The Creative Power of Constraints: How Limits Make Better Photographs

Creative constraints can affect anyone in any medium at any given time. But what some seem to overlook is that there are many great photographic works produced over the years that have found their identity from their simplicity.

Sure, it might be tempting to imagine what some of the most famous photographs would look like if they were shot with the powerhouse cameras of today, but the truth is, a key part of their visual identity would be lost – the ‘look’.

It is no secret that camera technology has come a long way over the last two decades, and with that we’ve seen an exponential jump in image quality and megapixel sizes. Not to mention the overabundance of fancy settings, buttons and dials on every new device.

But with these advancements, comes a world of distraction and procrastination. With all of those fancy features, it’s easy to forget what you planned on shooting in the first place, particularly if you get lost playing with things like aperture, shutter speed, ISO, autofocus modes and film simulations.

Ultimately, there is a good reason as to why photographers like Cartier-Bresson and Stephen Shore are still discussed today. It’s because there was nothing particularly fancy about their approach – they simply used a basic camera and lens for most of their respective careers and never allowed themselves to get carried away with elements that would detract from their work.

Their point and shoot setups are the hallmark of the creative possibilities that deliberate constraints can offer. How many of their great photos would have been lost in time, had they been worrying about what lens or camera settings to use?

Types of Constraints That Actually Help

This is just one example of how limiting yourself to a basic setup can allow you to move around more freely. But there are also other aspects to consider. For example, if you regularly shoot in a variety of areas, practice limiting yourself to one particular area for a few weeks.

By lacking more visual opportunities, your creativity will actually benefit as you may learn new ways of shooting the same environments over and over. Other examples of constraints that can actually benefit your overall body of work are time limits and aspect ratios.

The benefits of limiting your shoot to an allotted timeframe may seem marginal, but it will mean that you are forced to make every image count, rather than counting the images racking up on your SD card.

Many photographers can find themselves spending too long trying to find the perfect shot, and while this may be appropriate in certain instances (like waiting for the sun to set or an animal to move), it can also be incredibly frustrating if you do not get the results you desired, especially with extra time.

As for aspect ratios, many photographers have at some time or another in their careers shot in different ratios. While it may be tempting to take multiple shots of the same subject in different ratios so that you have more to work with in the editing suite, limit yourself to just one as this will help you to maintain a more consistent look across your wider work.

Designing Your Own Challenges

There are many potential areas you could challenge yourself in as a photographer. The challenges you explore should not feel overwhelming or disheartening, they should just serve as a gentle vessel for progression.

For example, where you might normally visit a local park or nature reserve to capture your images, instead try limiting yourself to just your own garden for a week. How can you shoot the objects and plants in a way that stands out? If you don’t have any, then consider designing a project where you shoot only through your front window for a set number of days.

One challenge that can reveal a lot about your photography style is the use of colour. Generally, the overwhelming majority of images today are shot in colour, and there’s a good chance that the same applies to your shooting habits. If you exclusively shoot in colour, why not remove it altogether?

You can do this by either shooting in black and white using the settings on your camera, but if your camera does not have this feature, you can simply add a black and white filter after.

It’s impressive just how timeless your photos can become simply by removing colour. With the colour spectrum aside, you can really start to observe how you might like to use lines, shadows and shapes in your work.

From Constraint to Project

By working with more limited constraints, whether these be related to the duration of your shoots or the kit you use, you can start to build your work into something more linear. Even something a simple as these one-off photography exercises can help you to produce a coherent body of work.

This can be achieved through consistent exploration of your chosen subject, refinement of your technique and by allocating only a set number of hours dedicated to the project. If the weather is poor and you planned on shooting outside, consider changing the plan and instead limit yourself to shooting inside. What objects do you see, and can you capture them over a period of days to show evolution or progression?

What Constraints Teach You About Yourself

Throughout the process, constraints can teach you a lot about the photographic process and the ways in which you like to shoot. You may discover new angles, preferences and even your new niche. Creative constraints can also reveal several things about you as a photographer, from your problem-solving abilities to your comfort zone and working style.

By forcing you to work within boundaries, they challenge your ideas but more importantly they can encourage you to take approaches you might not have otherwise explored. Working within strict rules like only using a macro lens or shooting only in black and white can teach you new ways to adapt your style.

The main focal point here should be to look at what the constraints might have initially taught you and how might you take them further in future projects.