Become A Better Photographer By Defining Your Photographic Style

Whether you are new to photography or you have been a shutterbug for years, there is a good chance you have searched the internet for at least one "how to be a better photographer" article. In my opinion, however, these articles do not go far enough. If you have decided to invest hundreds of dollars into a camera and lens, you should be striving to define your personal style. It is relatively easy to improve your photography skills, daunting as it might seem, but defining your own photographic style will differentiate your photos from the rest of the crowd. Below are three tips on how you can become a better photographer by defining your style:

1. Use Your Camera Every Day!

Step one, take camera off shelf. Step two, turn camera on. Step three, take a photo. Many people want to become better photographers but they only use their camera once or twice a year. If you only use your camera every now and then you are simply not receiving the return on your investment. The best photographers always have a camera at their side and they take pictures constantly. Therefore, simply start taking pictures. 

I realize you may not want to bring your DSLR with you to work, but what about your phone? Nearly everyone has a camera on their phone in this day and age. Use your camera phone during the day and your DSLR on nights and weekends.

And, remember, at this point, the subject matter is irrelevant. Your only job is to ensure the image is well composed. So, start by becoming that person that takes pictures everywhere.The more frequently you take photos, the faster you will notice improvement in your photography and the closer you will be to defining your personal style.

 2. Develop Your Photographic Eye By Always Being Aware of Your Surroundings

The moment I step outside of my door, I immediately begin to make note of my surroundings -- I instantly see the ray of light perfectly crossing the decorative shutters on the picturesque row house or the order in the random papers strewn across the sidewalk or the contrast of the bright green car in front of the white building. My eye is instantly drawn to every aspect of my surrounding and I know instantly what will make a good image. Developing a photographic eye is essential to becoming a better photographer and defining your personal style. 

The ability to capture through the camera what you see through your eye is a skill that is developed over time, however, the more aware you are of your surroundings, the faster you will pick up this skill. Start by slowing down for 15 minutes during your day and taking note of your surroundings, especially when you are in your most familiar settings. Many people think they need to go to an exotic location in order to take a great picture. That simply is not true. The ability to see something unique in your home or office is the real test of your photographic eye. As you are looking at your surroundings, pay particular attention to what your eye is drawn to, taking note of the small things. The goal is to eventually get to the point where you can scan your surroundings and quickly hone in on a shot. In business terms, it is considered big picture thinking with the ability to focus on the details.

If you are still having trouble seeing your surroundings and focusing in on the details maybe this trick will help. Take a square piece of paper or cardboard, cut a small square box in the center and then hold that piece of paper or cardboard about six inches from your eye. The goal is to block as much of the environment from your peripheral vision as possible and only view the world through the cutout. You will simultaneously strengthen your photographic eye while also improving your composition skills. Will you look a little weird if you do this outside? Yeah but who cares. A camera is just a box with a rectangular cutout anyway!

As you become more aware of your surroundings, you will notice that you are more strategic and effective with your photography. As opposed to taking 100 photos before you capture one good image of the dog rolling around in the dirt, you will find that you might only need to take 25 or 50. Moreover, the more aware you are of your surroundings, the less likely you will miss a great shot because you are too focused on a mediocre one.

3. Determine What Speaks to You And Then Go Out And Shoot It

This is the point when you take what you have learned thus far and use it to define and refine your personal style. By this point, you should be a better photographer because you have been using your camera regularly, you are more aware of your surroundings, and you have a stronger photographic eye. Now, it is time for you to zoom in on what makes you different than the others. 

Take a look back at all the photos you have been taking and begin to note what moves you. Have you been taking pictures of papers or books arranged on a bookshelf or desk? Well, you might be drawn to lines and architectural photography would be your thing. Have you been taking pictures of flowers? Then maybe you should consider delving into macro photography. Are you converting most of your images to black and white? You might prefer high contrast images. If you are having trouble identifying a pattern ask a friend or family member to look through your photos and note any patterns.

When you are slowing down to take note of your surroundings, ask yourself, what is my eye drawn to? Do your eyes dart to people's faces when you are outside? Maybe your eye is instantly drawn to people's clothes.Well, then consider street photography.

And, lastly, what blogs are you following or what magazines do you read? When you are reading through the blogs, what images resonate the most with you? What images invoke emotion? If your heart skips a beat every time you see a photo of the Aurora Borealis, well you might prefer astro-photography.

All of the above are clues to your personal style. So, how do you further define and refine that style? Take your camera and go find your subject. Go to the places where you are most likely to find your subject matter. If you are into taking pictures of people's faces, find a street fair or other large gathering of people and take photos there. Be aware of local events and happenings in your city so you always have a chance to test out your skills. If you are into astro-photography, find an astronomy group and ask if you can join them on an outing. Be proactive! Go out and find your adventure! Unless you are into simply photographing your household items, you are going to have to leave your house to develop as a photographer.

As a side note, please use your judgment when photographing your subjects. For example, a man photographing at a playground by himself will likely attract a concerned parent or, even worse, a cop. Sometimes it is better to ask if you can take another person's picture, even if you are in a public place, and if someone asks you not to take their picture, respect that. Plus, at many street festivals or fairs, you must ask the stand owner for permission to take a photograph of their products.

And, if after all that you still do not feel any closer to defining your personal style, well, then, just start trying different styles of photography. Pick a different style of photography and practice it for two weeks. At the end of that two weeks, switch to a different style. Post the images on social media and observe which ones get the most "likes" from friends or family members. Eventually, you will happen upon a style that you really enjoy.

Finally, remember to go easy on yourself. Your tastes may change and that is OK. Just work to identify patterns in your images, no matter how small they are and you will be closer to defining your photographic style.