HOW DO I
find inspiration? by Sue Watson Bahen, Clickin Moms Mentor
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When we are starting out on our photography journeys, inspiration flows like water. Whether we are just learning how to shoot in manual mode or learning how to see and use light for the first time, we are never at a loss for subjects to photograph. Putting down our cameras is next to impossible and let’s not even talk about the hours spent on our computers learning the ins and outs of photo editing. There is just no end and it’s so very exciting and motivating.
“Inspiration is finding something that excites you.” — George Hebert
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“It is the daily task of the creative to be curious and collect dots. The most creative people I know fill their brains, their idea factories, with as much raw material as they can. They have voracious appetites.” — David duChemin
We devour classes and blogs to feed our appetites to learn all there is to know and then we find ourselves stuffed. It’s like overeating at a dinner party. We are enjoying every taste but then we are uncomfortably full and feel like we can’t eat another bite. It’s easy to overdo it. I am no stranger to overdoing it and have often felt like I have had too much of a good thing. Especially when it comes to photography. These binges inevitably lead to burnout and ruts in our shooting which are terribly concerning to us and very frustrating. We can’t find the inspiration that came so easily to us in the beginning. Time has taught me that these so-called ruts are an inevitable part of the creative process, but I have learned to embrace lulls and to use them to nurture my creative soul rather than extinguish it. And to be completely fair to ourselves, we must realize that it’s not always possible to maintain that intensity as it was when we were starting out. It doesn’t mean we don’t still want to create - in fact it’s that yearning that causes us to feel so upset when we aren’t inspired. We just need to tell ourselves that it’s okay if we aren’t as prolific as we once were. clickinmoms.com
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Take Care of Yourself I have come to accept these lulls as a way of telling myself that I need to focus on other areas of my life in an attempt to find balance. When my life is in order, I have more energy to devote to creating and feel less guilty when I want to create. Try addressing what is holding you back so you don’t feel guilty when you want to indulge your creative side. This might mean cleaning out your office space or the space you use as a studio in your home. Having fewer visual distractions can really help to clear your mind and leave you more open to picking up your camera and creating. Maybe you need to take care of yourself physically or emotionally. Make an appointment with yourself to workout on a regular basis or keep a journal to track how you have been feeling. Of course, creativity can come from an emotional place and expressing your feelings through self-examination can be inspirational and therapeutic. Having a written record will help you develop any ideas you come up with.
“You can clear out whatever obstacles are preventing you from living your most creative life, with the simple understanding that whatever is bad for you is probably also bad for your work.” — Elizabeth Gilbert
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A Change of Location Nothing gets me more inspired to shoot than traveling. Getting away from the same old same old can really open up your creative mind in new ways. I am fortunate to be able to travel quite often and I love being able to photograph new locations. Even if travel isn’t in the cards for you, you don’t have to venture far. I like to be a tourist in my home town. I love to look at my city as if I were seeing it for the first time. I look for new and interesting perspectives of the familiar. Parks and urban settings can provide you with many different photographic elements, such as lines, light, colour, repetition and shapes that you can incorporate into your images to add impact and create work with depth. Also consider visiting a local art gallery. We can learn so much by studying the works of other artists, whether they are photographers or painters and regardless of the genre. We can study how they use light and compose their pieces.
“My life is shaped by the urgent need to wander and observe, and my camera is my passport.” — Steve McCurry
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The simplest and most fun way I find inspiration is to pick up my camera and go for a walk in my neighbourhood. By myself. I have tried bringing my camera with me when I’m walking my dog, but that time is for him so unless it’s my intention to photograph him, I leave my camera at home. I take a Zen or mindfulness approach to my photowalks. I incorporate meditative breathing into my walks and enjoy the sights and sounds. I explore the light and shadows as I wander and stop to take pictures as often as I am inspired to. This Zen approach allows me to slow down and embrace the process of making images. By surrendering to the process and leaving my distractions at home, I can focus on seeing and creating.
“I walk, I look, I see, I stop, I photograph.” — Leon Levinstein
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This is a great exercise even if you are looking for new ways to photograph your family. Look at how people are using the spaces in your neighbourhood. Get out at times of the day that you don’t usually go out at. See how the light differs. You can keep a notebook of any ideas you come up with as you are out walking or take pictures to use as inspiration for capturing your own family.
“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” — Elliott Erwitt
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"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." — William Butler Yeats
Sign Up for a Class I don’t think I was ever more inspired or motivated to pick up my camera than when I was taking a class. This goes back to what I was saying about our appetites to learn. I took dozens of classes during the first few years of my photography journey and each one excited me. I loved having an assignment to shoot for every week. Deadlines can light a fire under us. There are so many incredibly talented and generous teachers who want to share their knowledge and to help you to find your passion. Having the feedback from your teacher and classmates is invaluable in helping you see things in your work that you may not see. Online classes are convenient and let you set your schedule but also look for in-person workshops or classes. Find a photographer whom you admire and sign up for a class if she offers one. Getting feedback on your work from someone you respect and admire feels amazing and is so motivating. Art schools or local photography clubs are great educational resources offering access to equipment such as studio lights which can push you to try something new.
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Get Inspired by Exploring Your Own Work How better to find inspiration than to find it in your own body of work? When I am feeling uninspired it really helps me to look retrospectively at work that I have made. I have created a mini portfolio of thirty of my favourite images in Lightroom. These images range from some of my older work to some of my most recent. I move these images around so there is a flow and they relate to the images around it in the set.
“Photography for me is not looking, it’s feeling. If you can’t feel what you’re looking at, then you’re never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures.” — Don McCullin
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These images don’t have to be technically perfect, but they do have to resonate with me on an emotional level. Sometimes this emotional connection can come from the subject matter or a mood that I have captured. There are images in my mini-portfolio that I vividly remember making. I remember being moved so much in the moment that I was compelled to photograph it. That is being inspired!! There are times when you will just want to document a moment in time regardless of the light or if you have layered elements to create depth, but you will create art if you shoot from your heart. I study each image and make note of things such as how I have used various photographic elements and see if there are patterns in my work. By studying how I use light and compose the elements in the frame, I will be more aware of my artistic vision and be more mindful to look for these combinations when I am out with my camera.
“Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it.” — Salvador Dali
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“The magic rarely happens within our comfort zone, but outside it, on the ragged, scary edge, where we have to fight like hell to keep from drowning in the unknown.” — David duChemin
Start a Personal Project Shooting for a personal project can give your work a sense of purpose which you may find lacking if you haven’t been feeling inspired to pick up your camera. Some popular projects include P365s and P52s. I have done both kinds of these projects in the past and I got so much out of both of them. If you are unfamiliar with a P365, it’s as simple as taking a picture a day (whereas a P52 consists of taking a picture a week). This is a wonderful type of project to start when you are new to photography. I did my first 365 project early in my photography journey. I highly recommend daily shooting when you are learning. You will see your technical skill grow exponentially as the year goes on. Some cautionary words about P365s, they are a big commitment and in my experience of doing almost 3, they can leave you feeling uninspired. There are days when you are so inspired, you can shoot a month’s worth of images. Other days you’ll be lucky to take a picture of your tax bill in a pool of light on your kitchen counter. Don’t let this get to you. Don’t be too rigid with the “rules” and if you miss a day or two
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that’s okay. Just use an image from one of you more prolific days. If you are interested in joining a organized P52 project with others (which you can start at any time), Clickin Moms is a great place to get started! If you are a little further along in your photography, consider taking on a more specific project. You can shoot for a theme, shoot in specific light or shoot for a mood. The possibilities are endless. If you look back at your mini-portfolio, some of the trends you see in your work can inspire a project. One of the wonder things about this type of project is that you don’t have to put a time limit on it, nor do you have to share your project with anyone.
“Vision is that original spark that was ignited within you and made you pick up a camera to capture whatever it is you saw, that made you turn to shout "Did you see that!" only to find no one there--so you created an image to do the telling.” — David duChemin
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Find Inspiration in Books From the written word to photographs that are worth a thousand words, books are a great resource to inspire creativity. There are so many incredible photography books out there. One of my favourite authors is David DuChemin. I love that he embraces the creative process and is honest that not all of his images will be amazing. You may take a series of warm up shot or as he calls them, “sketches”, that lead you to that photograph that you envisioned. He has a way of communicating that feels so personal, like he’s talking to you and understands you. Art books, full of beautiful images are a wonderful way of drawing inspiration from other artists. Seeing work in print form, and not just on a computer screen can make you gain a real appreciation for the artist’s vision. You may love the way a particular artist uses light, colour or slow shutter speed. You can then use that inspiration to introduce some of their methods into your work. Seeing you own work printed may also inspire you to do the same! Make a photobook or print your images or hang your work on your walls.
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Final Thoughts We all go through periods where we find that we haven’t picked up our camera in a long time. It’s disconcerting when we are feeling uninspired. I want to reassure you that this will only be a permanent problem if you let it. Being a creative doesn’t mean you have to be creating 24-7. Picking up your camera is only one piece of the puzzle. Inspiration doesn’t come from making an image. Taking a picture is the result of being inspired. Inspiration can come from many different sources and they all need to be embraced.
“Inspiration is hard to come by. You have to take it where you find it.” — Bob Dylan
Looking for more inspiration? With creativity challenges and contests, tutorials, image shares, and more, Clickin Moms provides an endless source of inspiration for photographers of all levels. Join us at clickinmoms.com.
Sue Watson Bahen Susan is a Clickin Moms Mentor who loves to find the beauty in the ordinary, often overlooked details of life. She focuses on macro, nature and street and travel photography. The mother of two grown son, Susan and her husband, John, enjoy traveling and spending time at their lake house in Quebec when not at home, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada with their boys, Golden Retriever and four cats. Yes, she’s officially a crazy cat lady! Learn more about Susan here.
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