What Are the Hidden Inspirations Behind Every Photograph?

Do you ever wonder what it is that draws you to take a certain photograph?

I constantly ponder this question when I look at some recent photos and see that I can be drawn to the beauty of a tiny flower in macro photography yet equally drawn to photograph old buildings or random objects that don’t initially appear to have much photographic appeal.

So, what is it that  inspires me to take these photographs?

Often, I seem to be drawn to finding beauty in the mundane as well as photographing obvious beauty.

I like to document everyday life, look for ‘hints of human life’, as photographer Sean Tucker puts it, and document this.

I love to notice little things that others pass by.

I am drawn to telling stories through photography and to finding these narratives in ordinary, everyday places and things.

I think there is so much of interest to reveal from the small things we hardly notice unless we look closely. Anthony Epes talks of finding, ‘Leftovers of a human story that no-one meant to tell,’ and I like to take the opportunity to tell these stories.

When I photograph these scenes and subjects they often invoke strong emotions. They might invoke a sense of loneliness and sadness at the reality of life for some people, or maybe a feeling of joy, of celebration, of togetherness as I photograph an empty dining area waiting for a group of happy customers to take their seats and enjoy a meal together. In this instance I can speculate on who might be there, what their conversations will be, whether they will enjoy their evening. A simple potential story inspired by one photograph.

Occasionally a scene or potential subject may spark anger at how careless we have become with our beautiful planet, particularly when I see the amount of litter and rubbish that we humans discard.

Apart from the emotional, and often sub-conscious, draw of certain subjects and scenes, at times it is a more practical, photographic reason that I am attracted to certain subjects. It might be because they offer an opportunity to use a framing technique or because there is particularly good light. Sometimes shapes, patterns, lines and textures will draw me to a subject, while I am also attracted by a scene with complimentary or contrasting colours.

There are also certain subjects, such as boats and lighthouses, that I am drawn to wherever I find them.

And then sometimes I can’t put into words what it is that draws me to a subject. This is when I just allow the photograph to speak for itself, I don’t need words or to know why I was drawn to it. Often, it’s these photographs, the ones I can’t explain, that interest me the most.

Do you know what draws you to take a photograph? It might be a beautiful scene or something unusual you come across, or it might be something else entirely, something unique to you.

I think it’s worth considering what it is that draws you to take a photograph, to discover the hidden inspirations behind the images you create. I believe that knowing the ‘why’ gives you a closer connection to your photography; it gives you a sense of having your own unique view of the world and some understanding of how you interpret and present that view through your photography.

Why not take some time to discover what inspires your photography?