Going to the same locations and doing the same things when shooting can sometimes be a drag. When you don’t have inspiration when shooting, your pictures don’t turn out as well. Here are some tips you may want to consider to stay inspired in film photography.
Photo by i_am_four-eyes
If you have the same themes and subjects for your photos, it might be time to get some new inspiration. This will help you come up with different pictures that will show your photography skills. Here are some tips that will help you!
Photo by bcartwright
Watch Films
Watching films is a great way to get inspiration for your photography. There are plenty of movies that have spectacular cinematography. You can get inspired by the framing, the colors and the overall feel of the film. You will be able to come up with breath-taking cinematic stills that will be unforgettable.
Photo by paramir
Travel
Traveling to new destinations is also a good idea in order to get some inspiration. You don’t have to travel to a different country in order to do this. Start locally and visit nearby places that you haven’t been to. You might be surprised at how many things you still haven’t photographed. Take pictures of people, objects, buildings and nature.
Photo by yuanchin13
Shoot at Different Times
Experiment with natural lighting and try to shoot at different times of the day, or for a dramatic effect, try to shoot at night time! Experimenting with lighting also allows you to play with your filters and achieve different effects.
Photo by vicuna
Use Different Cameras
Don’t hesitate to try out different Lomography cameras, even those that you’re not familiar with. This will broaden your analogue photography skills since different cameras have different features.
These are just some tips to get you inspired. Each photographer gets inspiration from various ideas. All you have to do is go out, shoot and have a good time!
7 comments
jojo8785
Thanks! I need inspiration...I havent shot a new film for more than a month.
vicuna
There are often periods of less inspiration, and I think it's normal. Sometimes, after a big travel with a lot of rolls shot, I know that I need some time without shooting to let the inspiration come again. But you're right about all your tips. :)
And about movies, I can only advise every lomographer to watch Dziga Vertov's masterpiece called "Man with a Movie Camera" (1928): it's a permanent source of inspiration for me when I don't know what to shoot...
freckleface
Yea, I go through periods of non-inspirationaswell, but I agree with your points for getting back on track! For instance I just watched the new movie Tree of Life, and it was so visually compelling. Almost every scene could have been a photograph by itself. I would recommend it :).
Another way to find inspiration is to think up projects. Start small and then just build upon it everyday until your ready to shoot your masterpiece. The anticipation gives you so much creative flow!
Just some ideas... :)
trw
Another idea is to try new film. If you haven't used it, try Fuji T64. If you use it outside you get great purples and blues and if you cross process you get brilliant pinks. Kodak E100VS gives you great and very vibrant colors. You can also try push processing different films. It all adds to the excitement.
kingt4
Great tips, thanks!
mariaratfingers
@vicuna i love that film!! I watch it every now and then too, i've tried putting different background music pieces for it, i'm surprised at the different things i see each time i do!
vicuna
@mariatfingers: you're right about the music, as I saw it with 3 different "soundtracks" and the impressions are different each time! :)