The Creative Process
Inspiration is a funny thing. It can come from the most unexpected places, a fleeting moment, a sudden emotion, a memory you didn’t even know you had. For me, inspiration often emerges from the deep, dark corners of my imagination. It’s a place that’s been nurtured and encouraged since childhood, where the love for horror and the macabre was ignited by my father and fanned by both of my parents. That love for the eerie, the mysterious, and the unsettling has shaped my art in ways I never anticipated, and it continues to drive me as I create new work.
Growing up, horror became an intrinsic part of who I am, almost like a second language. It’s always been there, lingering in the background, influencing the way I see the world. My art often reflects that dark, haunting, sometimes disturbing. But it’s only the tip of the iceberg. The ideas I have stored away, the ones that are yet to be realized, are even darker, more twisted, more visceral than what I’ve shared so far.
Emotion is another powerful source of inspiration for me. I can easily build an idea off a single emotion, even if it’s one I don’t often feel. There’s something about diving into the rawness of a feeling. Whether it’s fear, anger, sadness, or even joy that translates so naturally into my work. But I rarely focus on portraying a single emotion in my photography. Instead, I aim to create scenes, moments frozen in time that feel like they’ve been lifted from a movie. My love for horror, fantasy, and thriller films is evident in this approach; I want my photos to feel like a still from a film, a glimpse into a larger story.
Anything can spark an idea. I could be walking through a store, minding my own business, when suddenly something catches my eye, triggering a chain reaction in my mind that leads to a new concept. Or I might stumble upon a location that feels perfect for a photoshoot, a place that already holds the essence of the story I want to tell. I also draw inspiration from other photographers, videographers, artists, models, movies and even comics. There’s a certain thrill in taking something familiar, something that I wouldn’t normally do, and twisting it into my own dark, gothic, or horror version.
When it comes to my creative process, I like to start with a concept. Sometimes it’s something I’ve come up with on my own, other times it’s a collaboration with a model, where we bounce ideas off each other until we land on something we’re both excited about. The funny thing about creativity, though, is that it doesn’t always stick to the plan. There are times when I start with one idea and, somewhere in the editing process, it morphs into something entirely different. But that’s the beauty of it. The unpredictability, the evolution of an idea as it comes to life.
I sometimes sketch out my concepts on my iPad, giving myself a visual roadmap of what I want the finished photo to look like. But no matter how clear the concept is, Photoshop is where the real magic happens. It’s where I get to take those ideas, those fragments of inspiration, and turn them into something tangible, something real.
(Here are two examples of my terrible sketch work on the left prior to photos and then the completed edit on the right)
For anyone looking to find their own inspiration, my advice is simple: learn how to edit. If you want to bring your imagination to life, if you want your photos to reflect your unique vision, editing is key. You don’t have to go overboard; even basic color grading can completely change the mood and feel of a photograph. Editing is an art form in itself, and it’s something you can learn through practice and patience. I’m self-taught, and everything I know, I learned from watching YouTube videos and experimenting through trial and error.
Inspiration is everywhere, waiting to be discovered. It’s in the shadows, in the light, in the unexpected places and the familiar ones. All you have to do is be open to it, let it guide you, and trust in your ability to bring it to life. Because at the end of the day, that’s what art is, a reflection of who you are, where you’ve been, and where your imagination can take you.