July 02, 2004
Skinning cats

creative perspectivesWhen faced with a creative challenge—or even a mundane one— I devise a list of 10 ways to face the quandary. I end up with the usual, obvious answers and some off-the-wall notions, but there’s always one line in the list that will work.

There’s more than one way to skin a cat and making a list proves it.

For example, let’s say the task at hand is to photograph merchandise so that it can be sold on a website. We’re talking logo t-shirts, totebags and coffee mugs—dull, standard products—but the company is fun and creative and wants to bring that across in their online shop. What to do?

  1. Take standard studio product shots
  2. Photograph items in locations around the shop/office/city
  3. Photograph in a film noir style
  4. Show happy people using the products
  5. Create 360 degree views (Quicktime VR?)
  6. Show alternate uses (i.e. ferns in the coffee mug, t-shirt as towel)
  7. Combine product shots with manga-style mascots
  8. Use the products as screens over nude women ala “Calendar Girls”
  9. Don’t photograph at all—use drawings instead
  10. Photograph details but not the whole product

By the time I reach ten, I’m usually ready to add more, and often do. But starting out with a set goal of ten gets me past the usual ideas and into the realm of creative thoughts.

Try it, you’ll see what I mean.

Posted by kuri at July 02, 2004 09:02 AM

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