XtremeCamera

Of all the things that can be most daunting for an emerging photographer, I think that finding a style that belongs to you is right up there on the list. I truly believe most anyone can figure out the technical aspects of a camera, if they are motivated to do so. Style, on the other hand, is a different issue altogether.

If you were walking through a museum and came across a certain Impressionist painting, wherein ballet dancers stretched on a barre, while others congregated in the middle of the room, you would very likely recognize this particular painting as one of Degas’. Degas had style – a style that was unique to him, but also recognizable from a particular era. There are certain poets and writers that you would instantly recognize if you were reading their work. Maybe it’s the rhythm of their writing or their unique sentence structure. It could be a reoccurring theme that you see over and over in their work. It’s simply their style.

Let’s talk about style a bit and what it means. If you think of someone that you personally know that has style, what do you think about, in particular? I know this lady and she is always dressed perfectly, no matter the occasion. She isn’t flashy or overbearing in her dress. Her clothing looks elegant on her and she carries herself with a certain decorum that sets her apart from other women. She simply looks great all the time. I admire her sense of fashion, but there’s something more to what she knows. The woman understands subtlety. She understands that sometimes less is more. She also understands that attention to details, such as the right earring, can make all the difference in one’s appearance.

When considering style in photography, I would suggest that it isn’t really so different than having a good sense of fashion style. Attention to detail is obviously extremely important, as is knowing when enough is enough. Style comes from knowing what goes together and what does not; what belongs and how it belongs.

At this point in my photographic endeavors, I don’t believe that I’ve hit upon my style. I haven’t even figured out what genre appeals to me the most. Obviously, I prefer portraiture (as evidenced by my personal galleries) but, I realize that within the realm of portraiture, there are so many sub-genres. I simply haven’t figured out what speaks to me and about me, yet. For example, recently, I’ve been working solely on natural portraiture, with a more candid feel, very little retouching or edits. It’s given me a chance to explore natural light more. But does it speak to my soul? Nope. I’ve been happy with the products I’ve produced because I feel like I’m improving through this exercise, but I know that it isn’t my niche. I do see glimpses of my emerging style even in these simple portraits. I see a certain use of light that does evoke a certain mood. I also see that I have a knack for capturing eyes. It’s not perfect yet but I do believe that it will continue to improve and become a part of my particular style.

I don’t believe that you can force style; it has to emerge naturally. It comes from practice and a good eye. It comes from being true to the visions in your head and maintaining the integrity of those ideas as you transfer them into your camera. If your efforts at photography are genuine, a style will be realized in your work. If you want a style, you have to be willing to study, be patient, examine, move around, change your perspective and look at things in a way that maybe you hadn’t thought of before. It’s very possible if you make decisions about your photography while doing these things, you will hit upon a style. Honor what you see blossoming and hold true to it.

Photography is a creative endeavor and open to personal opinion, yours and the viewer’s. Just like any creative self expression, your images are a representation of an artist’s personality and soul. Put your opinions about the world out there in your photography and see what happens.