(This post first appeared on October 13, 2010)

My sister-in-law, Melinda Camber Porter, lived the most creative life of anyone I have known. She was a painter, poet, novelist, play-writer, & filmmaker. As a journalist for the London Times she interviewed some of the 20th century’s most influential intellectuals and artists living in France. When I last spent time with her, before she succumbed to cancer, I had occasion to comment on the usefulness of letting the unconscious work on problems for a while. The solution often reveals itself, I commented. “Yes, that’s right”, Melinda responded, in her Oxford influenced English accent. That affirmation from Melinda meant a lot!

That is the way it was with my Li River Impressions project. In 2006 my camera and lenses could have been better. That combined with poor air quality, a dark, dreary, and rainy day with photography taking place from the roof of a boat moving down a river resulted in grainy photographs of a special and, to me, exotic place. Initially, I attempted to deal with the photographs by removing the grain. This resulted in photographs with much of the detail removed. It just didn’t work. During the next few years I would try from time-to-time to find another approach that worked. I was never satisfied.

The unconscious kept working on the problem. This past summer the unconscious revealed a solution that led to a result that finally met with my approval. Instead of trying to remove the grain, I should embrace and exaggerate it. The impressionistic photographs that resulted appropriately captured my mood and feelings at the time and place where the photographs were initially made. Much of the Li River Project can now be viewed as a gallery on my website. I welcome your comments about the role of the unconscious in your problem solving and creative endeavors. For me, my unconscious does a lot of good work when I’m trail running. What about you … when does your unconscious deliver?