What If the Secret to Creativity Isn’t Doing More?
“The ability to look deeply is the root of creativity. To see what others miss.” — Rick Ruben
I’ve been sitting with this quote lately.
Not just reading it, but letting it work on me a little—nudging me to slow down, to notice where I’m rushing past the world instead of really engaging with it. Because that’s what this quote is really about: not just seeing, but seeing through.
What Does It Mean to Look Deeply?
In photography, it’s easy to focus on the grand scene—the dramatic sky, the bold colors, the perfect light. Those things draw us in. But some of the most powerful images I’ve made didn’t come from chasing spectacle. They came from stillness. From standing in one spot just a little longer than I normally would. From letting my eyes adjust and my mind quiet down enough to notice something small, something subtle.
A slight shift in tone.
A reflection I nearly missed.
A shadow that looked like nothing at first—until it did.
Creativity Begins with Attention
Looking deeply means being willing to see past what’s obvious. And that kind of seeing—honest, patient, attentive—isn’t passive. It’s a practice. One that can change not just how we photograph, but how we move through the world.
It teaches us to:
- Linger instead of rush.
- Observe instead of assume.
- Engage instead of consume.
How Deep Looking Fuels Creative Work
Creativity doesn’t always announce itself with a bang. Sometimes it arrives quietly, like a thread barely visible on the surface. Looking deeply is how we find it. It’s how we notice the patterns others walk past. It’s how we uncover meaning in the seemingly mundane. And it’s how we begin to say something true through our work—whether that’s a photograph, a piece of writing, or simply the way we tell someone about our day.
Try This: Practice Stillness to Spark Ideas
If we want to create something that resonates, we have to start by noticing what most people don’t.
That’s the gift of deep looking: it turns the ordinary into something worth paying attention to.
So next time you feel uninspired, try this:
Don’t go looking for something new.
Just go looking deeper.
You might be surprised by what’s been there all along.