Mood boards have long served as efficient platforms for communicating ideas in the advertising, fashion, and film worlds. Their popularity stems from the simple fact that it is easier to show than to describe the direction of a visual project when working with a large creative team. Freed from its commercial roots, moodboarding can be a powerful exercise for photographers working through new ideas or planning future projects.
What is a mood board?
Mood boards take many forms, but they all share the attribute of assemblage. Traditionally, a mood board would consist of visuals cut out of magazines, newspapers, and other media mounted to foamcore or a similar rigid mounting board. The digital era has made the process less messy (and less destructive) by allowing you to lay out boards easily using design or even certain photo-editing programs.
Mood boards can be especially beneficial for artists when treated as perpetual works-in-progress. Sketchbooks or scrapbooks make excellent platforms for easy carry and future reference. Alternatively, tackboards offer a larger support with the ability to modify visuals constantly if you prefer to see everything at once. Finally, phones and other mobile devices can be used to keep mood boards in progress nearby at all times. A quick search online will yield countless templates and applications designed for this purpose.
Why create mood boards?
“If I see an image that attracts, upsets, or astonishes me–one that stays in my mind for a long time—I begin working. This is the starting point of the research: I try to find out how the image was created and in what context—historical, political, or social—the image belongs. After clarifying these questions, I begin to create ‘my own” image, the image I have in my mind, the image that was triggered by the image I saw.” —Thomas Ruff
No creative endeavor exists in a vacuum. Consciously or not, all visual artists are affected by the culture that surrounds them. Even photographers who go out of their way to avoid the influence of others must come to terms with the reality that audiences will see their work relative to their peers. Before photography, painters traveled the world to study the masterpieces of past artists. In the art academies, this exercise became a rite of passage before painters would undertake original work. The process of actively seeking out and accumulating visuals that inspire you will inevitably make you a better photographer. The aim is not to mimic the work of others, but to assemble a toolbox of moving parts: compositions, poses, color schemes, and other qualities that catch your interest. It never hurts to explore how the images you find successful came to be. Again, context is key. Every image is a confluence of stories. Learn from them.
Where to Find Content for your Mood Board
In the past, magazines were the standards for source material, especially in the fashion world. Today, the Internet’s endless scroll of new content has all but put that mindset to rest. While it is always beneficial to be aware of what your contemporaries are up to, don’t be afraid to take a deep dive into the past. If you are looking for places to start, here are some suggestions for resources online. Don’t limit yourself to photographers; examine work by painters, sculptors, filmmakers, and other artists. Don’t be afraid to look beyond the “Art” world; television, advertisements, and other forms of mass media all embody unique ways of seeing and representing the world. Think like a designer. Paint swatches are excellent tools for studying color relationships and developing schemes. Color charts matched to available seamless paper (e.g. Savage’s Color Chart for Background Paper) can be incorporated into mood boards for even more precise planning for studio shoots. For some tips on getting started with color theory, check out this primer.
Get Creative
There are countless ways to incorporate moodboarding into your creative process. Are you planning a trip to a place you have never been before? Build a board around what locations you want to photograph. Some argue that looking at how others have approached a subject will spoil your ability to see it with fresh eyes. I disagree. Living in New York City in the era of “Instagrammable” landmarks and locations, the line between the iconic and the hackneyed is razor thin. Being aware of what has been done to death frees you to look for other ways of seeing a subject. More importantly, the time invested in researching your location may lead you to places you might not have otherwise known about.
Another approach is to build your own visual histories. Choose a subject and dig into its past. Whether you intend to photograph insects in the rainforest or strangers on the subway, a rich tradition inevitably predates your endeavor. Engage with that tradition, learn from it, and transform it.
Finally, build a board of your own work. This will allow you to notice patterns, biases, and gaps in your practice. It is easy to get bound by habit. Keeping track of what you are doing relative to what you have already done will keep you on your toes. This can also serve as an excellent pre-portfolio building exercise.
Have you incorporated mood boards into your creative process? Let us know in the Comments section, below.