I am huge on soul searching. If you really want to find who you are as an artist and as a person in general do some serious digging deep into your soul. Emotions are going to help you define who you are.
3 things I always tell people when I suggest that they soul search to find them is to think, Process and visualize.
1. Think
Think about what you like. Dig deep and find those emotions, Find those feelings. When you are looking at others images, what type of style's "speak to you?" What type of styles give you goosebumps? What makes you feel those emotions so deep that you can feel those images? When you can feel it, it's most likely not only amazing art but art that you love and styles you love. Looking at others amazing work is not going to make you be like them. I will talk about that in a bit. It actually will help to define who you are and make you realize what you like and don't like. So think about all of this. You want to feel your emotions.
2. Process
After you think about all those things to find what styles and genres you love the most. Now, Process it. What about those styles make you feel the way you feel. There's distinct things that make my soul sing. You will find it to. For example, Detailed, Soulful images that I can look at and know exactly what is going on and feel like I am there, and feel emotions from these images, And say exactly why I love those kinds of images. Those are the kinds of images I love and that is why I love them. I love to feel images. There are all kinds of great images. But I want to feel from them. I want to say WOW, that is some deep work. I am not into big cheesy smiles. I like to feel deep emotion in my work. I like to feel from my models. When they are looking at the camera just smiling. That doesn't make me feel deep emotion. That to me, isn't real. Real, raw emotion is where it is at for me. You need to find out things like that that you do and don't like. It took a while for me to find it. But I did after doing exactly what I am sharing with you today. Process these emotions to find out exactly why and what it is you like about them.
3. Visualize
Now that you know what makes your heart sing and know exactly why it makes you feel these things. Now visualize them. After you feel these emotions and know exactly what you are looking for, visions will just start coming to you. This is when you can really pick up your camera and know exactly what it is you are going for. You won't even need to really think. It will just come to you. You will just start seeing amazing images in your head every time you look at someone or something. This will also in return help your models when you know exactly what it is you like and need to go after. Don't be afraid to chase down those feelings. Vision what you want and make it happen. Make it come to life. This is when your work will start coming together seamlessly. This is when your followers will start to say wow, I can feel your work, wow, I know your images right when I see them before I even see the name, or wow, I can feel what you are feeling.
Don't worry about others trying to be like you. No matter what, when it comes down to it. We all think differently, We all process differently and we all visualize differently. We all see things differently. That is why there are so many different styles out there. The way we all process emotion is very different. Also we all like things for different reasons. You may like soulful work for one reason and someone else will like it for a different reason. So if you put both of your images together that are shot same person, same pose, same everything. They will show different things. We all edit different as well. So just be yourself and worry about finding your inner self. It will really help you on this journey. Don't be afraid of emotion. It is an amazing thing. Don't hide from what you feel. Work with it and make beautiful art from it.
I really hope this can help some of you along the way in your journey. It took me a bit to put my emotions and visions out there in fear. But we can't be like that. We have to focus on us and what makes us happy. We will never please everyone. So we must please ourselves. BE YOU, Create from your heart. Thank you for reading. Until next time, XOXO! ~Amber
