i think it's great to find your own voice, I will say that I think everyone does so in a different way. For me looking at beautiful images and then either researching to find out or experimenting to find out how the photographer created those images helps me to have a better understanding of the art as a whole. For example, knowing that keither carter shoots only medium format film and uses some really interesting glass to create some of the really odd focal points he does. I compare it to learning to play music. very few people pick up a guitar and start composing their own songs. Most learn to play by replicating the songs of others and eventually they have enough of an understanding of their instrument to create their own music, for some people this happens relatively soon, and some people take a lot longer, and a few, of course, never write their own music.