Window - peeling paint 2
originally uploaded by ryan_451.

I find what turns people on interesting—in terms of art, that is.  It can give insight into what that person holds as an ideal and what images he may aspire to make.  I look for inspiration in any number of things.  About a year ago I stumbled upon the work of nature photographer Nick Brandt.  His images have incredibly rich tonality and he manages to humanize (anthropomorphize for those requiring a word of the day) his subjects.  His portraits are portraits, not photos of animals.  His book, On This Earth: Photographs from East Africa is easily worth full retail.  I bought two.  It’s fantastic!

One need not look only to photography for inspiration.  If you like abstractionist modern art (a la Mondrian) then by all means emulate it.  Or if another style of painting catches your fancy, figure out how to translate it to photography.  I happen to hold painting in rather high esteem and perhaps one day I will get over my fear of blank canvases.  Until then, I’ll look to others’ work.  

Albert Beirstadt paintings are epic in both scale and mastery.  His ability to capture light and convey immense depth are extraordinary.  If you’ve never seen one of his paintings, you owe it to yourself to do an image search via Google, or, better yet, visit a museum that has a Bierstadt.  I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Andrew Wyeth is another painter for whom I have deep respect.  His palette is understated, minimalist even, but his paintings are emotional.  There’s a somber melancholy to many of his pieces, but there’s almost always one dominant (and usually vibrant) color.

Another form of inspiration that is readily accessible is movies.  Visionary directors and cinematographers can create what I can only describe as moving paintings.  The stylized color palette in 300 really gets my mental gears going, thinking how I might recreate the feel of some of the scenes.  Also, basically anything Guillermo del Toro touches has a certain whimsy about it that I find fascinating and beautiful.  

Finally, Flickr is an awesome resource as there are many great photographers.  If you don’t have at least a free account, leave now and signup for one!  I constantly look to my “Favorites” for inspiration.  It’s a handy way to keep track of images I find evocative.  

In making images that you would hang on your wall, it helps to know what you like, what you find interesting or engaging.  So what inspires you?