Does accident negate creativity?

Jon Chalk

Jon Chalk

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Jon
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Playing about with new lens (EF50) at limit of AF, and just as I pressed shutter release, the lens began hunting for focus. I kind of like the colours and patterns, but as it was completely accidental (& I doubt I could repeat it without trying lots of times) does this negate it's creativity?



IMG_1686_edited-1.jpg by Jon_Chalk, on Flickr
 
Kind of yes but it's a nice image!
 
Personally this doesn't work for me, I think with anything like this I still want to have some idea what the subject was :LOL: but then I'm all for a little bit of abstract so ultimately if you like then (y)

Matt
MWHCVT
 
Two different types of creative photography, total control like image manipulation on photoshop, and predicted randomness for example light trails, blurs, smoke, oil and water, droplets, long exposures.

But the main issue is the creative eye, anything can be looked at in an artistic and creative way.

I suppose it depends on what you like about the picture, what you've learnt about the technique, and how you intend to apply what you've learnt to express your vision of future photographic situations.

When Slash wrote the intro to 'Sweet child of mine' he was just messing about, then it was turned into a great song.

Jackson Pollock splashed paint on the canvas, but he perfected his technique using different thickness of paint from different hights using different methods of getting the paint to canvas. All techniques he perfected, but still allowed the unpredictability of the final picture.
 
personally I think it is crap.......

artistically/ interior designer head on, I can see them gushing for it....
 
Nope! ..... it's crap. Unless your Tracy Emin? ;)
 
Jayst84 said:
Creativity and crap are completely unrelated. It could be incredibly creative and utter crap, or completely lacking in creativity and really nice. Or, vice versa.

This isn't creative at all, because you didn't put any creative thought into it - you didn't even know you were doing it.
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That's what I meant to say ;)
 
Have to agree that the making of the photo wasn't creative since it wasn't intentional; but that doesn't mean what you do with it might not be creative. I don't understand why some people rip interior designers who want color and perspective, not necessarily content and form. Not every photo has to tell the same story.
 
I was going to say you didn't create anything but by definition you have.

Create = To cause to exist or bring into being
Create = Cause (something) to happen as a result of one’s actions

So create = no mention of intent = creativity.

Creativity = the use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness

Looks like you did 'create' however no 'creativity' took place.

Do it again (knowing what you did) or PP the original shot to move it in a planned direction then I would say you move from 'create' to creativity'.
 
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Jayst84 said:
Creativity and crap are completely unrelated. It could be incredibly creative and utter crap, or completely lacking in creativity and really nice. Or, vice versa.

This isn't creative at all, because you didn't put any creative thought into it - you didn't even know you were doing it.
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Splog said:
Nope! ..... it's crap. Unless your Tracy Emin? ;)
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dinners said:
I was going to say you didn't create anything but by definition you have.

Create = To cause to exist or bring into being
Create = Cause (something) to happen as a result of one’s actions

So create = no mention of intent = creativity.

Creativity = the use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness

Looks like you did 'create' however no 'creativity' took place.

Do it again (knowing what you did) or PP the original shot to move it in a planned direction then I would say you move from 'create' to creativity'.
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Thanks for comments guys (no sarcasm) & not just those quoted - I pretty much agree - if I had hand on heart been able to say "that's exactly what I wanted to do", then I would have been a lot happier.

As it is, I still quite like it, but I'm not happy with it - go figure??
 
If you can spot the potential in a future scene and apply this technique manually it might turn out better and you can claim credit for it.
 
Jon Chalk said:
Thanks for comments guys (no sarcasm) & not just those quoted - I pretty much agree - if I had hand on heart been able to say "that's exactly what I wanted to do", then I would have been a lot happier.

As it is, I still quite like it, but I'm not happy with it - go figure??
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maybe you like it so much because it shows you have an appreciation for the abstract- that you didn't just instantly delete it, this is half the battle. Now use this to experiment more, but be prepared for the results, and then in time you will learn to predict the unpredictable

as for the photo itself. More so I just don't really like it, there's little consideration to form and composition, the colours are a bit boring and most importantly there's no concept- you hadn't worked through a process to eventually arrive at an image which summed up the result of a month of theorizing, nor did you find a context for the image to sit in after it was taken, many times I have an orphaned image like this and then it suddenly becommes relevant when a gap opens up in my work where this image would totally fit. No concept=no art; could we have a 1 hour critique of the work at art school, no, could I write 1000 words on Tracey Emin's- My Bed yes


Jon Chalk said:
& I doubt I could repeat it
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well this is the precise definition of a 'photograph'- an unrepeatable moment captured on film

but repeatability is what makes sales and puts bread on the table- your employer understanding that you can deliver time and time again, although the intended outcome might not always be a bokeh perfect f2.8 image, some times the unpredictability is the desired effect, it's all dependent on context
 
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This image reminds me of the 70s kids tv show picture box, the start of the show with that revolving box. Odd because there is no box in this image.
 
At the end of the day it doesn't matter if it's creative or abstract, or if you can recreate it.

It doesn't even matter if you learned anything or if you intend to try the process again.

All you have to do is make a nice A3 print of it, frame it and put it up in your home. You know you want to. :)
 
Silent-Sam said:
All you have to do is make a nice A3 print of it, frame it and put it up in your home. You know you want to. :)
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:LOL: NOT

I do agree though you can have happy accidents, as a watercolour and oil painter, I often had them, still this doesn't do anything for me, although it would make a good bin liner :D
 
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