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Inspiration vs. Application
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May 10, 2022 11:43:50   #
MDI Mainer
 
Chuck Close, the American painter, visual artist and photographer once said:

Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get the work done. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you’re not going to make an awful lot of work.

His work, some of which was made with a large format camera, hangs in museums around the world. Close continued to make art after he was paralyzed in 1988 and passed away in 2021. His preservation in the face of adversity is inspiring in itself.

I learned about the quote in a blog post by Richard Bernabe. Bernabe was named one of the “Top 30 Influential Photographers on the Web” by the Huffington Post, and is also an instructor for Muench Workshops.

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May 10, 2022 11:47:38   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 

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May 10, 2022 11:53:11   #
DebAnn Loc: Toronto
 
MDI Mainer wrote:
Chuck Close, the American painter, visual artist and photographer once said:

Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get the work done. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you’re not going to make an awful lot of work.

His work, some of which was made with a large format camera, hangs in museums around the world. Close continued to make art after he was paralyzed in 1988 and passed away in 2021.

I learned about the quote in a blog post by Richard Bernabe. Bernabe was named one of the “Top 30 Influential Photographers on the Web” by the Huffington Post
Chuck Close, the American painter, visual artist a... (show quote)


Right on! Just go out and shoot. Among many throwaways, you just might have a masterpiece.

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May 10, 2022 11:54:20   #
User ID
 
MDI Mainer wrote:
Chuck Close, the American painter, visual artist and photographer once said:

Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get the work done. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you’re not going to make an awful lot of work.

His work, some of which was made with a large format camera, hangs in museums around the world. Close continued to make art after he was paralyzed in 1988 and passed away in 2021.

Amen.

And congratz on setting yourself apart from the rabble by your ability to quote someone other than him whose name I shall not mention !

I always rely on this observation by a widely known image crafter:
90% of success is just showing up.

Probably rounding off and rounding up, but important guidance nonetheless.

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May 10, 2022 12:22:23   #
Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.
 
MDI Mainer wrote:
Chuck Close, the American painter, visual artist and photographer once said:

Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get the work done. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you’re not going to make an awful lot of work.

His work, some of which was made with a large format camera, hangs in museums around the world. Close continued to make art after he was paralyzed in 1988 and passed away in 2021. His preservation in the face of adversity is inspiring in itself.

I learned about the quote in a blog post by Richard Bernabe. Bernabe was named one of the “Top 30 Influential Photographers on the Web” by the Huffington Post, and is also an instructor for Muench Workshops.
Chuck Close, the American painter, visual artist a... (show quote)


That is very good, but not all of us are professionals. Some of us takes photos for the enjoyment of taking photos. There is no need to wait around for inspiration, inspiration surrounds us, people, buildings, nature, everything.

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May 10, 2022 12:25:03   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
Mac wrote:
... There is no need to wait around for inspiration...

I thought that was the point.

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May 10, 2022 12:31:09   #
R.G. Loc: Scotland
 
Mac wrote:
.....inspiration surrounds us, people, buildings, nature, everything.


That's very true, but the point being made is that you won't find that inspiration unless you put yourself out there and just get on with it. Rather than saying "Inspiration is for amateurs" I would say that just getting on with it will create its own inspiration (so you don't have to hang around waiting for the muses to deliver).

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May 10, 2022 13:42:07   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
R.G. wrote:
That's very true, but the point being made is that you won't find that inspiration unless you put yourself out there and just get on with it. Rather than saying "Inspiration is for amateurs" I would say that just getting on with it will create its own inspiration (so you don't have to hang around waiting for the muses to deliver).


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May 10, 2022 13:50:15   #
MDI Mainer
 
"Amateur" has two distinct meanings -- "not for compensation" and "inept." I think Close meant the latter so as am amateur I don't take offense at his phraseology.

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May 10, 2022 16:09:53   #
rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA
 
His quote seems to suggest quantity is the most important factor. But that doesn't really work for me. If I don't feel inspired, I don't take pictures. I have no desire to fill up memory cards with uninspiring images. However, I'm not a professional photographer, I'm a hobbyist. I don't need to continuously capture images to make a living.

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May 10, 2022 16:38:27   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
rook2c4 wrote:
His quote seems to suggest quantity is the most important factor. But that doesn't really work for me. If I don't feel inspired, I don't take pictures. I have no desire to fill up memory cards with uninspiring images. However, I'm not a professional photographer, I'm a hobbyist. I don't need to continuously capture images to make a living.

That was your inference.
My take was don't sit and wait for something worthy to "show up", make something" with what is there.
"Work" being creations.

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May 10, 2022 16:58:42   #
MDI Mainer
 
Longshadow wrote:
That was your inference.
My take was don't sit and wait for something worthy to "show up", make something" with what is there.
"Work" being creations.


Exactly right.

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May 10, 2022 17:06:49   #
User ID
 
Longshadow wrote:
I thought that was the point.

You ask for too much :-(

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May 10, 2022 17:08:45   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
User ID wrote:
You ask for too much :-(

As Figment says, imaaaaagination.

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May 10, 2022 17:50:43   #
MDI Mainer
 
rook2c4 wrote:
. . . . I don't need to continuously capture images to make a living.


Neither did Close. John (1971–1972) sold at Sotheby’s in New York, 2005, for 4.8 million!

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