I want to try something new for this most recent post; I was tired of the old format. Having just come out of a pretty big creative rut after the birth of my child and a significant move across a couple of states, I wanted to talk about inspiration! I have added a few examples of images I have created and what lead to the inspiration for the image. I study other photographers' work but pull most of my visual inspiration from cinema. This idea started after a friend sent me a DM comparing the likeness of an image I created of my wife 6 or 7 years ago to the painting by Johannes Vermeer, Girl With A Pearl Earring. I was flattered as this was the first time I had considered the comparison (having not been exposed too far into the painting world until the last year). It got me thinking about everything I pull inspiration from, and I decided this might be a fun post idea. I hope you enjoy this new attempt; I have added a playlist per usual, as music is always one of the biggest inspirations to me. I love photographs and music together.
My Film Recs for this post is simple:
BARBIE!
Pulling Inspiration
Most of my work is inspired by visuals I have seen. A scene heavily influences the image to the right in Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1983 film Nostalgia. I have included a screenshot of the scene underneath.
Tarkovsky uses the rule of odds here, which and atmosphere to help to take his to the next level. I recall seeing this scene laid out before me and almost having a nostalgic flashback to this scene and having to snap it. Ironically enough the image holds a painful and dark attachment of dark nostalgia at this point in my life.
Don’t be afraid to look like those you are inspired by!
This shot was initially created for a beauty shoot. I remember snapping it and immediately deciding I was keeping this one for my work. We didn’t discuss motives or what the model was going to do. I like to see where people naturally go first, and most of the time, they must pick up on a subliminal message. I tend to go for the dark and sad. This shot always reminded me of David Lynch’s Laura Palmer, as seen below.
Painting Inspired
I had a friend tell me recently this image reminded them of a painting they were quite fond of.
Girl With A Pearl Earring - Johannes Vermeer
Ode To Melancholia
This image was inspired by the Lars Von Trier film Melancholia, not the shot most would assume to try and pull from either. The film is filled with painting-inspired images, most notably Von Triers' take on Ophelia.
Family Ties
This image was created with Sally Mann’s Immediate Family in mind, clearly using a medium format instead of a large format and relying heavily on the Light and what my nephew was naturally doing rather than a posed shot.
A Play on Wyeth
This image was created in the likeness of Andrew Wyeth’s Adrift while I was home visiting Maine before the birth of my child.
