I started out with a little secret dream of being a travel photographer, but there are people in the world much much better at it than I... I rather think I've found my niche with this genre though, so I'm happy to push myself within it.
Funnily enough, it's not photographers who I look up to, but cartoonists. I would call them 'Image Heroes' I guess. Especially Carl Giles - an English cartoonist who got started in the 2nd World War and specialised in large single-panel format cartoons just crammed full with detail, and yet absolutely subtle and witty and engaging. I try to keep that in mind when I'm constructing something.
I have absolutely no idea where I get my inspiration... aneurysm probably.
I really don't know what my mind will flash on that will lead to an idea. Sometimes it's music / lyrics ( like for my latest series it's songs by Bjork ) or if I'm out scrounging for paper I might find a pattern that lends itself to an idea. Sometimes even the miniatures themselves can spark something in my head and every now and then just by watching and listening to people and conversations.. which gets me thinking.