Week 4: Writing Assignment

1.  What motivates you to make photographs?  When the motivation is internal, how do you benefit from your photography?  If the motivation is external, what results do you hope for?
I've loved taking photos since I was a kid. I like being able to create memories and remember things by photographs. I literally take pictures, or even just snapshots, of everything that interests me or makes me laugh, or anything that's cute, or anything that would make an interesting photograph. I've learned a lot over the years about photography and now I love going through my old "photography" from high school and recreating the photos I took to make them better, whether it's composition or lighting or perspective. Also, I use photography as a form of escape when I'm having a bad day or just need to get away. I'm also horrible at expressing how I feel in words (seriously, right now I'm struggling with this assignment) and that's one reason why I love art so much. It's my form of expression.

2.  What interests and inspires you as an artist in your broader life?  For you, what connections are there between what inspires you and your photography?
I love nature, and someday I will design my own house in the middle of nowhere, preferably on a peaceful lake with unobstructed views. A girl can dream, right? But anyway, that's really where my inspiration comes from. Anything fresh and natural and simple. I'm going to be lame and make a reference to The Notebook. I was always insanely jealous of Allie who, after Noah had restored the house for them, had her own room overlooking the lake so she could paint. In terms of photography (and any form of art for that matter), I love nature partially because it can be so simple but create a beautiful piece of art. Music is also a huge inspiration for me, as you all can see from the objects I used for this last assignment. I try to see my favorite bands/artists in concert as often as I can, and one thing that I love about concerts is capturing the energy of the crowd and whoever is on stage in a photograph.