I really love this photo. Taken through the window of my truck while driving down the highway…
Somewhat desaturated but not much else. The offset vignette is due to the window of the car and the sun’s low position on the horizon being so much brighter. Its a great time of day.
Of course, you may have noticed, I didn’t not take the photo. A certain someone did… 😉 Someone – don’t doubt – you’ll be seeing more of.
I took some photos, but none such as this today.
I don’t know, lately I’ve been thinking about the relationship between inspiration and the source of creativity. There’s been a lot written about it.
Now, I have always been told about a person’s “style” as if it is some holy grail of artistic achievement. And that may well be so, but I don’t know if seeking “inspiration” is the way to go about it.
There is a limit to the amount that you can “study” art or photography or writing: when your words or photos or art begins to take on the look of another person. Sure, you can do it in the process of studying… but true artistic expression should be just that: YOUR expression, not the expression of someone else.
The proliferation of photo sites like deviantART or Flickr and graphic design sites touting themselves as an “inspiration website” are inadvertently creating an army of cookie cutter photographers/artists/painters/designers out there. “Creativity” – in its purest context – is being lost.
Now don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for all that. But, in my opinion, its handy to someone getting started and should not necessarily be the thing that drives the project. I have thousands of “idea boosting” photos on my iPad for dry days when I just don’t feel like thinking too hard about how to light a certain environmental portrait. So, that’s not really what I’m talking about though.
I say, strive for creativity ASIDE from that. The time spent pouring over “inspiration” and foregoing the actual work part of creativity – generating it from your own mind – could be invaluable to finding your place in the art world.
BUT: there’s yet another side to this. Of course, there is!
What happens when someONE inspires you? In its purest form, there may be something to be said about this sort of inspiration. Its a source outside yourself that causes creativity to flow forth… and its from you, nobody else, but aided by that other. Coolest part is, they likely don’t even know they’re doing it!
Funny thing, right?
Well, that’s a whole ‘nother ballgame. But maybe I should hold that discussion for another day…
…so stay tuned. 😉
-Noah D.
