Looking at other photographers’ work inspires me. Sometimes so much that it makes my stomach hurt, because whatever I’m doing right at that moment, this photographer’s images makes me want to drop every and run into the world to create and be creative. I love finding new sources of inspiration to forever push me forward, to make sure I never stop trying different things.

I think sometimes, though, that in our desire to study other photographers’ work, to learn and glean from their imagery, the line between “inspired” and “copycat” tends to start to get a bit blurry. When you spend more time ogling someone else’s images than studying your own, when your entire “look book” on your iPhone is chocked full of a select 2-4 OTHER photographers’ images instead of your own, and when you can’t make decisions for your own business anymore without checking to see how “they” did it.

I’m guilty of this. I know I am. So it’s time for me to step back from studying my favorite photographers for a bit in order to cultivate and develop my own style more, and to rely on theirs less. I hate admitting to myself that I’ve become lazy and dependent on others for inspiration, but realizing it and owning it is the first step toward bettering myself as a photographer and as a business person. It’s completely fine to look to others for guidance on occasion but when conversations about photography are peppered every 3 minutes with “So-and-So Photography does it like this,” and “So-and-So Photography says you should do it that way,” and can’t ACTUALLY offer any wisdom or insight of your own? It’s time for me to reevaluate. And like I said- I speak from personal experience.

So here’s to weaning myself off of my favorite wedding photographer blogs for a while! I may join a support group. Or hit Pinterest like a gale-force wind.

Where do you find inspiration outside of the wedding industry?