Inspiration
-noun

1. an inspiring or animating action or influence.
2. something inspired, as an idea.
3. a result of inspired activity.
4. a thing or person that inspires.
5. Theology.
a. a divine influence directly and immediately exerted upon the mind or soul.
b. the divine quality of the writings or words of a person so influenced.
6. the drawing of air into the lungs; inhalation.
7. the act of inspiring; quality or state of being inspired.

_{Dictionary.com}



I asked *PhotoLust's friends, contributors and watchers to share their sources of inspiration, to introduce you to their muses. This is what they said. I hope it inspires you.



To me, inspiration comes from my daily situations, from my emotions and from music. It depends a lot, it's something completely random sometimes
_{- from ~Estrellada}

From everything that surrounds me. Every single thing.
_{- from ~Thalassy}

It comes from whatever I see in front of me, and the different ways in which I can see it. Look through the viewfinder, change your angle, and press the button. Voila!
_{- from *varx44}

From things that make me feel good and music.
_{- from *madameEve}



The world is my inspiration. Some times I just wake up and think by myself: "Today, I am gonna to make a good photo". Then I just go out and will see where I it ends.
_{- from ~NightSheep}

Usually inspiration just hits me, i listen to music or watch people that surround me and it just comes.That's the best kind of inspiration.
_{- from =Takatoshika}

Feelings, observations about the world around me, sometimes I like to portray in my photos what I feel the world will be..as opposed to what the world is.
_{- from *selfrevolution}

My inspiration comes from the voices in my head that tell me what to do...
That and the fact that I want to portray the things that I want to see but haven't yet. I watch very few photographers safe in the knowledge that I can't be influenced by what I've seen other people do. I don't want to emulate I want to create.
_{- from =neolestat}



Looking at other peoples work, and the subject (usually a face or figure) but not necessarily in that order.
_{- from ~sthwales}

Two things:
1. I think its pretty or it would make a good photograph
2. The subject is in some way associated with something I feel
_{- from =eskimoblueboy}

I'll look around my environment and think that hey, a girl in a bright pink boa laying across that would look good.
Or hay, when am I going to see that again?
And then I take a picture.
_{- from ~Lyfers}

The world around me, or at least the way i see it.
_{- from =Telephonicchicken}



Usually something I see, but that can be a tree when I'm out walking my dog, or a magazine article, or something on dA.
Sometimes, I just get an idea.
_{- from =35mil}

Colour is a powerful inspiration. Some settings, indoors or outdoors, are so attractive in terms of colour that I cannot resist taking a photograph. Otherwise, it's the composition. The volumes, angles and proportions. There are those happy moments when you walk down the street and a splendid composition just jumps at you. How can you avoid shooting that?
_{- from *ersi}

For nature photography, I'm inspired by what I see. For manips, I'm inspired by emotions. And for technique, I'm inspired by work I see on dA.
_{- from =JRd1st}

Nature and personal conflict.
_{- from =stealingmypainaway}



if i'm in a bad mood, i pick up my camera, designate how long i'm going to take it out and how many 'good' pictures i want from it. then i just go.
_{- from ~cha-ohs}

my girl!
_{- from ~Papou}

Music, life and the beauty of nature. Plus a few random things here and there.
_{- from *Xxevil-penguinxX}

Usually from music, but also from the ability to use a camera to bring out the beauty in things usually seen as ugly, or things that have been forgotten.
_{- from ~carlyx05x}



Most is mood driven. Environment plays a role; right place, right time.
_{- from ~mfr751}

people i admire on deviantART and in real life.
haha actually scratch that, i really need to think of a better word for 'real life'.
_{- from *the--end}

Life - the good, the bad, and the ugly.
_{- from ~BYA-Photography}

My inspiration comes from life in general and anything around me, such as nature, daily-life situations or objects...or some architectures in the street, music... then when I do photomanipulations, I let emotions, colors, feelings, music... guiding me.
_{- from ~Lady-Kiwi}



My inspiration comes from observing the human and environmental conditions of our time. I look at the world hard and try to see things in ways not ordinarily perceived.
_{- from *limegintonic}

the beauty that's all around us as well as the many faces animals can have.
_{- from =tigress-phan}

My camera
_{- from *TarquinChurchwell}

My inspiration comes from many places, mostly:
Music, words and or lyrics or part thereof.
People, some people that I work with inspire me through their personality.
Locations, sometimes inspire me.
Just about everything I see and hear inspires me in some form.
I cannot really explain it other than sometimes I don't know what I am looking for, but I know when I find it.
_{- from *Simon-P}



Everything, everyone... Life, music, the world, society... everything. If something does not inspire you in any direction (positive or negative), there's something wrong.
_{- from =asesinatuya}

EVERYTHING. actually it depends, same with music. something that's going on in my life, around me, something that occurred to me randomly, something that occurred in my dreams but i can't remember so i think its an epiphany.
_{- from ~BandanaNinja}

Hmm.. well dA is very inspiring of course. Also music sometimes and generally where I am and what I see.
_{- from =strangemousee}

a lot of the time, my inspiration is music, but it also extends to games, random things that have been said by people and dreams
_{- from @Xerces}



My inspiration comes from my random mind. Sometimes I just suddenly think of something I want to photograph. But mostly I think I take the best photos when it`s spontaneous. Life inspires me.
_{- from ~rainboo}

Looking at other pieces of artwork. Also, looking at different objects. I'll think of an angle. And then a concept.
_{- from *myxchemicalxkiss}

My environment and the different objects that I see around me. Nature is my biggest inspiration.
_{- from ~noir-badger}

Love.
_{- from ~xbs13}





That's it for part one. Thank you to everyone who took the time to talk about their art and inspiration. Part two will be submitted sometime over the next couple of weeks. If you want to keep up to date with these articles, photography resources and artist features, and contribute to the collective gallery and future polls and articles add *PhotoLust to your devwatch and get involved.