Creative Constraint

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Creative constraint has intrigued me for some time.  What is creative constraint?  Can it improve your vision, resourcefulness and ultimately your art?  Why bother?

I have practiced creative constraint on occasion resulting in greater interest, enthusiasm and more concerted artistic effort.  I felt practicing it was a successful endeavor and I recommend you try it. Creative constraint really seems to energize me.  Its invigorating and "freeing."  Getting the image I want, or finding an image with the constraints placed upon myself is a challenge and I like challenges.

Let's talk about what creative constraint means when we refer to photography only.  Without resorting to a formal definition, but common understanding, creative constraint is artificially limiting yourself, as a photographer, in some fashion in order to force yourself to become innovative, more creative, more deeply analytical and inventive in order to dig yourself out of a creativity rut, expand your vision, develop new skills and create the images you wish to create.  In other words, minimize your equipment, movements, technique, subject, place, time of day or otherwise artificially restrict yourself so as to force yourself to be more creative, innovative and resourceful with the desired outcome to be a better photographer.

I'll give you an example of how I've practiced it in the past.  On occasion, I get in a photographic rut and just put down my cameras feeling as though everything has already be photographed and there is no need to go out and duplicate what others have previously done.  I look for a way out of that rut to get my creative juices flowing once more.  In this example, I purchased a Holga camera.  If you are not familiar with a Holga, it is a cheap, Chinese made plastic camera that takes 120 film.  The more interesting aspects of the camera is a) it has a single element plastic very low quality lens and b) there are no shutter speed adjustments and two unknown apertures.  But the thought of taking that camera out to see what possibly I could create with it, was intriguing to me.

First, I had to figure out what the two apertures and single shutter speed were.  After determining that (internet research), I had to determine what kind of light was needed and what film was available to make it all work.  In the end, I purchased both Kodak and Ilford chromogenic film.  If you are not familiar with chromogenic film, it is black and white film but is developed in color film chemicals--C41.  Another attribute of chromogenic film is that you really can expose it from ISO 100 to 1600, even though it is nominally rated at ISO 400.  In fact, exposing it at different ISOs changes the characteristics of the negatives so, in a camera with adjustable ISOs, you can adapt the film to the contrast/dynamic range of the scene you are recording.  Neat!  Chromogenic film would work in this case as the ability to successfully record an image at different light levels without having the ability to change shutter speeds or aperture values would make it all work.

Subjects.  I quickly figured out that only certain subjects fit with the Holga's capabilities.  Some subjects were just made to be explored with the Holga but other subjects were just not right.  So, I had to a) figure out which subjects were suited to the camera and b) how to make images that exploited the camera's qualities--or lack thereof!  Here are some examples of images I had made with the camera.

As you can see, the images are very soft, the corners are highly vignetted (shaded) and the contrast is rather low.  I did boost the contrast somewhat in these images to improve their looks, but otherwise, they are pretty much out of the camera.  Notice most of my main subjects are in the middle of the frame, contrary to what we are told are good compositional practices.  To me, the Holga demands that, both from an aesthetic and lens limitation point of view.

When using the Holga and practicing creative constraint, I found I alter the way I see and how I make images.  I tend to see compositions and subjects that will fit the limitations of the camera.  Subjects are centered, it is often heavily overcast to retain shadow detail and have interesting cloudy skies and subject matter is more textured.  In other words, I "see" differently when using that camera, just as I "see" differently if I am out making black and white images versus color.

When learning photography, often times instructors will send his or her students out with an assignment such as "for today, take one roll of 36 exposure film (or one small memory card), a 35mm or 50mm lens only, and make 30 good images."  Another one of which I am familiar is "take an apple, one lens, and make 30 or so images, all different, of that apple."  The beauty of creative constraint is that it forces you to grow as an artist.

I recommend you take one prime lens, 50mm, and only use that lens in all your photography for a week.  See only with that lens.  Create images only with that lens.  Make images that leads the viewer to think you used a telephoto lens and not a 50.  Make images that leads the viewer to think you used a wide-angle lens instead of a 50.  Yes, it can be done if you are creative in your vision and technique.  If you don't have a 50mm prime, take a zoom lens, which includes 50mm, set it to 50mm, then tape it at that focal length.  Don't take the tape off for a week.

If you periodically stretch yourself by artificially limiting your ability to take any image you may find, but still fully pursuing your vision, you will be surprised at how it affects your photographic ability in a very positive way.


Thanks for looking.  Enjoy!

Dennis Mook

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