What inspires your photography?

[mfreesto]

I love hearing about what inspires others in their photography. One thing that inspires me is special events. I love to capture moments that won't ever happen again. They might be happy or sad but important in my life. Another thing that inspires me is seeing an amazing photograph taken by someone I admire. You?

[JPS]

Hi Matt,
Thank you for asking a very interesting question.

My interest in Photography came as I got older. I would sit thinking of my childhood and how the area I was brought up in used to look and how it has changed over the years. For instance, the house where I was born was demolished many years ago and even the road itself has partly been changed, with buildings now where the road was.

All I have now is memories; as I have no pictures, I’ve tried the Local Library; Newspapers; Historical Society but all to no avail. My aim is to record places in my area and as and when buildings are demolished record the before/during and after pictures. Once these things have gone, if they are not recorded they are gone forever.

The picture below is one I managed to obtain and is exactly as I remember it as a small boy. Now long gone; in fact, it now the 'Dockland short take-off and landing airport', in London.

How things change.
Sentimental I know; but that’s me I afraid.

[Mike Buckley]

Fascinating historical perspective, John!

There is only one reason that I am inspired by photography: Great photographs move me, so I'm happy to be an avid photographer hoping to produce my own moving images. I'm very lucky that the entire process of studying the history of photography, planning what, where, when and how to capture an image, doing the post-processing and, finally, cataloging my and my wife's images is invigorating from beginning to end.

[Glenn NK]

I'm inspired by whatever I see; colours probably are the major attractor, but shapes also are. In photography, I'm more of an artist than a technician. This is not to suggest that either is a higher calling - my approach is too often not technical enough, and I have to go back and re-shoot.

I do a lot of flower photography (macro) in which both elements (colour and geometry) are present. Sunsets are another favourite because of the powerful colours present, and the endless changes of colour and pattern.

Glenn

[Brownbear]

capturing the beauty of nature and of beautiful places in the world to share with others... ultimately hoping that our world and environment will be just as beautiful, perhaps more beautiful in the far future.

[Manfred M]

Just about anything that looks interesting. I usually have a camera around; sometimes just a cheap old point and shoot to something more sophisticated. From stunning scenes or wildlife in remote parts of the word, to peeling paint close to home.

[RustBeltRaw]

Photography forces you to look at the world much harder than normal. It makes you find intriguing, unusual, and stunning beauty in unexpected places, and forces you into new spaces looking for more. It broadens horizons, opens eyes, parts velvet ropes, and catalyzes weird and wonderful events. You can make moments permanent, turn light into your plaything, and immortalize the infinitesimal.

Or take pictures of cats.

[mfreesto]

Thanks, everyone for sharing!

[jukebros]

interesting and beautyful place also nice shoot...

[Ady]

John: Super image! Which looks rather familiar, though from a time before I'd have been around. In the 70s I spent some time as a child in Dunlop Point, one of the now demolished 1970s high rise council blocks in Silvertown. Your photo must have been taken only yards away from where Dunlop and Cranbrook point were thrown up. Its a long time since I've been to the area but I imagine I wouldn't recognise much of it these days.

On the subject of inspiration: To bring a rather crass note to the discussion, money is one of my primary inspirations, I find I can enjoy shooting anything (except weddings!) for the right fee

Cheers,
A

[jcuknz]

To be irreverant I joined my local clubs to spur me .... so am led somewhat by the competition calendar

[Colin Southern]

Very interesting question!

What inspires me are those who can produce better images than I can; the likes of Joe McNally and Neil van Niekirk to name the first 2 that come to mind. From them I learn and improve.

Separate from inspiring me though is a "drive" or "compulsion" or a feeling of "it's important to do this" when it comes to historical events that have been mentioned above. It's not an "inspiration" but something I feel needs to and should be done.

[Colin Southern]

The picture below is one I managed to obtain and is exactly as I remember it as a small boy. Now long gone; in fact, it now the 'Dockland short take-off and landing airport', in London.

How things change.
Sentimental I know; but that’s me I afraid.

Couldn't agree more John - I'm priviliged to have photographed my fathers photo album:

Not my Dad, but the plane he was radio operator in during the 2nd world war:

[nimitzbenedicto]

Just about anything that looks interesting. I usually have a camera around; sometimes just a cheap old point and shoot to something more sophisticated. From stunning scenes or wildlife in remote parts of the word, to peeling paint close to home.

yep. just about anything interesting..............

[jeeperman]

What inspired me to pick up a camera in the first place was the fact that this mysterious box could capture and then produce something I could see and sometimes things I could not. Being just a young curious boy it was a magic toy. Later in highschool it became another way to express my artistic side and I shot what ever I saw but lacked in any certain direction as for subjects.
While in the Navy I was inspired by all the new sights as I traveled and still had little focus. I have always been a nature boy...hunting, fishing, camping and was always inspired by the beauty of my surroundings, but was always so busy doing those activities that I never even thought to take the time out to properly photograph these things.
Now that a few years have past and I have slowed life down some I am inspired by that nature that I can only share with myself because it is in my head. So many things and places of such great intrest and beauty that I can share with no one. This has inspired me to get back to my photography for a few reasons all of which are there own inspiration.
The beauty, that beauty that you just can't explain in words. The sharing of said beauty with those close to me and those that go threw life to busy to stop and see what is around them. The art, bringing to life that vision that I see where others see just the subject. Colors, shapes...their relationship.
Many things that have been mentioned before me and many that have not, it is a question that is truely difficult to answer fully.
I am inspired by learning, succeeding, failing......

[AB26]

Hi Matt.,
My love for photography.

Asking me why I love it so much I would say it is the challenge to capture the essence of the mood in that moment in time. The mood in a good photograph is like listening to good music (and I do not mean rap).