Today we bring you the second installment of develop on fridays. Develop on fridays is a series of creative photography workshops led by photographer and guest blogger Jefra Starr Linn. You can read more about this series here.

Under the Influence
by guest blogger + photographer Jefra Starr Linn

Johannes Vermeer

Just a couple of thoughts here and then some questions to get you thinking.

We’re all influenced by someone and/or something. Usually lots of someones and somethings. And about that – this is the bottom line- art doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Even the first artist ever was influenced by something in the natural world.

Is it wrong to have influences? Is it wrong to be influenced by other artists?

photo by the phenomenal duo of Waldemar and Max

Absolutely not!

Why are influences important? Influences cause you to think. They activate your eye and assist you in seeing in a new way. They help you to see more of what you want in your own work.

It’s like talking about being under the influence of a drug – drugs don’t cause behavior, they UNLOCK behavior that was already inherent there.

Influences enhance a vision that is already there within you.

Seeing the way that other artists see their world helps ME see my world uniquely. Through out this post I’ll be including pictures and designs that resonate with me deep inside somewhere, and somehow affect my own photography and VISION.

Influences VS Copying.

This is a tender area. Lots of sensitivity over this. When we create something we feel like it’s our original idea. And it is. Or is it? Like I said earlier, art doesn’t come out of a vacuum. Even if an artist did come up with an idea or concept entirely on their own, and executed it entirely their own way, does that mean that no one’s ever done that idea before? Or will think of it on their own also?
As my wise artist husband says “when anyone trying to be creative spends more time looking in their rear mirror rather than their windshield, they’re missing the journey”

All we can do is create. We can’t control how others interpret what is it that we do. Or how they integrate it into their own work.

artwork by Sweet J

For ourselves, however, influences go wrong when an artist or a person says they want to be JUST LIKE another artist. Basically in this they’re saying “I don’t want to be me” (which they say because they don’t know what or who they really are).

We don’t arrive at who we are by BECOMING someone else. We can’t be ourselves when we try so hard to be like our photo-idols. We arrive at who we are by creating ceaselessly.

HOWEVER — it is helpful to recreate photos or techniques. But to do this as a means, not an end. We must approach it as an exercise in learning and technique.

All throughout time masters of any trade have had apprentices, and the apprentices had to copy the works and styles of the masters. I love this definition of an apprentice from answers.com – . The service or condition of an apprentice; the state in which a person is gaining instruction in a trade or art. But in this example we are talking CRAFT versus VOICE. Craft being the technical aspects of a skill or trade. Voice being your own personal vision for a work you’re creating. So yes, study the craft. But continue to explore your own voice in that.

Don’t deny your influences, but beware of how assimilating and channeling what someone else is doing affects your voice.

A little witticism says “originality is the art of concealing your sources”

No one can really conceal their source – you want to SYNTHESIZE your sources with your own self and voice.

A few questions –

Where do you go to find inspiration?

What usually excites you and why? What does that tell you about yourself?

What grabs your attention?

picture by kiki and polly

sun and moon quilt by square one studio

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ASSIGNMENT –

This assignment’s in three parts – before you read them I want you to NOT get scared or anxious. This is all about you and your interpretation of an influence of yours on your stuff. There are no right or wrong answers here.

**BASIC

Part 1 – make an individual inspiration file of not only your favorite photographs/contemporary photographers but also paintings, old photos, works of the old masters, etc.

Part 2 – review these artists and works and define WHAT it is that you love about that piece of artwork, or that style of art.

**ADVANCED

Part 3 – make a specific photograph based on that influence. Explain who your influence was in for this piece and what you learned / incorporated from that artist’s work.

Example – I love Vermeer.

Johannes Vermeer

What do I love about him? One of my favorite things about him is his phenomenal use of light. He always has such soft, directional light. I love how serene his moments captured seem to feel.

Why do they feel this way? There’s balance and design seamlessly integrated into each one. There’s simplicity and at the same time complexity.
Johannes Vermeer

How can I integrate this into my work? For one, he usually uses a soft, single directional window light. He heavily uses symbolism (fruit, books, flowers, etc – what do these say about the subject that he‘s portraying?) and texture (meaning a cloth draped and a smooth table and a patterned floor, etc)

So I’m going to try to repeat this at my house today.

I’ll show you what it looks like after I finish.

Example 2 – I love the music of Ben Folds.

What do I love about him? Besides being insanely clever and witty and talented musically, one thing that inspires me about his work is how he’s not afraid to be real in his lyrics. By that I mean he doesn’t always rhyme, he doesn’t always follow the beat. In short, he’s not held captive by the “rules” of traditional songwriting.

I love to listen to him (and lately it’s been Sufjan Stevens’ work and his non-traditional use of instruments and choice of words for lyrics) as I drive to a shoot. In a way I feel like it loosens me up a bit. Frees me to shoot what I want to shoot.

How do I incorporate this into a photograph? What do I love about his stuff. Reality. Realism. A sense of humor. I want all that in my work. So I’ll look for those moments.

Like here and here…

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LESSON TWO
Post your lesson two assignments here:

LESSON ONE
For those of you that completed lesson one, stop by this thread and weigh in:

lesson one wrap up :: what I learned

– jefra + liz