Greg Schrader and I haven’t known each other very long.   He writes for the Mentor Blog and has a lot of interesting ideas.  We used to say “hi” in passing at various conventions and then started connecting a lot on facebook.  He’s been especially helpful as a sounding board for various projects and themes for Skip’s Summer School and in the process become a good friend.   He’s only been a part of the professional photographic community for five years or so, but if I’ve learned one thing from Greg is that he’s not afraid to admit he’s got lots to learn and what he has learned he’s right there sharing it with new photographers. 

Last August, very early into my life in Blogdom, he wrote a particularly frank piece about getting started in this industry.  It’s ironic that Greg’s guest post as part of Blog Fest 2009 would be about inspiration, because Greg’s love for photography, his passion for learning and his dedication to his friends is a constant inspiration for me!

Schrader Photography (1 of 1)

 

In my short time in the industry I have been to several workshops put on by photographers with various skill levels.  Regardless, they’ve all had something I could take from their workshop.   They’ve all had a common theme…they’ve talked about inspiration, the source for their energy and drive.   

Everyone, has that special something that inspires you.   It’s unique to your personality and nobody can tell you what it is or how to find it.   There are some common things you can do when you’re in search of inspiration.  You might look at someone’s work you admire, go to art museums, read the bridal magazines, etc.   For me, it’s music – not sure why, but music has always had a profound effect on my photography style, as well as so many other things in my life. 

 All of my Photograph Like A Rockstar workshops were motivated by music. In fact, the motivation or “inspiration” behind the entire teaching tour…MUSIC!   Music has always been a major part of my life. In my iTunes account I curently have almost 3,500 songs. If I were to play them one right after the other, I would have music 24 hours a day for just over 11 straight days!   But it is the artistic quality of music that draws me in. 

Music, like photography, has no boundaries. You do not have to understand the words to feel the message or to be moved by the sound. You do not have to know the person singing or playing to be inspired by the lyrics. An example of how this would apply to what I am doing is the attitude of music. Rockstars have an edge, an attitude. It is with that edge and attitude that I try to approach every photograph.  

Sometimes the words might motivate what I am doing.  For example: From the soundtrack “8 Mile”: “if you had one shot, or one opportunity to seize everything you every wanted…in one moment…would you capture it…or just let it slip”.   Shouldn’t that be the motto of great wedding photography?

Music and photography are such powerful tools. They both convey an emotion, a message or a moment in time. So when I am talking about a “Rockstar” tour…what I am talking about is also the attitude of music.  The attitude that I have been inspired by and the attitude that I have been able to put into my passion.   What is your inspiration?