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Inspiration (For Sale)
April 21st, 2008
My limited edition monograph, The Pixelated Image, made Scott Kelby’s Top 5 List today. It’s a long list of favourites from gear to books to teachers to places. The Pixelated Image made it to his Top 5 Photography Books That Will Inspire You list. Quite an honour coming from Mr. Kelby.
This book is a collector’s item. Only 100 will ever be printed, they’re hand-signed and numbered, and they aren’t cheap. The funds I am raising from the sale of this book are going towards my Women and Children First project which is a creative funding solution to get me shooting for NGOs working in the developing world with women and orphans and vulnerable children. Lots of great groups out there need photo-resources for fund-raising and advocacy, this will help me get there for one or two of them.
More information here.
Inspiration is the intangible we all run on as creatives. It’s the in-breathing that gives us the spark, the a-ha! moment. It’s what pulls us out of those ruts. No matter how you do it, you need to be aware of what inspires you so you can pro-actively pursue it. Especially when you’re in the rut and can’t see over the sides. A year ago I wrote this post on the nature of inspiration – if you’re looking for some, give this a read.
In the mean time – comments are open – what inspires you?
David, congrats on the plug from Kelby. Well deserved I am sure, I just wish I could afford a copy.
Congratulations on being featured in a very exclusive list – thoroughly deserved too!
There are two ways that I regularly use to find inspiration and they’re both sure-fire winners. Firstly, I keep a copy of the Lonely Planet “Blue List” on my desk and I know that two minutes flicking through this will have me itching to book a flight and pack the camera bag. The book contains “The world’s hottest trends, destinations, journeys and experiences”. Nice!
Secondly, I have a “Be Inspired” folder of web site bookmarks for sites that I know will kick-start my inspiration. It’s an exclusive list and only those sites that I know will invariably lift my spirits and boost my enthusiasm make the cut. Amongst others, Bruno Morandi, Ami Vitale, Kevin Bubriski appear on this list and recent additions include Mitchell Kanashkevich’s and Matt Brandon’s web sites (pixelatedimage too of course).
Sometimes I’ll also go back and look at some of my old work because if I’m feeling uninspired it will occasionally prompt me to think “Hey, you know what, that’s not half bad. I wonder what you could do if you really put your mind to it”… and that’ll kick off a train of thought that has been known to lead to interesting places!
Inspiration: evenings spent in the magazine section of local Chapters, my own subscriptions (esp Rangefinder!), the entire strobist community, shooting buddy (or buddies), followed by specific needs/uses and circumstances (esp during weddings).