Consistency

PHOTO CHALLENGE | Work on creating a consistent workflow for a set of images.

LR TIPS | By increasing exposure, increasing contrast, and allowing the colors in image to pop, you can create that ethereal look with bright sunlight.

You can't always control how the weather will behave and if you like light, bright and airy photos, a cloudy day might detract from your editing style. Therefore, you will need to adjust your post processing accordingly. You may need to add more light, vibrance, and brush adjustments in Lightroom that you would normally not need to do in order to achieve your signature style.

Collect items in your preferred environment that inspire you with different things that share similar hues and tones that you love. Think about various artists and photographers that you love; what is it about their work that draws you in? Perhaps it’s their use of light, color, or depth? This is something that you need to begin to collect information about to apply to your own work.

I firmly believe in surrounding yourself with inspiration, whether that’s a lifestyle approach, artwork, literature, people, social media, influencers, etc… Every time you pick up your phone, ensure that you’re following people who inspire you and maybe even motivate you. Find those who match a similar tone and style you want to create so you constantly have something to look forward to and work toward.

What do you do if you’re unsure where to start?

Where you decide to photograph and which lenses you choose play a large part in how you edit. In my own work, I love to create a lot of depth, to see layers of soft shadows and light around me, color that can complement both the subject and a focal compression of my subject against the background. With that in mind, I gravitate toward using my 50mm prime lens as it separates my subject nicely from my background and operates beautifully in low light. If you are undecided where you like to shoot and which lenses to use, it can prove challenging to edit consistently if you’re always faced with new scenes, colors, and light.

Post Processing

The way that you edit your photos provides a clean cohesive look overall. Think of the way you shoot as the first step in consistency and style, then editing as your second step. Either one can make a big difference in the end result. Of course, as artists, we are always evolving and changing and it’s totally ok to adjust how you edit and shoot, but as a beginner photographer it’s important that you create and maintain a consistent workflow. This is especially true when you are editing a session for a client. You do not want the client to be confused on which photos to pick for their final gallery of images if the style is all over the place. It is important to know the tools of your editing software and use the same techniques for editing each and every time you approach an image, at least to some degree.

Confidence & Trust

By delivering consistency each time, not only will your family memories look cohesive and timeless year after year, but clients learn to trust you. You also learn to trust yourself, your process, and become the master of your style. These things might sound a bit cliche, but they’re true and one of the primary secrets to success stories. Again, if you think about your favorite artist, you go to them because you know what to expect. If you were handed a different piece of art every time, you’d likely feel confused and untrusting.