I have been thinking recently about the difficulty of scheduling inspiration.  I often have the desire to make pictures, or I see something that inspires me, but I’m not actively taking pictures at that moment.  On the other hand, I schedule times during the week to do photography, but there’s no guarantee that inspiration will hit at that time.  How, then, can I better accommodate doing the work when the creative impulse is the strongest?

This summer I have decided that one thing I can do is to make photographs in my backyard.  I’ve taken pictures on and off over the years out there, but this summer I’ve decided to make that space consistently and readily available.  This allows me to easily set up and take photos when inspiration hits, to take advantage of good weather, good light, and whatever objects or people present themselves from day to day.

The other thing I’m doing is reaching out to friends and acquaintances to be part of my photos rather than using models/strangers.  This makes the work feel more organic, and because I already know them and what their essence is, I can more easily reach inspiration about what images to make of them.  It also helps that they know me and my work and that they have an investment in my success – or really in our success together in making a meaningful image. 

What can you do to streamline your process, and to connect doing photos and moments of inspiration?