The Truth About Inspiration vs. Copying

What is the difference between inspiration and copying? In the words of artist Gail McFarland, “the main difference is that inspiration involves taking an idea or element and transforming it into something new with your own creativity and unique perspective, while copying is replicating another artist's work without adding original thought.”

But what if you’re taking photos of the same landscape as your favorite photographer and the final results end up looking eerily similar? What if you’re attending a workshop in which your mentor is photographing the same model in the same kind of light? 

There’s a very fine line between inspiration and copying, but that doesn’t mean that you should shy away from finding inspiration in other people’s work. I discuss this topic with Photo Masters founder Ian Plant in the video below. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4NTPB-4xAk

If you have any trouble watching the video above, you can also watch it here. 

Copying vs. Inspiration

Copying is when you intentionally make or do something that is the same as an original piece of work. Taking inspiration from something involves drawing ideas or motivation from someone or something else.

Oftentimes, copying means you're not adding your own spin to something. In my opinion, it's okay if your photo accidentally happens to look similar to someone else's. What matters most is that you use your creative vision to tell a story through your subject. That can be achieved by practicing and developing your own style.

We all take inspiration from other people. I know a few photographers who don't look at other people's work to avoid being influenced by it; while this may work for some of us, it's not a sustainable option for everyone.

If you surround yourself with all kinds of art, you might find it easier to come up with original ideas. If you find that your photos look a little too similar to someone else's, look for inspiration in paintings, music, and books. Gather inspiration from different sources and use it to create something that's meaningful to you.

The Art of Reverse Engineering

When I was an absolute beginner in photography, I had no idea where to start. For a short period of time, I copied other people's photos. It was a phase that allowed me to understand what exactly made my favorite photos so effective. I learned about lighting, posing, and even post processing by reverse engineering. 

However, with time, I realized that copying wasn’t a very fulfilling activity. When you copy someone’s work, you’re not telling your own story. When I stopped looking for ideas online, I found it easier to find inspiration in my own surroundings. 

“Master studies” (copying a famous artist's work) are immensely popular in the world of art because they allow painters to indirectly learn from the best of the best. There’s value in learning from others this way, but it should be a private activity and not something that overshadows your inner artist.

What Makes Your Photography Unique?

Almost everything in the world has already been photographed, but nobody can see the world exactly the same way you do. Whether you’re photographing an inanimate object, a landscape, or a person, you can use a variety of elements to make your final photos uniquely yours.

Here are just a few elements you can use to make your photos stand out from the rest:

• Time of day/lighting

• Angles

• Different foregrounds

• Different camera settings (e.g. a slower shutter speed to create motion blur or a lower exposure to create a silhouette) 

• Post processing effects

You might have your own pattern or editing workflow that helps you achieve a distinct style. For example, as a portrait photographer, I like to use a very specific (i.e. very wide) aperture. While that may not be the most unique thing in the world of photography, it’s one of the elements that contributes to my style. 

Take a moment to consider what makes your work unique and use that to your advantage.

Conclusion

As Chuck Palahniuk once wrote, "Everything is a copy of a copy of a copy." We can't help but be influenced by the world around us, and that's a wonderful thing! It's amazing that we have so many opportunities to find inspiration as photographers. The key is to blend the things that inspire us with our own unique perspective on the world. More often than not, that is exactly what will result in original ideas and outstanding photographs.

What are your thoughts on inspiration vs. copying? Let me know in the comments!