As photographers, the *chef’s kiss* moment is when you finally find YOUR signature photography style. That point where your images start to look and feel consistent, no matter the session.
Your editing style, color palette/tones, lighting choices, settings for sessions, posing, how you frame your shots, and so much more all go into helping create that consistency that makes your work instantly recognizable.
Your photography style is everything because once you have that signature vibe down, you’ll start attracting your ideal clients!
Here’s the thing though (and you probably already know this). Learning to create consistent images doesn’t happen overnight. If you’re just starting out in your photography business, give yourself permission to experiment! Developing your unique photography + editing style takes time, practice, and a LOT of trial and error (don’t even ask to see my very first galleries I delivered). This is totally normal, so be patient with yourself!
As you’re figuring out your style, here are 3 tips to keep in mind to help you move in the right direction without rushing the creative process.
Lighting is KEY. It’s one of the most powerful tools you have as a photographer and can make or break the consistency of your work. Whether you’re shooting in natural light, using lighting equipment, or a mix of both, the way you handle lighting directly impacts the tone and overall feel of your images. If your lighting isn’t consistent from session to session and you have harsh midday sun in one image, soft golden glow in the next, and moody indoor shadows in another, it becomes sooo much more difficult to create a consistent look.
This is why getting your lighting right in-camera is so important! You can only do so much to fix poor lighting in post. And it often results in images that feel forced or overly edited.
Learning to understand and control your light by knowing what direction, quality, and intensity work best for your style will help you start to see a LOT more consistency, not just in individual photos but across your sessions! It truly is a game-changer.
Once you find a color palette you love in your photos, stick with it! Not everyone is going to follow your outfit recommendations (and that’s totally okay), but I’ve personally noticed a huge increase in the people following my outfit recommendations since I started explaining WHY I suggest certain colors.
When you explain to your clients how different colors affect skin tones and the overall vibe of the image, it really clicks for people. It might feel like common sense to us photographers, but most clients have no idea that color plays such a big role.
A few years ago I started gravitating towards whites, soft neutrals, and earth tones in my sessions because that’s what I was loving most for photos. And now I’m known for being the “all-neutral studio photographer lady” and I honestly love that. (check out my Instagram for the proof. It’s a whole vibe and I just love it)
You don’t have to post about every single session you do. You get to be intentional about what you share and choose the sessions that best reflect your brand and the direction you want to grow in. If a session doesn’t align with your style or the kind of work you want more of, it’s totally okay to keep it off your feed. That doesn’t mean the session wasn’t beautiful or meaningful, it just means it’s not the right fit for your marketing!
By consistently sharing the sessions you genuinely love and are proud of, you’ll naturally start attracting more of your ideal clients. The ones who are obsessed with your style and trust your vision. Pretty soon your calendar will be filled with sessions that are exactly what you’re wanting and you’ll be struggling to decide which one to share first because you love them ALL!
If you’re currently in that in-between phase of still figuring out your style and what consistency looks like for you, remember that it’s all just part of the process. It took me several years and a lot of trial and error to land on a consistent vibe that I truly loved…and I’m still learning things and adjusting as I go!
I’m here cheering you on as you experiment and find YOUR style. If you ever need any pointers or have any questions, please feel free to reach out! I’m an open book and LOVE talking about all things photography education (if that wasn’t clear already haha).
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