What's Your Style? {Photography Tips, Tutorials and More}

I read this article last week. Click here to read it in it's entirety. Great advice for photographers. My favorite quote is, "Style is a voice, not a prop or an action. If you can buy it, borrow it, download it, or steal it, it is not a style. Don't look outward for your style; look inward."

Wow, so true.  So how do we find our style?  I've been thinking about this for some time. What is my style?  A few things came to mind.  My mentor, Me Ra Koh, gave me an assignment once and I would challenge you to do the same.  Look through some magazines and collect pictures that interest you.  They can not have people in them.  Don't over think this.  Collect at least 10 images and paste them on a board.  What do these images have in common?  Are you attracted to color, a certain shape, maybe texture?  When I did this I noticed that I liked color, texture and pattern.  Here is my board.



Knowing this has helped me focus adding these elements into my pictures.  It has given me a source of inspiration. 

Another activity that has helped me in finding my style is writing down what I like about a photo shoot, what I didn't like and what I could do better.  I noticed that whenever I was asked to do a family photo shoot I was really nervous and wasn't at ease like when I'm just doing children.  So guess what.  I only do children for now.  You don't have to specialize in everything.  I personally believe it better to shoot what you love.  For now, for me, it's children.   That doesn't mean I won't change in the future.  A photographer is always evolving and always learning new things.

The other day I was taking pictures of an energetic, two year, old boy.  I was looking over the pictures and I absolutely feel in love with this picture below.

Then it dawned on me.  This is part of my style.  I love real life not studio posed pictures.  I love taking pictures of kids being themselves.  Notice the bib in his hand.  Well, apparently he is always holding a bib with him.  I was able to capture him at this stage of his life.  Listen to your inner self.  Let it guide you as you discover your style.  Cheryl Jacobs Nicolai said, " Never apologize for your own sense of beauty or style. Nobody can tell you what you should love."  I hope these tips and article have helped you as much as they have helped me.  Leave me a comment and share your thoughts.  Also, send me an email if you have any photography questions.

Keep Clicking,

Nickie