importance of research I

After the critique today I wanted to bring up the importance of research and allowing your peers to enter your creative process.  Obviously it's up to you whether or not you choose if their words will have any significance, but being open to ideas and building off of fellow photographers is a great opportunity to have.  Basically, I like what we are doing.  

There are a couple of photographers that I wanted to bring up, but could not think of their names on the spot.  Anthony Kurtz is an artist that can relate to what Gina is somewhat moving towards.  Simply viewing his works could be a great reference as well as a good kicker to get her project jump-started and headed in the "right" direction a little faster.  He is in this situation where a police force is executing a typical raid, but he did not just take these wide, easily distinguishable photos the entire time.  Kurtz shoots medium range

shots as well as detail shot to expose great color and reveal the aggressiveness behind what is truly going on.  There is obviously going to be a certain aura in a situation like this, so why not document that along with what is truly going on.  It is important to note WHAT is making the atmosphere and not focus on WHO the entire time.  Explore both, and use them as tools.  Kurtz has a library of photographs were he explores everything that a situation has to offer.  Here are a two more from different collections of photographs that I urge you guys to check out.  He documents the situation, the people, the location, and really works with all aspects of the environment around him to create a body of work.

My approach to research has often been to continuously use blogs and photo-sharing sites that are available online.  I also like to physically print out what I am working on, and sit with them for a while before I feel like my prints are satisfactory.  How to do you research?  Also, how do you apply your research to your work?