How Constraints Make You A Better Photographer

I’ve just finished reading David Epstein’s latest book Inside The Box, in which he explores the benefits of working within constraints. He gives many examples, and also dives into the science behind them. Constraints, it turns out, make you a better photographer. Let’s find out why by exploring two ideas that you can put to use in your creative practice.

Idea #1: Constraints stop you taking the easiest path

In the mid-50s author Theodor Geisel’s publisher challenged him to write a children’s book using just 225 words from a list of vocabulary words for kids.

Theodor Geisel wrote under the pseudonym Dr Seuss, and the book he created as a result of that challenge, The Cat in the Hat, changed children’s literature. The limits his publisher gave him worked. Cutting off possibilities forced him to explore the ones that remained more deeply, experimenting with words and rhythm to create something new.

The same idea applies to photography. Imagine that you are out for the day with your camera, making photos. You have no brief, no set idea of what you’d like to photograph. In other words, you have complete freedom. Does that open up creative possibilities? You might think it does. But just like with The Cat in the Hat, it turns out the opposite is true. 

The problem is that your brain likes convenience. It follows the easiest path. Given unlimited possibilities, you end up doing what you’ve done before, or following the first idea that pops into your mind. 

But while your brain is happy, it doesn’t stretch or challenge you. It doesn’t make you try new things. Complete freedom brings lack of focus. 

One of two things is likely to happen. One is that you might wander around and end up not making many photos, because nothing catches your eye. It’s the kind of non-productive photo walk that we all have from time to time.

The other is that you end up making a random assortment of okayish images. It’s the sort of thing that happens when you’re traveling. Everything is new and exciting viewed through fresh eyes. But without a plan, or a focus, there are no connections or themes. You end up with snapshots, which is fine if that’s all you want. But if you want to make better something better, if you’re looking for a bigger challenge and the rewards that come with taking it on, you need a different approach.

That’s where constraints come in. Constraints don’t let you take the easiest path. They make you think. It takes more effort, but it’s where the magic happens. It what makes you creative.

This idea crops up again and again in photography. Many years ago I attended a talk by landscape photographer David Clapp. He talked about using large format cameras and film, not because it was the best solution or because it was easy, but because it was difficult. 

View cameras and panoramic film cameras are hard to use. For ease of use, go digital. But using these cameras stopped him getting bored with landscape photography. It challenged him. 

You don’t have to use large format camera yourself. But you can set yourself similar challenges to prevent boredom and complacency. In other words, when you find yourself taking the easy path, look for a way to knock yourself off it (I’ll explore some ways you can do that at the end of the article).

Here are some photos from a recent shoot I did where I gave myself a specific constraint to work within. See if you can guess what it is – what do the photos have in common? The answer is below.

Idea #2: Specific curiosity encourages you to explore new ideas

What is creativity?

In the early twentieth century a scientist considered a puzzle. Moving a magnet past a stationary wire induced an electrical current in the wire. So did moving the wire past a stationary magnet. The result – the electrical current – was the same in both cases. But the scientific explanation was different. It was as if the laws of physics were changing.

The scientist realized that the laws of physics hadn’t changed – only the observer’s perspective. He published a paper on the thought experiment in 1905. The scientist’s name was Albert Einstein and his observations led to the theory of relativity, which changed the way scientists understand the universe.

Einstein’s theory of relativity was a great act of creativity. But it started with a problem defined by other scientists (the magnet and the wire). That piqued his curiosity. It also helps us answer the question “what is creativity?” 

According to Herbert Simon (a political scientist and Nobel prize winner who researched creativity) it starts by trying to solve an interesting problem. The problem has to be specific and well-defined, as in Einstein’s example.

This should be of interest to all photographers, especially if you don’t think of yourself as being creative. In its broadest sense creativity is making something. The problem is, what to make? That’s where curiosity, problem solving and constraints collide.

A constraint is a problem to be solved, or a question to be answered. Often, there’s a problem behind the question. Consider the question “What does it look like in black and white?” The problem behind the question might be “How can I make a moody photo of this subject?” Identify the problem, and you can ask intelligent questions. The question gives you a constraint – work in black and white.

How to use constraints to be a better photographer

How does this help us as photographers? It’s time to tie these ideas together with a few thoughts of my own.

But first, let’s start with another question: “What kind of photography do you do?” I’ve been asked this many times over the years. The answer for most of that time was that I did a bit of everything. It depended on where I was, what I was interested in at the time and the opportunities that came up. 

The problem is that a photographer who can shoot everything has unlimited freedom. And freedom doesn’t challenge you. I dealt with that by setting myself challenges, like learning new techniques (such as long exposure photography) and trying new genres (like portrait and street photography). I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was setting myself problems to solve. I became curious about something that I didn’t know the answer to, set myself a challenge, and then learned how to do it. 

Now I can give you a different answer. I’m a garden and flower photographer. That’s something that’s happened gradually over the last two years. It’s a constraint, but it’s led to my most creative and productive period yet. It’s let me go deep and explore a single subject. I’ve made thousands of good photos and written my two best books. 

That’s why it’s an important question. If you can define yourself as a photographer, you can lean into that role. You can set yourself projects and explore interesting themes. It becomes part of your identity. It gives you focus, direction and purpose.

Focus comes from setting yourself assignments with specific briefs. The more specific the brief, the better. For example, I’ve illustrated this article with photos I made at The Garden House – a local garden built around the ruins of an old vicarage. It started with an idea that became the brief for Assignment 41. A slice of history (from my new book 52 Flower, Garden & Nature Photography Assignments). The idea is simple and specific: 

Photograph a garden that belongs to a historical home (or some other kind of old building). Include at least part of the building in the composition to give it a sense of time and place.

The brief was simple but powerful. It meant I had to include part of the old vicarage in every photo. Those remains are a ruined tower, a restored thatched barn and the garden walls. It restricted me, but it also focused me. I had to find ways of making it work. It also made me ignore other potential subjects, and other parts of the garden from where you couldn’t see any ruins. Here are some more photos from that shoot.

Creative exercise: Create your own constraints

I’m going to give you a couple of questions to think about. If it helps, write down your answers. If you enjoy the exercise, then come back and repeat it in twelve months. It will help you see how you’ve developed and changed as a photographer.

1. Decide what type of photographer you want to be over the next twelve months. Don’t think any further ahead than that. You may already know the answer. But if you don’t, ask yourself these questions. What are you curious about? What type of photos do you like to make? What’s accessible to you? What travel plans do you have?

2. What assignments can you set yourself to challenge yourself as a photographer? Again, think twelve months ahead, but no more. What skills would you like to learn? What equipment would you like to learn to use? What subjects would you like to learn to photograph?

The answers to these questions set up the constraints you work within for the next twelve months. But by thinking about the next year, and no more, you give yourself space to change and evolve. It’s easy to change if you realize you’re on the wrong path.

To sum up:

• Constraints lead to creativity

• Assignments combine constraints with inspiration and focus.

• Assignments can turn into projects, which give you identity and focus as a photographer

Further reading: 52 Flower, Garden & Nature Photography Assignments

Hopefully the ideas in this article (plus my photos from The Garden House) show you how assignments are a great way to improve your photography. The important thing is to set yourself constraints – a brief that helps you get the most from your visit. It gives you focus, purpose and liberates your creativity.

That’s why I wrote my new book 52 Flower, Garden & Nature Photography Assignments. It has enough ideas and inspiration to keep you busy for a long time to come. Take advantage of the early bird special and buy it today for just $10. Click here for the details.

Just curious? Click here to download a free 20 page sample.