It is a creative diversion transform moments in time into visuals. I once read this wonderful article and have been amazed with the comment that photography is a great form of art. It can indeed be thought of as a motivational and captivating ‘tool’ for people who practice storytelling.
Take this for example, искусства, open any album that comprises of stunning scenery to fancier portraits and abstract focuses like said portraits and get this. Take a guess and everybody will have their own range of commentary on the photos taken. One image one commentary literally what is said and how it is articulated clearly makes sense.
So imagine as we are talking about photographs and photobooks how wonderful it would be for us to broaden our mind and be changed by the world around us and get okay in actually understanding the artistry behind photography.
In particular, think of the examples that arise from the relationships that exist between art and public speaking and (or) creative video marketing. There are graphic designers, for instance, who maybe would like to present soft colours in their photographs and print designs that are based or focus on the light in the sky at dawn.
Indeed, it is of greater significance to let writers encounter a snapshot of an event rather than a pre-scripted scene because writers create stories from real-life incidents and would then capture the essence of painting it on a canvas.
In our today’s world that has become greatly chaotic and at the same time very fast, photography allows the artist once in a while to calmly evaluate the situation and after that capture the moment, that might provoke him or her to create something beautiful.
Why Photography is a Powerful Source of Inspiration
Photography is an art that can touch one’s feelings.
Try recalling the last time you came across a photo that filled you with a happy memory or even a sad one.
The feeling attached to a photograph is highly valuable.
For example, I once got the chance to look at a photograph of a black and white background in which a little girl was staring with her eyes wide open while wearing a big smile.
At that moment I closed my eyes and imagined her laughing on a hot sunny day, and to me that was more than enough.
It made me remember my childhood where I used to remain outside all day in an attempt to play as much as possible, in turn giving me inspiration that lead to a sequence of paintings depicting a message filled with freedom and happiness.
A majority of artists, starting from the famous photographer Steve McCurry, use the pictures they took as a source of creative material.
This is best illustrated by his photograph of the Afghan girl with green eyes.
The amalgamation of all parts of the photograph depicts a story filled with struggle, dreams, and envisioning a life in the midst of chaos.
To the artists, all those visuals are only fractions of a time outside their minds that can not only serve as a great source of storytelling but can help them explore new concepts and ideas.
A photo of a setting sun, the trees in motion or a random person smiling can lead to greater ideas.
The secret is being mindful and allowing such instances to stir up something in us, be it a new painting, a new poem, or even music.
Techniques to Use Photography for Artistic Inspiration
1. Trying Out Various Styles Of Photography
In terms of Photography, you have the world in your reach.
There are genres upon genres that you can try out each differing in ways to suite every single one of your emotions.
Be it portrait photography in which you can capture the personality in a person or even landscape photography which makes you appreciate even more the beauty’s nature has to offer.
A perfect example would be genre macro photography.
This is where you zoom in on a dewdrop or even the bark of an old tree allowing the “mundane” to become beautiful.
Such intricacies can awaken a sense of amazement and curiosity within you, and they can motivate you to produce art that underscores the beauty hidden beneath the details we frequently ignore.
Or think about street photography, which depicts day-to-day urban life in an unposed and non-commercialized way.
There was a collection of street pictures which captured everyday people: children having fun, people laughing and even the times when you were simply alone.
This textured photography drove ideas for short stories about every day lives of people, about how they lived their regular lives for certain periods of time.
Trying out various photography techniques will not only enhance your comprehension of visual art but will also assist you in finding new areas of creativity.
2. Making a visual mood board
Making a visual mood board is among my top strategies that enable me to draw creative energy for photography.
It’s like piecing together a mosaic of your thoughts and feelings and it’s very satisfying to do so.
First of all, collect diverse sets of images that have something that speaks to you.
These can range from images you have captured, sourced from the internet or even cut out from newspapers and magazines.
The most important issue is to choose the photographs that instantly stir up specific emotions in you which you wish to portray in your work of art.
After that, try to fix these images on a board or a certain digital medium.
Do not hesitate to combine styles, hue and of-course subject matter.
Let the photographs talk to each other and create relationships.
For instance, if you are developing a concept story where the theme is time, you could add the picture of an old clock, a dried flower and a kid playing in the garden.
All these pictures combined creates a theme for a series of paintings or even stories about growth or change.
Last but not least, reference the mood board whenever you’re working on your artistic project.
That feeling is all wrong you can mix your feelings and artistic vision together and that will work well as a team for you.
Its evident that making a mood board is not just for fun, this allows us to retain some insulation and keep the ideas at bay while also providing direction from the inception.
3. Taking a Photo Walk
Photo walk is an exciting approach to discover your immediate environment while taking photos that resonate with you on an imaginative level.
It is a gentle and informal walk, using a camera to capture the things that pique your interest in the world — literally speaking.
In a nutshell it is a very simple concept: select a place, take your camera and go for a walk.
This activity can spark up your creativity in very interesting ways.
In this context, engaging in such an activity lets you explore more around you and invite accidental details such as how sunlight breaks into branches, how shadows imitate draped suits onto the pavements, or how people animatedly connect with each other.
It was one Saturday afternoon, I recall, that I preferred to take a walk but didn’t want to be on strands, especially on the weekdays where I had work closer to my place.
To begin with, it was like being a traveller in my own city and with everything coming together I had difficulty deciding what to concentrate on. But there was something extraordinary when I began to photograph everything, from a graffiti on the wall to dogs in the butterfly park. I took it all and more.
A wave of inspiration swept over me.
People who were walking by had stories on their faces, and the common things started to appear beautiful.
At the end of the walk, I can honestly say that I had not only taken a few pleasing photographs but also grabbed the idea of some paintings based on community and urban life.
Humanity and society are the two specific subjects that generally feature in Gregory Crewdson’s work. He is a famous photographer and a documentary writer or a visual storyteller.
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Crewson also stresses the importance of accompanied photo walks and considers them to be an indispensable part of his work routine.
Even for instance, notice Creawdson pleasent in the shadows along the wall coast lines and with a strong move, he takes few steps closer, into the united states. and for him every road, every step and every turn is a discovery.
4. A Critique Of A Monograph. Descriptive Phrase Display Phenomenon.
Photographs, however, perform multiple functions – in particular they tell visual stories. Analyzing and deconstructing Photographs, on the other hand, is a useful tool that will assist stimulating your thoughts and reflection on your work.
When you take time to analyze how text complements the image, for example, how it includes composition, color, and subject matter, and why at all these elements exist the photograph is likely to be very insightful and informative.
You can begin by choosing a photograph that is of interest to you.
Consider the composition first.
How would you explain the way the image is framed?
You can remember the rule of thirds which states that horizontal and vertical lines is imagined to divide the frame into three making a 9 zone grid. The most important elements in the image should be lined up with these lines or intersections.
Let’s take Ansel Adams’ black-and-white landscapes as an example.
In “Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico”, Adams captures the moon slightly to the side and along with it draws gazes onto the aerial and terrestrial parts of the image.
After that, do not forget to focus on the colors depicted.
Color can also help set the intended mood and emotion of the picture.
To illustrate, in Steve McCurry’s ‘Afghan Girl’ the color of the girl’s dress, which include shades of red and yellow makes those emerald eyes stand out more and thus enhance the strength of her gaze and the emotion on her face.
Finally, let’s take a closer look at the content.
Every image tells some story does it not?
In response to these questions, what feelings the image arouses you with
This is very helpful at a different level of understanding of the work and thus can also be an inspiration for another work of art.
To put it differently, Dorothy Lange’s ‘Migrant Mother’ is an example of an artwork which deals with emotional and human struggles during Great Depression and thus makes us think about resilient human nature during harsh times.
Most importantly, devoting time to photo analysis would help you understand the art form even better and help with your creative process.
5. Working Hand in Hand with Photographers
When artists join forces with a photographer, the outcome can have an exhilarating effect that can give birth to new projects that integrate disparate artistic ideas. When photographers join hands with artists, they combine out-of-the-ordinary¿s with out-of-the-ordinary, something that deepens the work of art. Cross-functional synergy exists in so many aditudes as one of the most thrilling sections: the conjunction and juxtaposition of ideas. Once, for instance, I had a joint project with an excellent photographer where we had decided to sojourn the subject of identity. She did a marvelous job clicking impressive portraits of the subjects whereas I interpreted the photographs in the form of beautiful paintings. Indeed, it was greatly reciprocating when both of us were able to exchange our techniques and visions of the process. Since my friend had a latent talent to portray the subtle details of a person, it enabled me to execute paintings of those persons which were closer to reality. Hockney and Shore’s collaboration has produced a number of successful and complex projects that transcend boundaries between genre’s of photography or painting. Hockney is renowned for his colossal pieces which are bright and usually incorporate layering of photographs, those meshes well with Shore’s critical insight in simple day to day activities. Together they have managed to produce a series of exciting, interactive pieces of art that combine traditional painting using computerized imagery with much of photography. Their bodies of art reflect new ways of seeing things and new ways of doing things that appeal to wider circles than those that appreciate ‘pure’ these or that art forms.
It reminds us that since art is fundamentally a social activity, it cannot be created in isolation.
Ways to Break Out of a Creative Block While Photographing
Most artists will agree that when you hit a creative block, you normally find it hard to communicate your ideas.
I still get those moments when I can’t find an interesting idea worth exploring or anything I make just isn’t clicking.
While stuck I have realized that photography works well to unstuck my blocks.
Let me share with you a few simple ways to utilize photography so that you can get the creative juices pumping again:
Photo Journal it:
Carry a camera or your smartphone at all times and ensure you take one photograph a day every single day.
You do not need to always produce a creative work of art; all you need to do is capture what is surrounding you.
Little by little, you’ll realize just how even seemingly mundane things can stir you to think of concepts for bigger things.
I recall being particularly devoid of inspiration.
I decided to film my coffee rituals, from pouring coffee into a mug to the prints on the table.
At the end of the week, I had a bunch of pictures which gave me helpful ideas for a new painting about everyday rituals and the little things in life.
Themed Photo Challenges:
Venture out across your city or online to take part in the photography themed challenges while staying in tune with your creative side.
These challenges can encourage you to view your environment differently and fuel your imagination.
Back in time, I used to take part in a 30-day photo challenge, where every single day was based on one particular word/element, one day was based on “reflections” while the other was on “textures”.
It was fascinating to see what a difference these prompts made to my perspective on various daily items and tasks.
Engage With New Settings:
At times a simple change of setting can work wonders.
Try out a new park or an art gallery, even a busy street market with your camera equipment ready.
These new settings would allow you to practice your photography while simultaneously allowing your creativity to breathe and grow.
Stalactites and stalagmites during my trip to a local botanical garden facilitated a mental change for me.
Looking at colors, patterns and the light rays me made me feel the urge to paint a collection of Chaotic Art Painting that I attained.
Engage With Your Fellow Artists:
Working with other creative artists can be a major motivation boost.
Initiate a photo walk or a photo project where we can change ideas and motivate each other’s work.
I had a friend who was a photographer and I worked with him once.
Our primary concern was to portray the values of our city, and whenever we discussed our ideas and concepts, our distinct pieces were improved and enhanced by such dialogues.
It’s fascinating how photography can encourage the desire to think differently.
With these simple recommendations, you can reach out for your camera when you feel stuck and need to find your inner artist again.
FAQs
What styles of photography can show different types of art other than photography?
Different photography styles can evoke various feelings and ideas which can suggest other forms of art.
For instance, portraits influence writers to look into their character building while landscapes spark off painters to think in terms of colour and mood stimulating techniques.
Information gained through abstract photography can help in digital art where shape and composition changes are the order of the day.
How to effectively use photography in the process of doing your artwork?
Use of photography in the artistic process can be giving images as an example of how to take photos of things that one intends to do.
With a visual autobiography in hand, it becomes effortless to create something new. So be sure to take a current selfie and add it to your collection.
Are there specific photographers whose work is known for inspiring artists?
Of course! People like Ansel Adamson and Dorothea Lange are often cited as artists whose work elicits emotion from the audience.
Adams’s impressive landscapes are said to serve as motivation for graphic painters as well as landscape specialists whilst Lange’s inspiring portraits tend to push artists to address social issues in their paintings.
Like Sherman in her direction, modern photographers help artists nowadays through investigating identity and gender, thereby creating new topics and challenges for art.
How can I start integrating photography into my daily creative routine?
This is a big task that is best started small! The first step would be devoting a couple of minutes in a day to photography this essentially involves taking pictures of objects that jump out at you.
Alternatively, set aside a couple of hours a week during which you can do panorama or any exercise recording for instance long periods walking around the park or simply strolling about your area.
After a while, these creative activities are noticed by your artistic schedule, thereby providing you unlimited creativity.
Conclusion
Add to this a photograph that you consider beautiful and tell us why because this is a central work.
Practicing photo journaling and teaming with other artists as well as engaging in unique challenges can foster creativity within a person and photography can do exactly that.
Please consider using photography to nurture your creativity.
Having the questions mentioned in the title, feel free to comment your favorite tools and methods, or share an inspiring experience.
Let us serve as motivation for each other!
