The Meaning of Inspiration

One of the most over-used words in the nude photographic world is “inspiration.” You only have to go on MM or other photography forums to notice that photographers and models use the term all the time.

“Darling you inspire me!” is a phrase I’ve heard way too much over the last couple of years. Of course, it’s a compliment, and it’s meant well, but it’s kind of like an air-kiss or a friend request on MM. It’s usually not a true feeling - it’s just another form of networking, of pimping yourself. Used too often, it’s meaningless and empty. It’s just another love fest.

I guess I sound pretty grumpy and cynical about this, and you’re right, I shouldn’t be. Everyone likes to hear they inspire others. Of course they do. And I wanna be loved as much as the next model. Show me mega-love people! Heck, I really WANT TO be the most inspiring-middle-aged-nude-model-writer ever (yeah, right, like that‘s ever going to happen.) And you never see Rich objecting to being told he’s an inspirational photographer (he gets told it often.)

But does it mean anything?

Well, it means a great deal if the person saying it genuinely feels an emotional response to your work, but I’m guessing this actually happens a lot less than we would like to believe. Otherwise Rich and I would be such amazingly inspirational icons, we’d be walking on water by now.

“Inspiration” is a sacred word. The Greek word for inspiration is “Theopneustos.” It literally means “God-breathed,” or given by the inspiration of God. The theology is that the Divine Being/spirit/goddess/giant-marshmallow-man who presides over us all actually uses human faculties to guide mortals to “record the ultimate truth.”

Basically, the word is used (in both the theological and the artistic sense) to explain a supernatural or mysterious divine influence on artists, musicians, writers, photographers and so forth to record, communicate and channel the truth. This process of “making truth” requires a combination of both the artist’s human personality, intermingling with the revelation inside the artist’s head. Only if both elements are present, can powerful art be created.

Inspiration is therefore much more than stimulating someone into having a new photographic or artistic idea. It is more than giving someone a new insight into a way to produce a pretty picture. Of course, the word is usually used in these contexts, and many photographers will say, “I was inspired by Ansel Adams/Weston/Insert-another-great-photographer's-name-here to take this shot.” Naturally, studying another photographer will give you rough ideas, and you might like to copy his ideas and adapt them to your own. However, to me at least, inspiration is much more than that.

As a photographer (or a dedicated art model who is passionate about art) you shoot because you have to. It is essential to you as eating. If you don’t make art, you’ll be grumpy, unfulfilled, hell to live with. Part of you is missing if you’re not making that photograph, creating that image in your head. Only when you’ve made that imaginary picture actually real, and recorded on camera, only then can you feel release.

This process is what I mean by “inspiration.”

You might not believe in God or the giant marshmallow-man, although this is actually irrelevant. The mere fact that “something” inside you makes you create those pictures- THAT is the process of real “inspiration.” The process comes from your own psyche. Not from reading other people’s work, or looking at other people’s photographs or paintings. Other artists may stimulate your thoughts, but the real inspiration comes from YOU the artist, and whatever supernatural or psychological force you tune into when you experience the process of artistic creation.

So my plea to you is not to use the word “inspired” lightly.

You are your own inspiration. You create your own truth. No-one else can give that to you.



Of course, for those who don't remotely believe in divine beings or supernatural-marshmallow-men (hi Rich!), then you should clearly refer to the next Highest Authority in the Cosmos. Which is Google of course.

So if you Google “nudes inspiration,” the number one nude inspiration in the world is…wait for it…… Iris Dassault (as reviewed by Newcastle Art Nudes.)

Bet she didn’t know that!