From Tara Wray’s interview with Amy Touchette for BUST magazine, as part of their “Lady Shooters” series:
[TW]:How did you go about the business of finding your personal vision?
[AT]:I took a lot of courses. I looked at a LOT of photography. I studied photo books and I read many of the canonical texts on photography. I photographed only what inspired me and led me to experiences I desired. I didn’t rely on photography to make a living, so I was always photographing on my own terms. And I asked for feedback from others as much as I could. Knowing nothing about photography when I started, I was obsessed with understanding what a good photograph comprised. They seemed to come in all shapes and sizes, and I wanted to know what was at the root of all good pictures and how I could apply that to my own interests.
After several years, I knew it was time for me to stop asking others about my photography and start asking myself. Of course, I still get feedback from others—and I always will—but ultimately I need and want to be the main force behind my images. Personal vision is in the edit more than might be evident.