# Tips to help Define your photographic style



## Dagwood56 (Dec 30, 2014)

I thought this would be a good read for everyone, but especially to all the beginners.

10 Top Tips To Help Define Your Personal Photographic Style


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## photoguy99 (Dec 30, 2014)

That is one of the better things about photography I've read on the internet.


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## Didereaux (Dec 30, 2014)

That is an Excellent article.  Not just for beginners, but also a reminder to the more experienced.


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## Braineack (Dec 30, 2014)

I'm sorry, these blog tips lists without any tips are so freaking pointless.

the third "tip" for helping develop your photographic style, is developing your style.

give me a freaking break.  I'm judging everyone that says this article is good/beneficial as well as well written.


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## photoguy99 (Dec 30, 2014)

It's too long and not terribly well organized, but it's still got a lot of pretty good stuff in it.

If you'd read past the subtitles you'd see that the third party had done pretty good "actionable" suggestions and some good definitions, like, what is style anyway. Which is a good thing to know when you're trying to develop one.

It is leagues better than the usual articles on the topic which are 'try macro! Tiny worlds! Have you considered black and white? Or leading lines?'

It's too long, but it does hit the essential point:

Think about what you are trying to say, think about how to say that, and then go do it.

Which is really all there is to it.


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## pgriz (Dec 30, 2014)

Braineack said:


> I'm judging everyone that says this article is good/beneficial as well as well written.



That's kinda harsh.  We cover the ten points he mentions here on TPF all the time.  "Don't be a slave to rules".  "Photograph things/people you enjoy".  "Learn from the mistakes".   and so on.  As I read the blog, I sense that he's saying the the photographer should go beyond focusing on the image, and spend some time thinking about what he or she wants the image to communicate.  That advice has come from many posters here, usually when people are trying very hard to get the technicals just right.  I think the "Top ten" format is click-bait, and that's why it is expressed as it is.  Chances are pretty good that the people finding this blog will not be highly knowledgeable photographers, and to many this will be new stuff.


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## Didereaux (Dec 30, 2014)

pgriz said:


> Braineack said:
> 
> 
> > I'm judging everyone that says this article is good/beneficial as well as well written.
> ...




thats his modus operandi  I just put him on ignore after reviewing many of his posts it appears I risk missing nothing of value.


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## Braineack (Dec 30, 2014)

I'm not going to simply agree with anything you say just to be nice.  It's my internet style to be a big condescending dose of debbie downer.  I developed it through years of being bored at work.

This article is pretty darn pointless. Sure there may be some standard gems in general within it, but it's click bait that's never going to help anyone develop a photographic style.


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## photoguy99 (Dec 30, 2014)

You are wrong.


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## Braineack (Dec 30, 2014)

that's your opinion.

It's still completely non-helpful in the terms of actually giving tips in regards to developing a photographic style.

It wasn't even written with the intention of actually giving someone tips to develop a photographic style.

are you telling me that if you were taking pictures but you were like "geez, i wish i had my own style" and then read this article, you'd walk away with the top set of tips on how you can go about it?  You don't think it would have ever dawned on you before to try to express yourself through your photos before reading it?


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## photoguy99 (Dec 30, 2014)

Yes.


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## Braineack (Dec 30, 2014)

dont forget to breathe!  you may die!


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## photoguy99 (Dec 30, 2014)

Just because one could figure this stuff out on one's own doesn't mean there's no value in writing it down.

Any attentive thoughtful person could work out the rudiments differential calculus, and yet, we find a brisk market in textbooks on the topic.

The point is that this person chose to write down some things that are true and salient. This places the piece leagues above most of the writing on the internet.


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## Gary A. (Dec 30, 2014)

Developing one's 'style' is a long and usually uphill road. It consists of:

1) shoot (and critique);
2) shoot some more (and critique); and
3) when you think you're done ... shoot again (and critique).

Sure, mentors and blog tips may shorten and level the road a bit. But, at the end of the day it is all about you, your eye and transferring both to the sensor. After your vision has been captured by the camera it then becomes one's ability to embrace criticism and minimally accept praise.

While what the author states is pretty self-evident, there are times when a quick review is helpful to get our feet pointed in the right direction.

Gary


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## Designer (Dec 30, 2014)

In an effort to save people some time, here is the meat of the article in two sentences: 

"It's up to you to consider this combination of choices in order to give you the best chance of developing a style that represents you as a photographer."

"You need to let your work be an expression of yourself, your passions, your excitement and whatever it is in the world that engages you."

Don't mention it.


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## pgriz (Dec 30, 2014)

Designer, the people at Readers Digest want to talk to you.


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## Dagwood56 (Dec 30, 2014)

When I saw Braineack's post I knew the thread would take an argumentative turn. I stumbled upon the article while searching for something else this morning, I felt it was informative, so I shared it. If you don't agree with the article, fine, but try not to ruin it for those who find it helpful and who could benefit from it.


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## Gary A. (Dec 30, 2014)

Dagwood56 said:


> When I saw Braineack's post I knew the thread would take an argumentative turn. I stumbled upon the article while searching for something else this morning, I felt it was informative, so I shared it. If you don't agree with the article, fine, but try not to ruin it for those who find it helpful and who could benefit from it.


I think it would benefit the ... new to photography types.


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