“Like all photographers, I depend on serendipity, and when you’re photographing children there’s often an abundance of it. I would have an idea of what a photograph would look like and then something would happen—a dog might lumber in and become a critical element. I pray for what might be referred to as the angel of chance. ” Sally Mann
About 10 years ago, one of of my teachers described an image that I had taken of my own children as having a Sally Mann feel. At the time, I had never heard of Sally Mann, and so the first thing I did was to head straight to the library (ahem, google wasn’t quite as it is today), and look her up. It took hold of my soul. From that moment on, I knew exactly where I was going.
“…the things that are close to you, are the things you can photograph the best…”
“…and unless you photograph what you love, you are not going to make good art.”
Sally Mann
To say that she is my single greatest inspiration is an understatement. Her work, and her philosophy resonate with every inch of my being.
Take a look at “What Remains: The Life and Work of Sally” Here is Part 1 of a 3 part series on YouTube. And keep looking – I could spend hours just on YouTube.
“The Immediate Family” is my must have book.
Enjoy
Let me know who your greatest inspiration is.