What keeps you inspired?

[dennybeall]

I have no talent! Creativity is something I'd love to have, but don't. I've enjoyed photography for over 50 years and made money from it off and on for over 40 years but "inspiration" comes when it comes.
My job is to just keep moving and looking for something to show itself. On Sunday it was a Heron fishing in the surf at New Smyrna Beach. Who knows what it will be today, tomorrow or whenever????

 

[photoguy99]

My brain is somewhat numb to inspiration in the context of conceptualizing photos based off of the media of others. Some of it is because much of the stuff is out of my league (because of skill and/or resources)

I think you're selling yourself short here. I've seen your photos and you appear to be fully in command of your equipment.

"This very specific concept has been done to death, but I'm going to do it anyway because it'll get me lots of likes on Facebook, but psssst don't tell anyone because I'm going to act like it's because of my brilliant, creative mind hahahahahaHAHAHAHA please like me."

No thanks.

Preach it, brother!

I think you sell yourself short a lot. You're stuck in the no-man's land between "commercial, marketable, photos people will want to buy" and "but I want to make photos that satisfy *me*" and I think maybe you need to find a way to resolve that. Can you do both? Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, commercial stuff that looks like all the other Senior Sessions. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, try to find a way to express something intense and personal.

I dunno, maybe it doesn't work that way. Maybe things get muddled up.

 

[jsecordphoto]

Seeing my photographer friends' work, seeing other people's work, going to new places, learning new processing techniques, trying new types of photography. I rarely lack inspiration, just the funds to travel to places I want to visit

 

[SoulfulRecover]

Seeing my photographer friends' work, seeing other people's work, going to new places, learning new processing techniques, trying new types of photography. I rarely lack inspiration, just the funds to travel to places I want to visit

Im right there with you on all this. One of my friends from high school is a talented photographer and he has the ability to up and travel as he pleases which makes for some great work. I am happy to see him succeed but at the same time its discouraging because I do not have that option in my own life.

I always enjoy seeing the work from my peers no matter what level they are

 

[rexbobcat]

My brain is somewhat numb to inspiration in the context of conceptualizing photos based off of the media of others. Some of it is because much of the stuff is out of my league (because of skill and/or resources), but it's also because I'm trying to steer away from being too blatantly derivative.

"This very specific concept has been done to death, but I'm going to do it anyway because it'll get me lots of likes on Facebook, but psssst don't tell anyone because I'm going to act like it's because of my brilliant, creative mind hahahahahaHAHAHAHA please like me."

No thanks.

The only problem with this when you're not very naturally creative is that most of the stuff you produce is very uninspiring within itself. So instead of feeling like I'm conquering my own insecurities about my worth as a photographer by doing something that I think is unique to the current photographic climate, I end up creating **** so painfully bland and seemingly uninspired that I question why I'm even doing it.

So I guess what I'm saying is that my drive and inspiration come from the constant existential anxiety that I place on myself.

And I don't mean that as something positive.

edited to shorten and because my language was horrid.
huh. Are you attempting to go pro is that why the stress? I dont really think too much about it. I could be on the opposite side of the spectrum as you.
I just kind of do what I do? I usually have a camera with me.
concentrate mostly on family pics, local area. Pretty straight forward these are my most valuable (though simple and boring pics) valuable to me?
I would wonder why with such anxiety you even want to do this ? And if you are trying to be unique why you cant just be yourself? Instead of worrying about justifying you just be you? Or justifying your photography just do what you want? Instead of trying to be something else?

To be honest, I don't really know what I want.

 

[mcap1972]

Taking on a new personal project.

 

[minicoop1985]

What keeps me inspired? This is gonna sound fanboytastic, but honestly, what gets me out or in my studio most is my Hasselblad.

 

[Rick58]

I really don't know. It's hard to explain. Unless your feeding your family with it, photography isn't logical. I've been doing this for a long, LONG time and I have photo's that have no value, other then to me. These days I don't even have a "photo" to hold in my hand. It's just data on a hard drive that no one even cares about...but me. I think the drive just has to be in your blood.
The other day I was sitting around talking photography with my dad, who got me into this hobby, and he asked why 95 precent of what I do is B&W, when today it's not necessary. Back then B&W darkroom work was cheap compared to sending out color film for processing. Again, I didn't have an answer. It's just something I "feel".

 

[imagemaker46]

I'm inspired by my own work. The day my own images stop giving the inspiration and drive to do better with each shoot, is the day I stop shooting.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I can't imagine not being a photographer, sometimes my camera feels like an extension of myself and taking pictures seems like the most natural thing in the world to do.

Of course there were lulls but I remember somewhere along the way knowing that I'd do something with my photography, I just didn't know yet what that would be. There's still more that I want to accomplish so I keep plugging away at it.

 

[The_Traveler]

There are several things that drive/inspire me:

I have a lot of opinions and I love to be able to illustrate my preconceptions with photography - Demonstration against police brutality - Wash DC, Dec 13,2104 | Photography Forum
I love to create assemblies of people, forms, things that come together to mean more than the parts.- Black lives matter | Photography Forum
I love to look into people's faces and try to understand what is going on. We are just as human | Photography Forum
​

 

[slackercruster]

Inspiration?

A great project, successes with placements or a fantastic shot.

 

[slackercruster]

I can't imagine not being a photographer, sometimes my camera feels like an extension of myself and taking pictures seems like the most natural thing in the world to do.

Of course there were lulls but I remember somewhere along the way knowing that I'd do something with my photography, I just didn't know yet what that would be. There's still more that I want to accomplish so I keep plugging away at it.

Yes, it is sometimes tough when you have no outlets and you produce year after year with no real use for the work. I go through ups and downs myself.

 

[slackercruster]

If you shoot digital there is not much to leave behind, just a hard drive and prints that will fade

Inkjets don't fade much.

Dye Stability Fade Tests for Color Imaging Media

OK if you put them in the sun they will fade over a year or two. In the dark they will last centuries. Become a museum photog and you will have your work conserved for a long time.

 

[paigew]

Light keeps me inspired. Connections and stories too.