As a photographer, how important is inspiration for you? Inspiration is defined as “the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative”. In order to be stimulated or motivated to continue taking pictures as a photographer, it requires inspiration. This inspiration can come from inside yourself or it can come from outside sources. It partially depends on whether you are a self-motivated person or not. Some people find when they get into photography that it is something they are very passionate about. Those who are passionate about photography will generally capture more artistic shots that show off their creative side. Although their photos are not always a hundred percent technically sound, the creativity of their photos makes up for that.
For others, picking up a camera for the first time is exciting because they like to learn. Technical photographers will usually be better at technical aspects of photography, such as following compositional rules and using common photography techniques. This article discusses more in-depth about the differences between artistic photographers and technical photographers. For each type of photographer, we’ll take a look at how they can find inspiration to continue pursuing photography.
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Artistic photographers often have a very defined and unique “style“. Their photos have a certain type of “look”. This is what separates them from other photographers. For example, the photo above was taken in a very minimalist style. The composition of the photo shows that the photographer took a lot of time thinking about how to compose such simple everyday items to make an interesting photo. Because creativity is not really something that can be learned through textbooks, it can be challenging for artistic photographers to improve if they don’t continue practicing. Only through practice does an artistic photographer reach their full potential. As an artistic photographer improves, they will find that they will be able to find more and greater photographic angles and compositions that other people simply cannot.
The most exciting thing for artistic photographers is finding inspiration because it can be tough to find. One of the recommended ways for an artistic photographer to find inspiration is by looking at professional photography. This can be done on social media, online, or in photography books. It is a great way to develop your “style”. When you find a photo that you like, try to emulate what you like about the photo. It may be the unique lighting, interesting composition, or eye-catching colors. Whatever it may be, learning to imitate different styles is a great way to diversify your skill set and increase your range of ability. Another way to find inspiration is through shooting as much as you can. Take whatever opportunities you can find to take lots of photos as you go about your day, travel the world, and make memories.
Technical photographers are a vastly different type of photographer. These photographers will always focus making sure the technical aspects of the photo are correct. Their general rule of thumb is that if a photo is technically correct, then it has a good chance of being a good photo. Technical photographers love learning about photography, starting with simple things like the compositional rule of two-thirds and eventually learning about light metering and lens construction. This knowledge helps them to understand the science behind what is happening when the shutter is clicked. For this reason, they are able to accomplish some amazing feats and reach the full potential of whatever equipment they have.
As a technical photographer myself, I sometimes find it hard to find inspiration. Part of the issue is that technical photographers sometimes feel like there isn’t any more to learn. But honestly, that cannot be further from the truth. One way some technical photographers find inspiration is by acquiring new equipment, such as new lenses. This encourages them to learn new techniques and methods to use their new equipment. Another way to find inspiration is by going on photography field trip with a photographer who is willing to take you under their wing and teach you a few new things. Finding a new aspect of photography to learn is how technical photographers are motivated to continue taking pictures.
Happy shooting!
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