This week’s
THE INSIGHT
Originality doesn’t mean locking yourself away from everybody else’s work and inventing photography from scratch. It means noticing something that excites you, taking the mechanism and finding out what happens when it passes through you. Stanley Kubrick and Wes Anderson both use centred compositions, symmetry and single-point perspective, where the lines of a scene lead towards one central vanishing point. Yet Kubrick often uses that order to create control, tension or unease, while Anderson can make it feel playful, theatrical and strangely perfect. The geometry may be borrowed; the feeling belongs to the artist. Experimentation works the same way: look beyond photography, steal the principle rather than the finished picture, then put your own fingerprints all over it.
THE QUESTION
We can become so worried about copying that we refuse to experiment with anything another artist has touched, as though influence somehow makes our work less authentic. But every artist is built from things they have seen, loved, misunderstood and rearranged. What would you try if you stopped worrying about being completely original and gave yourself permission to be visibly inspired?
THE CHALLENGE
Create your own single-point-perspective experiment. Find a street, tunnel, corridor, platform, bridge or row of buildings where the lines converge towards one central point, then place yourself directly on that centre line and wait for a person, gesture or moment to complete the frame. Make at least three photographs of the same geometry with different human moments, then choose the one that feels most like you—not Kubrick, not Anderson, but your version of what their visual mechanism made possible. If you’re struggling with converging lines then simply centre your subject as an anchor and submit a centre framed shot.
Some inspiration
Check out this video showing inspiration from Stanley Kubrick, Wes Anderson and George Miller
the CONTACT SHEET
YOUR INSIGHTS
In last weeks newsletter I invited you to choose one place you’ve been meaning to photograph and set an exact day and time to go. Turn up whether you feel inspired or not. Stay for one hour and bring back three photographs—the challenge is to keep the appointment.Here are a few of the entries.
Tim Clark | @timclarkih
What did you attempt?
I was planning the challenge shoot but plans changed so I promised myself to get up at 6am to photograph the fog as a series. That was me honouring my word.
What challenged you?
Knowing the recent fog, it fades quite quick. Which was fine for this challenge. Fog brings its own composition and exposure challenges.
What did you discover?
I think the frames that worked better had a more conscious use of negative space. It's a nice way of looking at a frame.
Keeping the diffused look and not burning out the highlights is a fine balance. (I was happy with the wheel shot but not so much with the other 2).
Even though this was slightly off brief these challenges help in my thought process.
Mark Seal | @theblackandwhiteseal
I haven’t been to Leeds shooting for months, so having an event I was attending in Leeds anyway. I made the effort to get there earlier than planned and fit an hours shooting in.
Rather than searching things out as normal, I found one spot at the end of an alley and waited to see what I could uncover.
What challenged me, as always, was to resist the urge to go looking around the next corner and to wait it out.
What I discovered was, that if you truly look, there are shots all around you.
And if you are open to them, they will become apparent.
Steven Hutera | @steven.hutera
What did you attempt?
Went to a VW bug jam carshow looking for a subject to photograph other than the cars.
What challenged you?
The engagement of the stranger however after complimenting him on his hat he was open to allowing me to take this portrait.
What did you discover?
The engagement was easier than what I have experienced on the street. Perhaps people at events already have that time slated for an event which might make them more available.
Corna Fean | @cornafeanlynam
I have been meaning to go to this place in the autumn for years, but never made any effort. It's about an hour's drive away, I don't drive! I convinced a friend to go, coffee and scones as a bribe. She said yes.
On the morning I wasn't feeling into it but because I made the commitment I stuck. Spent at least an hour walking the grounds and refreshments after..yum.
Steve Purvis | @isosteve100
I set the date and time Wednesday 4 November 2026 start at 11:10 finish 12:10
The area I chose was under a flyover.
Next to the flyover demolition of shops and offices was well underway.
Under the flyover sea containers had been placed. They had been brought in with the promises of new businesses, fresh opportunities and perhaps a brighter future for the area.
But the reality was somewhat different. Most stood empty.
There was however, one sign of life.
A food van with a few customers sitting around.
Across the road two tents stood on some rough ground. A sobering thought and I don’t need to go into detail.
I was wandering through the containers, looking for a few shots.
Then I met Jimmy.
We got talking, and discovered we shared something. We were both from Liverpool.
12:10 Time up and time to leave.
I had set out to photograph an area, but it was the person who made the biggest impression.
If I had never Honoured my word I probably would never have met Jimmy
David Walker | @davewalker.photo
What did you attempt?
I love shooting neon but I’m self-confessed a little bit lazy sometimes, especially on cold November nights. To honour my word I thought of the worse place I would really want to be this Saturday night. Piccadilly Circus for the newly switched on Christmas lights!
(Me and a billion others).
What challenged you?
Making the effort to go into London in the evening. Also once deciding I was going to do this, my family deciding they also 'wanted to see the lights’. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family. They’re just not very patient when I’m out with my camera even if it is only an hour.
What have you got me into Lashmar?!
What did you discover?
That once I’m out and over my excuses, I’m really enjoying myself.
Johannes Mueller @jbmgreece
My rendezvous with me was at the Panathenaic Stadium hosting the first “modern” games in 1896. It is only 1km away from my home but I never took the time to visit it although I always wanted to. So thanks for the challenge.
I intended to see it my own way.
It was very challenging to reduce my feelings for the place in only 3 photos. What I learned: Don’t go there where the tourists are.
Stuart Mills | @millsyshoots
I haven't got anywhere particular in mind at the moment that I am feeling a need to go and shoot. I am quite intrigued by long exposure stuff at the moment though and I knew I would be at a beach on Saturday for another reason. I just brought my little compact camera with me and thought I would try and find a shot while I was there.
The composition was a challenge as the shot I wanted left me shooting straight in to the sun which really limited how long an exposure I could get away with.
In honesty I should have saved the idea for another time when I could be better prepared. Sometimes it is about the kit...
Lee Churchill | @leechurchill
I attempted to approach a member of the public to to ask for their image.
What challenged you?
Being self-conscious and find it difficult to approach people which I am currently working to improve on.
What did you discover?
I found the the thought of approaching someone is harsher than the reality, the person I approached was friendly and didn’t mind at all having her image taken.
Don’t forget … each week, reply to the newsletter with your images and your insights. Get involved and I will share a handful each week right here on the newsletter. Also … tag your images on Social media @idaretoshoot and #idaretoshoot to be featured on DARE.
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