talent |ˈtalənt|
noun
1 natural aptitude or skill : he possesses more talent than any other player | she displayed a talent for garden design.
• people possessing such aptitude or skill : I signed all the talent in Rome | Simon is a talent to watch.

I just read a great article about the nature of talent from http://freelanceswitch.com/. I like his thoughts on the difference between inborn abilities (talent) and the skills we learn as we progress through life. As a photographer & computer programmer I can attest that neither skill is easy. Both require a great deal of work to maintain and grow. However they are both also based upon a foundation of talent that I was born with.

Steve’s argument is right on:

“Those who’ve never truly indulged a creative urge (much less made it their course of study and their profession) tend to assume that what comes out of a designer (or musician, author, filmmaker) comes out naturally, and with ease. I don’t agree.”

I like to think of creativity as a talent. The skills that are nurtured and grown through life allowing creativity to be expressed in a certain medium stem from hard work and a persistent endeavor to grow.