4 Sources of Creative Inspiration

[Gary@Red Photo]

As an artist I have many sources of inspiration for my work. Even when I am doing commercial work I am inspired by various elements that I encounter or have encountered in the past. Every experience becomes part of my photographs. It is the same way for you even if you are not fully conscious that this is happening. Every event in your life influences how you see and experience the world. This in turn gets encoded in your work. Here are four(4) areas that I use for inspiration.

1. Television and Movies

Visual media has always influenced me heavily. Watching television and movies can give me ideas for photography projects. Maybe I have been inspired or moved by something that I saw. Or may I like the way that a film or show looks. I have been influenced by theme and lighting in the past. So these media can be a really good source for creatives. I have even done art projects about the television and its role in society.

2. Architecture

I think that I missed my calling in life. I probably should have been an architect. I have always been fascinated by buildings and their design. My style is heavily based on the beauty of lines, form, and shape. Architecture provides all of these. I also like the textural element involved. So buildings give me ideas about design and the use of space, along with order. Looking at good design helps to add that element to your work. I have always enjoyed creating photographs of architectural details.

3. Art

Art has always been a big influence in my creative life. There are so many types of art from realistic to abstract. Since both painting and photography are two dimensional representations of the three dimensional world there is much to be learned from how artists through the ages have used light and shadow and color and form to replicate the three dimensional world. I am also inspired by the aesthetic of art or the story behind it. My favorite painters are the post-impressionists. Among them Edgar Degas is my most inspirational. I have spent many hours staring at his work and admiring his simple and elegant use of line and form. You can see a lot of his style in my work in the use of color, form, and impressionism.

4. Graphic Design

For the same reasons that I mentioned about architecture, I am also heavily influenced by graphic design, especially typography. Layout, color, use of space, and creating effective compositions have all effected me. For me I am most drawn to minimalism and the use of line, shape, and form. There is a large component of graphic design in all of my work.


There is no one best way to be influenced by the world. It is a good exercise to notice what things influence you and then try new areas. Variety can break you out of a rut or provide you with the inspiration that you need to start that new, great project.

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