Developing your style as a photographer

Like many bands have a ‘sound’ and clothing brands a certain ‘look’, photographers too should have their own style. It is this that sets their work apart and marks their images as theirs. But how does one go about developing a style?

Types of photography

The best place to start is to decide what interests you — what types of photography do you most enjoy? Is it landscape or product photography? Or perhaps you enjoy something more artistic? Or is it the thrill of working with a team to bring together a creative fashion shot that excites you? Whatever it is, deciding on the type of photography you want to do is just the first step to developing your own style.

But once you’ve decided on that, how do you set yourself apart from the millions of other photographers out there?

Photography styles

Developing your style takes time, effort and thought, and it doesn’t happen overnight. A good way to start is to look at work by other photographers and try to think about what it is you like about their work. Is it their composition, lighting techniques, colour choices or even just the subjects they shoot?

During the show, Karl and Ashleigh took a look at work by some of the most influential photographers in the last 100 years, who have been pivotal in setting the style of many of todays famous photographers.

Refining your style

Another key part of developing your style is practice. It’s easy to look at work by other photographers, but you have to get out and shoot to understand how they achieve particular looks. This is what will help you refine your style as you’ll be able to see what works best for you. While you may find you enjoy photographing landscapes, you may find you have a particular talent for photographing urban landscapes or maybe seascapes.

The points mentioned above offer a general guideline to developing your style and we explore each in much more detail throughout the show. Sign up now to get access to this live show, as well as thousands of courses that you can refer to and learn from as you continue to develop your style.

In this information-packed show Karl and Ashleigh look at why and how you can develop your own style and explore work by some of the most influential photographers over the last century.

Umbrellas are often one of the first modifiers many photographers work with. They’re affordable, portable, versatile and easy to use. In this live workshop Karl takes a closer look at when and how to use them.

Our live shows offer a unique opportunity to learn from industry leaders, watch start to finish photo shoots or get your image critiqued by professionals. Each show also offers the chance for live member interaction — ask Karl your questions, share your thoughts or simply chat to other members. If you can’t join us live, all our shows are also available to watch on replay at your own convenience. If this sounds like something you might enjoy, below is a selection of some of our most popular shows. Find out more here.

Live Talk Show - Product Photographer Jonathan Knowles

High-end Headphones Product Shoot

Live Member Picture Critique - Mega Critique