One of the most common questions asked by photographers is how do I find my photography style? You’ve searched Pinterest, Instagram and you don’t know where you start.
Table to Contents
How to find your photography style?
It sounds like such a huge task.
Deciding on a photography style.
Sticking to a photography style, a look that you are confident enough in that you show it again and again and again. Many of us feel that we’ve found our “look”, while many of us are still trying to find the groove.
So, how is it done? Well, here are a few of my thoughts on how you can decide on your own photography style. You own YOU. Be advised, I’m about to hit you with some tough love.
What are the different photography styles?
Before we get started, let’s go over some of the different photography styles.
Candid photography
Candid photography is when you step back and let your subject continue with what they are doing. You are a fly on the wall anticipating emotions.
Read more: Candid Child Photography: How to capture genuine childhood memories
Astrophotography
The art of astrophotography is what you get after the sun goes down. You don’t have to put your camera on the shelf when the natural light is gone. Embrace the light trails, the stars, and the moon and capture them in astrophotography.
Read more: Astrophotography Part 2: Star Trails
Black and white photography
This style is all about the subject of the photo using only black, white, and gray colors. This can be done digitally or through a film camera. Here is a whole blog post on Black and White Photography Tips.
Family photography
Your typical cherished framed photos you find in most every home. The family photographer captures the family either naturally or posed.
Read more: 5 Tips for Capturing Real Connection in Family Photography
Food photography
This is any photography of food or drink. It’s used by food bloggers, chefs, and restaurants all over to showcase their delicious creations.
See more mouth watering photos and tips for food photography here.
Landscape photography
Basically anything outdoors can be classified as landscape photography.
You know those cascading waterfalls, or turquoise waters with an amazing reflection? What about those adorable lambs prancing through a green field? Yepp that’s it!
Read more here: 10 Essential Landscape Photography Tips
Lifestyle photography
Baking cookies with grandma? Playing a soccer game? Lifestyle photography captures just that. Life and its everyday moments.
Capturing images of my family and every day life is a favorite of mine. To do this I use either my 35mm or 50mm lens. I think they are perfect for it and many other styles too.
Minimalist photography
Minimal distractions and mostly single focused is what the art of minimalist photography is all about. You usually use a lot of negative space and lines.
Newborn photography
This style is photographs of those precious bundles of joy. The sweetest little images usually taken within the first month of a newborn baby’s life.
Read more: Newborn Photography
Pet photography
Pet photography is a style that captures pets and their unique personalities. Those four legged fur children are important too!
Still life photography
Have you ever seen those beautiful dramatic photographs of a large fruit bowl? That’s still life photography. Images of inanimate objects.
Read more: How to Shoot Still Life Photography to Boost your Photography Skills
Street photography
This photography style uses people, objects, or animals and of course a street. A great example is the iconic image of the kissing sailor at the end of WWII.
Life, people, love, and streets all make very unique images.
Read more: Top 9 Tips for Remarkable Street Photography
Travel photography
Last but not least, the one that gives us all the wanderlust.
Travel photography is a style that encapsulates all things travel. Sometimes that’s a photo on a train. Sometimes it’s an image of a quaint English village. No matter where it is, travel photography takes a viewer and places them in another destination even for just a moment.
Want to take a mental vacation? See some examples and read more here: Do’s and Don’ts of Travel Photography
How to choose a photography style?
Below are five tips to help you stop looking at other photographers and to look inward to find your photography style.
Stop looking at everyone else
Period.
You know that blog that you follow? The one where you always gush over the images and say, “Dude. I wish I could shoot like THAT.” Or maybe you say, “Ugh. I wish that were MY STYLE.” Yes, that blog. Unsubscribe from it.
Go ahead…I’ll wait.
And now you’re wondering “but, but, but, where am I going to get my inspiration from now?!”
Look around your house. Your town. Your family. THERE is your inspiration. You just haven’t seen it yet because you’re stalking someone else’s work. You browse that “other blog” and you love it, but it makes you feel crummy about your own work.
Am I right? Well, unsubscribe and be inspired somewhere else.
Read more: 8 key benefits to knowing your photography style
Don’t copy someone’s photography style
You know that saying? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? Well, it’s also the most annoying. And I don’t necessarily mean it’s annoying to the person being copied (although it is). I mean, for you as well.
It’s annoying for YOU. Why? Because you can never, ever, no not ever get that image to look like the one that you are copying. And why would you want to? It’s the idea and brain and heart of someone else.
Instead, take an IDEA and run with it. Find what you like about that photography style and make it PART of your photography style.
Maybe it’s the haziness of someone’s work that you love.
Maybe it’s the lens flare.
It’s very likely that you can pull ONE element out. You just need to pinpoint what you love about it. Just recently, I noticed an image from one of my sweet buddies. She had such gorgeous light and shadows right there in her living room.
That, in turn, made me think of my own living room and the shadows that fall on the floor in the morning. I took THAT part of her image and I went with it. I made it my own. Her image was inspiring to me. Which is completely different from me copying her work.
Dive deeper into learning about photography style: How to use your photography style to stand out
Shoot daily will help you find your photography style
Shoot an image every.single.day. Did you hear that? EVERYDAY you are to shoot. I promise you that if you shoot daily your photography style will emerge.
In January of 2011, I started a Project 365. Starting out I was shooting this and that and the other. Just pointing my lens at anything and everything. Trying out different ideas with my girls and various processing styles for different images.
Finally, about 7 months in I saw it. It was like rainbows and butterflies and angels singing from the clouds! It took me nearly a year more to have the courage to shoot that way all the time and embrace my photography style, but boy was that a glorious feeling.
Just try shooting daily and after a while you will see what you love as a constant in about 75% of your shots. You’ll know you’ve made it. The next step is having the courage to run with it.
Don’t excuse poor technique for style
First and foremost, learn the rules of photography. Courtney has tutorial after tutorial here on Click it Up a Notch®. You NEED to know the proper technique and rules if you’re going to break them.
You have to know how to get proper white balance. How to compose an image. How to make intentional chops.
So many times I’ve heard photographers say, “I know this image is blah-blah-blah and I did blah-blah-blah to their feet, but that’s my style.” I’m sorry, y’all, but orange skin tone is NOT a style.
It’s horrid white balance and improper exposure. Repeatedly odd finger and limb chops isn’t a style. I can’t stress to you enough that you MUST know the rules in order to break them accordingly.
Please don’t be lazy and call it “photography style”. It’s poor technique and a poor excuse and you CAN do better than that. (See? I told you this would be some tough love.)
Think about what you want your photography style to be other than what other’s want
Quick question about the shoes you are wearing right now.
Are you wearing those because your friend wanted you to wear them? Are you driving that SUV because your father-in-law likes it? No! It’s because you like it.
You want to shoot all black and white film? Do it!
You just want to shoot still life? Do that!
Who cares what someone else wants you to shoot?
You aren’t wearing the clothes someone else picked out for you so why shoot what someone else wants you to shoot?! It seems like common sense, but so many people struggle with doing what they want. Peer pressure is for high school, y’all. Now get out there and do what YOU want.
Read more: 5 common photography style mistakes
Go out there and find your own unique photography style!
Finding and deciding on a photography style isn’t an easy task. Especially these days, when we are simply saturated with photographers, blogs and Facebook feeds. I encourage you to step back from everyone else.
Be YOURSELF.
Shoot daily.
Know the rules and THEN break them intentionally.
And don’t ever, no not ever, copy someone else just because you want to be like them.
Shoot what you love the way you want to shoot it and people will flood YOUR blog, YOUR Facebook and YOUR email.
Read more:
How finding my photography style made me a happier photographer
Ultimate Lens Comparison for Finding your Perfect Lens
Wow thats a great post. I’m still looking for my own photography style. To shoot every day is a good tip, I will do it in the future. Hope to find out what I really want and what I really like at my photos.
Sorry for my bad english, I hope to improve it this year :)
Anna – your English is wonderful! I’m always in awe of those who speak more than one language.
Oh, Anna! Your English is really good! I hope you give shooting everyday a try!
ha! I love this post, thanks so much! I sometimes need a good kick in the pants to get me going again ;)
So glad you enjoyed it, Kim. :) Yes, I need a swift kick in the pants, too. Especially about laundry and cooking. *giggle*
Love this article and your Melissa!
Hi Heather!! Thanks so much!
Awesome post!!! Once I ‘found my style’ I felt so liberated!
Yes, I agree! When I finally found “ME” it was such a wonderful feeling. It’s like finding those perfect pair of shoes. They’re just so cozy and you don’t have to keep looking at all those other not-so-cozy shoes. :)
Fabulous, as always Melissa!!! Love your work over on CM!
Hi Jenn!! Thank you! *smooch*
This! I would also say that style is always evolving so don’t stress too much in daily images. Having a 365 project to be creative and do something that is NOT my style (dark and gloomy instead of bright and airy) has been helpful in exploring other styles and realizing why I love mine so much!
I definitely agree on the not stressing too much on the daily images! I have given myself permission to shoot with my phone, too. As one of my buddies said once, “it’s not a masterpiece a day…it’s just a photo a day.” :)
I have to disagree about your comment “don’t excuse poor technique for style.” You don’t have know the technique to know a frame is your style of photography. I would never claim that a shot was purposely under/over exposed, positioned perfectly, etc. But I can still call the way I take unique shots as my “style”. If someone is standing on stage and I notice that they are barefoot and have their feet positioned a unique way I take that shot because that’s the quirky style of photography I like to take. The shot might be of poor quality because I’m still learning to use light to my advantage and learning manual mode on my camera… I will never claim a photo has great technique until I have learned those….but it’s certainly my “style” non-the-less. No disrespect. Loved reading everything else. Maybe I just read that portion of your blog differently then you meant.
Hi Lynn! Thanks for taking the time to read the post and to comment. :) For me, with photography, there are so many steps and “phases” I guess you could say. I remember when I first started out and I was still learning. I remember trying to learn how to process my images. I remember trying to figure out how to compose an image properly. I even remember trying to learn my speedlight…..which was last week (AGAIN…still can’t get that thing right). For me, and I’d say for many, many photographers, “style” is one of the last things that they grow into. When I say “style” I mean…intentional head chops, moody black and whites, still life, clean and true to life, hazy and backlit, saturated or pops of color…things like that. A definite look that a photographer consistently shows. I don’t mean that those that are still learning don’t have a style. Rather, if a photographer has been shooting for a while and is too lazy to learn proper technique and, in turn, shoves it off as their “style”…that is what I’m discouraging. As I mentioned in the post, it is highly important to know the rules, how to properly expose, etc., before bending the rules intentionally. I hope I have explained myself well. :)
“You NEED to know the proper technique and rules if you’re going to break them.” So true! Practice doing it right first then get creative with crops and techniques. So important!
Hi Michelle! Oh goodness, getting it right first was so hard for me. I remember having cheat sheets lying around…trying to remember how to do this and that and the other. Once it started coming more naturally, I was able to let loose and get more creative.
Awesome post, a little bit of a slap in the face to wake up. I’ve taken the first couple of tips by not coping styles and I’ve started a 365 which I’m at day 51 now! I’m seeing a little bit of a style beginning to emerge with the pictures I’ve taken so far. It’s really interesting. Thanks for those amazing tips!!
Glad you enjoyed the post, Dina! You’ve made it to Day 51! That’s great!! Isn’t it neat to see the growth? I bet if you lined them all up you’d see so many things in common. And it’s interesting that you really don’t need words to go along with the images. I can remember what was happening on those days just by going through the images. It’s like I’m still there. Have fun with your 365!
I really do need to take a look at them all lined up and see what is common with them. I’m loving this 365 it’s a nice way to document my baby and have those memories of him each and everyday I spend with him.
this is a truly awesome post. it is hard to not look at others work with fb and blogs. i think i ought to clean out my fb likes. i am doing a 365 project and it has been awesome! thanks for this!!
You’re welcome, Joanna! Have a great time with your 365!
Amazing post! Thanks so much for writing it! <3
You’re welcome, Ruthie! (and I love that name)
This is such a great post! I’ve been shooting for almost three years now, but still working on my style. I think I’m finally finding it and I’m seeing my strengths and weaknesses showing through so I know what to work on. And I love the part where you said unsubscribe from that blog that you stalk. That was a HUGE step for me and I was better able to focus on MY work when I stopped drooling over someone elses. :)
Thank you, Courtney! Oh my, unsubscribing from that blog that I stalked was SO HARD! Maybe the hardest part for me. It’s like we were breaking up or something. But goodness, it really did help me to see myself and not worry about someone else. :)
Great post Melissa.
Thanks so much, sweetie! ;)
What an inspiring post! Love it and thanks for sharing these tips! My favorite shot is of the Lalaloopsy dolls! I think they are so freakin’ cute! I’m not a BIG fan of the large ones though. I think they are kind of scary looking.
Thanks for the sweet words, Elena! Yes, I may or may not have purchased two mini Lalaloopsy dolls last week because I thought they were cute. My girls have some of the big ones, too, but they are kind of creepy with those bobble heads!
Love! Great tips and advice Melissa! Thanks so much for sharing, I’m bout to share on my fb wall! ;)
Oh thanks a heap load, Celeste!! :)
LOVE this, Melissa! Thanks for the tough love (and the inspiring advice!).
Katrina!! Hi!! Thank you for the nice comment. I’m glad you liked the post. :)
I big ole HEART this post!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That’s all
Ha!! Thank you, Amber!
Great article Melissa <3
Hi Tracy! Thank you so much. Hope you’re doing great across the pond. :)
Great post! I saw this on Pinterest and was glad I checked it out! Thanks for all of the great links!
Oh Pinterest! I love that place!! Thank you, Genelle! Glad it was helpful to you!
Mant great points. However I don’t favor the headless shots or cropping from the eyes up. I know a lot of fotogs do it, and it puts focus elsewhere in the foto, yet I always thought missing heads look odd. But I know some folks like it, so to each her own :)
Love this post , one of the best I have read !!
hi..your post inspired me..im just starting to learn photography and your post boost my confidence..i need to start shooting everyday..thank you.. :)
Hi Melissa,,, have had my camera for about a year,,,bought it to take action shots of my son who does off-road motocycling!!! Have really battled, but keep going. I too droll over a specific photgrapher that takes photo’s at the races, but i suppose practice makes perfect!!! Have taken up your challenge of shooting everyday, and really enjoying it!!!! Thanks for the advise and i’ll keep shooting,,,i might just get it right!!!!
Dear Melissa, thank you so much for your words I have found a lot of answers to my questions, I have great equiptment but it is on stand by waiting for an special occasion, now I will have my camara near me all the time and I am going to start to practice every day and also I am going to cancel all my suscriptions to other blogs that I loved but I think that is a bad influence for my work, it is time to be original! Thank you again!
Love this blog post! Great advice and you have inspired me to shoot daily and start my own informal 365 project. The best way to get better is to simply do! Thanks for the inspiration :-)
Good day,
I’m from South Africa and I’m getting married in September which is our spring time.
I have a nature wedding in the middle of the bush, my gown is very much princess style and white and silver.
The reason I`M writing this message is I need advice on deciding what photographer to choose as I would like to get someone with the style of my wedding as you get different styles I would not appreciate it when my photographer brings edited pictures that does not capture all the detail in the princess dress, and now im stuck with the question, what style photographer must I choose?
I don’t completely know how to explain this so please if I must elaborate more please let me know but if you understand, please give advice?*
Kind regards,
Suhet
That was a great blog, I’ve been taking pictures for over a year now and I haven’t quite found my style yet. I keep going back and forth. I am starting an online class this fall at the photography institute to learn more about photography and my camera. I can’t wait.
Thanks for the great blog it has helped a lot.
Melissa, just wanted to say that I think you are awesome.
I am wondering what you consider your style and what common threads you saw in your images. I am a liitle unsure what I should look for.
Thank you so much for such a great post Melissa! I truly love photography and do exactly what you say…compare my photos to a few others. And wish that were “my style” or “my photo”. (I will go delete them from my feed and unsubscribe after I type this… yes, I will). Then I decide not to post a photo because it isn’t what I normally would shoot (example: a self portrait) and others will harshly critique or just not like it. I am finally engaging in a 365project (almost completely public and open to constructive feedback), and hope to find my style since what I love to shoot seems to have changed as I become more familiar with my gear and comfortable with my camera in public areas. So thank you very much for the tough love :)
hi as a mature student doing As photography I think I am yet to find my style, on the course we are learning the rule of thirds, composition, leading lines, foreground/background among others, and studying some great photographers like Ansel Adams and The Westons among others, and the basics of editing in Photoshop, we are taught to research photographers that are prominent in our chosen subject, then do a shoot and try and do some photos in the style of… it helps to have a better camera, i recently bought a bridge camera, though still on auto it is a vast improvement on my old digital… would of liked a DSLR but out of my price range :)
Thank you so much for this. God bless <3
Tnx for this article!
Well I am from Croatia and recently I came back from America, i started to work as a photographer for a cruise line.. and the thing is, i did not, realised that earlier, but i am sure i was born to be a photographer :) i did take a look back to see al my photos and I’ve found my style, and while i am free, i am just shooting, i can find inspiration everywhere, nature, city, and I am learning and learnig on my mystakes.. every time before i start shooting i have a few visions of pictures i would like to do, but once i get my camera and start looking through it, i get lost for minutes, hours, until i am done.. and at the end i came back home with other visions :)
well i am 26, and some people here used to say to me that I should grow up and find a real job, hm, ..isnt our job as a human bean to help each other? inspire each other? share beauty with each other? learn?
Thank you for listening to me.
Sorry for broken english, still learning ;)
Totally guilty of obsessing over a certain photographers style! I am in the process of perfecting my own now :)
Loved this post, as well as many of the others on ‘Click it up a notch’.
Such a great article and just when i needed it. I am so ready to look my way, learn the rules and run! Thank you sooooooooooo much
Kathy
thank you for this wonderful article which i thoroughly enjoyed.
i have a q though. photography style…isn’t about classic vintage look (as your 1st photo)/bold, crisp, glossy, saturated look/hdr style/minimal style..etc.?
thank you.
keep up the great work!
Hey Betty,
I don’t think I understand your question. Could you clarify what you are asking :)
Thank you for that great post. I needed it!
Great post! I definitely think shooting daily is key to nailing our personal style. I find the more frequently I shoot, my work is not only consistent but consistently good. (Good being a relative term here lol)
I seriously loved this article! I do constantly look at other people’s work and then try to imitate it when what I should be doing is focusing on what I enjoy! I am going to take what you said and run with it and I am sure that my style will come out. Thanks!
Hey there! This was a great article. I’m currently struggeling with all the “my own style” thing and I’m having kind of a bad time. This really helps. Thank you!
Thank you …needed to hear this.
It’s always good to hear someone be direct. I’ve been doing the same thinga you’ve mentioned. Great read!
Stunning article and super advice. Best thing I ever did was STOP following and comparing myself to others. Now I work on myself, my style, my knowledge and work on it daily. It made a huge change to my day, my work and my output. It will also help your positivity and allow you to stretch yourself into new ways of thinking about your images and your business approach. After all we are ALL artists.
I am not at all a new photographer but man did I need to hear this! Number one! I needed your advice in number one in my life so badly. Comparing myself to others (and getting blasted by others in facebook photo groups) has just about made me give up the passion of my life.
I knew I was having a hard time but until just now I couldn’t pinpoint the reason behind it!
Thank you so much.
I absolutely love this post – thank you so much x
Every photographer and “photographer” should read this! This is exactly what I needed to read today! PERFECT tough love and thank you!!
Omgoodness this article was so helpful! Thank you for taking the time to write it! Would you mind if I shared it on my blog? I would be more than happy to credit you for the post :) My website is http://www.bischoffphotography.ca
So I am new to photography in the more professional aspect and I know I still have so much to learn. I’ve talked with my professional friends and they all say I have to declare an editing Style. I however have full examined what makes me fall in love with photography over and over again and what would mean the most to me as a consumer, variety!I don’t want to deliver 15-20 of the same images to my client with just different poses. I sent to create and deliver so much more and edit a shoot based on the mood for that specific session not to look like everything else I’ve already done. However, my friends saythat this is only going to bring in low paying clients and will look unprofessional as well. Any advice?
You post very very very inspired me and think of high level. I am a one of the best photographer in Trichy.
http://www.selvaweddingphotography.com
You have no idea how bad I needed to read this… My photography business launches in June and I’ve been looking too much at other photographers and their work… I love my work, but I feel that I haven’t quite found my style. I’m playing around, currently on Day 39 of a 365 Project. I need to stop looking at other photographers and focus on my own work!! Thanks so much!!
I really needed this piece of information on how to become my own Photographer Thank you !
Today is literally the day that I take my first step towards exploring my passion of photography and to become my own photographer…finally! So much to learn… I am grateful to have found your article first, inspiring and informative :) Thank you, merci Melissa❣️
Hello, I’m Ell. I’m happy that I found this article. I’m one of the people who still struggle with photography style. I can’t figure out what I want. Sometimes, I don’t even know how i want it. I’m a little confused.
I do love taking pictures. I love photography. But, I don’t have enough skills and knowledge. Now, i stopped taking pictures for about a year, maybe. I don’t dare to step up just because I don’t know what to do.
Thank you, Melissa, for your great advice.
Sorry for my poor English. I’m sorry if you can’t understand what I’m trying to say.
Awesome article! I always stop myself from shooting every day because I’m always at home with responsibilities.. but you made me realize to just get a macro lens and start shooting from home. No excuses, that will be my niche.
thank you for the 5 tips i just got started into photography and i think i really needed those tips
Thank you Courtney. I’ve taken classes from you, you have built up my confidence. I’m not where I want to be but I have come a long way with your help. Gif Bless you
Your the best coach Courtney
Great post! Personally, instead of style I chose a single lens to shoot a few styles I love.