do you ever feel guilty for borrowing other peoples ideas?

Matt L

Matt L

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Matt
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Just been going through flickr randomly and seen a few things i would love to try, but do you ever feel bad for recreating someone elses shot? even if you do put a slight twist on to it.

I do the majority of the time but its just a case of i like the shot and i want to try it so still end up doing it.
 
Nope.
Do you feel bad for learning English by reading literature?

So long as the intention is to learn through recreating something, rather than to produce an identical work to then pass off as one's own original idea, then I would consider it simply part of the learning process.
 
Depends whether you intend to completely copy the image (as someone did with one of my images) and what you then intend to use the image for if you do (the person who plagiarised my photograph has then made money from it - I could sue, but can't be bothered).

If you're using their ideas for inspiration to help you create your own twist to an image that's different from doing a direct copy.
 
I agree... Chances are that you'll never manage to completely recreate a shot anyway. There are too many variables. I like to look at the work of others and try to figure out how they've created an image especially when it comes to lighting.

Flickr is all about sharing anyway so make the most of the talent that's on display and learn from it. :)

Si
 
I don't think you can really 'borrow' an idea. Once you've taken it you can't really give it back.

Very few people have truely fresh and new ideas. Most ideas stem from getting inspiration from what you've seen. Whether you try and do a direct copy or your own unique interpretation is up to you. Either way, learning from others is a natural park of life, not just photography.
 
Nope. I pinch the idea and rework it into something better, and then patent it. :D
 
lawrenceots said:
Nope. I pinch the idea and rework it into something better, and then patent it. :D
Click to expand...

You forgot to add 'and make millions'

I wouldn't have got anyway with photography without learning from other amazing photographers & the photos they have taken
 
Nope, and for the reasons outlined already. I know Zoe takes a lot of inspiration from art and I've seen other photographers be influenced by sculpture. So we are constantly taking note of our surroundings and that is bound to distill into our photography. Exposure to different photographers also manifests itself in what we do. If you look at the composition from the brilliant David Beckstead or the tight headshots from Doug Gordon. The use of colour and composition from Trevor Yerbury. I don't think you can fail to be influenced to a degree.

Do I deliberately set out to copy another image? No, probably not but if Zoe's not going to sue then.............just kidding ;)
 
LOL - Alison, in my case, the person deliberately copied, having refused to pay for the image that I took on their behalf for a book cover. So much deeper.

yep, I'm heavily influenced by art and by past masters of photography such as Beaton, Parkinson, Bresson, Lange and Arnold as well as many others. And you'll find that past masters of art and photography were inspired by those that came before them.

Oh, by the way, CSI is great for inspiration too! Some great cinematography going on there, and you notice it in other things where Jerry Bruckheimer is involved too.

Now, off to check Ali's work ;)
 
If I see a picture and would like to have a go at it, I always ask how did they do it and go and practice, the only way to learn :shrug:
 
Did you see "Ten photographs that changed fashion" (I think that's what it was called) with Rankin a while back?

Basically he attempted to re-create ten famous fashion shots from different era's. It was a very interesting programme actually. He didn't look the slightest bit guilty over it, and he didn't just nick the ideas he full on copied the shots as near as he could.

I think if you are inspired by someone elses work there is nothing wrong with trying to recreate it for personal uses, especially to learn. I'd say the moment it gets "wrong" is when you start passing it off as all your own work, and try to profit from it.
 
I don't think I copy other peoples work, although I am often influenced by them. I see an image and think, I could do that with......

Also don't just stop at Photographs, have a look at paintings. I've seen some excellent landscape work, at various museums and art galleries and thought "Hmmm I wonder if I could do something similar".

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
 
Everything's a variation on a theme. There's nothing really new under the sun so to borrow a little inspiration's fine AFAIC.
 
I think it would be rather arrogant to NOT copy ideas from the greats. To ignore the works of those who are great in whatever field you shoot would be a bit stupid as well imho.

I'll get off my soap box now :coat:
 
If I see some work that has tackled a subject better than I have done, or is simply a great idea, I take it as a challenge. Not necessarily to do better, but as an opening into new aspects of a subject.

So yes, we do use other's work as an inspiration and something of that work does find its way into our own, but not as a direct copy.

Ed
 
isn't it the basis of progress, see something someone else has done and try and do it better. Evolution in the photographic world, I give it a big thumbs up :D
 
The simple answer here is - NO - as all others have already said

When teaching, I always suggest people find shots they like and try to copy them, including mine if we're out & about on a shoot, and reference back to the original to see if you are getting close, it's a fantastic way to learn

In time, you shoot your own way and providing you are happy with that, or can adapt if not after seeing others' work, it's all fine

It's extremely unlikely that you'lll have the same subject in the same lighting with the same camera settings and process in the same way - so just do it - as Nike say (sorry to copy them then! :))

DD
 
Not one bit.

Imitation is the highest form of flattery in my book and if people aren't flattered, then sod 'em - I'll pinch the idea nontheless... they shouldn't have put the idea into the free market in the first place. :)
 
I think theres a very subtle difference in plaguerism and inspiration for your own work. Its ok to take ideas from others and expand on them with your own creativity.
 
Well as most people have alluded to, we all learn from one source or another. Where did we all learn photography from? Someone gave us advice on exposure, composition, rule of thirds etc, etc...

Learning or being inspired by someone else's work is of course completely different to simple copying.
 
'Good artists copy, great artists steal.'

Picasso.

There's very little that hasn't been tried somewhere by someone. I was reading a thread by a wedding photographer on FM the other week who was getting stroppy because he'd seen images from another photographer who'd used the same bench in a park for a couple during their pre-wedding shoot.

Seriously, like he'd personally built the bench and was the first person to ever have a couple sit together.
 
I have to admit I once took a picture of a seagull on a wall with the houses of parliament nicely framed in the background. When I turned around there were three or four japanese tourists all framing up the exact same shot. Now I'm not stupid enough to think that I was the first person to take such an image (although I'd never seen it before) but I was a bit jarred off at the time.

In other words - it's ok for me to be "influenced" by others but not for others to be influenced by me :D

Still - I suppose the seagull incident is no different to wedding days.
 
CGeezer said:
hmmm I may start a thread like this one :)
Click to expand...

LOL :D

If I've got an idea for something (or am struggling for ideas) then I'll go looking for inspiration from other's shots. Also there's been several occasions on here when we've discussed a topic or technique and I've gone off to try it. Smoke trails, 3D, lighting techniques etc.

I doubt there's many original ideas left these days, although the model and octopus stands out as one.
 
No, not in the slightest. If I see a shot I like that I've not done before I'll happily attempt to recreate it, and put my own spin on it, and hopefully improve on it. It's all part of the grand learning experience.
 
I think that if someone copied one of my photos then I would be honoured that they liked it enough to copy me, plus it is the greatest way to learn.
 
Nope...
But I prefer to think of it as being 'inspired', 'influenced' etc...

You never know everything and seeing other people's work can sometimes trigger ideas you'd not thought of before and steer your work down previously unconsidered avenues...
 
impossible not to really...just concentrate on getting a good image...someone may copy yours and get the same guilt trip..

forget it!!
 
As many as said before - Nope. By being inspired by others work your own technique will develop as you strive to recreate the "feeling" of the picture that inspired you; only by having a goal will you technical abilities improve.
 
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