Finding Your Photography Style

Finding your photography style is very important when you are just coming into this field.

Right now, I love the colors and feeling of summer and spring, with lush greens, blooming flowers, and long sunny days. My photography style reflects this: bright, vibrant, and colorful.

Mom and daughter sharing a special moment. I love the play of pink among the greens!

It's taken me a long time to get to where I am now as a photographer. I had no idea how much hard work it would be. I've learned a lot about camera settings, editing, and poses, but defining my own style has taken the most practice and hard work. I spend hours shooting, editing, and learning every day, and communication with clients adds even more time to my work.

My greatest asset in this journey has been education. I've invested in learning new techniques in-camera and in editing, rather than just upgrading my camera equipment. When I do upgrade my equipment, I gradually ease my way into it.

Finding your style as a photographer takes time and practice. Don't try to emulate others, just perfect your own thing. Once I stopped second-guessing myself and stopped caring what others thought, my style emerged. It took about 200-500 hours of work before I finally saw my style. Now, I can go into every shoot knowing what I want to do and how I want it to look.

My posing style is natural, playful, and captures true moments and personalities. I love bokeh, sunlight, vibrant color, and pastels, but I also enjoy dark and moody edits. I always try to get everything right in camera, and I love capturing colorful, gorgeous skies.

In terms of finding your own style, it's important to figure out what sets you apart from others in your area. What unique perspective or skill can you offer to clients?

Overall, it's been a great year for me and my business. I'm enjoying what I do and the growth I've seen in myself as a photographer. It's an honor to capture special moments for my clients and to have them trust me behind the camera.

Family session with all the boys and the two princesses!

As a new photographer, developing your photography style is an important part of establishing yourself in the field. Here are some tips to help you develop your own unique style:

1. Study other photographers: Look at the work of other photographers whose style you admire. This will help you identify what you like and what you don't like, as well as give you ideas for your own work.

2. Experiment: Don't be afraid to try new things. Experiment with different techniques, lighting, and angles. This will help you find your own style and voice.

3. Focus on your strengths: Identify your strengths as a photographer and focus on them. For example, if you're good at capturing candid moments, focus on that and incorporate it into your style.

4. Find inspiration: Look beyond photography for inspiration. Inspiration can come from anywhere, including art, music, nature, and even everyday life.

5. Practice, practice, practice: The more you shoot, the more you'll develop your own style. Take your camera with you wherever you go and practice as much as possible.

6. Be patient: Developing a unique style takes time. Don't rush the process and don't compare yourself to others. Embrace your own journey and enjoy the process of discovering your style.

Remember that your photography style is a reflection of you and your personality. Don't be afraid to let your personality shine through in your work and create a style that is uniquely yours.

As always, I mentor. I am here for you. This is a TOUGH BUSINESS.

Happy Shooting, my friends!

Dee Giumetti

Shooting Star Photography

Color, color, color, everywhere! Defining your style... What's it going to be?

I love the summer and spring and the colors of the lush greens, blooming flowers and trees.... the long sunny days!  The pastels and lots and lots of color! I love sunlight! This is my style. Bright, vibrant and colorful!Let me tell you how long it has taken me to get to where I currently am... I can't tell you how hard it is to be a photographer... It really truly is!  I had NO CLUE what I was in for. None, whatsoever.  I knew editing was involved. I knew you needed to know your camera settings and how to work in certain scenarios... and I knew poses.. but I have learned a lot since them!Within the last few months, I have truly tried to define MY STYLE.  It took a ton of practice and hard work. I live and breathe photography. It's really sad. I know.On a typical day.. say I don't have clients... I will probably go out and shoot for an hour, I usually edit for 1-2 hours on old photographs to brush up on skills and keep them fresh, and then I top the night off with about an hour of learning from the greats by watching videos... and/or reading... that's a regular day. Now, when it is busy, like now... I may spend up to 3-4 hours editing a night... with about an hour of education... Still.  Not to mention, back and forth communication with clients. Scheduling session days and times.

Kids having fun in a peony field.

Little tongue pusher!

An engagement session I did a looong time ago.

 Confirming and consulting on locations, what to wear, props and the business side of things. It can be a full 12-14 hour day that you put into this.My greatest asset thus far in this photography journey has been education, education, education.. hands down!  Whether it be a new technique in camera or learning how to edit.. It has been the best investment in this journey... NOT CAMERA EQUIPMENT.  In fact, I just upgraded AGAIN... My third camera upgrade within about 8 months and I've barely taken it out yet. I'm still comfortable with my old one and will gradually ease my way into the new with photo sessions... The new camera is technically the more "superior" camera... cost three times more than the one I am replacing it with... but you see I know my old camera much better... so until I start practicing a bit more with the new one and it becomes an extension of my body, like my old one.. then I will start to utilize it more.

Anywho, in terms of finding your style as a photographer... Honestly, it's all practice.  I would say try not to emulate what you see out there and try doing your own thing... you don't want to look like everyone else. Just learn to perfect your own thing...I use to play it safe and then realized I wasn't happy. I did clean edits. It was just blah to me and it kind of sucked my creativity and joy. Once I started to just not care what others thought or should I do this or that... basically, not second guessing yourself... Is when you will see your style to emerge. It's about breaking your barriers.Your style is going to take some time and probably at least 200-500 hours of just work. Then all of a sudden one day... it hits you like bam! Then you have it!I look back at some of my older work and I can see the direction I wanted to go, but it was difficult  for me to fully execute.  I saw the "look" I wanted to go in my head, but I just couldn't figure it totally out in Photoshop.  I didn't have a clear sense in what I wanted from beginning to end.. from the first click.. to the end.   Now, I can shoot from start to finish with the look I want.  I go into every shoot knowing what I want to do and how I want it to look.

Thus far, it's been a great year and I look back and see the growth I have done in just a short amount of time, but I finally feel that I have a style... My style.  There's honestly no looking back. Business is busy and I'm enjoying what I do.. I'm enjoying learning (as I always will) and I genuinely feel warm and fuzzy inside when folks want me to capture their engagement sessions, weddings, maternity photos... They trust me to be behind the camera. I feel honored and blessed to do those things for them.So here is my style... I don't like staged cheesy smiles... I will do some of these from time to time... however, I like natural poses... natural smiles, I like when someone naturally sits... or when someone looks at their significant either with just "that look".. in what I call the look of love.  My style is playful..

In terms of children, I capture childhood.. In terms of when I work with adults, I capture true moments, their hearts, their personalities.. their dreams.I love bokeh.. and my style is all about it... If there is not bokeh... there's probably something wrong with me that day.I get everything right in camera.I love sunlight... I have a way of capturing it...and I love color.. vibrancy, warmth, pastels.and once in awhile... that dark and moody edit...and I love skies.. colorful gorgeous skies.And that's it.. that's me!What's your style!?!?! Are you a clean edit type... or are you bold and daring?! What is it that you will offer to the table.. that others in your area don't?!Aha.. you see that right there!! All my blabbering got you here! Take that last question in right now.. seriously take it in...It's going to be your aha moment!  As it was for me!

Happy Shooting, my friends!-Dee