Finding your photographic style
Finding a unique style of your own can take time and patience, but stick with it
I’ll be honest with you, over the years I’ve tended to shy away from this topic. I always struggled with finding my own unique style and it’s something that I’ve been quite hard on myself about. I realise now of course, that beating myself up over it was much more of a hindrance than a help.
Building a unique, distinctive style is something that takes time and patience. It’s something that develops and evolves as you explore new techniques, subject matters and themes. It’s something that I believe is in a constant state of advancement.
I don’t think your photographic style is something that you can consciously decide upon. You don’t wake up one day and think ‘from now on, my style is X and Y with a hint of Z’; that’s not how it works. It’s an organic process which takes longer for some than others. For me, it took time.
When I first picked up a camera, I would shoot anything and everything, sometimes without even really thinking. It was a great way to become technically proficient very quickly. I could shoot a lot of different types of photography reasonably well, and that technical ability and know-how was enough to win my first job as a product photographer just a few weeks after finishing university.
Having continued to shoot a little bit of everything, gradually I found myself being drawn back to the same types of image again and again. I found myself looking to certain photographers for inspiration; to specific instagram feeds; fashion editorials; films; magazine layouts — anything that spoke to me in a visual way seemed to start informing my own choices on framing, composition and lighting.
I looked through my Lightroom catalog, and singled out all the images that elicited a gut reaction. There was a definite pattern emerging; I liked clean, leading lines, minimal compositions, patterns and textures, dynamic and beautiful lighting. I was drawn to interesting architecture and interiors, and people whose faces and body language told a story.
Your own photographic style will emerge over time, as a outlet for your own creative motivations and preferences. It’s not something you choose, it’s something you embody. If you shoot enough and take the time to review your work the patterns will start to become clear.
If you’re scrolling through Instagram, think about why you’re double-tapping that image instead of the previous one; what is it that draws you in? You only looked at it for a split second and yet something in you was compelled to react; you didn’t think about it on a conscious level.
It’s a good place to start for visual inspiration.
Next, read a copy of Steal Like an Artist, by Austin Kleon, and promise never to copy someone else’s work piece for piece. Imitation is the sincerest form of pissing people off. Taking inspiration means something more; the dictionary definition states that it means to be ‘mentally stimulated’. There is absolutely nothing mentally stimulating about Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V.
Indulge your other creative passions and consume as much as you can. Not just photography; anything that speaks to your creative side. Maybe even try something totally new. To quote Austin Kleon,
Your job is to collect good ideas. The more good ideas you collect, the more you can choose from to be influenced by.
Eventually your photographic style will show through and you’ll start evolving a consistency of style. It may take some time, but photography, as with so many other things, is about patience and persistence.
Stick with it, it’s a rewarding journey.
Hi there, my name is Katie. I‘m a travel and lifestyle photographer.
I hope you enjoyed this article, if you’re interested in working with me, or just want to check out more of my work then pop over to katemellor.co.uk and take a look around!
Follow me:
