What is your top source of inspiration in photography?

Every photographer has some source of inspiration that drives them to take the photos that they do. Your source of inspiration is that thing that tells you what to photograph, how to compose it, what equipment to use, and when to release the shutter. Everybody has different sources, and therefore, everybody has different photos.

Accomplishments of Mankind

I’m always amazed at the things we (humans) are capable of. I think people forget how far we’ve come in the last 1000, 100, 10, and even 1 year. Our lives are filled with stuff that was invented and built by other humans. Skyscrapers, bridges, machinery, vehicles, entire cities, and our cameras — all completely unnatural, yet so normal to us. I find this artificial world to be so fascinating, and it inspires me to capture it in my images. The things we know today will disappear and change before the end of tomorrow. I look back at images of our creations from the past, and it helps to give me a better appreciation for what we have today. I hope that some of my images will do the same 50 years from now.

Beauty of Nature

The accomplishments of man are amazing, but nature’s beauty is unmatched. There’s something so pure and innocent about it. Nobody invented it, thought it up, or built it — it just is, it always has been, and it always will be. Sure, things change over time, but that doesn’t make it any less natural. I don’t know what it is about pure untouched nature, but it catches our eye. Beautiful scenes and landscapes are out there waiting to be discovered — and if a photographer is there, waiting to be photographed. You can’t take nature’s beauty back with you to your home, but a good photograph is a close second. Capturing nature in a photo is one thing, but capturing the beauty of nature in a photograph is entirely different.

Other Photographers

I’m a learner — always have been, always will be. If I’m not formally learning in a school system, I’m picking up things from people with a common interest. Photographers inspire me to try harder, try new things, and see things differently. I look though portfolios and galleries, making mental notes of the elements, compositions, post-processing, styles, and subjects that I like. I try to take those things and incorporate them into my own work — not for the sake of copying, but for growth and learning on my part. I also read a lot of articles and blogs about photography. I find these things to be a great source of inspiration when I come across a thought or technique that’s new to me. I usually can’t wait to get out and experiment with these new things. I can only hope that what knowledge I have can be passed on to other photographers through my photography and my writing.

Challenge

I’m so extremely competitive when it comes to the things I’m passionate about — I’ve always been that way. I take challenges and competitions as personal goals in order to better myself in some way. Photography contests are one way I challenge myself. I put my work up against the work of other photographers, in hopes that other people will enjoy my photography. I do it for myself, and by that I mean that I don’t compete using photos that I think other people will like — I use the photos I like. Another way I get inspiration through challenge is to set goals or restrictions on myself in such a way that I’ll have to get unconventional. I might go out for a shoot with just one lens on the camera, forcing myself to find new compositions that I might have otherwise overlooked. I might restrict myself to photograph things or scenes that contain one specific color or shape. In Photoshop, I may force myself to use one specific editing technique, then try to make something of it. Whenever I challenge myself, the end results aren’t always the best, but I usually learn something worth hanging on to for future use.