TECHNIQUES

Build a unique photographic style by learning new shooting and editing techniques

Words by: Peter Fenech

Pictured Dare to be different Professional photography is a constant balancing act between individuality, competitiveness and commercial appeal. Look closely at each element of your images to find room for experimentation

© Boy Anupong/Moment via Getty Images

The concept of a particular style or ‘look’ in photography is an opaque one. At galleries and exhibitions, especially, much can be made of an artist’s style, but while it may be interesting, it often says little about what the creator is actually doing to produce content worthy of recognition. Unfortunately, as with many creative endeavours, when taking photographs, there is a risk of becoming preoccupied with how to craft a signature workflow.

We often start out inspired by a restricted subset of artists, based on our limited knowledge of the creative possibilities open to us in this diverse medium. This leads to us attempting to recreate the visual language of one or two photographers. This effect has been greatly amplified in the social media era, where a handful of users are favoured by algorithms and elevated to global visibility. While this can be a good starting point for experimenting with advanced techniques, simply mimicking others restricts us from doing what feels natural in our own photo workflow. What we’re left with is a pressure to produce similar content, while struggling to introduce something unique and creatively fulfilling. So, instead, why not consider the following three pillars for style success – commercial popularity; uniqueness and identity; and your engagement and enjoyment?

Over the next few pages, we will explore how to create images that are both contemporary and commercially relevant, while still exhibiting your own creative preferences. The process of finding your style needn’t be a chore – it can be a fun journey that calls on multiple skills and allows you to use your kit in novel ways.

Shooting techniques

Like cooking a dish based on a recipe, making a few small tweaks to your style of photography can make all the difference to the final result

When cooking something new, even when following a recipe, there is still some scope for experimentation. Two chefs using the same ingredients and equipment can produce dishes that are completely different from one another, in texture and subtleties of flavour. The same can be true of photography – there are only so many ways to shoot a subject and a limited number of gear combinations to use, so how does a photographer develop a distinct way of making images?