DP Investigates - Imitation Vs Inspiration

[HayleyEPaterek]

As part of DP Investigates this month we are interested in hearing your views on imitation vs inspiration.

Do you look at other photographer's work for inspiration? Or are you worried about imitating?

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but has anyone ever copied your style of work?

[claireg]

When I start a project I always begin by researching. I think knowing what’s around and putting your work into context is very important. It's hard to come up with something purely unique as most things have already been done before. If you research your ideas though there is less chance of imitating someone's work. Of course if you have an idea and you want to run with it you should but it is important to know what context you place you images and ideas.

[4colourprogress]

I think in terms of Amateur vs Professional then this discussion doesn't really have any merit. Finding inspiration is what guides us down our individual paths as photographers, If I never stumbled on Stuckincustoms.com I never would have discovered HDR. Yeah at first I followed his tutorials step by step every time but eventually you find your own style and just go with it, that's what happened for me anyway... but even If I do copy his work does that mean It's instantly going to get the same recognition and fame? Nope!

"There’s a difference between making an imitation and selling it."

[simon3116]

I don't think I've ever consciously imitated somebodies work but I've certainly used other shots for inspiration, that's why I think it's important for a magazine to show shot details so that readers can understand how a photograph was achieved so they can try it for themselves.

I don't see anything wrong with going to a location that you've seen shots of and trying to imitate it, I'd take it as a compliment if somebody tried to copy one of my shots.

[D Pentney]

The problem really is the motivation behind imitating can never truly be known unless the photographer adds a written coment. You might copy an image to see how it's done in order to improve your skills. I've tried to imitate pictures to help break out of my own creative 'rut'. I think both of these are fine. It's slightly different when someone imitates another image and then holds it up for scrutiny as their own work because unless the imitated photo is well known, everyone will assume it to be a new concept. Now, I don't know what anyone else thinks about a photo, but for me, the true magic is less in the capture and more in the vision or the idea of a photo - so as long as the photographer is honest by admitting the imitation, then it can be judged on capture alone. As such, I can't understand why someone would wish to publish what should just be an exercize to improve their own work.

There is also the 'accidental' imitation, where the situation lends itself to a well established type of shot. I find this with landscapes, especially if I'm at a waters edge, the sun is rising, and I've got hills in the background. Some of my best shots are the low-angle, long shutter, small aperture type, with a couple of stones just breaking the surface of the smooth reflective water. I haven't set out to imitate anyone else's work, but when I look at it at home and away from the situation, It's nigh on identicle to something I've seen in a magazine - is this a sub-conscious imitation? If you look at the majority of photo's from any given category there's always a trend or fashion, so we're all copying each other to some extent. Thats why I think the intent is important, because how can we judge the merit of a picture if we don't know why it was taken. Unfortunately it's unlikely that someone replicatiing anothers image for their own critical acclaim would ever admit to it!

[Keitht]

I suspect we all use the work of others as inspiration whether we realise it or not. If we see an interesting or unusual image it's likely to stick at the back of our minds and have an influence somewhere down the line. I have absolutely no desire to imitate anybody else's work. I probably wouldn't have the skill to do a decent job of it anyway.

[NigelD]

It's a bit like music really. There are only so many combinations of melodies, chord progressions and words and so many of them become copied if they're successful that everything eventually repeats itself. There are, especially in this digital age, more and more people taking pictures so if you see something you've seen before, don't be surprised.