Day 361: Embracing Randomness

Today's challenge is to search for inspiration, but in a way that might lead you anywhere...

1) Think of two random words, the first that come into your head will do. For example, mine were 'life' and 'pogo'.

2) Go to Google Images, type in words and see what comes up!

Here's some of the cool/hilarious pictures that came up on my random search:

So, there you have it, 'Life Pogo' a slightly confused (rather frightening) dog, a plant-boy and some sort of knitted sheep?

What will you find...

When you find that little piece of inspiration you've been looking for, jot it down and see what becomes of the randomness...

Day 335: Picture this: London Town

You'll be please to hear that I successful achieved my blog challenge from yesterday.

London Town in pictures for all to see. Recognise any of them?

What did place in you capture in pictures?

Day 334: London Town

Today, I am walking the streets of London, and I'm setting myself a personal challange to spell out 'London Town' in photos. Reckon I'm up for it? Come back tomorrow and see!

Where are you on this fine Saturday? What creative challenge could YOU set yourself?

Get active. Get creative.

Day 295: The art of looking

Check out this photo which I stole (with permission) from a friend on facebook.

I think it's brilliant. What can you see? What do you think it is? What does it remind you of? How do the colours make you feel?

I know it might seem like I'm just practising my counselling skills on you, but I'm trying to prompting you to look, observe, watch. I always find looking an inspiring experience. Not in a hippy way, but in a creative way.

Try thinking about this image in terms of your own creative work. Can you make any connection? Why? Why not? Does it spark any ideas?

If it's still not really doing anything for you, try making a list of all the things it reminds you of.

Here's a few to start you off:
Steam rising from a cow's back in the morning sunlight.
New York Night Traffic
Fireflies buzzing

So, how ever you choose to do it, spend some time looking today and see where it takes your creative thoughts...

Day 272: The New Gypsies, Iain McKell

When I was roaming around Mr B's Bookshop in Bath yesterday afternoon, I was enchanted by this:

This photography book by Iain McKell is full of glossy images of the new age traveller, living a sustainable life in horse drawn caravans, at one with nature and all it can offer them. As I turned to one picture after another I was struck by how beautiful they were, romantic and free. Not the glossy, airbrushed beauty you see in magazines, but real beauty. The beauty of living.

Bookshops are amazing places. They can take you to all sorts of places and introduce you to all sorts of people. When was the last time you got taken to another place you weren't expecting?

Day 246: Panasonic Lumix GF2 Camera

''Encourage creativity, whilst keeping things simple,'' says Panasonic on their latest creation.

Panasonic's Lumix GF2 is a new generation of camera with detachable lenses. It's the smallest camera of it's kind and it basically makes it possible for anyone to take a great photo without knowing anything about ISO, aperture or anything 'technical'. The camera does it for you.

Check out this promo video to see just how much you can do with it.

But what does this mean for creative types like us? Is this empowering the people, allowing creativity for all? Or is it taking away the results of true professionals who have studied photography and try to make their living from it?

What do you think? Should creative skills like photography be shared out amongst everyone? Do you think this takes creative value away? Is it a good thing that more people have the chance to produce good quality creative photos?

Should creativity be an exclusive thing? Should it be made easier for everyone to get involved?

All good questions for us creative thinkers to spend some time on...

Day 187: Shadow Catchers at V&A

Check out this amazing exhibition if you are into photography. These eerie images have been captured using shadows to manipulating light. What a cool idea!

Five contemporary artist/photographers are on show at the V&A Museum in London; Floris Neusüss, Pierre Cordier, Susan Derges, Garry Fabian Miller and Adam Fuss.

The V&A website has got more info, so that's a good place to start.

Shadow catchers...what a great name for a book...

Day 158: Mick Rock's rock stars!

Check out this video on the BBC website. It's a slideshow of all the work by Mick Rock, the legendary rock photographer. (I recon his name called him to that job!) He says he didn't set out to be a photographer by profession, but his fascination of all those rock stars came out in the photos and that was it, job done!

Isn't it interesting how many people get a career out of what started out as a hobbie, specially creative ones. What's your hobbie? What inspires you to be creative? I recon most creative people are just doing what they love and couldn't be any other way!

Use what you got and change the world with it. That's what all the people in Mick Rock's photos did through their music. It looks like Mick Rock had a pretty good crack at it too. He's got a new book out full, of his creative work.

What will you do...?

Day 121: Points make Prizes!

Yay! I won a prize for my blog! Well actually it's an 'Award'! I'm super excited about it and it makes me want to do it even more for you guys!

It's weird really, because I've started back at uni now for my final year (cue the horror music) and I am struggling already, to fit my blog around uni hours and all that jazz. So, imagine my surprise when I check my emails this afternoon. I got one from 'AddYourBlog.com' and I was thinking, 'Oh, another annoying junk email.' But no, they want to give me a PRIZE! Look at it sitting there, all shiny and pretty!

I wonder if any of you have ever had that happen. You feel your creative efforts are just going nowhere, when suddenly, something picks you up and say, 'keep going, it's worth it.'

You know why that is? It's because you and I are supposed to be doing this stuff. If you can't do anything without being creative, then be that way. Keep going and do what you love.

BUT, it's like 'me old mate' Bruce always says, 'points make prizes!' You gotta put in the time and effort to get the reward, so get serious about what you love and get on with it.

Music, dance, drama, animation, TV, film, art, writing, singing, making, textiles, fashion, graphics, photography, cooking...and all the rest I can't think of right now. Whatever your thing is, go for it.

It should be you who's winning the next prize! Watch this space...

Day 111: The boy who bit Picasso

No, you didn't read it wrong, today I am talking about the boy who bit Picasso aka, Anthony Penrose. I was lucky enough to sit in on this man's talk today, which was part of the Bath Kids Lit Fest.

He's written a book that is all about how he knows the legendary artist, Picasso. It turns out Picasso came to stay at his house a lot when he was a little boy. Anthony Penrose's dad was also an artist and his mum was a photographer, Lee Miller. Look at any photo of Picasso and the chances are, she took it. Plus he painted her too:

The talk was truly inspirational. It was so interesting to hear about Picasso as a real man who played games, laughed a lot and even got bitten by a little boy. Anthony Penrose was amazing too. He was so enthusiastic about it all that it made the audience feel exactly the same and want to know more. I could have listened to his stories all day! I wonder if there are any stories from your childhood that would make a good story...?

Event like these are great to go to 'casue you can learn so much. But if not, then check out sights like Tateshots or just google your favourite artists/writers/choreographers and see what interviews/videos you can find.

Learn from the people you love and be inspired to do your own thing.

Lee Millar by Picasso, 1937

Day 109: Exposed at the Tate

There is only two weekends left until the Tate's latest photography exhibition closes (boo), so I encourage all of you to jump on the train and take a look at Exposed. It's a collection of images taken without the knowledge of those in it. some famous, some not so, all displayed together to make us think. You know how I like to think...

The UK is the most surveyed country in the world now and the exhibition is just pointing it out, I suppose. Why do we have such a need to watch, observe, spy? You only have to look at the success of things like Big Brother to see how obsessed we are. Interesting, huh?

Creativity gives people the opportunity to talk and show these kind of oddities within our society which is great! What a thing to do with your work, make people think!

Look at the photo of Maralin Monroe here (by Weegee). There are millions of pictures of her on a fan like this, but in this one, she doesn't know it's being taken, she's not playing for the camera. It's like we're watching her through a peep hole and it kinda feels like we shouldn't be looking, doesn't it?

If you can, get down to the Tate Modern and have a look around. Be inspired...What could you say with your art?

Day 97: Don McCullin

In 1964 a photojournalist named Don McCullin won the World Press Photo of the Year Award for this photograph.

Now, the question I am asking you today is, do you think this is creative? Is this a beautiful photograph? Do you think it has good composition and exposure? What about it's subject matter?

Don McCullin worked for The Times Magazine for over 25 years, photographing wars like Vietnam and the Cyprus Civil war (which the above photo is from). He showed the citizens of Britain what was really happening in these conflicts with gritty black and white photos of people grieving, hurting, dying through war.

I visited an exhibition of Don McCullin's work and started thinking about how we use our creativity. For a creative person, Don McCullin is an inspiration. At the very start, the small boy Don loved photography. What he did with this love as a man shaped much of photojournalism and people's view of war for years to come.

Even though you might think your love of art, film, music, dance isn't doing much at the moment, don't give up on it. If you have the passion to do it, then hold onto it and see where it takes you in your future...

Day 59: Photoshop wonders

I have found these amazing pictures on the web that were all made with the help of Photoshop. Now, I don't know much about Photoshop but just look at all the amazing things you can do with it. Photographers, get a load of this...

What would you do with the help of Photoshop? I hope these inspire you. Perhaps making pictures isn't your thing. Instead see what's around and be inspired to do your own thing with them. Could they inspire your stories, songs, plays, art, fashion...?

Whatever it is, make it creative!

Day 47: Pick a picture

When we are being creative, I think it would be fair to say that most of us have a picture in our mind to work from; where we want it to go, how it will look post creation...

Writers (of all kinds), do you know what your characters, settings look like before you start? How do you know...? What about designers (fashion or otherwise)? Where do you get your ideas from?

Well, I am suggesting a 'tool' today to help you visually create your masterpieces.

Check out Flickr.com. Its' a sight where lots of people put their photos up and you can search through them all to find exactly what you're looking for.

For example, if you were writing a story where a character finds an old book, you could type book into the search and find it. You never know what picture's you'll see and how it will inspire your stories.

Or, type in your character's name and see what comes up...

This sight is GREAT for all you photographers too. It's a place where you can share your work with the world and get feedback. Who knows where that might lead...You can even set up a photo blog! It doesn't have to stop with photographers. Artists, sculptors put your work up too.

So, all of those needing a visual boost, you know where to go. Try it. What will you be inspired by...?

Day 19: Vegetable art

Today I want you to be inspired by other people's works of art. Here's how it started;

On the train today I was enjoying a yummy (but cold) 'Innocent tasty veg pot' (by the company that make those smoothies). Whilst enjoying this scrummy snack, I found myself reading all the information on the packaging (as you do). To my surprise, there was a picture of a carrot and three cherry tomatoes which was of course, doubling up as an ice cream cone look-a-like! (picture it for a second). There.

Brilliant; vegetable art!

Turns out there is a page on their website where you can send your OWN veg art! Even more brilliant. So check it out at http://www.innocentvegpots.co.uk/vegart and see if you could do any better...

Day 14: You just need a spark!

Today I am talking to all of you people who think you're not creative in any way. Is that you?

Well, I'd like to say that it's just not true. ALL people are creative in some way or another. It could be something as simple as the way you dress. Some people have the gift of putting anything together and looking amazing. Or maybe you're into cooking/baking. There are loads of ways you can be creative with food.

Just because you can't draw or don't have the first clue how to hold a paintbrush doesn't mean you're not creative!

If you think creativity isn't for you then you just haven't found your spark yet. Try photography or making your own cards. Maybe origami could be your thing or making jewellery. Learn an instrument or try your hand at web design. Write a blog or make your own video.

Think outside the box and see your creativity grow and overflow...