I asked Chloe Aftel, one of the selected PDN 30, ten things that inspires her.
1. Mistakes-I have a hard time when I take a bad shot, especially with polaroid film, but I learn a lot from an idea that doesn't work. I think taking chances and experimenting with ways of shooting is important and many of the images I love best are borne out of mistakes.
2. Trolling the web-I visit a lot of award sites and blogs to find new work. Each week means new people and images to admire. The web has made so many more influences readily accessible. I love it.
3. Movies-Just a few: Ladies and Gentlemen the Fabulous Stains, The Last Laugh, Clockwork Orange, The Portrait of a Lady, Mulholland Dr., Love and Death, T2, etc.
4. Italian Vogue-Even when the spreads don't work, they are inspiring; that magazine is the greatest.
5. Friends-I love shooting friends, it's easy because they're already there, they'll pretty much do whatever you want and imagistically they always feel more genuine.
6. Graphic Novels-For good sets, really inventive angles, exciting costume designs and learning more about creating other worlds, I read a lot of graphic novels or comics or whatever you want to call them. Y the Last Man, Lilli Carre's books, DMZ, Watchmen, Mother Come Home, Fantagraphics collections, etc.
7. Travel-Even if it's an hour drive away, going to somewhere new and finding something worth shooting. Visiting old buildings is also ideal, you can often sneak someone in for a quick shot.
8. Shooting at Night-I love anything with low light, that can stay still long enough to get the allure of life in the dark.
9. Expired Film-Any film past it's date, up to 3-4 years is awesome. You never know what you're going to get but it is always unique. You can get it at garage sales, from friends, where ever. Leave in the trunk of your card, bury it, whatever, the most stressful environments, the better.
10. Joseph Cornell-They are my ideal references for any kind of story: fashion, portrait and they help me see a new way to present a story in a single frame.
http://www.chloeaftel.com/
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