Creativity Exercise #7

Who (or what) inspires you? Make a list, add a link, post a photo...let's see your sources of inspiration...

So what inspires me:

1. Music. Maybe it's my complete lack of musical talent that makes me so in awe of music and musicians, and the power music has to inspire. Does anyone else make music videos in their head? I have no experience with videography, but there are songs I created videos for when I hear them (I don't have cable, so I don't know if music videos still really exist? Remember those from when MTV actually played music videos?)...and I have no idea how I would make it, but I know what I would want it to look like. And there are certain songs that move me no matter how many times I listen to them...have you seen The Mission? There's a song off that soundtrack that gets me every time. It's playing in my head right now as I type this.

2. Movies. Speaking of, movies also inspire me. I'm willing to overlook a pretty bad plot if the photography is beautiful. Mission Impossible 2? Kind-of a dumb movie, with all the impromptu face-changing stuff, but there are some scenes by John Woo that make it worth it for me - like at the flamenco dance. There's also a movie with Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck (I can't even remember the name) that was pretty lame, but there's an amazing scene with the rain falling down around them...some movies are actually good and have beautiful photography, which is even better. 300, for example. Apparently it's kinda gory (not that I would know because I cover my eyes during the scary parts of movies. Really. Even in the movie theatre. My poor husband), but really beautiful. I don't know that you could do every movie in sepia-tone, but every once in a while it works.

The actual story lines also inspire me from time to time. We just saw Pollock, about painter Jackson Pollock. His life was a mess, which was sad, but his journey to find his style was amazing. And an even better lesson was how complacant he became when he found what worked for him. He lost the limelite, and it was because he ceased to produce anything new. Think of Madonna - whatever your opinion of her, she didn't stay in the 80's jelly-bracelet era. She has evolved her style, taken risks, and really stayed on top of it. Madonna is Madonna, so she certainly has her own style, but she hasn't become lazy and stopped creating.

3. Other Photographers & Artists. I have to be careful with this one, because my tendency is to say, "Wow, I love ___'s work. I'm going to try to do that." I'm ultimately disappointed when I don't stay true to my own photography style, but as mentioned above, it's good to stretch yourself...Some photographers whom I admire share my sense of style, like Kim or Tara Whitney, and others are nothing like my sense of style, but I can still appreciate them. Hanging babies from netting in a tree isn't really my thing, but I can appreciate Carrie Sandoval and Brittney Woodall's "Baby as Art" And have you seen this slideshow by Amy Deputy in DC? It's beautiful (and a tear-jerker, so have your kleenex handy). I love how she documents the realness of life, especially her son and what he goes through. I honestly don't know that I would have been able to take my camera to the hospital with me. Which leads me to...

4. My Kids. Living in NM, landscape photographers are surrounded by inspiration. I know the desert is an aquired taste for some, but it's really gorgeous and unique. I think that's what being a parent is like for a portrait photographer. You're a little spoiled having beautiful subjects (not to be at all biased of course) living under your roof. And sometimes when my kids think they're safe, all it takes is to find a cute hat and pair of babylegs from Zap-Oh!s, and they're once again doomed to have the mamarazzi following them around relentlessly. Poor kids - I'm sure therapy will straighten them out eventually. ;)