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Where does creativity come from? Your environment, your life experiences, your brain, your subconscious, your heart, your soul?

Annie Leibowitz almost lost the rights to her entire collection of work this year, due to major financial mis-management. This is a woman who has carved out a glittering career for herself photographing some of the most famous people in the world. It did raise some questions in my mind. Who manages Annie’s money? She is renowned for having some of the most expensive and extravagant shoots out there. She may blow her budget on a shoot, and if she is not happy with the results, do the entire shoot again, paying all assistants, renting equipment, covering model costs etc, for another day. I can see how she ran herself into financial difficulty but here is my conflict – as a creative person, I respect Annie for never stopping until she gets that shot. I find it honourable and commendable as a professional to see someone keep going regardless of cost to get the best possible result. It means the standard of her work is exemplary because she is clearly a perfectionist.

But creative people have always been, and will always be, limited by money. It’s honorable and commendable to keep re-shooting until you get that shot, but is it sensible when you have bills to pay?

Creativity and financial management sound like they should never be spoken in the same breath, but unfortunately, most creative efforts are either made to be commercial, or they at least have to stay within budget. The creative challenge is to be as creative as possible, within the restrictions put on you, and this can take a lot more skill, preparation and creative thinking than going out there with no restrictions at all. What do you think?

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