Artistic Influences

We are all influenced by artists we admire. I am influenced by people like Sebastiao Salgado, W. Eugene Smith, Walker Evans, Paul Strand, Sally Mann, Jock Sturges, Richard Avedon and Diann Arbus (along with many others).  When you study the work of the photographers you admire your bound to take some of them with you into your work. The trick is to be influenced by what you love, to learn from it but then go your own way. Adding their influences to who you are as a artist but also saying what you want to say with your own individual voice.

This video link about the creation of the Doors song "Break on Through" is a great example of how being influenced by other artists can be a wonderfully helpful and creative thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfQAaK1pFM4