Quote Originally Posted by tim atherton View Post
there's also a world of difference between creative and novel (as in novelty) although many fail to see the distinction
Whose world?

A person who creates something novel is..well, creative.
I think they are intertwined and yet not the same.

A person who is creative can be competent, at other times, not.
A competent person can be creative at times, perhaps novel, perhaps just competent.

Seeing a well composed, balanced image in the landscape or urbanscape or still life can be attributed to one's competency in that arena. In that sense he is creating within his competency level. Likely not very novel or creative, as that is rare.

I get what you are saying Kirk, or what you implied, but also the subjective factor reels in, as many will think Adams was creative vs. just competent, as he definitely was. Adams was at least novel (again-arguable) with his Zone system as well as creative (thought/concept/writings). Weston did some creative, although by my opinion, boring nude work. It may have been novel, but novel isn't always creative or competent or good.

So, I guess I believe sometimes competency is better than creative or novel and sometimes being novel is creative but not necessarily creatively competent while at other times being competent could be creative in how one applies one's competency.




Make pictures, not love