HOW TO GET INSPIRATION- WHEN YOU'RE FEELING STUCK

As a visual artist, there have been PLENTY of times where I have felt stagnated and stuck when attempting to create. It is like I would get stuck before I even started. I would feel as if I was limited to what was already apparent and in front of me and that I was unable to imagine new ideas. I am a photographer by trade and profession, and I understand that it is easy to go out, point and hit the shutter button. But I struggled to connect things to one another and to recognize themes.

Part of the reason why I could not recognize themes was because I was not inspired. But not too long ago, I was able to see what inspiration really is and where it comes from.

The thing about inspiration is that it comes from both the outside and the inside. We live in a shared world full of shared ideas; which were put together by the hearts and passions of others that exist with us- or that have come before us. So we must be mindful that we share in creativity. I needed to understand that no idea is original and that everything was not about me. The rawest essence of inspiration comes from a desire to make an impact. Questions that I can ask myself are: "For what cause are you creating?" "What ignites you?" "What is the very thing that makes you want to make a change?" And it is does not have to be limited to just one thing.

Inspiration is intrinsic motivation that manifests itself through the processing and the carrying out of tasks. So when one sees a need to help, to influence, or to collaborate to make a change, inspiration can really be found. When one is inspired, one can make use of the energy and thought produced by the motive.

So my biggest piece of advice that I would give to any photographer who has felt like me, finding themselves in a time of creative stagnation, is to find how you would best make an influence in your group or society.