influences and inspiration
Triggered by the most recent post on the pin-up photo session, I thought that an on-going theme about influences and inspiration in photography would make a good topic.
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The photo above was taken during an engagement photo session. In posing Melissa and Dennis for the one sequence, I wanted to use an idea that I saw on the cover of the disc of a movie I had watched just a few days before – An Education. (Amazon) The young actress, Carey Mulligan was nominated for an Oscar for her role in this touching coming-of-age story. Beautifully told and acted and filmed. It was based on a book written by Nick Hornby. He was also the author of ‘High Fidelity’, a book dear to my heart. |
The cover image of the DVD / Blu-Ray disc caught my attention – the two actors, elegantly posed. When I saw it, I immediately knew I would reference this image some time during upcoming photo session.
My earliest influences as a photographer were Henri-Cartier Bresson and Elliot Erwitt and … a slew of photographers whose work I noted while voraciously reading about photography. As a wedding photographer, my influences are Jerry Ghionis and David A Williams.
Now while other photographers influence us, we obviously take so much from our the culture we are immersed in, visually informed by music, television, videos and movies and books. When a movie by Quentin Tarantino influences even wedding photography, we have a good example of how Art is re-assembled and referenced and used by everyone. In that spirit I will add more images, looking at how they came to be, influenced by something seen or experienced.
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This is a film that I want to see. High Fidelity is a great book but sadly Hornby sold out when he set the film in the USA.
Comment by Eric Cullen — September 7, 2010 @ 2:09 am
Nothing against the USA, but I feel the film lost something.
Cheers Eric
Comment by Eric Cullen — September 7, 2010 @ 2:21 am
Great image and interesting to see where the inspiration came from! Something I feel is vital to me, to look at other work and take some inspiration from it!
Comment by Matt Heath — September 7, 2010 @ 2:40 am
I don’t enjoy watching films. But I have found that forcing myself to watch some “popular” ones has helped me several times with ideas that I can say to a group, “just imagine you are xxxx in the film xxxx” they “get” the idea and act into it well.
Comment by Mark Cornwell — September 7, 2010 @ 4:30 am
Hi Neil! First of all let me thank you for all the learning I have been having from you. Through the book and then via your website..
You may like to have a look at the movie based upon your beloved book. It features John Cusack playing the main character. I didn’t read the book but the movie is definetively worth a look..
Keep up the great work!! ;-)
Comment by emopunk — September 7, 2010 @ 5:08 am
Comment by Neil vN — September 7, 2010 @ 6:55 am
Eheheh.. I really understand what you mean when you say you identified yourself with the character..
Anyway Jack Black is really too much fun in the movie! ;-)
P.S: off course the DVD is on my shelf as well!! I think I will look up for the book when I have time.. Cheers!
Comment by emopunk — September 7, 2010 @ 7:41 am
First, thanks to your tips and translation of his book to the Brazilians.
I’m always seeing new posts on the site http://trailers.apple.com “to have these kinds of influences in my pictures.
I identified with this post.
Thanks!
Comment by Fabio Luiz — September 23, 2010 @ 8:04 am