Even Flow
“tower bedrock” Nick Beckner Phtoography 2020
As a self proclaimed creative, I have repeatedly heard of the term “flow state.” This is a magical harmony of the artist, thought processes, and the universe. Being realistic, I don’t feel the term is solely limited to creatives and the art scene, but I can see “regular” people entering this state in their work and using it to succeed in their own way.
Being a photographer and this being a photography blog, I am sticking to my yard and talking about the flow in the art aspect.
This idea stems from the thinkings of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. He grew up in troubled times in a post war Europe and eventually made his way to the light of the United States. He decided to explore the question of “where in everyday life, in our normal experience, do we feel really happy?”
“where in everyday life, in our normal experience, do we feel really happy?”
I can easily answer this question. In my normal and mundane life, that time is when I am creating and being with my family. When the two things meet and I get to go and create with my family, nothing tops that. Nothing. This post isn’t all about me though. I’d bet money on answering for the majority of artists, that that time for them is when they are creating or working on the thought process to begin creating.
This flow state is that feeling of ecstasy. I spend countless hours working on projects that might not even be shared. I spend hours post-processing. I spend these hours, but in the end, I don’t feel the hours. I just begin creating. I create until I feel fulfilled enough to end my day and begin the next.
The concentration in this flow is unlike anything I can find anywhere else. I block out thoughts and the only thought I notice is create. It’s during these work times that I find clarity in the vision. What do I want this to become?
“This flow state is that feeling of ecstasy.”
Looking at some of the work I’ve done after countless hours in this trance like work state, I feel like I entered into meditation. I don’t think so much on the now but when I get to the end, the conclusion is always surprising.
Nick Beckner Photography 2020
I find to help get in this zone, I need to be ready to sit in my work space. I may begin easing into motivation in other’s works. I sometimes jump right in. Everyone is different. It’s a mindfulness exercise, and getting into the right state of mind is the essential ingredient. I can’t create if I’m worrying about things that happened two days ago, or thinking about things going on around me. I shut down in a sense, and focus on the end goal.
Many people may want to ask us, creatives, whether we can just turn this on and get to work. Your answer may be different than mine, but I would say yes… but it just happens. Like right now, as I’m working on this blog, I am being self aware in my writing. However, I am not focusing on anything but creating this post. I hear nothing. I am thinking of nothing but what I am doing. The flow happens on it’s own and it can be over and two hours passed before I even have the thought to blink. I may be blinking subconsciously, but it’s not on my mind. It’s been ten minutes since I began this post. I sat down. Thought of the goal and began creating. I have no time to self edit myself. It will slow me down and I may chop into the zone with thought.
This flow state, this perfect harmony when things just happen and work gets done, cannot be interrupted by mundane thought. You must just do, and let the zone aid the goal.
“This flow state, this perfect harmony when things just happen and work gets done, cannot be interrupted by mundane thought.”
Sometimes, I feel like it’s a rambling when I write things out this way. For the sake of the topic, and the example, I won’t edit this post. It will be as my brain and feelings write in the moment. In a flow state.
Do you find yourself creating without thought?
Do you sit down to create and realize the work is completed and hours have passed?
Is flow state necessary to be an artist?
It’s been 20 minutes. What’s keeping you from creating something?
Check out my grid on Instagram: @nickbecknerphotography
I have a FaceBook page: Nick Beckner Photography
Links to some books that may help your creative process:
Ansel Adams The Camera: https://amzn.to/39zYrCF
Ansel Adams The Print: https://amzn.to/39z9Anr
Ansel Adams The Negative: https://amzn.to/35NEp6y
Zen Camera: https://amzn.to/39BcpnN
