Non-photographic inspiration

[nongfuspring]

It occurred to me the other day that quite a few of the interviews I've read with my favourite photographers barely talk about other photographers at all, instead the conversation often brings up poets, painters, novelists, philosophers, filmmakers etc. I also read an article recently claiming that the most influential figure in the development of American photography wasn't a photographer at all - it was Edward Hopper. Perhaps that's debatable, but I think it's an interesting reminder that while photography is a technology that was radically unlike anything else that came before it, in practice it is the case that photography developed more organically out of other more established artistic or scientific methods, values and traditions.

I respect the fact that there are definitely some medium-specific issues in photography, but I often feel this forum can often be fixated on only looking at other photographers. So, to break that trend a bit, what non-photographers have influenced your work? Or, what have been some of the more interesting connections between photographers you respect and their less predictable inspirations?

 

[daveleo]

That's interesting.
When I think of "pictures", 90% of the time, I think of paintings.
The pictures that I love the most, and, you could say "have influenced my photography the most", are paintings.

In a way, that is not a good influence. If you look at my photographs, the compositions are all rather static. I don't capture the "dynamics of people". That, I believe, is because I am subconciously replicating the traditional styles of "classic" art. I don't let "the moment" drive what the photo looks like.
Boring boring boring.

 

[DominikDUK]

My Point of reference for good lighting are Baroque painters like Caravaggio and others. As for static composition caused by painting I have to disagree a good painitng is far from static in fact they are rather dynamic or like a good photography catch a certain moment. Not even a stillife is that static. Exceptions are the Icons of the orthodox church and medieval paintings. But they can have a certain dynamic element as well.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

HCB wanted to be an artist, but have to do photography for a while to be able to get back to what he wanted to be.
GW has education in visual arts.
Yousuf Karsh spend sometime behind stage lights in the Ottawa theatre.
And I could see results of this in photography of all three of them.
Perhaps, because I was initially more interested in paintings and drawing, not photography.
This forum is already above of many others where it is nothing but gear talk. Not sure if it is pushable even more 🙂

 

[DominikDUK]

And who influenced Doisneau ? In art history there is the term caravaggist meaning those influenced by the work of Caravaggio some of them were born before caravaggio or never met him or saw his original work one good example is Rembrandt. Rembrandt only knew reproductions of Caravaggios work but was still heavily influenced by Caravaggio. The same applies to many photographers we are influenced by say HCB but HCB was influenced by others and that Shows, the same applies to Doisneau (who I like more than HCB). Doisneau was a printer graphic Artist by education so he was influenced by graphic work especially lithographs this is quiet evident in some of his photographs. So although many photographers are not directly influenced by other media they might be indirectly influenced by them.

 

[back alley]

music is the biggest influence in my life and in many aspects of my life.
when i listen to a favourite piece of music it usually stirs a feeling inside me...i like photography that does the same...not much does and not much of mine does though...but it's good to have a goal.

 

[Ronald M]

Watercolor and oils. Painting rocks.

I am a better photog then painter

 

[Don Parsons]

The Beatles--for their work ethic. In 1963, they had about 5 days off from touring, recording and interviewing. They really worked hard at their craft.

 

[nongfuspring]

Work ethic is a good one, I heard once that when Monet was very sick he had the paintbrush tied to his forearm so he could still paint.

For me I'm a big fan of the way that Tarkovsky was able to make relatively ordinary objects and scenes symbolic and atmospheric. I recently have been reading Boris Groy's "On the New" which in part traces the myth of originality in the avant garde; basically he says that "newness" is usually just the reinterpretation of one thing from one medium to another - for instance dance into architecture, or music into photography. I think that idea that I don't have to invent a whole new language to make good photographs takes a bit of pressure away from pressing the shutter. Felix Vallotton is great too, interesting lighting, and a tendency to abstract form like a lens turns out of focus regions into blobs. Vilhelm Hammershoi who has a really poetic way of treating light that often seems more photographic than painterly:

 

[jsrockit]

Living life is my influence... the good and the bad.

 

[DominikDUK]

Ned more like his grandson several times over 🙂

I doubt that Doisneau was inspired by Caravaggio Toulouse Lautrec is more likely and some of Doisneau's work reminds me of some of the nightclub scenes in TL's work.

Also take a look at some of Turner's work his light is sublime

 

[airfrogusmc]

I have been inspired by music and the likes of Davis, Coltrane, Monk, Jeff Beck, Hendrix, Springsteen and the paintings of Edward Hopper, Cappelle, Pissarro, the writings of Steinbech, Kerouac, Hemingway, the motion pictures of Scorsese, Truffaut, Godard, Lynch and so many more.

 

[mfogiel]

The whole point of making photographs is to spit out what makes you tick. In this light, anything that influences your state of mind and emotions counts. Looking at other people photographs can be useful to see if you are rediscovering the wheel and maybe take a slightly different approach. The world is awash in banal photos.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I find inspiration form photographers also

Weston for his vision. His peppers looked like his shells that looked like his clouds that looked like his nudes that looked like his peppers.

Robert Frank for The Americans.

Dorothea Lange for the compassion in her photographs.

Bresson for the moment.

Ralph Gibson for the negative space.

Erwitt for his humor.

Sally Mann for a look inside her life and family.

Walker Evans for his look at America.

Bruce Davidson for East 100th Street

Francesca Woodman for sharing her pain.

Joel Peter-Witkin for showing us his nightmares.

Winogrand for showing us life on the streets.

Boogie for giving us a glimpse into the madness of gangs and drugs.

DeCarava for his look into Harlem.

And so many more...

 

[jsrockit]

I've been looking at more painting... Hopper and Estes as well as the late 1800s painters from Europe.

 

[burancap]

...Felix Vallotton is great too, interesting lighting, and a tendency to abstract form like a lens turns out of focus regions into blobs. Vilhelm Hammershoi who has a really poetic way of treating light that often seems more photographic than painterly...

Thanks for these! Beautiful stuff, especially Hammershoi.

 

[robert blu]

Hopper, Edward for his simple way to paint what can be seen in everybody' s life.
Hopper Dennis for the way he documented his life with his friends ( I just got his book!).
robert
PS: and music, a quiet loe tension piece inspire me to make relaxing photos, a strong R&B pieces makes me wanted to make more "life" photographs, jazz inspires m to try improvisation...it doesn't work always as I plan...

 

[lukitas]

Hokusai. The Manga.
The extraordinary breadth and depth of his curiosity in everything and anything, drawing catalogs of stuff, such as :

bottom rung samurai showing off :

Blind peoples' faces :

flowers :

fighters, fatsos and anorexics :

His 'mission' statement :

“From the age of 6 I had a mania for drawing the shapes of things. When I was 50 I had published a universe of designs. But all I have done before the the age of 70 is not worth bothering with. At 75 I'll have learned something of the pattern of nature, of animals, of plants, of trees, birds, fish and insects. When I am 80 you will see real progress. At 90 I shall have cut my way deeply into the mystery of life itself. At 100, I shall be a marvelous artist. At 110, everything I create; a dot, a line, will jump to life as never before. To all of you who are going to live as long as I do, I promise to keep my word. I am writing this in my old age. I used to call myself Hokusai, but today I sign my self 'The Old Man Mad About Drawing.”
― Hokusai Katsushika

And also because all his birds have an evil look in their eye.

Cheers

 

[Don Craig]

Classic Rennaisance painters, French Imlpressionists, German Expressionists, Modernists. Sculptors like Henry Moore and Alexander Calder. Music for sure, Rock, Country Blues, Classic as in Bach and others. American writers like Hemmingway and Cormac McCarthy. Poets like Dylan Thomas, T.S. Eliot, Vachel Lindsay. That's enough name dropping.

 

[Don Craig]

Hokusai. The Manga.
The extraordinary breadth and depth of his curiosity in everything and anything, drawing catalogs of stuff, such as :

bottom rung samurai showing off :

Blind peoples' faces :

flowers :

fighters, fatsos and anorexics :

His 'mission' statement :



And also because all his birds have an evil look in their eye.

Cheers

Thanks Lukitas, certainly Japanese prints. They are like street photography before the invention of the camera.