After years of being stuck in my mind about how to be creative, I realized that creativity begins with observation.
The Myth of Creativity
For years, I thought creativity was something people possessed. I watched creators online, YouTubers, filmmakers, photographers, and artists, wondering how they consistently came up with ideas. Whenever someone promised to explain their process, it usually came through a course or a paywall. I even paid for a few, hoping someone would finally explain what made them creative.
Most of the advice wasn’t wrong—it just wasn’t the answer I was looking for.
Coming Home
Something happened a few weeks ago that left me at a crossroads with my career. I wrote more about that in another essay. I chose to go on the journey of the artist, trying to make my art my full-time job. In doing that, I started to pick up my phone to take pictures of what was already around me. I chose to focus on where I was currently instead of going to chase something that was not in my reach (yet).
I’ve started to document my hometown, Manassas, Virginia. I created a brand by the name of The Capital Companion, where I’m documenting everyday discoveries that you can find around the D.C., M.D., & V.A. area. There was no better place to start the journey than where I am currently located. Manassas was all I knew. I was dying to get out of this small town, and although I made it out, the universe brought my ass right back because a reset was needed.
A year or two after moving back, my daughter and I settled into a routine. We started spending more time downtown, and I realized how much the city had changed. It felt more alive. Families filled the sidewalks, local businesses were thriving, and there always seemed to be something happening.
I started to observe with my eyes and capture the vision with my lens. I had to work myself up to “show my work,” and once that happened, I’ve received so much love from the local community. If you are interested in viewing the pictures, check out my social media pages here: Facebook, Instagram, & youtube. The love that I am receiving from the local community is motivating me to keep going because I realize that I am not alone in appreciating the beauty that surrounds us.
My hometown is a small town, just 50 minutes outside of Washington, D.C. Because of our proximity to DC, I believe that we get overlooked because the “real fun” is a short drive away or a train ride. Hell, I left this place looking for more fun and action, not realizing that my foundation was not truly intact. I’ve been the most creative I have been in my entire life, and that is all because I’ve come home.
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Learning to See Again
Before making the conscious decision to start documenting, I was just mindlessly walking by everything. When we are not rooted in the present, we miss all the beauty that is staring us in the face. There is something to capture, no matter where you live or how small your hometown is; all you have to do is look. I started to notice the architecture of the buildings located in the downtown area. One of my favorite buildings to look at is the parking garage; you can check out the visual HERE.
I’m also enjoying the colors in these photographs, especially during summer when natural light enhances everything around us. Mother Nature sets the scene for us every day when we awake, and even at night, she leaves something behind for the night owls. If I had to boil it down to one sentence, it would be “Observation is the foundation of creativity.
Observation Comes First
Observation is the common theme that writers, painters, filmmakers, and musicians all share with each other. If you are a writer, you can be inspired to write a book simply from a sentence you heard in an organic conversation. Some of the greatest films are inspired by true-life events, but in order to be inspired, you have to be paying attention. Musicians listen to the sounds around them and transform them into melodies, rhythms, and songs.
Your imagination needs to be sparked by life first.
For me, the goal is not to be creative but instead to be observant. I need to be fully submerged in life to find that spark that makes me want to capture my life through film, pictures, or a combination of both. When we capture or create these moments, we contribute to creativity by leaving something behind for the rest of humanity. One of my favorite YouTubers always says after a successful stealth camping trip, “I’ve left the campsite better than what it was.” In his content, he was picking up his trash and the forgotten trash left behind. I think creativity works the same way. We leave something behind that didn’t exist before we arrived.
Start Where You Are
If you are a person who is looking to tap into creativity or to begin your life as an artist, I would highly recommend starting where you are in life. Challenge yourself to find beauty in the mundane, and if you can’t, then find something boring and add to it. Add your personal touch to it and see what comes to life. The world certainly has its problems, but beauty hasn’t disappeared. Most of it simply goes unnoticed. The more I pay attention, the more I realize creativity was never something I had to chase. It was something waiting to be noticed.
If you do find something, please feel free to share it below in the comments or send me an email if you don’t want it to be public.
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