How to Use Photography as a Source of Artistic Inspiration

In my opinion, photography is an art, and creativity comes in many forms, but the most important one is the art of storytelling.

There are countless ways to describe this, but I will start off by painting a picture in your head. Imagine looking through your photo albums, filled with beautiful landscapes, portraits, or pendants of anything you love to imagine – and each photo speaks volumes about the story behind every still.

A single powerful picture can give birth to new ideas, along with fresh perspectives when a viewer looks closely at the artwork.

These words might sound absurd, but I would like to critique how art can speak – Art has the ability to invoke emotions and transport time. An artist can use a photograph to capture a warm morning or highlight a moment in a person’s life where emotions run high.

the mastery of photography is not limited to portraits or scenery – Otherwise, away from the camera, I can only see an artist in a painter, or a digital artist, or even a writer.

Creativity can come in many forms but what fascinates me the most is how photography can turn chaos into beauty – And nothing ever needs to feel fast paced when you have the option to take a moment and appreciate everything around you.

The Importance of Photography in Our Daily Lives

As a form of art, photography has a unique and strong emotional appeal.

Consider the last time you viewed a picture that made you feel something whether it was joy, nostalgia, or sadness.

Photography has a great deal of emotional force in it.

An example would be, for instance, the time I came across an interesting black and white image of a little girl with a wide smile and wide opened eyes.

In that brief moment, I was sucked into her world, visualizing her laughter and the ambience of a bright sunny day.

It made me think about my childhood with all the ‘no worries, only play outside’ time, and this thought brought a notion of a sequence of paintings which speaks about these two emotions: innocence and joy.

Strong words, which many including great photographer Steve McCurry, use while trying to describe the photos they have taken.

One good example is the girl in Afghan portrait that was taken by him.

Just one image can speak volumes about the struggles of a young girl, hope, and life.

Such instances can trigger new stories, subjects or simply provoke the creative side of the artists.

Photography freezes time and highlights those important instances that we often overlook in our day to day life.

A picture of a sunset, wind blowing through the trees, or a smile from a random stranger can all generate novel concepts.

The important thing is to be able to notice that, and let those happenings stir us in some way – a new picture, a story, or a composition.

Techniques to Use Photography for Artistic Inspiration

1. Experimenting with Different Photography Styles

With regards to photography, the possibilities are endless.

It is possible to describe photos as having an average of 15–20 distinct genres, each possessing an individual viewpoint and emotion.

The opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the world through now capturing an individual’s landscape or appreciating their portraiture is limitless.

Consider the case where our focus turns to macro photography for instance.

This is a genre within photography that allows me, as an example, to observe stunning details everyday objects that people overlook: A petal’s dew drop or an old piece of tree bark.

This particular aspect serves as a motivator because it so often goes unseen. It gives birth to an awe and a sense of admiration urging the artist to create something that depicts the various unheeded magnificence in life.

Or consider the wide variety of candid images that can be created using street photography.

There was a collection of street photographs I was once going through which had pictures of interactions, some people were laughing while others were surrounded by children or even alone enjoying quiet moments with themselves.

These images gave rise to e ideas of a short story series that documented the simplistic lives of ordinary people going about their day to day lives.

Not only does incorporating different photography styles give you new perspectives about the art world, it expands your creativity to a level that you didn’t think was possible.

2. Building a collage

Out of the many techniques for finding motivation and getting inspired in photography, one of my top go to strategies is constructing a visual mood board.

It’s like putting together a jigsaw puzzle of your thoughts and feelings, which can be quite gratifying.

To begin, collect visual references that speak to you.

They could be pictures which you have taken, pictures downloaded from the internet or even pictures cut out from magazines.

What is crucial, is to pick images that raise or evoke emotions or themes which you intend to include in your art.

Next, organize these photographs on a board or an application.

Don’t hesitate to combine different styles, colors and subjects.

Allow the images on the collage to get in touch and interact with one another.

For example, if I am developing a concept about time, I might insert an old clock, a wilting flower, and a toddler frolicking in a field.

These collages can influence a several paintings or stories about growth and change.

Last, use the collage as a reference during your creation stages.

It will be a reminder of your focus during the artwork and the feelings that you are trying to express.

Is there a mused direction that you have envisioned for your project? Have you tried creating a mood board? Work on ensuring that your artistic focus remains lauded by all.

3. Preparing for an Engaging and Unique Photo Walk

Why do this when you may ask? The answer is quite simple – it allows you to go around your surroundings while also capturing beautiful pictures.

It’s basically a casual walk with a camera while seeing the world with a different eye – figuratively speaking, of course!

You just need to choose a place, take your camera and start walking about – simple enough.

Such excursions are extremely stimulating regarding creativity and its flow.

While aiming to capture specific scenes, other beautiful moments are often overlooked like the way sensible light glows through thick foliage, patterns on a sidewalk made by shadows, or even humorous snippets of people.

Once, on a Saturday afternoon, I went on a photo walk to my neighborhood.

At first, I was not confident; I felt I was a traveler in my own place since everything felt new.

Then came the charming picturesque sights of colourful artworks on roadside walls and quite adorably dogs in the park, the love for them inspired me.

Almost instantaneously, I felt an avalanche of inspiration a torrent of elation fill me.

The once ordinary faces and people out in the streets that I walked through now seemingly held intriguing and creative stories.

As I have completed the walk, I can say that I also had some great ideas for a few paintings based on city life and society as I got amazing shots.

The well-known photographer and visual artist Gregory Crewdson is talking about his photo walks and the meaning he puts into them.

That is why, according to him, swinging the door and going out to stand in one particular place and then work on necessary ideas makes him relate to the stories his work is going to be about.

As for Crewdson, the actual distance covered in the process of even the simplest activities like movement becomes an important part of the imagination leading to those images that become his trademarks.

4. Looking at and analyzing the pictures

Looking at and analyzing pictures is one of the art techniques that has the power to open up so many doors on how to view your work in a different light.

This is because a photograph can speak about its angle, color, focus, and other vital elements that one may have ignored that contributes to its beauty and appeal.

Begin by choosing a picture that flash you.

The first element to look is the layout, what is the layout, where and how the image is taken.

To better understand the compositional techniques used, take into account the rule of thirds, which divides the frame into nine imaginary sections, placing critical elements along these lines.

For example, take a look at the famous black and white photos of the seasoned Ansel Adams.

In the picture “Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico”, the moon is slightly off-centre. This placement allows the eye to traverse the whole of the scene while simultaneously achieving equilibrium between the breathtaking sky and the earth beneath.

Moving on, consider the next aspect which is color.

Color can enhance feelings and emotions and affects the mood of the photograph.

For instance, Steve McCurry’s “Afghan Girl” has vibrant red and yellow clothing which starkly contrasts with her green eyed gaze and extends the emotion in her expression.

Next, focus on the subject of the image.

What can the image convey?

What are the feelings you can draw from the image?

This is significant because it enables you to appreciate the artwork in a new dimension and motivate yourself for your own artistic works.

One of the great things is that when you look at the work of Dorothy Lange, “Migrant Mother” one gets to appreciate how people lived during the great depression and gives rise to reflection on thoughts of hardship and survival.

It is important to comprehend the manner in which photographs should be analyzed, seeing as this increases your understanding of the art form as well as your own creativity.

5. Engagement with the Photographers

Whenever artists and photographers work together, magic happens. Their collaboration leads to different projects as they work on a unified vision.

The collaboration process is definitely exciting, starting from the seeking of photographers to the incorporation of unique artistic styles.

Imagine being able to build on ideas with others and how much further you could go.

I would like to share an experience from my past, when I was working with a friend who is a photographer. We were working on the theme of identity.

She painted imaginative self-portraits, whereas I did some art that reflected the pictures she had taken of me.

It was satisfying as both of us gained insight to the techniques and visions the other possessed.

My friend’s abilities to grasp the finer details of her subjects helped me create paintings that fitted my subjects better.

The artist David Hockney and the photographer Stephen Shore also provide an excellent example of a successful artist photographer collaboration.

Since Hockney is known for painting vibrant large pieces and he often pulls inspiration from photographs and Shore has an eye for the details in everyday life, the two are a great match.

This resulted in art that could be thought of as paintings but expanded into photography and challenged the norms of both art forms.

Through collaboration, they are able to come up with new ideas and concepts that can enable them to create art that has a larger appeal.

It serves as a reminder that usually a viewer of an artwork is not the only one, with most art being collaborative, there is an incorporation of many perspectives.

How to Overcome Creative Blocks Using Photography

Most artists go through a slump where, no matter what they do, they are unable to come up with anything new or original. And when creativity blocks them, it can feel like there is a thick black cloud covering your art.

I do believe every artist has to face such a scenario at some point or the other in their life. Nothing motivates them to engage in an act of creativity and makes everything they create feel off.

While there could be any number of reasons for not being in the right head space, there are a few activities such as photography that could jumpstart your enthusiasm.

Here are a few tips that can help you when you’re stuck up in the slums.

Hold a Daily Photo Competition with Yourself:

Every day, take out your camera or use your phone and take at least one picture of whatever you see. The aim is to capture something new each time even if it isn’t a breathtaking shot.

After each week, you will come to notice that even the basic components that make up a larger whole are worthy of time and attention.

There was a time, for instance, when nothing seemed appealing to me. Hence, one fine day, I decided to take pictures of the coffee I drink daily from the mug to the designed table cloth.

Within a week, I was able to use the pictures to create a painting reflecting a bold idea focusing on daily coffee drinking routines and its importance.

Challenge Yourself to Take Pictures for Specific Themes:

Seek out photo competitions on social media or in your city and join in on the fun.

They’ll compel you to look at things in a fresh perspective forcing your brain to come up with unorthodox ideas.

A while ago, I participated in a 30 Day Photography Challenge and I remember how each day had its own theme such as reflections, and textures or something else.

I cannot emphasize enough how those prompts influenced me to search and sort of see just ordinary objects in an entirely new light.

Alter Your Location:

Doing the same thing over and over can be boring so this is where changing your location comes into play.

Buy new themes; take your selfie stick to a new park, an art gallery, or even a new street market.

These new environments will provide new subjects and angles which you can consider to bring out that creative juice which you might have left unutilized.

This is exactly what happened to me when I visited a local botanical garden.

I was experimenting with the close up shots of the flowers and with the particular way the light hits them and I felt inspired to work on Resheba, which is a body of work containing nonlinear depictions of those vivid colours and patterns which I found.

Work With Other People In The Arts:

Working with other artists is very energizing because it allows you to think in an entirely different manner.

Set up a photo walk or set up a collaborative idea which involves a project where you exchange thoughts and ideas.

I recall a time where I partnered with a friend of mine who happened to be a photographer.

Content is everything. Before we did anything, our goal was to take portraits of our town. Whenever we talked, we formed our own pictures and ideas in our heads which made our individual works richer than they planned.

It’s a known fact that photography can introduce a person to a wider variety of perspectives.

FAQs

What types of photography can inspire different art forms?

Each style of photography has distinct aesthetics which can be transferred to other forms of art.

For instance, focal still lifes might motivate a novelist to focus on character formation. While imaginative works such as photo portraits can make landscape painters strive towards colors or moods.

In the same view, images with a more abstract focus might breed interest in changes in shape and transformation in designs within the digital realm.

How do I utilize photography effectively in my art?

Including photography in your art might be as simple as having your artworks reference photos.

For instance, one can have a photography session as part of their creative process, towards coming up with ideas, or having mood boards, or even capturing certain moments that Spark ideas for the work WIP.

Collecting images that interest you excites your imagination hence actions regarding the created pieces will be made after looking at the collected work.

Can you name some famous artists who are known to have influenced other artists through their works?

Definitely! Ansel Adams and Dorothea Lange are both artists and photographers who are known to be widely filled with emotion in their works.

Landscapes by Adams are well admired by painters and landscape artists while portraits painted by Lange urge her to delve into social issues through art.

Cindy Sherman draws attention through her identity and gender roles and inspires artists. How do you reconcile photography with daily routine of creation?

Well! It would help if you started by drinking small amounts. Spare some minutes of each day just snapping pictures of stuff that awakens the creativity gens in your head.

You could have a specific day where you pick the camera and start taking pictures. It could be a stroll in the park or just an adventure in your neighborhood for starters.

As these creative rages come and go, you will find them to be productive in the long run. They will add a new level of dimension to your work and thus always serve as a source of innovation.

Conclusion

Practice photography- it might turn out to be the game changer in your world of creation.

Photo}\-graphing can spark your imagination in a lo of ways, from practical ideas like photo journaling to collaborati6ng with other artists.

I would suggest you to give it a go and see how it turns out. It is highly likely to help you in ways you cannot imagine.

Let us know your experiences, techniques you prefer or any breakthroughs in the comments section below.

United we stand, divided we fall. Let’s help each other out!

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