How To Find Your Photography Style
A common question I hear especially from those starting out is how they can find their style. Usually this comes from looking at bigger photographers especially on Instagram and seeing how their work has a similar look and feel. Many people assume that your style is mostly editing. However I disagree and would argue that there is a lot more that goes into a style. In this blog I will share with you some examples of what goes into finding your style and hopefully help you in the process.
Subject
Your choice of subject has a huge impact on your overall style. Perhaps you only shoot silhouettes. Or maybe you like to photograph small manmade objects within a grand natural landscape. If you look at your favourite photographers, chances are at least 50% of their photos have a similar subject matter.
Location
Where you shoot can dictate your style. If you mostly photograph quiet seaside towns in the UK, you will get a very different aesthetic compared to major cities in the US. Different colours, subjects and light will have a huge impact.
Time of day (light)
This is a big one. Some people are known for night and low light photography. Others are known for golden hour. Some for midday harsh light.
Weather conditions
Some photographers love moody weather. Others including myself love clear sunny days. It doesn’t matter how much you edit but a photo on a cloudy day will always be different to a sunny one.
Lens choice
Some photographers are known for their lens choices. Many street photographers shoot at 28mm. You get a wide detailed and at times chaotic scene. You feel like you’re right in the action. Others shoot at 135mm. The photos are cleaner, more aesthetic and you feel like an observer from a distance. Lens choice is the biggest gear related influence on your style.
Aperture value
Once you’ve selected your lens, what aperture you chose to shoot at can have an impact, although not as much. Some photographers never shoot below f8 thus almost everything in their photos is in focus. Others always shoot wide open thus having more out of focus elements.
Shutter speed
This one is a little niche however there are photographers out there that use slow shutter speeds as part of their style. I personally don’t do it and throw in one of these shots now and again.
Editing style
Although editing is not entirely your style, it is one of the biggest levers. How you edit your photos can have a huge impact on your style. However I would leave this one to last because editing can be a complete rabbit hole.
Presentation
Finally how you present your work can also play a part. For example some people post one hero shot. Others share a collage consisting of more average photos that together tell a story. This isn’t a big one but something to consider nonetheless.
If all this seems overwhelming, I suggest focus on the biggest levers.
Subject
Time of day (light)
Lens choice
Editing
I think for most people figuring out what they like using just these four categories can take them 80% of the way in terms of finding their style. The rest is just small details. As for exactly how do you find this out? Trial and error is the only way. Just try different things, keep what you like and remove what doesn’t work. Repeat till you arrive at a somewhat consistent style. This can take years so be patient.