Finding Your Style As A Photographer - 7 Ways to Help You Find Yours
I think I speak for photographers everywhere that finding your specific style, and discovering how to achieve your style goals, is maybe the BIGGEST internal battle. It's a constant back and forth between feeling content with the work you're putting out there, and wishing your work looked like someone else's. I definitely still have days where I want to scratch everything I've compiled in my editing process, and start over in a new direction. However, I've also never felt more comfortable in myself and my work, and I'm so happy with how far I've come!
When I first started, I was shooting with a canon rebel and editing with the default presets in my Lightroom Classic. I was editing in a "light and airy" style, because that's how everyone in my area was editing. I liked what I was doing, but quickly changed editing styles the more and more that I shot. I went from light and airy, to moody, and everything in between. Last year is when I reaaaally felt like I found my "home" in my editing style.
My biggest pieces of advice for those who are craving to feel comfortable and confident in themselves would be...
1. Shoot everyday! Switch up the lighting scenarios, times of day, etc. The more you shoot, the more you edit, and then the more you'll find yourself leaning in a certain direction with editing. Don't overthink it!
2. Really study the work of those you admire. Notice the color tones, the temperature, the grain, etc. Really dive deep into what specifically you love about other peoples' editing styles. Then make it your own!
3. Experiment with your Lightroom. Really familiarize yourself with all the different functions. There are so many free resources on Pinterest and Youtube for discovering editing features in Lightroom. Dedicate time everyday to it!
4. Play with presets -- but don't expect them to be a one click fix. You WILL have to adjust even the best presets to fit your specific shooting scenario. Don't give up just because it isn't a quick fix. A preset should be a good base.
5. Don't be afraid to adjust your editing style. So many people don't adventure deeper into their style because they think people only like them for their current editing style. Your loved ones and followers are following along for YOU. They want to see you loving what you do!
6. When in doubt, invest in education. This could be on editing or on shooting in general -- both go into your photography style! I don't care if it's your first year or your fifth -- continuing to educate and explore photography will only add value to you and your business.
7. Find a community of photographers you can be yourself with. I know this one seems a little off base, but trust me! Find a group, or even just one, of photographers that you can get together with for editing dates. Bounce questions off of one another. I've learned so much just by talking to other photographers and having them show me how they do certain things in Lightroom. Power in community always!
If you're reading this and feeling stuck, just know that we've all been there! And we all have those days, weeks or months of feeling like we aren't achieving what we want to as far as editing goes. Don't be so hard on yourself! Continue to do everything you can to further your business and your editing skillset, and the confidence will follow.
I'm cheering you on :)
xo, Kyndal
