igniting inspiration

 

 

Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant, there is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks.    -Johann Gottfried Von Herder

Inspiration is an interesting thing. There's no telling when it will come. Sometimes we work for it or actively seek it out. Other times we unknowingly stumble upon it.  Whatever it is and how ever we find it (or it finds us) it is necessary to our work as creatives; as photographers.

I recently took my first trip to the acclaimed Palm Springs Photo Festival in search of inspiration. My only regret? That I didn't take advantage of more of what they offered.

I can't tell you how inspiring it was to hear an entire panel of photographers (both emerging and well-established) speak on how shooting your passion is not only what matters most, it's a must to land the job. And guess what? Even photo editors of our favorite magazines search for the photographers whose passions are expressed in their images. Of course a ton of work goes into it too but when you're doing something you love, the work, although still work, can sometimes feel more like play. Or something like that. Just ask Ryan Heffernan about that kind of shoot.

Later we heard the story of how one photographer's journey began when he discovered (quite by accident with the help of a broken mirror) that he himself was the subject he was meant to shoot and how that realization launched a 40 year career in self-portraiture. His work is incredible.

The inspiration didn't stop there. There were all kinds of things both anticipated (like how friends can be magic) and totally unexpected (like how palm tree and windmills can be totally enchanting). Good company and new surroundings can work wonders for creativity!

For the rest of this month we are going to celebrate inspiration for our One Word Project. We are asking you to share what inspired you most through your images this month! Illuminate us! Shoot your inspiration and in return we'll be giving some inspiration away throughout the month too!

Today’s offering? A spot in my workshop at Teahouse Studio in lovely Berkeley California. Friends, photography, tea? I can't think of any more inspirational than that! Leave a comment here between now and Saturday night at midnight EST for your chance to win.

 

Now, show us your images of inspiration.

...........

Congratulations to Lea for winning the spot in Tracey Clark's photo workshop at Teahouse Studio. Woot!

Comments

[kamana]

i am low on inspiration today. very low.

[Chantal]

My inspiration... wow, that is more difficult than I thought...

[Marcie]

All sorts of things have been inspiring me lately. Sometimes it's simple color and shape and form:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/home/2011/4/7/this-bottle.html
Other times - it's rhythm and rhyme:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/home/2011/4/6/the-audition.html
Sounds like the Palm Springs Photo Fest was a wonderful experience!

[Becky]

love inspires me every day!!!!

[Kat]

Your description of the festival sounds wonderful. As does photography and tea, too bad I'm not anywhere near Berkeley! Count me out of the drawing.

But a discussion of inspiration, count me in!! I find my inspiration changes over time, but of late it's the textures of back alleys, and what I find waiting there...
http://www.kateyeview.com/2011/04/following-dream.html

[Kathryn]

Birds have been my inspiration these past couple of months as I've tried to capture them in flight.

http://dychedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/04/whats-blossoming-reverb11.html

http://dychedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/03/in-flight.html

[Puna]

I am inspired by all of the blooming around me this spring. I love all the flowering trees . . .

http://lifesignatures.org/wordpress/2011/04/april-7-the-beauty-surrounds/

[meredith winn]

thank you for this post today. it's rich with so much link love, this is inspiring, like gathering information to carry me into the future of now.

[OliviaIrene]

I, too, am low on inspiration. I have been on spring break from school all week and have had the camera out twice--and the photos I did take are still on the memory card. I am searching for that passion once again.

[Anna]

The Photo Fest sounds like it was wonderful. Thanks for sharing!

I'm inspired by a whole variety of subject matter, but it's color, value contrasts, and composition that make me want to capture the moment.

http://vandemarkdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/04/moment-in-time.html

[ccap]

I think lately (probably due to the long, cold winter) I've been mostly inspired by colour:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/betsyblue/5599598530/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/betsyblue/5511189004/

[beth]

i'm not sure if it's the grey that spring has yet to stomp out yet or what, but my inspiration has come from shooting in black and white.....not converting to black and white, but shooting in it.....it has brought me enough joy that i started another blog just to house those photos....here it is.


http://simplyexposed.blogspot.com/

oh...and to win a space in your class....well that just might feel like heaven right about now.

[Jen]

So much inspires me! The first photo in one of my recent blog posts features my parents, the setting sun, and the beach - I find all those things inspiring!

http://jenniferkrafchik.typepad.com/jennifer_krafchik_photo_b/2011/04/starbursts-photography-tips-and-tricks.html

[Katrina Kennedy]

My inspiration arrives in a daily, sometimes unexpected way. So often I'm inspired by the twinkle in my son's eyes and the smile on his face. I'm inspired by the greens in my garden and the tiny details of my life.

http://captureyour365.com/2011/04/my-year-in-review-cy365-blog-hop/

[Lola]

It seems that my inspiration changes from day to day sometimes it's my youngest child and at other times it's a flower in my garden.

[Claudia]

What inspires me most is that first ray of morning sun. I'm always up before sunrise, and seeing that first bit of light crack through the darkness always inspires me to pull out my camera and shoot.

[lee-ann]

Today, peace and quiet is inspiring me. It's been a moody blue kinda winter/spring...frantic grasping to get things done when you really don't feel like it is exhausting! So today, with nothing I HAVE to do, I'm flaking out and enjoying it.

[Kimberly]

Inspiration is an amazing thing, isn't it? It is what drives us to do more, gives us that boost we sometimes need to move forward, and brings out the best in us that sometimes we didn't know we had. I find that I am always looking for inspiration and am blessed to have found so much - especially online through other incredibly inspired people who share their art freely. And yet, even they are in need of inspiration - isn't that wonderful? It is definitely something we all need in our lives!
xx

[Judith]

It was color that got me through the interminable winter; and now that we've visiting in Arizona, it's LIGHT:

https://berkshireviews.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/arizona-geometrics/

[autumn sun]

I am inspired by the blooming beauties around me. each day i look forward to getting home from work and walking around my yard with the camera.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/5587089299/

[Kathy Jones]

My inspirations come from reading and looking at all these fabulous photos. Learning from this blog, Kim's and many more photography blogs. Also nature inspires me, mainly because they are coroporative subjects...LOL. The more I learn...the more inspired I am, so I'm looking forward to the photography tips. Unfortunately, I can't be a part of the class as much as I'd love to.

[Abigail]

My inspiration is knowing that no matter what happens, the sun will rise in the morning, and tomorrow is new day. =]

[jamiesolorio]

Inpiration. For me, it seems to change often...one day it might be my children, then the next light, or other peoples art/images. I would LOVE to win a spot in this class! Thanks for the chance and I will seriously have my fingers crossed!

Here is an image that I caught after being inspired by a young artist Makaylah Fazzari of Redding, CA.
http://jamie-solorio.blogspot.com/2011/04/inspired-by-makaylah-fazzari.html

[Chrissy]

My children inspire me everyday. They are the reason I started creating keepsakes with scrapbooks and being more active with my camera.

[sarah w.]

Inspiration -- the fact that spring has sprung all around me...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/galphoto/5546953708/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/galphoto/5588362611/

which only means that the weather will be getting nicer soon!

[Jeannine]

Inspiration for me lately is morning sunrise/sunlight - the way it is hitting all the plants, flowers, trees. I am loving it. I am just not really good at capturing what I am seeing or what i want to show everyone. The morning sunrise brings such a sense of peace - just knowing it is a new day to begin and see what comes my way.

[Lisa Goldman]

Inspired by the tulips & California poppies that are showing up all over right now.
Fingers crossed for your lottery pick! :-)

[tracy carlton]

Today it is the sun on the very late in the season snow this morning. Everything SPARKLES! And that right there is transformative. Joyful. Magical!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/indigomoone/5600768875/

[gisele]

Sometimes I realize I have a voice I didn't even know I had. Usually this happens during editing. I do this or that to the picture and suddenly it changes and it has a message, and I think to myself - did I do that? Certainly not, that's inspiration.
Here's one where the epiphany moment knocked me off my chair:
http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/59307543@N03/5489845418/

[Heather Mills]

I get inspiration from seeing persistence in pursuit of a dream. The trick is to capture that in a photo.

[Cherie]

I think spring is inspiration with all the new growth around - changing almost daily.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/colopyfam/5600678543/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/colopyfam/5595781159/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/colopyfam/5586946105/

[kimberly/tippytoes]

The sun and emerging signs of Spring. It's full of hope and its own sort of magic.

[claudia]

wow, really just taking time to "see", doesn't always mean there is something "photo worthy" but just appreciating the beauty around me!

[lea]

count me in for the contest, just up the highway in pinole and the workshop sounds amazing!

I usually find inspiration from other photographers and artists, i always feel like i'm striving to improve my work when i am moved by images and work that i admire. i was just kicking myself this morning for not bringing my camera with me, but ended up snapping this shot with my iphone and ended up pretty happy with the finished product.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/iamlea/5602396392/

lea

[Winn]

Challenges inspire me, as I feel I've hit a wall with photography and need more instruction, more learning experiences.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/koreenphotography/5598707930/


Also, my son inspires and challenges me with his antics and faces.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/koreenphotography/5584902587/

[Deirdre]

I'm not really sure which of my photos symbolize inspiration, as maybe all of them do to me? I can't take and/or share a photo unless I am inspired in some way. So I just posted to tell you how much I adore this photo, Tracey!

[LaLa]

Seems like I am like a LOT of other smart and tallented photographers who have already commented completely INSPIRED and ENRAPTURED by SPRING .
oh SPRING SPRING SPRING
The flowers, the sunlight, the beauty!
http://whichwayishomeagain.blogspot.com/2011/04/can-you-believe-it-people.html

[Ana]

When I stop and explore all that's around me , I always find inspiration. It may not always be a BIG occurrence but a simple one that speaks to me in a special way. I'm inspired because of those moments and something magical is always revealed causing me to love,create and give more because of it.
P.S. All of you sisters are so talented in your expressions and I ofen find inspiration here and for that I thank you! xo

[Chelsea]

It really is interesting that inspiration can sometimes hit us right in the face and other times it seems to hide. And I love when inspiration is found in totally unexpected places!

[Kristina]

Colours, smell and sound - Marrakech is full of inspiration!!
http://le-fabuleux-destin-de.blogspot.com/2011/04/marrakech-souks-i.html
http://le-fabuleux-destin-de.blogspot.com/2011/04/marrakech-djemma-el-fna.html

[saanvi]

Not only inspirational but also interesting one.
http://greatpicx.com/great-attempt-think-big

[Jolynn]

I am inspired by other's photos and I wonder if I'll ever get to that level. I have so much to lean about my camera and how to process the images I take. People tell me that I have a great photo eye. Sometimes I wonder though, are they just being nice? I have a full time job and lot's of life stresses. What I really want to be able to do is take photos and have the time to learn how to properly.

[Candice]

I just found this website and would like to pose a question for all. I am looking for a camera that would help inspire me to carry it everywhere. It should be easy to use and maybe have some creative filters. Does anyone have a Canon SX210 that they have been using? I've been trying to narrow the field but can't decide. Any tips from all of you? Thanks.