The Art of Withdrawing

Letting creativity breathe

I was preoccupied this week with the thought about how it would feel to step away from creative work. There is some wisdom in recognising when we need to step back. I don’t mean taking big long breaks but the little ones where one takes a step back from photographing. The good part is that I have a huge archive of photographs to fall back upon.

In a world that focuses excessively on persistence, withdrawing from something feels like a small revolutionary step in itself. I believe that taking little breaks from photography or any other art makes all the difference to our work.

Creative work needs to breathe. In fact, breaks make our creative longing stronger. Personally, during a break, I like to dive into a good movie, get lost in a book, take a leisurely stroll, or even try to check out an art gallery. Slowly but surely, something re-forms in the mind. It’s like I was being creative even when I thought I was not.

As photographers, we mostly thrive on presence, on the decisive moment and on being attuned. That composition, the golden light or some gesture on the street is what we seek and notice. Taking a step back from all of this may seem strange. However, I feel withdrawal is a part of our creative rhythm. We need to give ourselves space to “see” better and to evolve without any kind of pressure.

When I walk around just noticing and not taking any photographs, I am in a way resetting my inner lens. I always feel that when I get back after the short break, the work I do is a lot better. In a sense, my creativity is rejuvenated and the spark is back.

Withdrawing in small ways from creating has its own rewards. One tends to have a fresh set of “eyes” and a more reflective approach to image making. I feel that even when I am not photographing, I am in some kind of a preparation to photograph.

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