I am often asked who my favourite photographers or artists are and my reply often surprises people, because the names that pop up in my head are not well-known photographers at all, they are somewhat anonymous. What it is about their work that speaks to me so much, might not be technical and artistic values like the right composition, exposure, the best editing or the most amazing lighting (even though some of these people take perfect pictures). My favourite photographers have one thing in common, they have a huge passion for the subject that they take pictures of. Their passion just illuminates their work and because of their light, people flock around them. Perhaps they are not followed by huge groups of other photographers, but by people who are attracted by the passion that lights up the work of these photographers. These photographers have such passion for their chosen subject matter that they don't care if their work will sell or not, they simply find beauty where others see none. This kind of passion is extremely contagious, people who are lit up from within are a joy to be around and this is why I follow these photographers. I love to see authentic passion and I am sure this is a great place to create from. If you start with passion, there is just no stopping you. It means you create no matter what. You simply create because creating lights you up and that in turn lights up your work and in some way, it also serves the world, because passion is a beautiful thing to witness.
There is this quote by Howard Thurman that I really love : "Don't ask what the world needs; ask what makes you come alive and go do it, because what the world needs is people who have come alive"
If you have passion as your starting point to create from, you simply can't go wrong.