Stalking the Muse

Creativity is in high demand these days. More than any other time in the history of humanity, it is desirable, even ordinary, to call yourself “creative.” Everyone wants it, from preschoolers to retirees.

People want to have great imaginative, original ideas.

Why? Maybe they enjoy pretty things, or want to be praised for their brilliant ideas. Maybe they are envious of what others can do, or just *maybe* they are conceited enough to have seen something and think they can do it better. (This is NOT a bad thing- it’s human nature.) 

So, where is your source of inspiration? Where do you find your muse? 

The saying “There is nothing new under the sun” is a lie. Anyone who says there are no good ideas left out there is not trying hard enough. You can find ideas everywhere. One of the easiest places to find your muse is at your fingertips. Your smart phone. (Which, by the way, is a great example of taking an old idea and reinventing the way people get information and entertainment.) I use my phone all the time, and you should, too.

Apps that I use that can also be your muse:

Vine- I just recently discovered Vine and I am obsessed with this video app. I now think of my life in 6-second, stop-action looping videos. I am not a master videographer, and the app could use a few more options, but I love this one. If you want a muse, Vine will do it!

Snapseed- I know the world is in love with Instagram, but I’m not. With multiple Twitter accounts, Facebook pages, etc., I just don’t want another “network.” But, I’m a photographer and I want to play with iphone images, so I love the effects snapseed can do. Of course, it’s not as good as Photoshop, but these images will likely never be viewed larger than my phone, so I am free to play. (Though I’m sure I’m not the first person to wish for Photoshop on my iphone.) One word of caution, “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” If it’s a bad photo to start with, adding a filter just makes it a bad photo with a filter. Take another photo and try again.

Pose- If your muse is seeing what fashions other people are wearing, Pose lets you stalk, and even buy. It’s like a mix between Pinterest and Instagram for fashion because people can snap photos of their own outfits and post them to the feed.

Pandora- Music is easily the most satisfying way to find your muse. A feeling or sentiment from a song can trigger an idea. Or a line can inspire certain thoughts that lead off to other conclusions. Pandora lets me pick my preference, whether I need upbeat, mellow or off-the-wall. And I can customize what I hear as my personalized stations evolve.

Pinterest- This is the bulletin board effect of marking web pages and ideas. It’s like flipping through a magazine without the articles. I use it to look at wedding trends and examples of how people use portraits in their homes. I also use it when I need inspiration for a particular project, like when we built a reading nook for the kids. Whether you are planning a wedding, looking for home decorating ideas, or even figuring out what to cook for dinner, Pinterest has pictures of it.

As you pursue your inspiration, go ahead and push your boundaries to find your muse. Don’t copy- take an idea and twist it into a completely new idea.

Stalk your muse 

and create something wonderful.

*all apps are available at itunes*

Have suggestions on ones I should have included? Tell me!