Dave Buckley Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Guys Really want to make some images for my portfolio, just some interios and exteriors. Really really struggling for inspiration though. I'm not a designer, however i really appreciate good design. I just struggle to come up with concepts that work well (whether this be an exterior building form or an interior space) i'm trying to think of things to do off the top of my head and i gotta say i'm pretty blank. i look at images and see things i love and sometimes this could be just a chair against a wall. However, if i stick a chair against a wall then it ain't the same. Obviously at lot of things to come into play. But i really wanna make my portfolio shine with impressive interiors, exteriors (i also want to include other styles - detail shots etc) but for now just concentrating on exteriors. i'm fine with it if i am given plans and decor specs. But just trying to think one up is a no go. Where to find inspiration? Songs? Magazines? Blogs? Webpages? TV? I think it's time to sit down and have a flick through some mags. I have tonnes lying around. HELP . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianKitts Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I favor web surfing architectural photography websites for inspiration with magazines coming in a close second.... reading the headline I was going to post one of my favorite quotes, "don't look for inspiration, just start working and inspiration will come to you"..... although in this case it didn't apply (so I wrote it anyway!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Homeless Guy Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 (edited) Design magazines will probably be your best bet. Find one with photography of an award winning design and make a knock off. Even seasoned architects are guilty of this, so I wouldn't worry about feeling bad about stealing design ideas. I think you said that you are an engineer, so you shouldn't expect to just crank out design with ease. People go to school for many years studying design, and they still struggle. ...or, here is a quick sketch that could be turned into a rendering. It has a little bit of everything. It has a teak wood slanted-slat wall that screens the sun and cast beautiful shadows over the expensive slate pavers on the ground. The teak slats create a multiple story vertical space that has a high tech glass curtain wall constructed out of brushed metal and glass. There is a pool of water to the left reflecting light through the the trees on the other right side of the screen wall. The season is autumn, so the leaves on the trees are a nice gold/red color. There are a few leaves that have fallen off of the tree, and are scattered on the slate pavers, and floating in the reflecting pool It is more about the experience of the vertical space between the wood slats, and the curtain wall, than it is about seeing the building as a whole. The view should be where the person is between the slanted teak wall, and the slanted curtain wall. It is a vertical perspective. Anyway, you get the idea, ...once you have an idea, make up a story about it. Edited July 9, 2009 by Crazy Homeless Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Hunt Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 This could very easily be turned into a challenge, a simple sketch and you have to come up with a scene, open to interpretation for the details. jhv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandmanNinja Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Go to a News Agent and peruse the variety of magazines. Architectural Digest, Home and Garden, the variety of Photography magazines, Interior Design. I ocassionally see a really cool scene in a movie or doco or tv show that 'moves' me. I've got some doco recorded to my video recording deck: a 15-part series about architecture and they examine a number of different 'famous' and not-so-famous buildings, and there was the BBC 3-part series "The Perfect Home". You could always get a bunch of Home and Garden mags and invite the fellows around for some stubbies... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ky Lane Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Whiskey works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAcky Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Whiskey works. Golly. I have remainded tight-lipped (haw haw) till now but I must say I think you need some help... And I'm happy to help! Do you drink beer too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Buckley Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 found some . . . think it was the recent run of late nights so after i posted that last night i just went to bed had an early night and woke up this morning with a fresh head and fresh ideas and a fresh link to feast my creative thoughts on thought i'd share although a lot of you probably already have this in your favourites http://archrecord.construction.com/community/toptenphotos/default.asp oh and the other reason i was struggling is because i recently rebuilt my computer and made the crucial mistake of forgetting to backup my 'favourites' folder i had so much stored in there in a nice logical order all stuctured in folders clearly labelled and there was a folder called 'inspiration' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Homeless Guy Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 (edited) oh and the other reason i was struggling is because i recently rebuilt my computer and made the crucial mistake of forgetting to backup my 'favourites' folder I have started to use FoxMarks/SyncMarks with Firefox because of this very reason. It stores my bookmarks on their server, and syncs my home computer, and work computer with my current favorites. This way I never loose any of them, and if I mark something at home, it is marked when I get to work. I think Google is doing something like this, or is planning something like this for Chrome also. Edited July 10, 2009 by Crazy Homeless Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattclinch Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 found some . . . thought i'd share although a lot of you probably already have this in your favourites http://archrecord.construction.com/community/toptenphotos/default.asp if im honest dave, i wouldn't consider those images very inspiring or aspirational. they are, for the most part, fairly average examples of architectural photography, with only a few gems in there. 'readers photos' by there own admission. you wouldn't look at 'readers wives' to be inspired would you? go find some really good architectural photographers - grant smith etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic H Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 yep i agree, look further than architectural stuff imo. no sense limiting yourself. environments / buildings feature in so many photographers work. avoid Arch Record, its a very staid publication - kind of like Home and Garden. Architectural Review is better as far as architectural magazines go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spooner04 Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 If you run a search on amazon for "key buildings of the twentieth century" it will pull of several books that have cad plans, sections and elevations. It might be a good starting point so that you don't have to rack your brain for design ideas and then take the time to draft them out. Its usuall easy to find reference pics for the buildings too. Often times I will pick up used books at the local used book reseller, that might be a decent place to look as well. Inspiration is hard to come by for me these days too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy L Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Get a job. Best inspiration ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Buckley Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 i've got job, just unfortunately doesn't involve purely arch viz, this is kind of a hobby/part time backhander freelance thing. i work with architects a lot at work, but mainly teaching them to use revit and working alongside them on project using revit. i also teach 3ds max at a beginner level to these architects, and every now and again mental ray workshops focusing on lighting. this part is easy, as they come to me with the designs etc already thought out it's when i do personal work i also do little animation projects, but one day i promise i will be doing this full time either on my own or for someone else. already building my contacts list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spooner04 Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Get a job. Best inspiration ever A job is motivation, not inspiration, imho. If you know anyone that is hiring I am all ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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