CREATIVE ENERGY - LIMITED OR LIMITLESS?

Is creative energy limited or limitless?  What do you find?

This week I’ve had several creative projects on the go other than photography.  Now that I am turning my focus back to photography, I am finding the muse decidedly absent.  So I am left wondering… is creative energy limited?  Perhaps I have spent all my reserves and just need to find a way to re-fuel.  Any thoughts my fellow artists?  Have any useful tips on how to get in touch with the muse again?

HOW THIS IMAGE WAS MADE:

This is an image taken last spring along the shore of Lake Ontario.  There is a rock beach that I like to walk and I often find interesting debris left behind after the spring melt.  It was taken on my Nikon D700 with my 14-24mm lens.  I shot 7 bracketed exposures but chose only one exposure and processed it twice in Lightroom.  The first had some increased clarity on it and the second, I decreased the clarity as I wanted to enhance the smoothness of the water and the glowing of the horizon.  I then brought both versions into Photoshop and blended them.  In photoshop I used a couple of my favourite plug-ins; Topaz Lens Effects to further smooth out the water and Nik Color Efex to lighten the center and darken the edges. I also played a bit with using luminosity masks!  Something I am researching and trying out every chance I get.  Maybe that’s why the muse sat quiet.  Perhaps she was overwhelmed.

Anyhow, hope you had a wonderful weekend my friends - I know I am squeaking this post in under the wire.  I’ve got my my order placed for a whole bundle of new creative energy for us this week!