What’s Your Creative Archetype? Apparently, I’m a Creator

So Apparently I’m a Creator, Huntress and Sage

I’m sure by now you’ve probably seen those social media posts floating around about female archetypes. The Queen, the Maiden, the Mother, the Mystic, the Lover, the Huntress, the Sage, the Creator and all the rest. They pop up with a “take the test” button, a slightly mysterious graphic, and before you know it, you’re wondering whether you’re secretly a woodland sorceress, a wise old crone, or just someone who really needs another cup of tea.

Naturally, curiosity got the better of me.

Rather than clicking the ad They look a little dodgy and problem just want your money), I asked ChatGPT what it thought my actual archetype would be, based on what it knows about me, my work, my photography, my workshops, my teaching, my slightly ridiculous creative ideas, and the fact that I seem to collect props, fabrics, fake flowers, vintage cameras and “possible future shoot ideas” like some people collect sensible things.

The answer?

Apparently, I am mostly Creator, with a strong side order of Huntress and Sage.

And honestly, that felt pretty spot on.

The Creator part makes sense. My whole world revolves around making things. Not just taking photographs, but building little worlds. A still life setup on the dining table. A moody portrait with dramatic lighting. A vintage carnival character. A flower arrangement that started as “just five minutes” and somehow turned into a whole afternoon. An ebook. A class. A workshop. A YouTube video. A blog post. Another workshop idea scribbled onto a random piece of paper because apparently my brain does not come with an off switch.

The Creator is the part of me that sees a dusty vase, some dried natives and a patch of afternoon light and thinks, “Well, that could be something.”

The Huntress made me laugh, but I get it. There is definitely a bit of hunter energy in the way I chase an image. I’ll follow interesting light across a room. I’ll get up early on holiday to beat the tourists. I’ll drag gear, props, fabric, lights, cameras and half the studio to a location because the image in my head demands it. I’ll chase fog, flowers, autumn colour, waterfalls, costume ideas and that one perfect expression.

Sometimes I’m hunting beauty. Sometimes I’m hunting atmosphere. Sometimes I’m hunting the last decent parking spot near a location, which is less poetic but just as important.

And then there’s the Sage.

That one feels quieter, but it’s definitely there. I love teaching. I love pulling apart the “why” behind an image. Why the light worked. Why the pose felt awkward. Why the background matters. Why your photograph feels flat even though all the technical settings are technically correct. Why moving a reflector six inches can change everything.

I think that’s the part of photography I enjoy sharing most. Not just “here are the settings,” but “here is how to see.” How to notice. How to make choices. How to stop rushing and start responding to what is actually in front of you.

Of course, being told you’re a Creator-Huntress-Sage sounds far more glamorous than the reality, which is often me in black clothes, covered in stray dog hair, surrounded by half-packed props, looking for a prop or battery I definitely charged and put somewhere “safe.”

But I do love the idea of archetypes as a creative mirror. Not as some fixed label, but as a way of asking: what energy do I bring to my work? What keeps showing up in the things I make? What part of myself am I feeding when I create?

For me, it’s imagination, independence and teaching.

It’s the joy of making something from nothing.

It’s the stubbornness to keep chasing the shot.

It’s the deep satisfaction of helping someone else see what they’re capable of.

So yes, apparently I’m a Creator. With a bow in one hand, a notebook in the other, and probably a camera strap twisted around my wrist.

Sounds about right.

Have you ever taken one of those archetype tests, personality quizzes, or “which creative type are you” things? Did it feel wildly accurate, hilariously wrong, or uncomfortably close to the truth?

I’d love to know what archetype you think you are.