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09/03/2003 07:47:57 PM · #1 |
It's a really good question. Where do you get your inspiration from?
Everyone at work knows I carry my camera everywhere I go, so today I walk outside at lunch and one of the girls I work with asked me where my camera was. It was inside at my desk safely tucked away. Suddenly I found myself racing inside to capture this image that she pointed out to me...
//www.usefilm.com/image/202060.html
It is actually the sun reflecting in a puddle after 3 days of rain. It almost looks like the moon. Everyone at work knows I will photograph anything of any interest and this was just one of those occassions so the real question is do you allow others to share ideas and to inspire you to take photos when least expected? |
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09/03/2003 08:09:06 PM · #2 |
This may be a bit off topic, some how related in my mind,,,
Also, how do you look at the world?
I realized after starting to get serious about improving my technique that I've always viewed the world around me in Macro mode.
I rarely look in panorama mode, for lack of a better way to describe it.
I focus rather intensely on a point or singe object,, I don't see the forest for the trees is another way to put it. I see each tree,, but rarely look at the forest as a whole.
So for me, to get back on topic, my inspiration comes from a point of light that catches my eye. (not a literal point of light but a part of something that draws my attention)
Does this make sense?
I have, I think, a good global sense. But that is not what incites me to art. I rarely express my politics or spiritual views in art, if I do it is usually disguised. There is the occasional blatant work, not often though.
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09/03/2003 10:12:41 PM · #3 |
I gain a lot of inspiration for photo's from the mood I'm in at the time. I look at things in certain ways in different moods, and that translates into my photos I think.
I find that if I can increase the severity of my mood my photo's are better, by watching particularily powerful movies, or listening to really powerful music or reading a powerful piece of literature I can really enhance my mood, and therefore enhance my ability to capture a certain mood in my photo's.
Lee
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09/03/2003 10:18:32 PM · #4 |
This question is at the heart of a lot of my thinking, too.
I have no answer, only a thought.
I've noticed that many of my shots are conceptual rather than visual. That is, at their basis, is some idea. The resulting visual realisation is often unsatisfactory. Perhaps it can be said that inspiration can come from anywhere, but recognising the difference between something that you think should be interesting from something which does look interesting is a difficult hurdle for a beginner to leap.
My last two entries, the recorders and the abstract, were both inspired by some desire to play with shapes and light. From this basis, I set up the scene and played around with a number of possibilities. My mistake was that at no time did I even think that any resulting shot would look bland or incomprehensible. All the time I was thinking rather than critically looking.
At DPC, the winning shots don't require much thought to look at. They're simply great visual works, eye-catching, impressive, appealing. The eye that captures such scenes isn't aiming to make us think, on the whole, just enjoy.
Before I return to any conceptual shots, I'm going to spend a lot of time analysising those factors which make shots work (here or anywhere else). I'm going to see what conditions are present and how to recognise those conditions. I'm going to build up a mental list of 'workable' subjects, of lighting conditions, of angles, of compositional factors, of.... what else... I'll have to do the analysis first. But first and foremost will be the training of the eye.
I fully expect that good solid study will reap its own reward in the development of inspiration. I'll keep you posted. |
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09/03/2003 11:16:49 PM · #5 |
The poet say, the muses are fickle.
Two ways to proceed: chop wood and carry water.
Don't take off your dancing shoes.
I say, don't wait for guests who won't show.
But if you entertain yourself, what harm in sharing?
I sleep with my camera.
:-)
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09/03/2003 11:38:28 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by zeuszen:
I sleep with my camera.:-) |
I'm tempted to ask which f-stop you need, an f1.5 or an f22, but I won't because that would be rude. LOL.
Don't take this seriously.
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09/04/2003 12:42:59 AM · #7 |
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09/04/2003 02:11:41 AM · #8 |
My love of photography started with an issue of life magazine from the late 60's and grew with each copy of national geographic that I could get my hands on. My inspiration is the need to capture and share the extraordinary moments that I am lucky enough to witness. I cannot create art.... it's just not in me. I can, however, try to capture art as it unfolds in the world around me.
I abandon photography for a long time because my results never met my expectations. Now desire has overpowered frustration and I am making another attempt to capture photographs that will communicate and have impact.
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09/04/2003 02:32:55 AM · #9 |
It's a rare occassion when someone else sees something I might be interested in photographing. I'll be driving down the street, and the way the clouds are brightly lit up from the setting sun will catch my eye, or something like that.
Stretching onto sslickk's topic, I've noticed I'm more comfortable shooting macro shots. I've always loved to look out into big valleys, mountain sides, etc, but I've realized that I'm not as capable shooting those. At the time, I'm examining every last detail of a cliff face; how the light casts shadows, the coloration, the perspective, and the scale. Somehow, I can't seem to capture (to my eyes, at least) all of those aspects. A picture I take of a most magnificent cliff face is only a cliff face.
Koriyama,
I've noticed that a lot of my ideas are just ideas. No matter how clever I think they may be, it would take quite a lot of work and know how to make it an appealing photo. A sign of a truely great photographer is that the pictures are pleasing at first sight, but continue to pull you in the longer you look at them (even some of the simplest, with simple shapes and colors get me staring at them).
Message edited by author 2003-09-04 02:38:07. |
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09/04/2003 04:13:53 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by maranelloboy:
A sign of a truely great photographer is that the pictures are pleasing at first sight, but continue to pull you in the longer you look at them (even some of the simplest, with simple shapes and colors get me staring at them). |
I couldn't agree more.
Let's emphasise the point that they 'continue to pull you in'. That is, they are, initially, eye-catching, too.
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09/05/2003 12:13:31 AM · #11 |
Originally posted by Koriyama:
I couldn't agree more.
Let's emphasise the point that they 'continue to pull you in'. That is, they are, initially, eye-catching, too. |
The example of this (at least in my eyes) that comes to mind most is kiwiness' Zero Spot Editing shot:
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