Staying Creative While Isolated

Like everyone else in Seattle, we’ve been trying to stay at home and maintain social distance as much as possible. I’ve been working from home the last couple of weeks and as of this week Christine is as well. It’s certainly an adjustment, though Yesler and the cats haven’t let our mid-day presence upset their napping schedule.

Something I’ve been trying to figure out is how to continue pursuing creative projects while staying home to protect ourselves and the community. Normally my creative outlet is photography but it’s hard to find interesting street photography when there’s no one in the streets. So I’m trying to find inspiration closer to home since photography has always been a “do it anywhere” art form. Inspiration is where you find it and the “best camera is the one you have with you” (h/t Chase Jarvis).

I’m also focusing on digital, not film, since I don’t have the ability to develop film at home. Some of the local labs are open but many are closing for the next few weeks. I might shoot some film but if I want to do anything with the photos before April or May, digital is it. Being cooped up I’m going to want the immediate satisfaction of shooting, importing and editing without waiting a few days for scans to be uploaded.

The pets are always easy subjects. However I’m going to try and find time to turn the camera on myself and see what kind of self portraits I can create. The weather’s improving, we have a nice yard, and I’ve got a tripod and remote release. Normally I hate having my picture taken (which is why I like being behind the camera) but to get out of the comfort zone during this quarantine I’ll experiment on myself. I’m also going to try some wildlife photography at the bird feeder in the back yard, and to play with the shadows around the house. When I lose the light there’s also continuing to edit and curate my Camino photos as the book I wanted to create is long overdue. The point is I’m not going to let staying at home stop me from pushing myself creatively.

How are you finding ways to keep your creativity going during this crisis? The stress and anxiety of this pandemic is wearing on us all, so finding inspiration at times like this is really important for mental well being. Let me know what you’re doing in the comments or on Twitter.

(This post inspired by Casual Photophile, “Quarantined? Here Are Five Photography Projects You Can Do From Home”.)