Photographers who inspire me - Part I

People aren’t born famous or great. They build themselves up over time and develop their skills after every success and every failure.

No matter if you’re an artist, athlete, musician, doctor, or scientist, finding inspiration is important. Why, you ask? Because if you’re not inspired, you won’t be motivated to improve and achieve the best.

There are so many photographers who inspire me. Some of them are more iconic photographers of the past, and some of them are influencers and vloggers of today.

I find inspiration in all kinds of photography, which makes it hard to choose a “specialty” if you will. Many photographers choose to focus on one type of photography because it makes it easier to market yourself. If you “specialize” in everything, it isn’t specializing, right?

But I digress.

These are (some of) the photographers I find most inspiring.

Ansel Adams

This one seems a little cliche, because who isn’t inspired by Ansel Adams? This guy is known for his landscape photography. He was born in 1902, so obviously he only shot with film. The technical skill involved in shooting with film is so intimidating. It’s something I want to learn some day. To be a photographer back in Ansel Adams’ days, you had to understand every technical thing because you couldn’t just fix it later on a computer. The way Ansel Adams was able to see and capture light was just extraordinary. He wasn’t able to capture the colors, but instead he captured patterns and textures. If you look up his work, you will see what I mean.

Elliott Erwitt

His street photography is captivating. Specifically, I love his photographs of dogs. I photograph my dog all the time, and it’s something to which I can relate. His other street photography has a silly essence to it; it’s almost comedic. It’s the positive energy in his photography that inspires me. There’s so many bad things in the world, but Elliott Erwitt was able to capture the goofiness and love within humanity. I think that’s something we should all look for more in life instead of focusing only on the negatives (haha, a little photography pun for you).

Henri Cartier-Bresson

“The Decisive Moment” is that valuable split second in time; it’s the quick smile of a groom as he dances with his new bride, the sparkle in the eye of a new mother as she sees her baby for the first time, or the instant before somebody gets a pie to the face. Henri Cartier-Bresson coined the term “The Decisive Moment.” There are so many of these decisive moments and it takes a skilled photographer to capture them and Bresson was excellent at it. The Decisive Moment brings the photo to the next level. If it seems like a photograph is missing something, it might be missing a Decisive Moment.

Photography is more to me than just taking pictures. It’s about trying to find a new way of looking at something. It’s observing human (and non-human) emotions and trying to understand what they really mean. Most importantly, it’s about creating something that makes the audience react or feel an emotion.

Δ Abbi

Things to ask your photographer before your photoshoot.

There are plenty of things you’ll need to know before any kind of photography session, but some things can be ambiguous. Asking your photographer the right questions will iron out any misunderstanding and confusion you may have.

How long will the session be?

Some sessions may only be an hour, but some may be two or three, maybe more. It all depends on what kind of session you are doing. Senior photos tend to go quicker, but newborn photos can take much longer. It’s important to understand how much time you are working with so you can make the most of your and the photographer’s time.

What should I wear?

As a photographer, I usually prefer to shoot solid colors over prints and patterns. I do like patterns, but they need to be implemented correctly, otherwise they become a distraction. Ultimately, the choice is up to the client, but there are some things you need to keep in mind. If you plan on displaying the photograph on your wall, choose colors that compliment your walls well. You definitely don’t want to get your photos back and find out that it clashes horribly with your decor. Good photographers will keep this in mind and help you decide which colors work best.

In what way will the photographs be delivered?

Many photographers provide digital copies of the photos, while some photographers only offer prints and other printed products. There is no one right way to deliver photos, but you need to make sure you know what you want and make sure that the photographer is offering what you want. Here’s my little piece of advice: Order prints! The digital age is upon us. It’s easy to just take the digital images and forget them. Get them printed and hang them on your wall. Share them with your family! You won’t regret it!

How long will it take for me to receive the photos?

Most photographers need a couple weeks at the very least to get everything organized and edited. The length of time depends on how many clients the photographer takes on and how many photos they took during the session. When the photographer gives you a timeline, make sure to respect the timeline, as they have many other clients who are just as eager to view their photos.

What information do you need from me?

Lastly, there are a lot of things your photographer will need to know from you. Information they need could range from your availability to things about your personality. Again, a good photographer will be prepared to ask you all the questions they will need to perform their job effectively. Don’t be afraid to reach out and see if there is anything the photographer might need.

You shouldn’t have to worry about any of these things, though, because hopefully your photographer will already have all of these things, and more, in mind, but it never hurts to be prepared.

∆ Abbi