Using other peoples work for inspiration.

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markmjh

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Hi folks,
i'm very new to photography and was wondering where people stand on how you feel on using other peoples work for inspiration?

I have seen some fantastic images on this forum that really make me want to go out and try and capture similar images. But is this just viewed as using the image as inspiration, or is it lazyness for not finding your own original ideas?
 
markmjh said:
Hi folks,
i'm very new to photography and was wondering where people stand on how you feel on using other peoples work for inspiration?

I have seen some fantastic images on this forum that really make me want to go out and try and capture similar images. But is this just viewed as using the image as inspiration, or is it lazyness for not finding your own original ideas?
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Its where you get to not how you got there :)

You need to find what your comfortable and happy wiht.. if thats the same as someone elses style then so be it.. i dont think heres enough different styles for everyone...

But if you follow someone elses style just because you think its good and dont have that feel for it yourself then you wont enjoy your photogrpahy..

IMHO :)
 
I think its OK to use other peoples images as inspiration, as most things have probably been done before, but do try to put your own twist on it and not a straight copy :thumbs:
 
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Just Dave said:
I think its OK to use other peoples images as inspiration, as most things have probably been done before, but do try to put your own twist on it and not a straight copy :thumbs:
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Interesting. I've just watched a program on Rankin reproducing famous hollywood shots.

I don't think it's a bad thing to copy ideas i.e. I'd imagine lots of people have taken a picture of a pier dead centre going out into the water, how many people have copied the venture style white background phtoography?

It's the image you produce and sometimes the lessons learned and the journey to get it.
 
Nothing at all wrong with being inspired by others IMO.
And to an extent it's unavoidable. There are very few of what I would call truly unique concepts and we're bombarded by images all day every day - some are bound to stick in our minds and trigger little flashes of inspiration.

If you're just starting out don't worry too much about your own style, just take inspiration wherever you can find it. If there's something that appeals to you, analyse it, try to emulate the parts that you like and learn from the experience. As your confidence grows you'll soon find your own style and start putting your own unique twist on things.
:thumbs: Far from being lazy, I'd go as far as to say that it would be arrogant to assume that there is nothing to learn from looking at others' work.

Don't limit yourself to just photographers either. There's a lot to be gleaned from other artforms in terms of composition, subject matter and what works / doesn't work.

EDIT : When you post your photos on the forum, if they were inspired by something else include a link or describe it. Talk a bit about what you liked in the image that inspired you and what you were aiming to create.
It will help those offering C&C to be more targeted in their responses to help you :)
 
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Do it. It's the end results that defines the idea, not the idea itself.

I'm a massive fan of looking at shots I see and how they could fit into the magazines I shoot for. Photo mags, car mags, golf mags, MTB mags - they all get a bashing for potentially useful ideas, be it a straight copy (just with a different subject mater), or using the shot's key ingredients, such as lighting....
 
A lot can be learnt in technicalities by trying to reproduce another's style/material and practise is what we all need. In time you will find the style and material with which you are most comfortable and it will be your own.

[someone let me know when I've developed my own style please ;)]
 
Whether conciously or subconciously we all absorb elements of other's work that we see and as a photographer of course you look at every photo you see published - website, newspapers, magazines etc - you can't but help analysing the damn things.

I was watching a film the other day - "Predators" and started to not enjoy it when I realised I'd been automatically analysing the use of the rule of thirds for tight character dialogue shots.

Arrrrgghh!
 
Thanks for the replies folks.
Pretty much what i was hoping to hear :-)
I know it will be a while before i can start to take shots anywhere near the quality of most of the images on here, but i do have so many ideas of things i want to try out once my camera arrives.

SarahLee, i really like the idea of referencing the original image to show what i was aiming for/ inspired by. I'm now going back through trying to find some of the first ones i want to try :-)
 
I will openly admit that I read loads on here and other websites/forums and draw inspiration from others, sometimes looking at their exif data so I have a starting point on settings (well I am new to this), though I normally end up with different settings and view points as I go for what I like.

Drawing from others for me actually has saved me some time, money and effort as I have decided that portraits are not for me, I like seeing some but they don't rock my boat, but what I have learnt is that I love wildlife/nature and also the sky be it clouds or night sky so these are what I plan on spending my time on. I will dabble with others but I know thats not where my heart is, but I still need to learn them all the same.

So drawing from others in my mind is not laziness or anything like that, well thats my take on it :)
 
specialman said:
I'm a massive fan of looking at shots I see and how they could fit into the magazines I shoot for. Photo mags, car mags, golf mags, MTB mags - they all get a bashing for potentially useful ideas, be it a straight copy (just with a different subject mater), or using the shot's key ingredients, such as lighting....
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Funny that. One of the best shots I took of my car was because I started trying to emulate the lighting I'd seen in a shot, then it kinda moved on from there.

shooter560 said:
I will openly admit that I read loads on here and other websites/forums and draw inspiration from others
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So do I and stick them away in my subconscious so to be honest I could well be replicating other shots without realising it.
 
I agree with other posts, inspiration from others is a great learning curve for beginners, hopefully flattering for the original artist and generally unavoidable these days.

I started a project heavily influenced by a photographers work but it ended up with the last shots of the 12 final images being very different as 'i' evolved and learnt!
 
Absolutely. Look at a shot, break it down and figure out how they composed & lit it. Use their techniques whether it be lighting or composition and make it your own. I've learned lots of techniques from still life images that i've sat and had to figure out how they've lit it.
 
I have a collection of images that I use for inspiration, especially those Hollywood shots of the 40's & 50's in B&W. I have a desire to reproduce some work like that for myself.

I often have links to various photographers as well, so when I'm planning to go out and shoot, I often flick through other peoples work to give me that "I have to do something like that" moment. This gives me a clear idea of the shot I want to get in my head.

Steve
 
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