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What does originality really mean? As photographers, we spend a lot of time looking at the work of others for inspiration and we also copy techniques so that we can learn them and make them our own. So where do you draw the line between “inspired by” and “copy of”? This is a particularly difficult distinction to make nowadays because we live in an age where all the “easy” photographs have already been taken. You can’t simply visit Mount Rushmore to create fine art photographs of the sculptures there; a thousand other photographers before you have already done this with that same thought in mind. You can’t visit the most famous national parks and take photographs inspired by Ansel Adams because, well, Ansel Adams already did that!

So what does it mean to be original? It is, I think, a surprisingly difficult concept to navigate. Let’s explore a few thoughts concerning this concept of originality and — who knows — by the end, we may be better equipped to create something truly unique!

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There’s a certain amount of stress that comes with buying a new camera. There are so, so many models available and what’s more, there are systems with various perks (or disadvantages, depending on how you look at them). For instance, should you buy into the micro 4/3s cameras or go with a full frame model? New or used? What about that long list of features you’ve made? And that’s not even mentioning the reviews. For every camera you think you might love, you’ll find dozens of reviews on YouTube or elsewhere, picking apart all its flaws.

So let’s dig into this idea of a stress-free camera buying experience! I’ll show you a few of my thoughts on how you might make the process easier...

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Inspiration isn’t always the easiest thing to come by, especially if you’re like me and you’ve been taking photographs for years and years now. The usual advice is to look at the work of other photographers or to look at art in general. Perhaps read books about photographers and photography or read novels and magazines, watch TV and movies. Sometimes, however, these sources of inspiration aren’t enough. Fortunately, the world is a big place and there are lots of unusual places to find inspiration if you know where to look and what to look for. To that end, here are a few unconventional places to look...

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There may be many hidden gems buried within your own personal photographic past. Here are reasons to dig into your archives, favorite old locations and more...

Literary conflict is what makes classic literature stand the test of time, but it can also be applied to photography. Here are some ideas to inspire you...

How can we apply reality TV to photography? The answer is in the imperfections that make this genre seem real. Perhaps these flaws are needed to add character...

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There are certain expectations when it comes to viewing art. Consider times when you have visited museums or galleries to view the work of famous artists. What was the experience like? In many cases, you come away awed. You feel as if you’ve really gained something, a new perspective, a new bit of inspiration, some kind of knowledge or insight that you didn’t know you had prior to viewing the work.

Other times, you finally get to see the famous photographs or the famous paintings in person and, well, your expectations and the real thing are entirely different. The things you thought you would see, the things you thought you would feel — it just doesn’t happen, for one reason or another. You come away with a sense of disappointment. It feels like a letdown, to view work that is famous, that has been discussed by everyone who is anyone in the art world, and to not take from it that which everyone else seems to have gained.

This is a theme that occurs not only when you view famous works but also sometimes when you view your own work. You spend time and mental energy lovingly creating photographs but when those prints come back, you find yourself disappointed. Your expectations for your work and the reality of the printed piece simply don’t mesh.

Why does this happen? Let’s take a look at this phenomenon to learn what causes it and how you can overcome it, both when viewing the work of others and when viewing your own work...

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When you’re a photographer — or any kind of artist, really — there is an easy trap to fall into, one in which you begin to lead this double sort of life. One portion of your life, usually the larger portion, is devoted to the day to days. This is the time you spend at work, the time you spend with your family, time spent shopping and doing chores, essentially all the things that you need to do to survive healthily and happily.

And then there is that other life, the almost secret life, your art life, the time you spend seeking privacy so that you can enjoy uninterrupted creativity. These are the times you spend walled up in your office, post-processing photos while listening to your favorite music or the quiet afternoons where you find a peaceful spot to catch up on your reading. These are also the times when you strike out on your own to create new photographs.

The problem with this sort of divide between your everyday life and your art life is that when your time becomes so compartmentalized, you quickly find that your creative time dwindles to nothing. Everyday life just comes with so many demands that you suddenly find yourself blocking out a chunk of your weekend or some other part of the week as “me” time. All of that “me” time is suddenly devoted to artmaking and you find yourself with very little time left to relax, unwind and clear your mind. It’s a recipe that can lead to a sort of creative burnout, one in which you find that those few hours per week that you devote exclusively to photography are perhaps not as productive as they could be. It can be frustrating and counterproductive. Worst of all, if you’re allotting yourself two hours every Saturday for art, for instance, then it becomes depressing when you realize that 52 Saturdays per year multiplied by two hours works out to a mere 104 hours devoted to art over the course of an entire year.

So is there a better way to make more time for art? Is there a way to abandon this double life and the frustrations that come with it? I think there is and I think the way to do this is to look for ways to blend your art life with your everyday life. Here are a few of my thoughts on that.

Read More: https://moneymakerphotography.com/the-double-lives-of-photographers/

Born December 2, 1929 in Glasgow, Scotland, Harry Benson is a living legend in the world of photography. He is best known for his work with celebrities, and he has won numerous awards for his photographs. He has also published several books on photography. Harry’s photos have graced such notable magazines as Life, Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker, and over one hundred of his photos have appeared on the cover of People magazine. To say he is a prolific photographer would be an understatement. In fact, Harry continues to work today, even at eighty-eight years old, far beyond when most people would retire, simply because he loves doing it...

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There are so many cameras out there nowadays, and in all budgets, too. Used, new, entry level, prosumer, professional and everything in between. And in a perfect world, every camera would have it all. Every camera would be small, easy to carry and yet easy to hold. They’d have perfect sensors that are capable of producing billboard-sized images in one exposure. They’d offer image stabilization and they’d all have articulating LCD screens. In short, they’d all have all the bells and whistles that you could possibly wish for...

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