did you "find" it? I spent the last few hours with LR 1.0 looking at work over the last year or so and think I'm starting to see a "style" of my own starting to show up. Just a glimmer but it's there. How long did it take you or are you still looking like me? Do you have just one style? Does it really even matter? Inquiring minds want to know.

Jeff

Jeff,
I've run that around in my mind several times, really wanting to sound cool and being able to say, "I'm a photojournalistic wedding photographer thank you very much." But I don't know how those people could shoot a wedding without something being posed. Are they saying that they just don't shoot any of the family group shots? If so, I'd like to know how they pull that off. So I look at my style and scratch my head. I'm not sure what I can say I am. People love me because of what I give them, and that's not me talking, that's my clients. I recieved a phone call from my last groom 3 weeks ago, calling me from Whistler CO(?? where is Whistler??) on the second day of their honeymoon thanking me over and over for what I did for them. In my mind style has been shot to the ground and my "style" is, I shoot what inspires me, along with that I shoot the stuff the b/g want and we're good, everyones happy. So I'd like to come up with a new category, Inspirational Photographer or Inspired Photographer.

Mark

I'm still learning what 'exactly' my style is too, but I do see a hint of one! I love really bright, fun colors, and yummy black and whites. I think go more for the funny moments too. I don't know. Check back with me again in another year.

Everytime I think I have "found" my style - it seems to change slightly. So, I guess it will always evolve (I hope it does because I don't want to shoot the same way the rest of my life).

When I first started out, I really admired Audrey Woulard's work - her color is amazing and her photos are sooo sharp. But it just never seemed right when I tried to put it into practice. I didn't want to put babies into bowls, I wanted to get the image of the baby looking right into her mom's eyes. So, I shot was I felt comfortable with. And it's slowly becoming more and more consistent.

I would like to "think" I have a style, but I tell you sometimes it honestly depends on my mood and the dynamics with everyone at the session. I really strive to capture instead of create. I find that people get even stiffer when I try to create what I want, so I try to be gentle in that area....I hate forced expressions. The images that I love the most are with the people who can really connect with each other. Sometimes finding my style and getting people to cooperate with it is another story....lol

I don't think my "style" shows through as much as my clients styles show through. One thing I hear over and over again from my clients is, "Thank you so much for capturing my son's/daughter's true personality - I can't believe how it shines through." I have also had quite a few people tell me that they chose me because all of my photos don't look "the same."

And yes, sometimes I think this is a bad thing because I do think it's cool that so many people have a distinctive style. Not only is it cool - but I wonder about consistancy (sp?) in style and what people expect. But so far people have been happy and no complaints. I'm curious to see if I ever develop a "style" that is uniquely me. This may emerge as I am finally expanding my portfolio with weddings this year that are more of what I want to shoot.

I don't know any photojournalistic wedding photographers who don't shoot formals... That's a huge misconception. The other is that none of us know how to use a flash. Oh, and that we wear camoflage. I actually dress up like sponge bob at my weddings. That's how I get those great reactions!!!

I really think that most photographers have trouble seeing their own style. We just do things the way we do things and it doesn't feel "special" or like a "style" to us. However, it is easy for me to see other photographer's style. It took me a very long time to see my own style. I've decided that I'm obsessed with emotion on my subjects faces. I call it "Creating Emotional Photostories" in my marketing. I'd much rather have good emotion than technical perfection. This image is an example. The bride and groom just saw each other for the first time. She it laughing almost too hard. Her face doesn't look as good as it could, it is "acceptably" sharp rather than perfectly sharp, but I love it.
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I think everyone has a style form the moment you start taking pictures. Just by looking at some fellow photographers/osper's, if I've seen their work before, I can usually tell whos image that is without someone having to tell me. As you "progress" it just gets more distinct, and better!

I agree with this thought as well. I think you have ideas about how you want your images to turn out and as your skill and tech prowess develops, it enables you to "work" you style.
I try to shoot for emotion, lots of times I wing a shot and then fix it in PS. This little method has in its own way developed my style, because of the way I PP my images. I always have ,in the back of my mind a little storyboard running, so I try to "shoot for the story", which seems to work OK so far.

I'd pay MONEY to see that! You're so cute.

Ginger

edit: sorry, a little silliness in a serious topic. On that note, I feel like Cory.

I think my style can be called "portrait photojournalism". This comes from my obsession with making my clients look there best through a crazy obsession with light. Classical posing techniques can go a long way.

Photojournalism is not a style, it is a method. A way of shooting. As are editorial, documentary and fashion. It is like saying, I use a camera to photograph. Everyone uses a camera and everyone uses a method, which may be any one or a combination of all methods. Granted, a method can contribute to the overall style of your photography. However in reality, to develop a "style" requires years of practice in seeing the moment, getting the exposure where you want it and composing the image, all within a split second. If there is no continuity to all of these elements and if you do not see a connection of them to your style, then you will never have a "style" or your style may be "randomness".
There are many photographers whose images I can identify, but even these have changed their style over the years and many of us have copied or tried to copy their style without understanding the complete package that creates their style. Everything makes a difference, everything matters when it come to having a style. Some have perfected it to the extent it becomes a brand.
Trying to develop a style is like chasing happiness, sometimes you just have to let it find you.
All of this is just my opinion and well....it's just my style.
Joe

Very well said, Joe. And Cory.

It takes years to identify a photographer's style. And even then, styles continually evolve.

As photographers, I don't think we define our style as much as our style defines us. It can't be forced, it just happens with time, and it is directly influenced by our heart.

Thanks for the nod, Garrett. Being new on the board, it makes me somewhat nervous to voice an opinion on such a broadly viewed subject.
Joe

Hey Joe,
Don't worry about voicing your opinion. We all have them!

I agree with your Photojournalsim as Method idea to a point. However, I think of it more as a philosophy rather than a method. My philosophy is to let the day happen without posing. The method I use may be different than yours.

Similar to the way famous photojournalists in the past and present kinda fall into two extremes and a range in between. There were those that made friends with their subjects, were invited in to their inner circle, and once they were comfortable with the person with the camera, were largely ignored and allowed to photograph their lives. There were others that just observed without interaction and photographed what they saw. Two different methods of the same philosophy - capturing real life. However, I am just quibbling and your point was well made!
Cory


Hey John,
You are a classic case of "fusion". Joe Buissink and Marcus Bell coined that particular term in a bar in Australia. They described themselves as a fusion of photojournalism and classic posing influences.
Cory

Thanks, Cory. I agree that we each have a shooting philosophy....but like a method it is only a small part of the big picture of "style".
Anyway, I think my philosophy is con"fusion"
Joe