Hello dear reader!
Welcome to another issue of this newsletter. This week I want to talk about creativity, and how important it is to keep our eyes open. Creativity doesn’t happen in isolation; it needs inputs, sparks, and small nudges. To break up the text, I’ll include some photos I took recently.
In this issue:
- Fostering creativity
- Staying open to inspiration
- Recommendations
- Photos
Creativity rarely appears from a blank slate. It grows from everything we consume: books, conversations, architecture, meals, walks, films, and the small things we notice without realising it. For me, keeping the eyes open means being curious, inviting new information into my day, and letting those inputs quietly shape what I create.
Lately I’ve been leaning into this. Reading more, watching thoughtful videos, walking new streets, and even tasting new dishes. All these experiences become part of a background process that slowly transforms, mixes, and resurfaces ideas, colors, or textures. Below are some of the creative outlets that have inspired me recently.
Newsletters
Quantum of Sollazzo — by Giuseppe Sollazzo
A weekly newsletter about data journalism, visualization, tools, tutorials, and AI. I have been following Giuseppe for a while, and his newsletter is a great resource for everyone working with data and software. As a creative, I like as it provides me with new tools and resources.
Ridgeline — by Craig Mod
Short reflections on walking, Japan, literature, and photography. Craig’s writing slows you down and it’s a good reminder to take everything with time. Give it a read!
Process ☼ — by Wesley Verhoeve
Thoughtful notes on photography, the creative process, and making work with intention. Always a good read to improve my photography and creativity workflow.
The Crop — by Neil Scott
A weekly newsletter using photography as a way to understand the world. It mixes images, commentary, and references in a way that widens the field of view.
Monochromatic Aberration — by J. Battaglia
Minimal and atmospheric, with a focus on mood and observation. It encourages seeing the world in quieter tones.
Books & Magazines
Things Become Other Things — by Craig Mod
A meditation on change and transitions. Through the book Craig narrates his life, and the walk he is doing. I’m still reading the book, and has become in one of my favourites.
Driven — by Susie Wolff
Sussie Wolff narrates her story in motorsport, from the beginning to driving a F1 car. It was an inspiring read.
Unreal Shibuya — by Miyamoto Ryuji
Photographs that capture the disappearing fragments of Tokyo. Urban textures always spark new visual ideas.
frayme magazine
A beautifully produced indie photography magazine. I discovered it on Instagram and ordered their two available issues. It is a great outlet and source of inspiration.
Food & Experience
Good food can be unexpectedly inspiring. A plate is, after all, a composition between flavor, textures, colours, contrasts, and a bit of storytelling. Recently I’ve experienced a few things that sparked ideas visually and conceptually.
A small, intimate restaurant where dishes are crafted with precision. The plates reimagine the traditional Italian food, and allows to discover new approaches. It was a good reminder that tradition can foster innovation.
Seasonal, inventive plates presented with a calm aesthetic. The kind of place where each dish feels like a small study in balance, and as part of a big story.
Chiostro dello Scalzo (Florence)
A quiet cloister decorated with monochrome frescoes by Andrea del Sarto. The restraint of the colour palette, combined with the detail and softness of the drawings, is deeply inspiring. The frescoes were made along multiple years, showing the transition of how he mastered the technique. Inspiring to see his process.
Ingredient Networks as Culinary Fingerprints of World Cuisines
A fascinating scientific paper—co-authored by my Ph.D. advisor Federico Battiston—mapping how ingredients interact across cultures. It shows cuisine as a network of connections, which is a beautiful metaphor for creativity itself. Inputs combine, transform, and create something new.
Walking and Experiencing Other Cities
Last weekend I went to Florence. Walking through a city that holds so much history is already inspiring, but seeing architecture by Brunelleschi in person adds another layer. The proportions, light, and geometry are a masterclass in design.
Staying inspired is an active choice. Reading, walking, tasting, exploring—these are inputs that keep the creative engine warm. Each new experience becomes raw material, waiting for the right moment to turn into an idea, a photograph, or a project.
What’s something that has inspired you lately?
Thanks for reading. See you next week.
Luis