How I stay inspired in my photography and creative process
Most creative people go through a creative block, sometimes called an artist’s block. I’ve gone through the same thing time and time again, but here are a few ways I ignite my creative spark!
I’ve found the best thing to stay inspired is by constantly exposing yourself to various forms of media and influences. This could mean movies, art, literature, theatre, carnivals, yoga, Twitter- anything that can be a source of influential media! A creative spark can come from anywhere, so let everything in and decide what works for you.
‘Smashbook’
I try to keep a pocket-sized sketchbook/notebook on me at all times to jot down ideas. I started this habit last year when I bought a small notebook and decided I was going to fill it by the end of the year. I found that it was quite beneficial and fun so I kept up the habit! Not everything I put in it is about photography-related topics but it helps me brainstorm and make sense of my mind. I’ve found that doing this has helped me remember ideas better as well as polish them more finely. Sometimes I want to doodle or write about an experience I had that day. So I make it a mini ‘smash book’ where I throw in whatever I want. There are wrappers, stickers, cutouts, doodles, writing samples, and anything that I find I put into my smash book. I believe that finding other outlets to create and express yourself improves your creative process.
I’ve included a few snapshots of the pages. They aren’t a masterpiece or even aesthetically pleasing, that’s not my goal. Sometimes I want to make bad art!
Making bad art is better than not making any at all!
If you start a smash book too I would love to see it! Tag me on social media or message me.
Pinterest is one of my favorite ways to find inspiration and also organize ideas and photoshoots.
I know when most people think of Pinterest they think it’s for planning weddings or crock-pot recipes but it is actually a really useful tool for artists. Pinterest is more aesthetically curated than trying to find inspirational imagery on Google. Not only can you find lots of posts, you can upload your own work onto the platform as well. I am also adding my photography onto my own Pinterest so others can pin my photos!
Follow me on Pinterest to pin my images to your boards!
Art Museums
Viewing works of art in person is so important! Every time I go to a museum or gallery showing I leave feeling inspired and refreshed! I love being able to look up close at the brush strokes of painters, or walk around a sculpture, and even see if a photograph is printed on matte or glossy paper. In the last couple of years, I have been lucky to travel to museums like the Louvre, the Smithsonian National Gallery of Art, and The Tate Modern. Although these are very prestige museums I encourage you to go to local museums and student art shows. Here are a couple of images of my travels at museums!
The Louvre, Paris 2022 Photography by Kayla Abrams
A few shots of me looking at art thanks to my husband!
Travel… Around the Block
As cliche as it sounds, traveling always keeps me inspired! When entering a space I am unfamiliar with I tend to be very observant. With the people, landscape, architecture, and especially art. While traveling can be expensive, the great thing is you don’t need to fly across the world to find something that interests you. Take a walk! One of my favorite ways to either clear my head or find an idea is by taking a walk around my neighborhood. Even though I’ve taken the same path many times, I find new plants, cats, and views. Walking around really inspires me and it got me started working on some documentary/ architecture photography!
Some imagery I took on my walks.
Collaborate
Working with other fellow photographers or artists can be a great way to get rid of your creative block. For photographers, collaborating with others is really beneficial for sharing resources and connections. I’ve worked with many great photographers and even being there to help set up studio lights or watch them work helps me learn. Bouncing ideas off one another about working together on a photoshoot can result in amazing imagery perhaps you couldn’t have done alone. Here is some of my work I did in conjunction with other photographers!
A recent project I worked on with Karly Tu’uhetaufa and Magali Ortega, 2023
Model is Samuel Adrian
Social media
Staying connected online can seem like an obvious choice for finding inspiration. I put this one lastly for a reason as I believe there are so many other resources to find ideas from rather than the internet! It is such a great tool to connect to other fellow creatives but comparison can set in quickly! Set some distance between you and your phone and rely on other forms of media to give you creative energy!
That being said…
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