Unintended Inspiration

Today I thought I’d share a little “inspirational” series with the readership.  I had taken a break from reading blogs, magazines, news, twitter, forums, and all the other associated activities related to keeping current and learning about photography to actually put together to make some dinner.  Photography had exited my mind – I was taking a break, not even thinking about it.  So there I was, slicing and dicing, cutting celery, carrots, and onions for a spaghetti sauce, when BAM!  I saw some colors and shapes on the white cutting board and my knee jerk reaction was:  “Hey, that looks like one of those stock photos!  I wonder if I could make one like that!?”

Well, of course I had no equipment set up, no preparation, no lighting, no glycerine (it makes food shine), and had not given any thought to composition or anything like that.  But, having the 40D nearby, I figured what the heck, so began to document the process. First, I had the celery cut:

Celery

Then, I cut some carrots:

Celery and Carrots

Then, after some onions, it all went into a pot to brown in a butter sauce:

Veggies

After adding some ground pork and turkey, a little white wine and milk to steam down:

Steaming

Then once it had steamed down, the final stage, adding tomatoes:

Tomatos

The shots here are not all that great, but it does give a “back story” of sorts and helps to illustrate that sometimes you can find color and inspiration in the oddest of places – even if you’re not even looking for it.  So, if you ever find yourself stuck in a rut, trying to find some inspiration, sometimes it’s best to just stop trying so hard.  Forget about it and put your efforts into other things (like cooking).  Before you know it – you’l have new visions and challenges laid at your feet, waiting for your vision to bring it all together.  I’m sure others have experienced this too, so let’s hear it!  What other scenarios have produced unintended inspiration for you?  Feel free to share your stories, shots, and anecdotes in the comments!  Until tomorrow, Happy Shooting!

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