Artists like to call their work “original”. For good reason, as artists, we want to stand out and send an authentic message to the world. However, there are hardly any truly original ideas in the art world. Everything has been invented, reinvented and recreated over and over again. In this article, we’ll discuss how to create, reinvent, and stay away from copying.
Recently, I have been thinking about how to get ideas for my work as a professional photographer. Some of my images can be directly retrieved from what inspired them, while others are more “unique”. The reason I can’t call any of my works unique is because they’re all simply a combination of different influences I’ve seen before, different ideas people have thrown. on me and different experiences. So every image that I take is like a collection of many previous ideas. All we do is combine many ideas together to create something out of it. Think of it like cooking the same dish. Even if the ingredients come from the same source, different chefs cook the meal differently. If the chef’s recipe, ingredients, and everything are the same, is the dish original? Right. If we apply the same thing to photography, it turns out not to. Does that make my work fake, unoriginal, and a bad copy of someone else’s ideas?
What was the original idea? Could it theoretically exist?
If we follow the principle that all ideas are a refuge for other ideas, a natural question arises. Is it possible to go back and find the original ideas that created the trap? The first initial thought must be that of the first man. Since then, it’s all been a big fake. This definition will get us nowhere, and the debate will end here. So let’s stop looking for an original idea, whatever it means. Think how some fashion brands like Balenciaga manage to produce two new couture collections each year. Fashion has mastered the art of expressing old as new, and new as old. It is a cycle that never ends. That’s fast fashion, but on steroids, as they may launch a half-replica collection every two weeks. However, the clothes look fresh, trendy and stylish. How is it that an idea that seems to have been copied is presented as an original, and no one questions it? That’s because their approach to originality is different from ours. Here’s how.
Smart approach to originality
The approach to originality that I recommend is this: all ideas are by-products of other ideas. The intention you have behind the idea is what matters. If you take inspiration from Rodin’s work and see people in the same grandiose way, the work makes sense and you’re creating something authentic, something authentic and true to you. . However, if your intention is to copy Rodin’s work because it made him a famous sculptor, your work will have very little meaning and authenticity.
The point I’m trying to make about authenticity is that it’s not necessarily authentic to anyone other than you. It really doesn’t matter where you get the idea from, it’s just what you do with it. That’s why when creating mood boards I don’t worry about images of the same photographer or even a photo session. These images are the only ideas that I combine, mix and develop. If I showed you a mood board and then the final image, you would say that they are (in most cases) not the same. Sure, the key elements will be in there, but the image itself is different. That’s because when I shoot, I immediately give my own opinion on composition, pose, lighting, etc. Currently, the mood board is just a communication tool between me and my team. I’m more than a guide to what each image should look like. For example, I often see a single image, which then leads me to a specific idea – usually, it’s about styling. If you are a landscape photographer, you may be mesmerized by how someone managed to capture graphic detail in rock textures or blur everything but the subject. The idea can come from looking at an impressionist painting and taking a photo like it. There are literally countless ways in which you can be inspired and create authentic work without copying anyone. After all, uniqueness is about you, not about your viewers. For them, pictures are sure to remind you of something, even if you’ve never seen the thing. That’s because viewers have a completely different world experience than you and may define uniqueness in a different way.
Copy and don’t worry, sometimes
When I start taking pictures, I capture everything I see. But I quickly realized that I lacked some techniques and methods in my work. For example, I don’t know how to make water smooth on landscape photos, how to compose or how to light photos. The way to learn these techniques is to copy. I took the pictures I liked and started making an exact copy of the photo. That is not an easy task. Copying is quite difficult, if not impossible. I never managed to make an exact copy of what I was going to do. Instead, I tried to create an approximate, acceptable-looking version. What I learned through trying to copy other artists’ work is the reasoning behind what. Not only did I realize that in order to get smooth water I needed to use it for a long time, I also realized when and how to use it effectively. The same can be applied to lighting. Sure, I tried to use the settings as much as I could, but when someone asked me to create an identical effect on a portrait, I started to realize that one couldn’t use the settings. before and get the approximate result. When it comes to using tools I have to produce a result that I can’t, I literally spent 10-12 hours trying to get it right. By the end of the slogans, I know more ways than I thought.
So, in a way, copying isn’t an attempt to “steal” an idea, it’s about reverse engineering something. On the one hand, yes, you are taking someone’s work and trying to make an exact copy, but on the other hand, you are learning extensively. As we have seen, copying someone else’s image into pixels is not possible, but you can get closer and as a beginner, copying is very useful. Eventually, you’ll be able to use the techniques you’ve learned in your own work.
Stop thinking
So, after all, originality is an individual concept rather than a collective one. If we remove the obvious cases in which one artist copies another artist to monetize ideas, we are left with a world of trillions of thoughts and ideas, each ready to be transmitted. inspires you to create something authentic to you that speaks for you. Even if you take pictures just because they “look good,” they already mean something to you: they mean beauty.
