes, or shooting infrared film. Making sure I practice regularly, means I have more tools in my arsenal and different types of inspiration for my long-term projects.
Take Regular Breaks — Now, I am not saying I am great at taking breaks, at all. However, when I do take a break I come back to it with a fresh eye and mental clarity. My almost-as-good alternative solution is to only bring a point-and-shoot camera and focus just on daily life snaps.
Build in Reflection Time — Schedule time to reflect on your creative process, accomplishments, and areas for growth. This self-evaluation allows me to review my goals and project, allowing me to make adjustments as needed, rather than pushing forward in a stubborn way that may lead to the realization that a different approach would have given me better results.
Foster Connections — Connecting with other photographers can be super helpful, and I've already covered the reasons and ways to do that in Process 116, so be sure to check it out for more. Whether it’s joining a workshop, attending an art event, or going on a photo walk, it’s all great.
Example: Remember the next Process Photo Walks are coming up on May 5th in Amsterdam and May 18th in Antwerp. RSVP now and join us for a great time.
I hope these tips will help you build a solid creative routine that helps you grow, get stuff done, and express yourself. Consistency is key.
Oh and then there is ADHD
The benefits of a creative routine are universal, but if I had to highlight one sub-group of visual creatives who can benefit from routines then it’s those of us with ADHD. That includes me. The structure provided by a routine helps counteract the challenges that come with ADHD, including having difficulty focusing, being disorganized, etc.
By setting up specific time slots for creative work, folks with ADHD can better prioritize tasks, stay on track, and minimize distractions. Plus you never have to feel guilty for going out to shoot, because it’s on the calendar and you budgeted for it.
A Reminder To Act
Don't forget that action leads to inspiration, not the other way around. Instead of waiting for inspiration to strike, go out and make it happen. Whether it's stepping outside, snapping a daily photo, or setting up a weekly portrait session with a loved one, you'll eventually find something that sparks your creativity and gets you excited. It's out there waiting for us; we just have to put in the work consistently to discover it.
If you enjoyed this issue I’d love for you to share it with friends.
Next Week: I have taken street portraits in nearly twenty countries. I’ll share some of my favorites, plus lessons learned.
Keep shooting and take good care of yourselves and others. <3
Wesley
PS Don’t forget to sign up for the Process Projected newsletter—work by inspiring contemporary photographers twice a month.
PPS Want to support Process? Please order my photo book NOTICE. <3
Gear & Tools Used
Camera: All images were shot on Hasselblad 500cm.
Film Stocks: Fomapan 400, Cinestill XX, and Kodak Portra 400VC.
Shout out to MPB.com, my go-to place to buy, sell, and trade used cameras and lenses. I love their service and am a paying customer. MPB caters to over 625,000 visual storytellers and provides a 6-month warranty. Thanks for the support, MPB! <3
Lab: All my analog work is developed and scanned by my friends at Carmencita Film Lab. They’re my favorite lab in the world. Use code “PROCESS” to get a free upgrade.
Website: Shout out to Squarespace for supporting Process. If you need a website, I highly recommend using Squarespace. I’ve been a paying customer for over 10 years (!!?). It’s an easy, professional, and affordable way to have a beautiful portfolio website and webshop. Use the code PROCESS10 for 10% off your first order.
Process Giveaway
My pals over at Moment are back for a generous giveaway! One winner will receive a $150 gift card to buy whatever you wish including film, bags, a course, and more.
To enter this week’s giveaway answer the following question in the comments:
Q: What is a question, topic, or theme you’d like to see me write an issue of Process about?
It can be any question at all, as small or big as you’d like. Hit me!
ENTER THIS WEEK’S GIVEAWAY before 11 a.m. EST on April 6th.
The winner will be randomly drawn. This giveaway is for Process subscribers only.
Thanks for this. Lots of good practical advice here. Under point 3 you mention studying the works of others. This is one thing that I have found really helpful, particularly through looking at photo books. I find a physical book more engaging and compelling than an image on a screen, so my habit is to buy a new one each month, alternating between photographers whose works I know and those who are new to me. Visiting photo exhibitions regularly is also helpful.
I am interested in your process for processing your photos before printing. Any difference for digital or film? Do you soft proof using software like Lightroom. What software do you use to build a photo book. What format is best to send to a photo book publisher.