Where are you getting your inspiration from?

Is this the signature question of a green horn? If it is, I'm a new guy and looking for tips, tricks and what ever I can learn from more knowledgeable and experienced photographers. Starting out, I find myself struggling at times on what I should be photographing. I'll go out and not have a clue what I should be looking at. So your help would be appreciated.

Thanks for taking the time to help me out here.

Jeff

Give yourself a challenge. Pick a theme, any theme ... then go shoot it.

For example, "today, I'm going to shoot everything that's round." Then be creative with what you find.

Other ideas: shoot anything red, or any other color; shoot whatever appears in groups of three; shoot lines, shoot textures. The possibilities are endless.

Maybe it's me, but there seems to be a dichotomy between the idea of being a photographer, and not knowing what to take a picture of..

That said...

1. Start by surfing photography websites and look at lots of photos. What captures your interest and causes you to think, "hm, I'd like to do that." Then go find a subject that fits and start snapping. This site's galleries, www.photo.net and www.1x.com are good places to start.
2. If you are new to composition, you might pick up a copy of "Photographic Composition" by Grill and Scanlon, or some comparable book. Homework awaits.
3. From a technical perspective, read Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure"

Maybe if you're new to photography you're almost finding too much you could take pictures of and aren't sure where to start. I've been a photographer for long enough I guess that I seem to see things all the time that I could photograph. I think it takes time to develop an eye for it. You might want to go someplace you like and where you enjoy spending time, that might lead you to taking photos of something meaningful to you.

I'd suggest learning the basics of how to use a camera and practice plenty - make sure you've got the camera straight, frame shots so everything in the viewfinder/viewscreen is what you want in your picture, learn how ISO and shutter speed and aperture work together, and learn how to use your meter to determine if you have the right amount of light to get a proper exposure.

You might try looking up the 7 elements of composition in art (instead of photography), that should take you to some sites that explain the basic elements like color, shape, line, texture, etc. Those are some things you could start noticing in scenes or potential subjects, and then start thinking about how you might capture them in interesting ways.

You could look up famous photographers and look at what they photographed and notice how they framed their shots, what they chose for subjects, etc. Or even look at photos in the news or sports to see what they captured in that split second when they released the shutter.

Books!

For me it is a matter of how the light is playing on a subject. No real inspiration but more of just being observant of how the light changes things.

Books and museums

You might begin by asking yourself WHY you want to take pictures, what about photography attracts you enought to justify spending on equipment, and investing time.

John Landolfi wrote: You might begin by asking yourself WHY you want to take pictures, what about photography attracts you enought to justify spending on equipment, and investing time.

Now you tell me!......

Jeff,

"A jedi feels the force flowing through them."

I think every photographer asks themselves this question at some point. Maybe even later in their career as well. There is some great advice posted here and I would like to add mine as well.

Photography is what you make it to be. Themes were mentioned earlier and in my opinion that is a great place to start. If I can expand on the idea of "everything round", don't just leave it at actual round objects like balls for exaple, look at other objects that are round like tables, wheels, manhole covers and expand on it. I did a thing several years ago on car grills, I loved doing it too. The shapes, curves, design all brought something different to the picture. The challenge for me was how do I compose the shot, do I shoot straight on, at an angle, whats the lighting like? It all posed unique challenges which made me think a little. I may still revisit that and do some more and maybe expand on it by doing tail lights as well.

Graffiti is another fun one I've been looking at doing. Again, for me it's how do I compose the shot, whats the lighting like and so on.

As of late portraiture has been impacting my world. I don't neccissarily like doing portraits as I don't think I'm that good and it's not what I really want to do. However I have been noticing some things while doing it. Composition, lighting, subject matter, backgrounds, ect. have all started running through my head when doing it. I don't have a lot of equipment so I have to compensate for areas where maybe another flash or fill light would be needed.

Don't stress yourself out over what to take pictures of, instead just let it happen. As you're walking about during your day, start taking subtle notice of things like shapes, designs, patterens, ect. If you notice something, stop and look at it for a bit and try to imagine how you would take a picture of it, How is the light hitting the subject, what other things in the picture would be a distraction and so on. Eventually, things will start clicking.

Earlier I mentioned I don't like taking portraits and it's not what I want to do. What turns me on as a photographer is landscapes and macro two polar opposites. One is far and wide and the other is close and cramped. I don't know why these appeal to me so much, maybe it's the colors or the detail but it's what I enjoy the most. there are other aspects of photography I enjoy as well but haven't explored them that much yet. A photog friend of mine and I have been talking about going and doing some spinning wool shots. I've never heard of that before and looked it up and it looks really cool and fun. I just haven't had much time to go do it yet.

I hope this helps you some but remembeer you are what makes your photography. Find your inner Ansel Adams!

I love art museums!