Creative vs Analytical

As I was driving the other day I had a great talk with the lovely Ariel Zambelich about a photographers mind and whether Creative or Analytical thought takes over first when we go to make a photo. We talked both sides of the equation and even discussed if one verse the other can be learned, or if they are both just innate skills.

I voiced that for me I thought creativity came more readily at first, and the logistics were the things I had to sort out before I pressed the button. I even took it as far as to say that sometimes when the moments happen, the creativity is what I seek out and the analytical techniques just happen subconsciously.

As we were in the middle of this conversation I saw a beautiful double rainbow appear out my driver window in the sunset illuminated sky. I pulled the "hold on I'll call you right back" line and picked up my camera from the front seat. As I exposed to shoot the rainbow, a white picket fence coming up on my right caught my eye. So, I waited to get directly in front of the driveway and snapped a photo through the window. At that moment, the only thing going through my head was the symmetry I wanted to capture with the fence and driveway. After I passed the house and I looked at the back of my camera I realized that the window had made a great frame for the shot.

So, at this point I can choose to believe one of two things. One would say that luck was on my side and I exposed for the right thing, and the wide angle lens took over and gave me a great border, where Two would say that my instincts took over and I knew subconsciously that I wanted a wide frame using the window frame to wrap around the scene. I choose to believe Two.. ;)


P.S. If you like the concept of shots taken out of windows, and want to see some beautiful work, check out Luceo photographer Matt Slaby's story called My Diving Bell. So Beautiful.