What to do when you lose your creative spark?
When I lose my creative spark, I call up my best girl, who also happens to be a professional makeup artist, and we get together to play and test out our magic. We both walk away with new portfolio pieces, and we laugh the entire time.
Whether I’m stuck in a creative rut or the work is flowing, sometimes I just need a break from the everyday. That’s when I reach out to fellow creatives to team up.
Diana, who goes by @pop_of_colour on Instagram, has been my friend since our elementary school neighborhood days. Knowing her my whole life means working together feels like hanging out. It’s pure, fun chaos every time.
How a Collab Starts
It usually begins with a bare-bones idea that pops into my head: a look, a mood, or a feeling I want to capture. I ask Diana if she’s into it, then follow up with mood boards full of images that show the feeling, lighting, location, or makeup I’m going for. After I’ve shared all of my ideas she runs wild with makeup and hair, often incorporating wigs.
Leading with Locations and Moods
Sometimes I start with the location and work my way backwards. I saw this sunflower field and thought how we can make a sunflower look come alive.
Other times I start with the season. I’ll want to showcase an intricate, detailed makeup technique built around a single holiday theme. For this one, we went to a local cornfield on a cloudy day so the sky would add contrast. The Halloween makeup really stood out as a black and white photograph.
The wind played to our favor! Adding drama and dimension to surround her face to add movement and shadows!
Why This Works to Get You Out of a Creative Rut
You get to create without limits. No deadlines, no tight time constraints, and no approvals. It’s just you, your imagination, and the friends you’ve asked to help bring the idea to life.
You’re working with people you’re comfortable with. You both get to show off your talents and have fun. Photographing people you already know or have worked with brings a level of ease that’s hard to find on a client shoot.
It’s a confidence boost. You hype each other up and bring out the best in one another, and at the end of it all, you both walk away with new images.
So next time the spark fades, call up a creative friend and go make something just for fun
If you’re on Long Island, New York, and want to have a branding, portrait, or lifestyle photography session, I would love to connect! Start with an email and let me know how I can bring your photography vision to life: https://www.corinnetouseyphotography.com/contact
Be sure to reach out to Diana, for all your bridal and halloween looks, she’s the best makeup artist!