Hmmm, Limitation is the mother of creativity. That sounds strange. Isn’t creativity about being free?
Yes and no. Creativity is about discovering patterns that previously haven’t been noticed. It means breaking the rule. So it is about creating freedom. And yet this freedom can not exist if it is too free. Complexity theory tells us that a system that is totally random is as complex as a rigid system. For example, imaging you have a bunch of sands in a box in a 0 gravity space. The free flowing sands represents a total randomness. Naively, we will think this is the most complex condition. But because each sand has no relation with the other, the total complexity (entropy) is the same as fixing them on a regular grid pattern, which is them simplest configuration.
Now, imagining each sand particle starts to interact with it’s neighbor in certain way. Suddenly emergent pattern will occur, and the whole system will display high order behavior that is not possible if it is totally random. We see those effect in life all the time. Snow flake, flower, water wave, sound wave, or ultimately life and human being.
Those interactions between sand particles is a limitation on how the sand can move. Without those limitations sand particle will just move on it’s own mind. Those limitations made higher order behaviors (wave, wind, life) possible. So that is a very good hint on our human creativity. Our creativity can not exist in total randomness, or total freedom, it’s own possible when there is some sort of limitation.
(Paco Gomes and Dancers)
When I shoot dance in a dark theatre, I found the own lens works well for me is 50mm 1.4. I have tried other lenses, like 24-70mm 2.8L. 35mm 2.0. 85mm 1.8. Somehow I always come back to 50mm 1.4 + EOS 5d. This has became a game for me. In how many different way can I use a 50mm standard lens? It turned out I benefit greatly from this process, a self imposed limitation.
(Paco Gomes and Dancers)
50mm gives the most normal perspective on a full-frame body. The image it produce is the most natural to eye and thus least dramatic. It forces you to find drama and story from composition, angle and light. This has been a great exercise for me every time I take it to a theatre. How can I find the essence of dance through a 50mm lens.
There are some unexpected benefit of limiting myself to a single focal length. Since I don’t have to (can’t, really) zoom to change composition, I can easily pre-visualize the scene before picking up the camera. Which allows me to react to dance much faster. Dance usually happens very fast. 1/10th of second often determines a good photo from a useless one. Know when, where the action going to happen, and how the composition will be like before looking through the lens is a huge advantage in dance photography.
(Paco Gomes)
Of cause with the modern camera technology you can shoot 8 frame/sec with a good camera. Which means as long as you keep shutter pressed you won’t miss a shoot. Well, imagining the time spent going through all the photos. Also consider the fact that a good (and unique) moment in dance performance comes often as a surprise, unless you are very familiar with the dance, or, are satisfied with common dance leaps, arabesque, attitude, etc.
So who is the father of creativity. I think it’s the desire to create. With out the drive to create, a limitation is just a limitation that frustrate you.
(Paco Gomes and Dancers)
On a side note, limitation is a important part of creative process, it also make a strong influence on the baby created. Imagine driving a race car on desert bed, or racing a hummer against race cars on race track. Or, just imagine having a ballerina doing a funky hip hop move, or asking a fantastic street hip hop dancer to do a triple pirouette.
(Paco Gomes and Dancers)