How to Use a "Clip File" for Ideas and Photo Inspiration

Award-winning photographer Shelly Perry is back today and tomorrow with a two-part article on using a “clip file” to improve your photography.
Shelly gets inspired by other photographers and says you can learn a lot at the same time. Even the experts do it.
Read on for a fresh new way of looking at photos.
Lori Allen
Director, Great Escape Publishing
HOW TO FIND INSPIRATION IN OTHER PHOTOGRAPHS – PART ONE
by Shelly Perry in Portland, Oregon
A lot of photographers I know keep a “clip file.” Basically, when you see a photo you like – in a magazine, newspaper, even in junk mail (which is great for stock shots, by the way) – you clip it out and stick it in the file. You can do the same with web files, tucking them into a folder on your computer. Once you’ve collected some shots in your folder, it becomes your go-to place for inspiration.
Take time to look at the photos and think about why they inspire you. See if there are any strong trends in the photos you personally like. Are they all landscapes, animals, food, people, or studio shots?
When you find yourself drawn to a certain type of photo or subject more than others, it’s a strong indicator of the type of photographer you might be.
Next, start dissecting them.
See if you can identify the light source and how the light is working in the photo. Is it natural light or studio light? Is the light flat or bright? Is it flattering to the subject? Is it soft diffused light or strong and directional? Do you see a lot of backlighting? What is the temperature of the light. Is it warm or cool?
You want to ask yourself “how did they do that?” By doing this, you begin to train your eye to watch for various lighting situations and then emulate the type of light you like best.
Then look at the overall composition. Are they generally wide-angle landscapes with everything in focus … people portraits … or perhaps tight, close-up, macro shots of food? Various types of photography require very different technique, as well as equipment. Seeing what these photos have in common can help you to narrow down your scope and begin to understand where you want to go as a photographer.
Finally, look at the subject. How are things arranged? Does the arrangement make any one thing seem more important than the others? Is there a “flow” through the photo? Do you see the Rule of Thirds in action, or perhaps leading lines or framing? Do the majority of the photos you like use a wide depth of field (everything in focus) or a shallow depth of field (a point of focus with lots of softness beyond)?
When you can identify the various elements in your clip file that draw you in and inspire you, you can learn from what others have done. You’ll start to understand how to reproduce these types of photos for yourself.
An important distinction I want to make is that your clip file is used for inspiration only. You study other images, so you can go out and make your own photos, learn, and grow. The idea is not to go out and make a copy of a photo you like. It’s important that you become your own photographer with your own style.
Here are a few examples …




As a stock photographer, you never want to copy someone else’s work. Tomorrow, I’ll tell you why I’ve added these images to my clip file and what I hope to get from them that will inspire an upcoming photo-shoot.
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