Inspiration for the photographer: real advice and practical ideas

ianboil (62)in #photography • 7 years ago

Greetings!

It has long been suggested that I write not only about filming, but also share some tips, give lessons. Because I often thought about it, but could not decide what to make the main theme. For example, lessons on retouching, about which people asked me a couple of times, but this is not the format for this site, because the text instructions are not so well perceived, video lessons are perceived better, but there are a lot of them in the network, nothing new here any more you will think up. And then it finally dawned on me how this could be shared, which from time to time worries the photographer and they say little about it. Therefore, today I present a small selection, where I will tell how to cope with various problems and creative crises:

"How to make a props: the great power of papier-mache"

Recently I got carried away by one interesting show - "Face Off". This competition is a type of "America’s Next Top Model", only participate in it various make-up artists. Often, past the main images, faces and caps, they have to make and various props. They mold it from clay, use the technique of molding, pouring latex, foam and other means, create something from materials whose names I do not know. It's very interesting, thoughtful and more accurate, but where are we, simple people, to take all this? Of course, some prefer to refer to different decorators, but if someone does not have the money or does not want to? Then papier-mache hastens to the rescue!

For a long time I was mistaken, remembering the school years, that using papier-mache can only copy the shape of something (eg plates), but not create a new one. Of course, here, too, need a foundation, but it can be created from improvised materials. For example, I somehow needed miniature balloons (those in which people fly). Of course, this example is simple, complex, I will not advertise yet, since shooting with it has not yet taken place :) In general, I took a regular balloon and partially pasted it with paper, and to create a pointed form from below, I used cardboard. For smoother transitions, it took me more space to tighten the technique, but nevertheless everything turned out as I wanted.
And if anyone is interested, you can look in this article, how I created a Halloween pumpkin in papier-mache technique.

"Where to look for places for taking photos: walks in google maps"

Sooner or later, before any photographer, a problem arises - "where else can we shoot?". And when you think that you have checked every place from the top to the bottom, despondency and disappointment come that there is nothing more to do and nothing interesting you can not take pictures of. I struggled for a long time with this problem, and even when it was slightly decided, the seats ended again. But if you suffer for a long time, something will work out and the resourceful person will smile good luck, therefore, here are a few ways that I personally use and they always work:

To begin with, I decided to create a magazine, where I contributed all my available places. This stretched out for a certain period, because at once everything could not be remembered. To do this, even had to break through the archives, and not only with photo sessions, but also with photos in general. Thanks to which there were several places where I visited, but I never did shootings and even more - remember places where the pictures were not, for example, something from children's adventures or that just drove by.

Next, I started "commercial espionage" and looked through the pages in social networks of all known and unknown photographers. There was a decent number of interesting places, it remained only to unravel their location. Taking advantage of the great and mighty power of deduction, as well as my own knowledge of the area, I managed to compare some of them, as if guessing. In fact, when I went to check them all it coincided with my assumptions. And those places that still remained a mystery, I punched through Yandex or Google maps, looking for roughly similar objects. Well, finally, those that completely led me into a stupor, I learned from the models from the pictures :)
One of these photographers, I found a link to the site - "LookUP" and was just delighted! This is an excellent resource, where photographers themselves mark places for photo sessions around the world. By the way, the creator of the site was the same photographer from my city.
There again, there were a lot of unfamiliar places and I was very surprised because I really do not know my district very well. Of course, having scooped up all the necessary resources from the site, I started adding my places there myself, so that the network developed, I still prefer not to spend more than 1-3 photo sessions in one place, so that the place does not get bored)

And finally - "Google maps". Now this is the last method I use at the moment. The beauty of this is that you can go into panoramic mode, ride through various streets / places and like to see everything in a living. In Yandex, there is something similar, but there are very few panoramic places, but there are a lot of photos, although in most cases they are marked sloppy and it is necessary to search for coincidence by regions. Of course, in the city district I have already inspected everything, so I like to choose from time to time unfamiliar routes and mark them for the future for various photo tours.

"Look, inspire, borrow"

Let's not deny, all of us photographers sometimes take ideas from each other ... But in order not to be a natural plagiarist and yet to create something new, one must be able to do it correctly :) Often pupils ask me if it is worth watching the work of other photographers. And I tell them of course, especially if it concerns the famous photographers, whose work in our field is simply impossible to ignore.

But here there is a small secret, you need to look at all the photos in general (especially photographers in your city), and it does not matter whether the person is famous or not. And also, it is worth paying attention to the models. First, you will always know what is actual at the moment, secondly, you will know what to strive for and where to grow, and thirdly, you will have endless sources of inspiration where you can spy on some tricks.

Of course, there are a few pictures that I would like to repeat using the basic idea, but whatever one may say, I can not do it for moral reasons. So I'm starting to think about how this element could be used, but that he does not shout about plagiarism, how to take the foundation and turn it into something new. And thanks to this, I still have more or less original ideas, which I have never met anywhere else.

Also, it is often useful to notice in the photos some details, it can be parts of the interior, furniture, some kind of accessory, makeup, hair, and anything! And now it can already be used, at least in part, though completely. For example: I see makeup with the use of real flowers, I do not want to adopt this idea completely, I might not even like it, but I immediately imagine, and how would I do it. Perhaps I would place the flowers in a certain order or, so that they would create a certain pattern, and maybe only use petals and, in general, painted the skin of the model in blue! This is an excellent training for fantasy and helps me from time to time to create ideas.