Developing Your Own Style
BONUS PHOTO CHALLENGE | Determine what elements are constant through your photos, what stands out to you, what inspires you? Also look at photos that simply inspire you from other photographers, how can you incorporate those things into your work to create a cohesive style?
The first part of every photographer’s journey is discovery.
We are visual beings and are drawn to aesthetic or eye-catching images every time we open our laptops or unlock our phones. A photography style is more than an editing or photography technique. It’s a combination of every decision you make as a photographer.
Without fail, it’s going to take you time to figure this out. You’re going to practice and practice, decide then re-decide, and continue working on what your style really is. A few months of one thing over and over again might grow tired, but your true style will not get tired, it should always excite and inspire you.
Know this: companies hire photographers specifically for BRAND PHOTOGRAPHY. With that in mind, know that you should be your own brand photographer, OR partner with another photographer to help you see your vision/style/brand through.
One of the best ways to discover your style is to look for patterns in your behaviour–your taste in food, travelling, socializing, clothes, art, and so on, make up who you are. Here are a few thoughts to hone in on this idea (photography or otherwise):
Make your own rules, then stick to them
Create goals and work toward them
Seek inspiration that relates to your work and style
Be your own critic and get feedback from others
Build a foundation that creates consistency
Practice makes perfect
Defining your brand’s photography style takes time and effort. Mastering it is often a matter of trial-and-error. It’s okay to alter your style and process over time. You’ll eventually be able to spot similarities in your work and find what makes your brand unique.
Why is developing your style important?
Making a good first impression.
When something is visually appealing it feels good.
Beautiful imagery builds your integrity and tells your brand message. Visually appealing photography draws the exact people in who you are trying to serve. They’re scrolling along and WOW, they have to stop and read/see more. They’re so intrigued by the image that it speaks to them on an emotional level, it exudes professionalism and makes them feel good. They imagine that product in their house, using it on their bodies or applying it to their own business. They see you in your element and can connect with your service and you personally on a deeper level. Whether or not you’re ever trying to sell your work, you should simply aspire to grow as a photographer, there’s something inherently aspirational about mastering your own art.
To ensure your images are easily recognizable for your customers, take their unique styles into consideration. Your photography should coincide with your branding just as much as your logo or color scheme.
Look at your favorite brands/companies. What do their websites/photos/social media/products have in common? Do you see their through-line? Take some time to study those components.
Before you actually look at these photographers, know that I chose those that have the strongest sense of style, branding, and through-line. Know that not all artists have such clarity of aesthetics, or for that matter, want to pinhole themselves in such a way that leaves little room for creativity outside of their very specific nature. This is okay and you should decide what method works best for you. The point of these photographers with a strong style is to simply gather the understanding and knowledge of what these things really mean.
Alen Palander | Alen has an incredibly strong style and brand that he never seems to falter from. Even when he transitions between city and country-scapes, indoor or out, he retains a consistent shooting and editing style that have made his photos easily identifiable and striking.
Sarah Mantelin | Sarah is a designer that has created a simple look that is easy to be consistent with from one photo to the next, creating a strong sense of style and trust with her viewers and clients.
Polly Florence | With a beautiful and strong sense of aesthetics, Polly has amassed a huge following as a photographer and content creator. She does a stunning job of creating consistency between landscape and city scenes, as well as intimate shots inside and out.