Clouds over Second Beach, Washington © Jay Goodrich

I spent last night leafing through a sketch book of mine from 1994. That was right after I graduated college with a 5 year Bachelor of Architecture Degree. This sketch book was originally 100 sheets of paper. I know there are less pages in there now because I remember tearing out multiple sheets for those “whatever” necessities over the years. This book has everything in it. Notes on construction projects, diary pages, wacky sketches, designs, logos, notes to my brain, dimensions, quotes, literature, black, white, color, how-to stuff, and what ever else came to my mind. The book is completely full, with a final page stating “the end” in blue pencil dated almost 5 years ago. I didn’t bring this sketchbook everywhere and there were many others. I was looking at this particular one because I remember liking the paper texture and feel for drawing and wanted to find a new one that was the same or similar.

Seastacks, Second Beach, Washington © Jay Goodrich

On one of the pages in classic Jay scribble was written a quote, “The rest of those who have gone before us can not steady the unrest of those to follow.”–Finding Forrester. I don’t know if that quote was written for the movie or if was taken from someone else but, whew, definitely thought provoking. And, when thinking about creating a photographic image–even more provoking. I immediately think about all those photographers who have been to popular locations before many of us, the Art Wolfes and William Neills of the world, or the Elliot Porters, Ansel Adams, and William Henry Jacksons for that matter. I can not imagine being the first human to discover a place like Yellowstone or Yosemite. Crazy.

The Pacific Ocean at Sunset, Washington © Jay Goodrich

A couple of weeks ago, I had that little taste of venturing back out into nature to a place that has seen and will see tons of traffic. I have personally visited the location three times now. This place is Second Beach in Olympic National Park. I am not the first and not even close to the last, but for me this place holds a beauty and a tranquility that is almost indescribable. Many have asked what the sunset was like that night, well, it was pretty amazing. It was…perfect and not for the common visual cues that rise to the surface of the mind immediately. It was perfect for reasons beyond.

Beach Texture, Washington © Jay Goodrich

As I think about that quote a little more, it leaves me with a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration. What does he truly mean, “those who have gone before us can not steady the unrest”? After sifting and thinking, over and over again, I have come to one conclusion. Those before, no matter how original, how creative, or how different can not change those who follow in their footsteps because the followers desire the same thing–with photography that is the act of creation. My unrest is my desire to create something, anything, new and different. I crave it and I will never cease from it. And quite frankly, it does not matter who came before me, no matter how amazing their images are or were, I thirst for something new, different, and in response to my personal visual connection to that place. I think of it and my stomach churns, my heart skips a beat, and I peruse thoughts in my head of how quickly I can find a place, that one or a new one to study, explore, and fuel the unrest for the rest…of my life.

Beach Texture, Washington © Jay Goodrich

adam | 12 project – Images by Jay Goodrich
We traveled 400 miles, rode two ferries, I took over 400 photographs, we hiked 5 miles, traveled for 17 hours, the weather was perfect, and this whole day included the whole family – wife, two kids, and yes, even the dog. I definitely have the most patient family in the world. It was Jade and Micah’s first time at the Pacific Ocean, and Heather’s first time seeing the beaches of Olympic National Park. Facebook and Flickr stalled a bunch of times during my uploads, and we lost our mobile signal for a few hours while we explored the Olympics, but overall it was a success. I can now tell you that walking to shoot a sunset with only a phone in your pocket is an enlightening experience. I felt a little lost without the 35 pound pack on my back, so lost in fact, that I carried my 40 pound daughter on my shoulders for a good part of the hike. I think it was a great learning experience, a great way to explore an area, and a great way to explore different styles of image making. So will there be another adam | 12? I already set the countdown timer on the blog, you bet. Although next year I might travel somewhere and with 3 other photographers. Any takers? In addition, since the uploading was in and out, here is a gallery of my favorites. Enjoy.

black + white – Images by Jay Goodrich

I have been really inspired by black and white imagery lately. So after 20 years of shooting nothing but color here are the beginnings of a new collection for me. Let me know what you think.

Rob Sheppard recently made a post regarding creativity. You need to read Accidental Creative’s Manifesto, it explains everything. Then come back and have a longer look at this photo I made of the sunrise on the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

Darwin Wigget and I decided to write for each other’s blogs this month. We agreed on a topic, wrote our articles, and selected our images without even hinting to each other on how we were approaching the subject. I emailed him my article and ten images, he in turn did the same. This is his article-mine can be found on his blog. We are planning on working together on a single topic article every other month, so stay tuned. Our next posting will be at the beginning of August.

Some photographers seem to have an innate creativity; they view the world in a way that is novel and fresh and not contrived. Where does this creativity come from? Is it genetic? Or is it something we can buy in a bottle or from the local drug dealer? Why is it that some photographers are so clever with their vision while many of us just seem to produce the ‘same old, same old’ over and over again? Is there a magic pill or set of mental gymnastics that we can try to make us more creative, or is the answer something deeper? Here are my thoughts.

All the photographers and artists that I know who are extremely creative have a strong inner drive and motivating passion for what they do. They simply can’t help themselves—they are fueled to go! Galen Rowell has described this trait as the inner rat. The rat is a voracious creature residing in your gut that drives you out time after time to create new images. The rat is not stymied by suffering and leaving the comforts of home; in fact, it seems to grow stronger in the face of adversity. The rat propels nature and outdoor photographers to shoot at temperatures diving toward -40 degrees Celsius, to sit in blinds for 12 hours without food, and to make other people look at you and think you are mad. The rat makes you hang off cliffs, wade into alligator-infested waters, and sleep in a bivouac sac in a meadow full of hungry grizzly bears. In short, it is this inner, almost insane drive that seems like the predominant prerequisite to success as a creative being.

I believe we all have a hungry rat within us. Some people have a fat, satiated little rat that sits on the sofa with a TV remote and a bag of Cheetos while others have a gigantic, emaciated rat constantly looking for its next meal. The one factor that most suppresses the size of the rat is ego. The fear of being judged, rejected or ridiculed always keeps the inner rat tiny. The ‘fear to create’ is the biggest rat-trap of all. I see this situation a lot: people often have an inner drive to create yet are absolutely terrified to show the world their images. They are the lurkers on photo forums and the long time camera club members who never show their work. In short, their insecurities cage the rat and wither the rat’s desire. After awhile any creativity they have is lost in their insecurities.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are the ego maniacs. Here the photographer wants to show the world his photos, show how clever and amazing he is. The real reason the photographer shoots is for public recognition, for ‘atta boys’ and pats on the back. This kind of photographer often does have a voice of his own and a rat pushing him to create but the rat has learned to feed on the junk food of life–accolades. It has become a junkie needing a constant injection of adoration. These junkie rats force the photographer to constantly post on every possible photo forum where they hang on to each and every comment, aggressively countering any post that is anything but complimentary. Soon the work of such a photographer becomes repetitive and stale. The photographer constantly tries to repeat past successes and the accolade-aholic rat stifles any further creative growth. Without accolades the photographer loses his passion and therefore his creativity.

The truly creative photographers I know have a rat that drives them independent of their ego. These are self-confident people who create and are not afraid to share their works but also create for their own inner purposes and not for public adoration; they simply ‘shoot from the heart’ with little or no worries about how the outside world views their work. They are not arrogant about their work and processes and often are the people most willing to share their passion with others. Secrets have no place in their life-work. They shoot to please themselves and they create simply because they have to. And finally, they have learned to control the rat, they have learned balance and that life is richer than just their art and their expression. They let the rat lead when necessary but in the end are the master of the rodent.

In summary, I believe ego is the biggest stumbling block in being truly creative. We all have passion, we all have an inner rat, and we can all be driven when we feel a connection. It is simply the fear to create and the need for recognition that kills our creativity. The photographer who is confident in themselves, and who lets her inner vision thrive will be a photographer who has a big, creative rat. On the other hand, if you constantly worry what others will think of your work, how you will be perceived, or how famous you will become, then you will likely lose any creativity you had—you are destined to kill your inner rat. If you shoot simply to please yourself and to satisfy an inner desire without regard to how the world will view your work, then you are on the path to true creativity.