A Photographer’s Inspiration - Finding Ideas For Your Photography.
The ability to create unique, interesting and beautiful ideas for photography (or any art type) is often the most difficult step in the process.
Some artists seem to pull the most incredible ideas from thin air, resulting in multi-million-pound paintings, award-winning photographs and box-office hits.
Although cutting off an ear for a self-portrait like Van Gogh’s might seem like the perfect inspiration for your work, there are much better and less painful sources of inspiration available all around us.
#1. Different Artists on Behance
Looking to other photographers for ideas is nothing new. Most artists publish their work on social media and so it has become the go-to place for inspiration, guides, tips and tricks.
Listing it top of the list for finding inspiration probably won’t come as a surprise but I think that we should look at the larger picture rather than focusing on your most favoured photographers on Instagram.
Sites like Behance offer an extremely valuable alternative to platforms like Instagram. They’re much more tailored towards art than social, free from distractions and ads and when you spend some time tailoring your feed to more than just photography, it can showcase some amazing pieces by all kinds of artists.
The above is a collection of 30 images by László Brunszkó, no he isn’t a photographer but instead, an illustrator who creates some beautiful pieces which I think could inspire an equally brilliant photography set.
Looking towards artists and creators in other fields for inspiration can translate to beautiful photographs. Illustrators, painters, filmmakers and musicians all create in their way, in their style and with their own stories behind their work. Don’t just copy their work but instead reflect your own interpretation through photography.
#2. Gimmicky Books
Calling the ‘gimmicky’ isn’t fair and isn’t true (for most books) but for a long time, I looked at a lot of photography books and thought exactly this. I couldn’t see how the ideas suggested could fit into my work or that it was aimed at a very small niche of photography that didn’t really interest me or ignorantly thinking “I’m good enough to not need a tutorial book for beginners” which I hold my hands up is stupid but I know many others will have the same thought even if you won’t admit it.
I was gifted the Tate: Photography Ideas Book a couple of years ago. I looked through it a couple of times, the pictures were great but were mostly portraits which I didn’t shoot a whole lot of so never really looked to the book for inspiration. But then I actually took the time to read the book properly and not just look at the pictures I realised there was more to it.
The captions often told a short story of who the artist is and what the idea was behind the photo, how it was captured and what makes it different.
Yes, the subject may be different to what I usually capture but often the techniques, colours, composition or story could all be used in to influence my photography.
On top of the creative methods, I found myself wanting to give other areas of photography a shot (pun intended). I wanted to try different styles, take portraits, tell stories and play with lighting. Somehow I’d let a “Gimmicky Book” give me all sorts of fantastic ideas!
If you haven’t already I massively recommend checking out the Tate Photography Ideas Book.
#3. Photograph Something Different
Jetting off to somewhere like Canada or the Caribbean would probably be the best idea but unfortunately for myself and most, this isn’t always a viable option.
It’s no secret that mountain ranges, palm trees and big city skylines create some incredible images but why?
Besides being beautiful to look at it’s the unfamiliarity that often appeals the most. It’s new to us and what we’re used to seeing but we don’t always have to fly thousands of miles to reach the unfamiliar.
The next town, the next state or even the next room in your house may be different from what you’re used to looking at. You might notice things you haven’t but if you keep photographing the same places and the same subjects they become normal and less interesting.
Here are a few photos I took of some vinyl albums and books in the house, objects I’ve never really photographed before.
They aren’t my favourite photos, I don’t see them as particularly good photos but they’re different from what I normally take and shot in a different way.
I used Canon’s B&W creative filter and the built-in flash for probably the first time on this camera and in the 10 minutes or so I spent taking maybe 20 images in total I started to notice different aspects of the photos that interested me like the way a flash can create dramatic shadows or how black and white images can be really fun.
The point I’m making is that taking a photo in a different way, of something new in an unfamiliar place can not only produce some interesting images but give you ideas of how to capture your usual subjects in a different way.
Or you might just find a new style of photography that works for you.
But if you do have the opportunity to visit a new country, jump on it!
#4. Forget Everything and Do It All Wrong
As photographers, we’re always learning how to take better photos, what camera settings to use, and how to properly light a scene or position a subject, but what if we forgot all that and went back to basics?
When starting out you take a lot of very poor photos, especially when you go back and look at them a couple of years later. But sometimes we come across the odd old photo that we really like. This could be as is or with a few little tweaks in Lightroom and BOOM! you have yourself a new-old beautiful photo.
Going back through old photos can be a brilliant way of not only finding forgotten masterpieces but can also inspire a new piece. You could also try shooting like a beginner again and bang up that ISO to introduce some grain or slow the shutter down to achieve some blur.
If you stick to the same rules you always use, you’ll keep producing the same photos.
We improve as a beginner by learning how to use a camera and its settings “properly” but eventually you’ve learnt the rules and you stick to them. So just like when you’re a beginner learning and improving, keep doing it by experimenting both in camera and in post. You never know when a combination of high ISO, motion blur and little contrast could produce a masterpiece.
You can read more about my “forget what you know” process in my Creativepool feature Here.
See more of these images Here.
#5. Get out of your comfort zone and just shoot!
I’ve always admired street photographers. They’re able to walk around taking photos of strangers without a worry of embarrassment or confrontation.
I’ve made several attempts at this form of photography over the past few years but it never amounted to much. That is, until this weekend.
A last-minute trip took me to York for a day with some friends and as usual, I brought my camera along. The thought was to capture some images of the cathedral however, wandering the old cobbled streets with my friends I started snapping some photos of people I thought looked interesting.
Why I had this sudden confidence boost to take photos of strangers, I don’t know. Maybe it was being with friends, the embarrassment it was bringing to them or simply being quite 70 miles from home with people I was unlikely to see again.
The result wasn’t perfect, they weren’t the best exposed, and high ISO introduced a lot of grain (I did use a flash at times but that was pushing my comfort zone!) but I embraced the grain, went with a mono theme and I quite like the results.
But… getting to the point:
Get out and shoot as much as possible. Shoot cars, people, landscapes, architecture or nature.
Inspiration comes from a creative mind and a keen eye. Shooting more will develop said keen eye and in turn, open your mind to more creative ideas and further inspiration.
I now can’t wait to be back out on the street taking photos of strangers. —there’s no better way of wording that.