What do you mean you don’t want my inspo pics?

I will be the first to admit I am in the minority here. But I usually don’t want inspo pics when setting up a photo shoot. A lot of people seem to want shots recreated on some level. And while I know photographers are “stealing” ideas all the time (there’s nothing new under the sun, after all), I’m just not here to recreate someone else’s picture. And tiny changes don’t make it yours. That said, if someone does send me pictures, it really helps if they tell me why. Do they like the pose? Are they wanting to wear a similar outfit? Is it the drama of the lighting? These kinds of things can help. However, what most people don’t realize is that that picture probably had a budget bigger than the cost of your car. They had a team. They had resources available that we won’t have. They had access to locations we won’t have. The sky cooperated just right for them. We might get clouds. That model is a professional and was hired specifically for that project because they were a perfect fit for it. And the chance that your pictures will look the same are really really low. At the end of the day you are hiring a photographer for what they do, and because you want them to do that for you. If you’re taking them out of their style, they may not be the right choice in the first place? Perhaps in addition to the inspo (for posing ideas, etc), let the photographer know what work of theirs you saw that made you reach out. Because believe me, we just want to take pictures you will love.