Initial research, influences and ideas: Inspirational styles/movements/periods

When trying to think of ideas, I am influenced by certain photographers and artists. One example is work by the photographer Mike Bailey Gates:

Mike Bailey Gates photo 

Mike Bailey Gates photo

I like the way he uses props in his photographs to create a fun and vibrant look. It's almost like these photos tell stories about the people in them. To do what he does for props and setting might be a fun idea for a music video and album cover. 

For album covers in particular, I also like the work of a photographer called Dan Mountford. The way he combines photographs of people and settings makes it seem like there's a world inside the people:

Below are photographs by Fabienne Rivory, which could also be an inspiration when we create our own work:

I like the way colour is used on black and white images, and the combination of both art and photography. Combining photographs and illustration is an appealing idea, especially when thinking about the album cover. That's why I like these photographs, too, by Johan Thornqvist:

      

Artists and illustrators are influential, too, mostly just because of the style of their work - while we could use illustrations for the album cover and maybe the website, this would be much harder and not such a good idea for the actual music video, but we could still incorporate into it the general style of these drawings:

Matthieu Bessudo

Matthieu Bessudo

Matthieu Bessudo

Lei Melendres

Lei Melendres

Kerby Rosanes

Kerby Rosanes

Kerby Rosanes

I also am interested in the Mods and Rockers of the 1960s. Their style could be a possible influence, and could provide an interesting cultural setting to the video, even alongside a contemporary track, which could provide an interesting juxtaposition:

Another idea I like (but doubt other people would like) is modernised or adapted versions of historical fashion. For example, imagine Vikings:

(these characters are from DreamWorks' How to Train Your Dragon 2)

… but modernised, e.g. a cross between an indie/alternative rock look (see inspirational artists/bands post) and Vikings. Or they could just be Vikings like the ones shown above. Or maybe this wouldn't necessarily be about historical fashion but instead have a fantasy world feel to it.