Where does inspiration come from?
If that was an easy question none of us would struggle with inspiration from time to time. I don’t think I’m alone when I get into a block and nothing seems to be coming my way.
But then, out of blue, inspiration can hit.
I recently created an image I never thought I’d create. I’m in Wyoming, teaching at Eatons’ Ranch, like I do every September, when the husband of one of the participants starts taking product shots of the whiskey and gin bottles from his distillery (Mammoth Distilling).
I love my portrait lens but haven’t used it much in the last few years. It’s an 85 prime and doesn’t work so well for horses running. But I carry it with me, just in case. So, I put it on my camera and joined the creative fun of taking product shots all over the ranch. It was a blast.
We had a whiskey tasting one of the nights, on the long deck overlooking the ranch and Chocolate Drop. We played with images of the bottles, images with shot glasses, and images with the cowboys. We took the bottles on a ride and took closeups in the natural environment. We placed the bottles in old-world settings.
I really loved the creativity of making those images. My mind came up with a gazillion ways to display the bottles.
It was so much fun that I then used the one of the bottle images to create a 24 x 24 photo encaustic painting.
It was really fun to do, and maybe I’ve embarked on a new endeavor of creating product shots in photo encaustic, but more importantly, I cracked through a creative slump. And really all it took was putting a different lens on my camera and following a whim of taking some photographs of liquor bottles. But more importantly, it got my mind thinking a little differently. It started the creative juices flowing.
Sometimes I find that I’m looking so hard for inspiration, but I guess, like everything else, I need to just be open to receiving inspiration wherever and in whatever form it comes.
In case you are interested, here are a few of the raw images from the shoot around the ranch.
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I’m curious to know, where have you been surprised to find inspiration? Let me know in the comments.
Be well….be creative,
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I agree. Sometimes when you get out of your comfort zone, it kicks the brain into overdrive and some good ideas and inspirations manifest themselves. Thanks for the blog. I was just in the Pryor Mountains to make images of the wild mustangs and was thinking how good some of them would look in encaustic. On my radar!
Thanks for your comment Winnie. I’ve not been to the Pryor Mountains, yet. One day I hope to get out there. I understand it’s a beautiful experience. Here’s to amazing wild mustangs!
For now, and for a while yet, art and photography have to compete with my demanding work as a professional. Art and photography provide a counterpoint that helps to keep me healthy and happy. I keep at least one camera (iPhone) with me at all times and have long-term “documentary” photography projects that take me out on a fairly regular basis. Planning how to actualize my ideas for both more traditional encaustic art and my photographs keeps my creative thinking active. Also helps relax when I can’t sleep! I have discovered that when I finally get real studio time, I can suddenly feel that I lack inspiration. Having projects ready to take to the next step helps me get started. When I get going, ideas start to flow again.
I think you are right Nancy. It’s in getting going that the ideas will flow. I find that sometimes, just painting and preparing the boards can be a catalyst to things flowing. I’m happy to hear that you’ve set up a new studio and are thinking about what comes when you retire from you ‘day’ job:)
Because I am a process nut I often get re-inspired by a different lens or shot-taking strategy as you did Clare. I really have fun playing around with shooting apps on my phone nowadays. There are new subjects everywhere. I’ve learned a lot about editing apps too that can take a hum drum image in many directions. I even take pictures of TV shows to play with. I spend about half my time with digital capture and editing and the other half with wax. Every piece is unique.
Still, there is nothing like going for a hike in the woods to get me humming inside.
Love this Carol. And yes, nature is a wonderful resource for inspiration:)
I’ve been in a new studio space for about 6 weeks. In my previous space, I had one area with beautiful natural north light, plus another room where I used strobes. Typically when doing a modern women’s portrait session, I would use both rooms. Never did I try an entire session by natural light. In my new space, when I rented it, i bemoaned the beautiful natural light I would be missing. The shooting space here has a bank of windows facing another building, but wasn’t as exciting as the 2 walls of floor to ceiling windows I used to have. The other day I did a session, and brought in all my strobes and modifiers. Started with trying to utilize the window light with a few headshots against a v flat. Wound up doing the whole session by natural light! The possibilities that opened up got me really excited and motivated!
Isn’t it fun when you at first think something won’t work or isn’t good…..and then it surprises you. It’s the Best! Congrats on finding new possibilities:)