The 3 images in the creative process

Image copyright Ian Ho 2009

I've read this somewhere online before, and it's about the creative process in photography.

There are actually 3 separate images we make when we make an image. Let me elaborate.

1) The first image is the image that we pre-conceive and visualise in our mind.

2) The second image is the image that we actually produce with the camera.

3) The third image is the image that we refine in the digital darkroom.

When you think about it, much of our frustration and motivation in photography comes from these 3 images in the creative process.

We are normally frustrated when image number 3 is not coherent with image 1. We have failed when the image we imagine is vastly different to the final image we produce.

But at times, this creative process actually motivates us to do what we do. It is the feeling of satisfaction and joy that we get when image number 3 is closest to image 1. Adding to that, when we are capturing image number 2, there is an element of anticipation that hopefully, with a little retouching magic, the final image matches up with the one that we visualise in our minds.

Just some food for thought. :)