When we think about photographers, we think about their body of work.
We look back at it and see all of the pictures they took. We're impressed. We're awed.
We want to be amazing photographers. We want to have an impressive, awe inspiring body of work. But, in order to accomplish that, we have to take A LOT of pictures.
I've read that in order to be an amazing photographer, you have to take pictures every single day, whether you feel it or not. And I did that with my alphabet series. I took pictures all the way up to W with a photo shoot every-single-day.
Let me tell you. You can tell which of my pictures are me "phoning it in" and which are me truly inspired by my subject. How is a photographer inspired?
Every one of us is different. We all see the world in a different way, that's why photography is so awesome. You can ask 10 photographers to shoot the same subject and you'll get 10 completely different results. It's amazing. and frustrating. and hard.
Much like so much of life, photography advice can't be one size fits all. Yes, there are some technique basics about light, aperture, depth of field, shutter speed, etc that everyone needs to know. But shooting that uniquely you photograph. No one can tell you what that is.
You might start out with your camera thinking, "I'm going to get really good at taking portraits so that I can make a ton of money photographing weddings, graduations, and special events." But if your eye and your heart aren't in it, it'll show in your work.
The best advice I can give you to help you find your inspiration. Grab your camera and walk around with it. Try to look at the world with fresh eyes and find what makes your breath catch. That's your inspiration, whether its people, plants, or the sky.
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