Staying Creative | Jackson, MI Photographer

Just like in fashion, there are trends in photography; so how do you stay trendy but fresh at the same time? Easy, draw inspiration from everything around you and add a little of you in there! Anything that catches your eye, it could be something in nature, the way a building is designed, or even in something abstract. Look at other images, find what you like, and put your own spin on it. Sometimes, I will go on Pinterest to get some new posing ideas, or just Google the type of session I'm about to shoot. I make a mental note of what I like and go from there. Or I just practice in front of the mirror, what poses will look good, what kind of light I think should it be, what angle the camera should be at; all of these can effect the outcome of an image. Another good source of inspiration is magazines, from fashion to parenting they're filled with images of all kinds. Definitely a good place to draw new ideas from.

Try things from a different angle, most people get stuck taking photos from their standing height. Be brave! Jump on a chair or get dirty on the ground, just find a new angle and shoot from a different perspective. I got a piece of good advice the other day from a fellow photographer and they said, "Once you compose your image and take the shot, take one step back and look again. It'll be a completely different image." This is so very true. I can't even tell you how many times I've done that and they will both be beautiful images, but will have a different feel to each one. Also, try switching the camera from landscape to portrait and vice versa once you have the pose down. A perfect example of this below, he didn't move his body, just shifted his hat a little.

The last piece of advice I have for you is to get out there and keep shooting. Plan "just for fun" photo shoots where there's no pressure to please anyone. You can play around with different ideas and if they don't work they way you wanted, who cares! They could lead you to something entirely different than what you set out for. That's half the fun of being creative, not knowing where you're going to end up.