Even I was surprised.
If you haven't by now, you should pick up James Altucher's Skip the Line. Among its treasures is this activity, mentioned in my last newsletter, where you come up with 10 ideas about something, anything, every day. To build your creative muscles.
Most people choose this activity specifically because they want to expand their creativity. Me too. I've been making photographs for decades. And I've been completing the 10 Ideas exercise every day for two years.
But I also get value in unexpected ways.
Being More Connected
The other night I was talking with my partner about making better use of our evenings. Often we are worn out from running our businesses, and we may just kill time before sleeping. But that sucks. Relaxing can be rejuvenating, but just fiddling about until bedtime isn’t the same thing. You know what I mean.
Both of us felt like we could often be happier with the last hours of the day.
So I suggested we attempt the 10 ideas practice to work out a variety of different possibilities. We don’t always want the same kind of thing, so we did it several ways.
We imagined (a minimum of) 10 ideas that would build connectedness between us. And also 10 that would be "productive", 10 relaxing, and 10 inspirational. As examples, connecting might be an evening walk together, productive might be solving a home maintenance issue, relaxing could be yoga, inspirational might be a documentary. 10 minimum of each, about 50 thoughts altogether.
Surprise! The exercise itself built connectedness, and generated excitement for upcoming evenings!
As usual, some of the ideas are crummy and will never be attempted, but several absolutely will be put into practice.
And I can promise it stretched our creative muscles. It will do the same for you. Just try it and see.
Photographic Impact
OK, that complete, now I'll bring the 10 ideas back to my photography.
I am NOT a traditional landscape photographer. But it’s a very interesting time of year outside, and last week I thought I should both imagine and execute 10 different ways to photograph trees. So I did that, and here is what I came up with.
Do any of these resonate? If you have a favorite let us know in the comments.
Next week, something completely different!
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Another shameless Plug for Limited Edition Prints
I make and sell Limited Edition Prints (editions of 10 only). This batch is only available through the end of the year, and is on sale in November to make life easier for both of us.
Would you like something special for yourself or a loved one this holiday season? Isn’t it great when you come up with a special gift, and they love it?
Something completely different will be available for Jan/Feb 2024, but any remaining prints from this set will be retired from circulation on the last day of 2023. Gone indefinitely. If not longer. One of them is already sold out.
Thanks, and see you next week!
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The 10 Ideas exercise is inspiring! It's amazing how a simple practice can have unexpected benefits, fostering connection and excitement in your evenings. And your exploration of 10 different ways to photograph trees reflects the depth of human creativity.
thanks.. great suggestion.. ! I call those ‘mental tools’ people can install - themselves (duh !) Never thought of that re photography ! Don’t need that tool thanks, as thinking laterally is a lifetime river flowing in me since the way before ! & that includes a half century of photography & hypermedia to boot ! Plus learning to be a dad from scratch as I never had one or a mom.. ie being creative ? ! Haha.. and he’s turned out the far better man than I ! (the general idea !)
Exceptional Imagery.. & will claim the blue heron.. stopped me 3 times in a row.. got sum affinity for those wicked apex predators eh ! & Oh to see em in flight !