Many people get into the business of photography because they enjoy the creativity. They love the chance to express themselves thru their photographs, their prints, their "artistic vision". Other people get into photography from the technical side. In the days of film it was the appeal of chemistry, or the mystery of the dark room work that drew them. In the world of digital photography it's often the technology person who loves to play with the images on the computer.
Regardless of why a person gets into photography, there comes a time when they need help finding some inspiration. How do you keep from letting another assignment be "just another assignment"? How do you find the beauty and uniqueness in what you need to photograph?
I like to share the lesson that my high school photography teacher taught. A good way to develop a creative eye is to limit the tools at your disposal, and to focus on one subject for a while. The example given was to go out into the desert (this was Palm Springs High School). Once out there, take only a single fixed lens and find a plant or flower that might be an interesting subject. This is the hard part: spend a full hour taking photographs of that subject. Try all kinds of angles. Crop the image one way, then try another.
This really does work. Before long you understand how your lens can determine the image's look and how your camera's distance from the subject will change the story in the photograph. I find this helpful when I have what I consider a boring subject to photograph.
Often times I'm hired to photograph the setup of a corporate event, the decor before a party starts. But when I show up all I see is a few flowers on the tables and some lights on the wall. It doesn't inspire me at all. This is especially try when the previous job was something very extravagant. So what do I do? I hear my teacher's voice telling me to think of the basics.
The basics in photography are light, color, contrast and composition. So I pull out my favorite lens (the lens really does make a difference) and start looking thru it. Since I like flowers, I get up close and find some nice form. I try different composition and angles. Sometimes the light is different on one side than another. As I back off I might find a way that the flowers on the table relate to the scene in the rest of the room. Maybe the stage is lit in a way that compliments the flowers. Or maybe I can angle the photograph so that the stage and table tell a story of what the room felt like. Before long my time is up and I feel like I just barely started. There is so much more to photograph!
It all comes from going back to the basics. Thinking simple. Breaking it down to small parts then before long, inspiration will come!
Palm Springs photographer Rand Larson specializes in photography for Corporate Events, Weddings and Interiors. His work can be seen at http://www.morningstarproductions.com
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