The Helsinki Bus Station Theory
I must read the Helsinki Bus Station Theory at least two or three times a year. It’s an important piece of work that every photographer, artist, writer or any other creative person should be aware of. It could also be argued that the theory applies almost equally to business and life in general as it does to creative pursuits.
The theory originates from a speech given by Finish-American photographer Arno Rafael Minkkinen at the New England School of Photography in June 2004. Long before I became familiar the Helsinki Bus Station Theory (and long before it was published) I had held a similar view about sticking to my guns with what I do. I use it as a form of affirmation should any disillusionment, as it often does, set in. Which is at least two or three times a year it would seem!
Minkkinen sums up the need to stay true to yourself far better than I ever could. So, here we go. Welcome to the main Helsinki bus station…
Some two-dozen platforms are laid out in a square at the heart of the city. At the head of each platform is a sign posting the numbers of the buses that leave from that particular platform. The bus numbers might read as follows: 21, 71, 58, 33, and 19. Each bus…
