Inspiration. Creativity. Vision. Style.

Every artist, whether a painter, sculptor or photographer gets inspiration from everything around them. I believe our heads are always swimming with ideas for creating something new or capturing what we see in a new and interesting way. As a photographer I often look at my surroundings as I do from the viewfinder. Thinking about lighting, depth of field and how I would I would frame something.   We also get inspiration by looking at the works of other artists. My Facebook newsfeed is filled with the images of photographers, I peruse the photography Pinterest boards and my email inbox is filled with various photography newsletters. In the past month I’ve found myself overwhelmed with the information of Photoshop actions, editing information, prop sales and feeling as if I don’t have everything I need. I need to buy actions, I need to buy more props, I need to buy more backdrops.

Then yesterday, I had an “aha moment”! I was helping my little sister pick a photographer for her wedding. I am familiar with both photographers work as I follow them both on Facebook and their blogs. Both are talented, both have a similar creative eye, where they differ is in their editing.  One is more natural, one is more dramatic. We both agreed we liked the more natural better. And I realized, that is me;  that has always been me and has always been my vision. Capturing my subjects in their natural surroundings, in their vulnerable moments, in their natural interactions with each other – that is my vision, my style.  I like natural light and I feel it produces the most natural images. I like simplistic. I love finding places, buildings and interesting objects to use as backdrops for my photo shoots. That is my style.

That being said I also like to try new things and I like to offer my clients options, but I am not going to stray too far from my style and my vision. I do have studio lighting and backdrops so that a mix of natural light and studio light can produce great shots for the long winter months of Montana. I prefer to use this for small children only. I feel strongly that family photos and larger groups are done best in an outdoor setting . I like using props, in the right setting and when they don’t overwhelm the subject, but instead brings out their personality or adds a bit of interest to the image. But I also like the simplicity of  black and white of the subject alone, capturing the emotion in their eyes.  

So I think today I will peruse through my own images. Take inspiration from myself, before I let others get into my head. To remind myself who I am as an artist!