The framing of an image is a border of sorts. To a degree, it defines what the photographer wants you to experience. But the frame also has an implied extension that goes beyond what is visible.

  I don’t know Sarah Sudhoff, but I understand her work. In that sense, I know something about her. I also believe I understand life a bit more than before…

The inspiration handed to you in a gallery or a book or on the Internet should be one that elevates you as an artist. It should pull you to wanting to make your work as powerful as what you are looking at. It is not about hype or being cool or making stuff up. It is about revealing truths.

It seems to me that nearly everyone has a different opinion of what photography might be, which seems to beg the questions:

“We must come to the realization that our ideal world has been drastically altered. Man, his machines and his simpleminded ambitions are constantly altering the makeup of the ecosystem. All while, corporate advertising renders a world free from disruption. They show us living the good life while gliding comfortably in a luxurious car inside the fantasy of our Disney Kingdoms. We have buried our heads in their pipe dreams.”

For the following text, you might try substituting the words Artist, Painter, Writer, Actor with Photographer…

Photographic and creative inspiration can come from many sources. Books, music and philosophy are great places to begin.

  Add some brushes to that digital photo! And maybe a bit of animation too! Digital imaging has come a long way in recent times and everyone is looking for…

The computer tends to bring everything down to the same level. A painting by Monet, a photograph by Atget or Adams, ads for a camera, a car or an iPod all get the same treatment. There is no real scale, no real texture, little fidelity and no authenticity.

We are all guilty of shooting cliché imagery. Sometimes we just can’t help ourselves. The cliché seems to have been ingrained into our DNA.