How to create inspirational and creative photos

[photoguy99]

You need something to say, the rest is technique.

By 'something to say' I do not mean a sentence or phrase that can be written out. I don't mean something deep about anything, although depth is certainly OK. 'Something to say' is essentially a visual idea. A 'look' combined with a subject, perhaps, that feels right, that shows us something.

So noodle on subjects and noodle on 'looks' until you have an aha moment. Until you say to yourself 'yeah, I could try that, that might work'.

By a 'look' I mean something like a visual style. 'High contrast b&w with lots of grain' perhaps.

 

[slackercruster]

Equipment, methods and craft only get you so far. How do you try to get to the next step of creating meaningful, inspirational and creative photos?

Either you got it or not. I'm not very creative that is why I do street and doc work. Even then, a creative eye is important. I try to expose myself to all sort of art and hope to grow better vision and creativity

 

[rexbobcat]

You need something to say, the rest is technique.

By 'something to say' I do not mean a sentence or phrase that can be written out. I don't mean something deep about anything, although depth is certainly OK. 'Something to say' is essentially a visual idea. A 'look' combined with a subject, perhaps, that feels right, that shows us something.

So noodle on subjects and noodle on 'looks' until you have an aha moment. Until you say to yourself 'yeah, I could try that, that might work'.

By a 'look' I mean something like a visual style. 'High contrast b&w with lots of grain' perhaps.

I always thought style be defined by your work and personal aesthetic preferences that show in your work over time?

Forcing a look, especially one hinged around post-processing, seems like it can hinder your creativity and lead you to trying to fit round pegs in square holes.

 

[photoguy99]

But this is how personal styles develop. Or at any rate one path to it. You find a look, or a collection of related looks, that present subjects you're interested in in ways that you like. You shoot those subjects with that look, and there e your 'style'. For now.

Sometimes the visual style really just come along for the ride. Walker Evans and Cartier-Bresson has visual styles defined largely by their equipment and materials and preferred mode of working. They were all about subject and composition. But don't kid yourself - the things they choose to print were the things that worked particularly well within the 'look' they were constrained to.

It's all about the marriage and synergy of visual style and subject. At any rate, that's one way to approach it. Pick one. Find something on the other side that makes it work. It's a path out of the box the OP was asking about. Pick a subject you love. Now strain your brain about visual style, how to present the subject. Or, pick a look and strain your brain about a subject.

Incidentally, there are photographers whose work is defined by their choice of subject, not by visual style. You can probably name a couple, if you think about it.

 

[photoguy99]

To put it another way, any fool can put a round peg in a round hole. 500px is awash in round pegs fitted perfectly into round holes. I think a case can be made for hammering round pegs into octagonal holes and trying to make that work somehow.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Style falls under technique.

What makes an image meaningful, interesting, inspirational...lies entirely with the subject matter.
Any "style" applied will only enforce it (when done correctly).

What makes an image creative...when you assemble or set up the subject matter, rather than capturing what happens to be in front of you.

 

[rexbobcat]

Style falls under technique. What makes an image meaningful, interesting, inspirational...lies entirely with the subject matter. Any "style" applied will only enforce it (when done correctly). What makes an image creative...when you assemble or set up the subject matter, rather than capturing what happens to be in front of you.

Yes, I agree with this.

I've seen a lot of photographers who get into a post-processing/technique groove and they shoot everything like that, even when it doesn't mesh well with the subject matter.

That's why I think it's dangerous to find a look and then wrap your content around It.

 

[Light Guru]

I've seen a lot of photographers who get into a post-processing/technique groove and they shoot everything like that, even when it doesn't mesh well with the subject matter.

That's why I think it's dangerous to find a look and then wrap your content around It.

Excellent comment.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Style falls under technique. What makes an image meaningful, interesting, inspirational...lies entirely with the subject matter. Any "style" applied will only enforce it (when done correctly). What makes an image creative...when you assemble or set up the subject matter, rather than capturing what happens to be in front of you.

Yes, I agree with this.

I've seen a lot of photographers who get into a post-processing/technique groove and they shoot everything like that, even when it doesn't mesh well with the subject matter.

That's why I think it's dangerous to find a look and then wrap your content around It.

I agree too.

Strong subjects can be quite successful images, even with poor technique.

 

[imagecolorist]

Thanks for your quality information that you have given!

 

[The_Traveler]

What a remarkably good set of answers.

 

[bribrius]

Equipment, methods and craft only get you so far. How do you try to get to the next step of creating meaningful, inspirational and creative photos?

can't relate. Not really out to inspire anyone or purposely be creative. I do look for meaning. However it is fleeting and escaping my grasp. Perhaps I am to much a product of western culture and commercialization myself. Or I just have very little to say that hasn't already been said by the multitudes.

 

[The_Traveler]

I don't think that any of us really believe that we can intentionally create an iconic photo that will be meaningful to everyone throughout the ages.
What I hope for is to hone first my technical skills and then my introspection so when I see something that is meaningful to me, I can recognize the important elements that compose it and capture and display it in a way that shows how I felt when I saw it.

I had an acquaintance who was skillful using a dslr but his pictures, for all the technical perfection, were empty and forgettable. He wrongly thought he was being failed by technology so he switched to medium format and film, then 4 x 5 and eventually 8 x 10 film which he had digitized with a flying spot scanner. All that work filled up his life and he persevered but the reality was that his pictures were empty because he was; he thought good meaningful pictures were always a lucky chance and he spent his time chasing something that could be best found within.

The unfortunate reality is that after skills, which are difficult enough to attain, there is creativity and talent. Those can be developed but the seed must be there.

 

[timor]

Forcing a look, especially one hinged around post-processing,

Seems to me, that this is the rage of our times. (With all the consequences .)

 

[The_Traveler]

Forcing a look, especially one hinged around post-processing,

Seems to me, that this is the rage of our times. (With all the consequences .)

The person who is the 200th best tennis player in the world does not worry about how the masses of crappy tennis players play or how they use their equipment. He tries only to get better.
Why should any of us worry or care about anything but being better?