Whenever I start a new project, be it writing or photography, I always have this painful procrastination period during which I convince myself that I’m simply not inspired enough to begin. I start to mourn the loss of all the creative ideas I had before solidifying my project idea… that somehow no longer exist. Let me be clear; I HATE this about my creative process. Alright, it’s bad to use the word, “hate,” right? Let’s just say this is a habit I’d like to disown.
That’s why I’m starting to gather inspiration from my favorite photographers— to lose this prima donna attitude I take on whenever I begin something new, and just get right to the real work. And as an amateur trying to build a portfolio, I am also trying to understand the types of concepts, techniques, and subject matter that might be satisfying for me to capture.
This first inspiration post (hopefully the first of many) covers still life images from some of the modernist photographers I love— Penn, Cunningham, Weston, etc. These greats really knew how to use minimalism, contrast, and a variety of printing techniques to elevate ordinary objects. Here are some of my favorites:
Irving Penn //Texture, saturation, lighting, movement, contrast, cropping
Robert Mappelthorpe //Light & shadow, perspective, texture, minimalism
Imogen Cunningham //Light & shadow, crisp lines, contrast, sharpness, cropping
Irving Penn //Texture, saturation, lighting, movement, contrast, cropping
Edward Weston //Contrast, luminosity, texture, lines (curves), placement, cropping/placement
Edward Weston //Sensuality, contrast (light & shadow), cropping/placement