I don’t think any one shoot has to have an explosion of creative ideas. Expressing one’s self, world view, or view of a particular subject can be an elegant exercise. Simplicity is an element found in some of the most beautiful images.
Just the other day I thought about the photo of Whoopi Goldberg in a bathtub of milk. At the time, I’m sure the image was considered somewhat ground-breaking and inspired — definitely received kudos for creativity. But it was gimmicky, too. How useful is creativity when it becomes the subject itself?
The amount of creativity employed often depends on the purpose and use of the images (especially in commercial shoots). At the same time, the photographer’s creative vision for a shoot might just be plain backdrops, stoic expressions, or simple standing poses. So, it’s hard to say what’s in a person’s head based on what looks like is going on during a shoot.
Why is the shoot occurring at all? Because someone wants to photograph, and someone wants to be photographed. The best reason of all.
– From a discussion on my Facebook today on how some photographers work
