Who or What Inspires You?

[brofkand]

I'm not necessarily looking for a list of famous artist here, although most of us would be lying if we said we aren't inspired by Ansel Adams, Christo, or other artists.

For example, most of my photography is of utilitarian objects; lampposts, bicycles, dilapidated buildings, old storefronts, etc.

 

[Curt]

The 90 year old woman that lives next door, she has more insight than anyone I've known. I found out today that she has Pancreatic cancer and is dying. She didn't even mention it a couple of weeks ago when she gave me a big hug on our way out of town for the trip to Moab. I've known her and her husband for over nineteen years, he passed away in 2000. They built their house when our area was nothing but a forest on the hill over looking town. They remember when our house was built, it was a school house, tall and two story. They lived in their house for over sixty years. Now that she is in the hospital and won't be returning home their twenty year old cat named "Lucky" just sits in the front yard looking for her to go get the mail. It's sad but it's the trip we will all take, no exceptions. It inspires me to "get over myself" and be productive.

 

[brofkand]

Curt,

Whenever I meet older people like the woman you described, I am always astounded at what these people have seen. I can say I remember 9/11 (I was in middle school at the time), but these people, like my great grandmother (about 85 years old) has seen so much more; the Great Depression, WWII, 13 Presidents, and Pearl Harbor.

My girlfriend's great grandmother is 100 years old. She was born in 1908, and thus would remember the Titanic (probably), The Great War, and the building of the town we live in. It is truly amazing, and yes does inspire us of more able bodies to get with it.

 

[Vaughn]

The light...as simple as that.

Vaughn

 

[Jose A Martinez]

The light...as simple as that.

Vaughn

Light and a trascendent subject

 

[Vaughn]

Light and a trascendent subject

Did you mean "transcendent"?

1. going beyond ordinary limits; surpassing; exceeding.
2. superior or supreme.
3. Theology. (of the Deity) transcending the universe, time, etc. Compare immanent (def. 3).

In my case, light itself is the transcendent subject. After all, we do not see, nor record on film, objects -- just the light reflecting off of them.

Vaughn

 

[Andy K]

Who gives me inspiration? Johnny Kennedy.

 

[2F/2F]

Who gives me inspiration? Johnny Kennedy.

Excellent stuff, Andy. Thanks for turning me on to it!

As for what makes me want to shoot: people, places, and things most of the time.

 

[danphoto_]

What make me want to photograph? Sensations I obtain from reality.

 

[Laurent]

Mostly Boats (preferably old enough), Time and it's action on things (especially boats ;-) ).

 

[Philippe-Georges]

If inspiring is leading to encouraging, then, as I make a living out of photography, the fact that I have a family to feed and to take care of, is inspiring me day by day...

Philippe

 

[reellis67]

I find that the hidden details of things really get me inspired, far more than the large view (no offense of course to landscape enthusiasts). It seems like the pace of life has gotten to the point where no one ever stops to observe, and so when I stop to look at the details I often get lost in them. They represent an entirely new world that goes unnoticed much of the time and I just can't get enough of it.

I also am inspired by age, decay, and other related things, but for what reason I can only speculate. It could be the axiom of the impermanence of all things, it could be that decay makes everything unique, it could be that there is just more life in things that are old, or I could just be a dumb ass who likes rotting metal. What ever it is, I like it and it inspires me to draw, observe, think, and to photograph.

- Randy

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

The natural occurrences of wind, rain, sunshine, green leafs, water streams, lakes, clouds, smells, bird song, warmth, cold, etc - but also how humans contradict the rest of nature's creation, almost by purely existing - high-rises, bridges, roads, cars. Some are beautiful, others are ugly, most are harmful to our environment one way or another. Yet we crave them, want them, and in some instances have to have them. It's such an interesting juxtaposition between humans and nature, how we depend upon another all while we compete over the resources like trophy hunters.

When it comes to photography - mood. How I feel when I press the shutter is what I try to convey in the photograph. Trying to make that happen is hugely inspirational to me.

Excellent thread.

- Thomas

 

[nsouto]

Contrasts.
In any combination of colour, shape, texture, lines, form, impact, etc.

Things that look "out of place", or don't "look right", as in visual puzzles or compositions outside the norm.
Weird situations, like folks jumping or in strange positions or arrangements.
Unusual or striking lighting.
Compositions that strongly evoke a completely different feeling from their subject.

 

[mjs]

Sometimes I can stare for hours and suddenly see the picture hidden beneath, and sometimes I'm inspired by a passing glance, the barest recognition after it's gone. Sometimes it's the light, sometimes it's the shadows. Sometimes it's a shape or an outline, sometimes I get close and feel a texture. Sometimes it's a laughing face or a breath of breeze moving a leaf. Sometimes I see a photograph which makes me want to jump up and run out into the world with a camera. Sometimes I realize that it's gone and I missed it and that's part of the game too.

I guess I'm inspired by life.

Mike

 

[mabman]

Overall I'd have to say trying to learn from the works of others (composition, angles, lighting), and trying to see everyday things in new ways. I'm just starting to play with 6x12 - different perspectives like that (and also 6x6) help me to see things differently.

 

[Maris]

Inspiration? The extraordinary wonder of photography whereby we can induce things to make pictures of themselves!

Just think, by placing a camera, a lens, and a sensitive surface in the right arrangement and then opening and closing a shutter at the right time we can catch a sample of what the subject is sending out. That sample is sufficient to cause a photograph.

Even more wonderful is the possibility that these pictures of things, if done well enough, will reveal not only what things are but what else they are.

 

[raucousimages]

The human form. I am not talking only about nudes. It can be a childs face, the figure of a young woman or the wrinkled hands of an old man.

 

[removed account4]

happenstance

 

[sionnac]

Autumn light, kind faces, good company, & my cousins (three women photographers) - we are planning an autumn photo road trip soon.

 

[aparat]

The 90 year old woman that lives next door, she has more insight than anyone I've known.

That's wonderful. I grew up in a culture that respects the elderly immensely and appreciates their wisdom.

 

[manfromh]

Some bands: Metro Luminal and Vennaskond mostly.
It makes me want to capture the atmosphere of their music on photos. No luck yet.

Also jazz is inspiring for me.
Weather. Not sunshine, but clouds, rain, wind, even though I dont realy like wind. Cold and snow is nice.

And of course, other photographers.

 

[Ian Leake]

I'm inspired by people, sculpture and painting, and ideas.

Only occasionally am I inspired by photographers. What I mean by that is that while there are many, many photographers who create or have created great work that I adore, very rarely does another photographer's work inspire me to make something of my own.

 

[Frank Szabo]

Personally, I'd take in the cat as a last favor to the lady.

 

[reellis67]

I'm inspired by people, sculpture and painting, and ideas.

Only occasionally am I inspired by photographers. What I mean by that is that while there are many, many photographers who create or have created great work that I adore, very rarely does another photographer's work inspire me to make something of my own.

That's quite interesting. It seems to me that most people tend to be inspired by other photographers, or at least that's how it appears in Internet forums, yet there have been only one or two photographers who's work inspired me to do something new. As you stated, I am really moved by a number of photographers work, but they don't really inspire me photographically, so it is interesting to hear someone else voice similar sentiments.

- Randy