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Unlocking Your Artistic Identity: Finding Your Signature Style.
HOW TO FIND YOUR SIGNATURE STYLE
In the competitive world of photography, where trust and visual appeal are paramount, building a cohesive portfolio and developing a signature style become powerful tools for attracting potential clients to your underwater portrait photography studio. At the same time, that alone won’t guarantee bookings, as many other factors are involved. However, it plays a significant role in getting their foot in the door. Your unique style acts as a visual fingerprint, setting your work apart from others and making you stand out. This blog post answers one of the most popular questions by photographers: How to find your unique style of photography?
Too many professional photographers fall into the trap of displaying a wide range of images with different styles in an attempt to demonstrate their versatility and skills rather than having a cohesive portfolio to showcase their unique style and expertise. While this approach may seem appealing, it can actually confuse potential clients.
Your portfolio is that one chance to make a first impression.
Three points to consider when building a portfolio:
- A portfolio should showcase your strongest pieces that align with your artistic vision and the message you want to convey, leaving no room for doubt. Quality over quantity! Less can be more when it comes to making a strong impression.
- Tailor to Your Audience: Consider who will be viewing your portfolio and what they might be looking for. Tailor your selection to cater to the interests and preferences of your target audience.
- Show Consistency: A consistent and recognisable style can leave a lasting impact. Highlight a cohesive aesthetic throughout your portfolio to establish your unique signature style.
Why build a cohesive portfolio?
A cohesive portfolio refers to a collection of work that shares a common theme, style, or visual elements, creating a unified and harmonious presentation. Here are some reasons why it’s important to create a cohesive portfolio:
- Professionalism: A cohesive portfolio demonstrates professionalism and attention to detail. It shows that you have a clear artistic vision and are deliberate in curating your body of work.
- Branding and Identity: A consistent and cohesive portfolio helps establish your brand and identity as a photographer. It allows potential clients to recognise and remember your work, making it easier for them to seek you out for specific photography services.
- Visual Appeal: When your portfolio has a cohesive look, it becomes visually appealing and engaging to viewers. The consistency draws them in and keeps them interested as they navigate through your portfolio.
- Conveys Style and Expertise: A cohesive portfolio allows you to showcase your unique style and expertise in a particular genre or niche. It helps potential clients understand what type of photography you excel in and what they can expect from a session with you.
- Attracts Target Audience: A well-curated portfolio tailored to your target audience’s interests and preferences can attract the right clientele. When potential clients see work that resonates with them, they are more likely to reach out for your services.
- Builds Trust: A cohesive portfolio builds trust and confidence in your abilities as a photographer. It shows that you have a strong work foundation and consistently deliver high-quality results.
- Better Client Understanding: A cohesive portfolio helps potential clients understand your capabilities and whether you fit their needs. They can assess whether your style aligns with their preferences and the vision they have for their own session.
- Personal Growth: Building a cohesive portfolio requires introspection and a deeper understanding of your artistic voice. The process of curating and refining your work can lead to personal growth and artistic development.
Your unique style acts as a visual fingerprint.
What is a signature style?
A signature style is a distinctive and recognisable expression that sets an artist apart. It is the unique way in which an artist approaches their craft. When artists/photographers create a piece of art, they infuse a part of themselves into it, influenced inadvertently by their preferences, life experiences, beliefs, childhood, culture, values, and how they perceive the world around them. As a result, the art becomes imbued with their essence. This unique amalgamation will shape their signature style, and those who experience it can often sense the authenticity and emotional depth within the piece.
How to find your unique style?
Discovering your signature photography style is a beautiful journey of self-discovery, exploration, and experimentation. It involves uncovering what sets your soul on fire, what inspires and moves you, and what piques your interest. Embracing this process of self-discovery allows you to create authentic, meaningful work and a true reflection of your inner artistic essence. It is a continuous evolution shaped by your experiences, growth, and an unwavering pursuit of your creative truth.
1: Define Your Vision
Reflecting on what draws you to your craft is pivotal in shaping your signature style. What draws you to underwater portrait photography? Why Underwater? Why Portraits? Explore your personal connection to water, the ocean, or aquatic environments. Explore the reasons why you are passionate about underwater photography. How Do You Want Your Viewers to Perceive Your Art?
Narrowing it down to your specialisation, for example, what ignites your passion for underwater boudoir photography? What Inspires You About Boudoir Photography? Understand why you chose to specialize in underwater boudoir photography. What emotions do you aspire to convey through your art? Create a list of questions that will help you understand yourself and your passion and motivations.
2: Curate Your Inspirations
Explore different art forms, from landscape photography, interior decorations, portraits, paintings, and architecture to sculptures. Inspiration is everywhere. It certainly doesn’t need to be related to your field. Let your intuition guide you as you collect images that you love and resonate with you. Pinterest is an excellent platform for this.
3: Connect with Your Selections
As you review your curated collection, look for patterns or recurring elements that naturally emerge. These patterns might be stylistic, thematic, or emotional. Recognizing these tendencies can help you shape your signature style.
4: Analyse Your Triggers
As you marvel at the collection of images you’ve gathered, take a moment to introspect. While each image holds its own allure, certain images hold an inexplicable power over you, forging a deep connection that transcends the rest. These triggers are the key to understanding the essence of your artistic vision, unlocking a gateway to the core of your creative, authentic soul, and gaining invaluable insights into your innermost thoughts and feelings.
5: Unravel the “Why” and the “How”
Now that you have identified the images that resonate deeply with you, it’s time to unravel the “why” and the “how” behind the emotions they evoke. Examine the techniques and strategies the artist employs to craft these powerful emotional connections. By deciphering the creative processes and tools that contribute to the impact of these artworks, you gain valuable insights that will shape your own artistic identity. These emotional connections are the seeds from which your unique style and perspective will grow, nurturing your creativity with authenticity and depth. As you delve into the intricacies of artistic expression, you will find yourself honing your craft and discovering the nuances that make your work distinctly yours. Embrace this journey of exploration, for it holds the key to infusing your art with a profound and authentic essence that will touch the hearts of others.
6: Experimentation and Growth
As you begin to unearth your unique artistic voice by analysing what moves you and igniting your creative fire, developing your technical skills is vital. Practice, practice, practice!!! The more you refine your skills both as an underwater portrait photographer and photo editor, the easier it becomes to translate your creative visions. Dare to push the boundaries of your comfort zone, as it opens doors to new elements that may become part of your signature style. Embrace the beautiful journey of growth and evolution as an underwater portrait photographer.
7: Consistency
While experimentation is essential, establishing consistency and cohesion in your work can help define your style. It involves repeating some aspects of your work—for example, tone, a particular colour palette, composition, etc. Establishing a consistent approach in your work makes it easily recognisable as your own, reflecting your unique identity as an artist. Clients would most likely seek photographers who can deliver a consistent look and feel aligned and connected with their desired aesthetic. Consistency enhances your portfolio’s coherence and creates a sense of trust and reliability among clients. When your work embodies a unique signature style, it attracts clients who resonate with our artistic vision.
8: Embrace your uniqueness.
Recognising that you are a unique individual with a distinct perspective on the world is crucial. Your experiences, emotions, and creative vision are unlike anyone else’s. Embracing your uniqueness is the key to unleashing the full potential of your art. Your perspective, no matter how different, unconventional or traditional it may seem, holds value and has the power to resonate with others in ways you may not anticipate.
9: Allow Growth and Evolution
Your signature style may not emerge overnight. Embrace the process of growth and evolution as an artist. Stay open to learning, adapting, and refining your style over time.
Through this introspective journey as an underwater portrait photographer, you will undoubtedly gain a more refined vision of the type of work you aspire to create and the powerful emotions you intend to elicit through your art. This newfound clarity will empower you to easily articulate your work to potential clients, fostering a confident expression of your creative vision that reassures them they are in the hands of a capable artist who truly understands your craft and cares about your experiences.
The Silent Assassins
It is essential to understand that it is nearly impossible to please every single human on Earth with your art. Art is subjective, and different individuals resonate with different styles and themes. Instead of trying to please everyone, focus on creating art that is meaningful to you personally. Authenticity and passion in your work will make it stand out and connect with those who share similar values and interests.
Creating solely to please your followers, conforming to trends, and imitating other artists are the silent assassins of your artistic soul. When your creative process becomes driven by the external desire for approval and validation, it can stifle your true expression and passion.
When you create from a place of genuine self-expression, your art becomes a beacon of truth, honesty, and vulnerability. Embrace your unique vision, and don’t let the fear of acceptance overshadow your artistic journey. Your unique perspective is a gift to the world. With dedication and patience, your signature style will naturally emerge. Remember that finding your signature style is a journey. It’s okay to explore and iterate until you discover the creative expression that feels most authentic to you.
Thank you for diving into this week's blog post with us! May this blog spark a newfound curiosity in uncovering your distinct signature style.
We would love to hear from you, so don't be shy and drop us a comment below or our Instagram post! Share your thoughts, experiences, or any additional tips you have.
Keep smiling!
Steffen & Arielle x
