Post It Notes – 9th September 2011 – Inspiration & Influence

September 9, 2011

CL-705Photography Credit: Devlin Photos (full wedding on the blog soon!)

Today’s business and wedding note kinda have the same basic message and I think they are both actually pretty interchangeable – i.e. applicable to both wedding planning and running your own business. I’d love to know what you think in the comments below…even if it’s to tell me I’m off my head…

FYI I also totally stole/was inspired to think of these ideas from Noa of Feather Love Photography, who’s workshop I attended this week. She rules. More on this on the blog soon.

Take inspiration for your wedding from the world around you not just other people’s weddings that you see on wedding blogs or in wedding magazines. Doing this will prevent you from simple copying or recreating someone else’s wedding vision. Blogs or in magazines are fabulous when planning your wedding but also remember to go out into the real world and work ou what you really love in ‘real life’ and bring that into your day.

Your inspiration also doesn’t have to be literal. Take your inspiration on board in a more abstract way. If you like something ask yourself why. Is it a colour, a texture, a feeling that you’re drawn to?

Don’t look at other people’s work who are in the same field as you. Subconsciously (or sometimes unfortunately consciously) we are influenced too closely by people we admire and simply end up copying them. Wedding photographers don’t spend hours looking to other wedding photographers for inspiration, wedding bloggers don’t get ideas from other peoples blogs, stationers don’t be inspired by paper… Be inspired by a tree/a breeze/a shape/a piece of writing (for example) What inspires you in real life. Bring this into your work not an idea you saw though a peer.

Indirect influence will create a more authentic and unique business. In an over-saturated market (I’m pretty sure every wedding industry professional I know would back me up and say there are a LOT of people doing wedding photography/stationery/jewellery/dresses etc) the thing that makes you stand out next to your competition  is you and what makes you different.