be the creative director of your work

As photographers we are constantly changing and growing. As we discover more about the world, we instinctively discover more about ourselves. Our tastes, likes, dislikes, wants and needs, all influence who we are as people, and who we are as people ultimately shapes who we are as photographers.

For a time, I was confused about who I was as a photographer. When I first started shooting, I would just photograph things that interested me or the things that I instinctively thought would make a good composition. Yet, if someone asked me what type of photographer I was, I had no idea and couldn’t give him or her an answer. I was stuck. I was stuck in the black hole of comparison. Trapped by other people’s images and ideas and felt as though my own vision was being drowned in a sea of bokeh circles and 50mm macro shots. When I started to become bored by my own images, I realised that something had to change.

I realised that I was paying too much attention to the crowd and not enough to my own vision and voice. Who was I shooting for? What story was I trying to tell? I had started shooting for myself in the beginning, and then somewhere along the way I got caught up in the crowd. It was time for me to go back to what was important to me.

Once I let go, I felt free again. I felt like my whole world opened up and I could start shooting for me. It was liberating. Over time, I started to pay attention to what I truly liked about photography, what gave me goose bumps when viewing other people’s photography and what gave me most satisfaction when shooting for myself. By paying attention to my own likes and dislikes, I started to gather pieces of the puzzle that pulled together my own photography style.

I have been shooting this way for a long time now and it’s what makes me happy. I am particular about what I shoot, when I shoot and how I shoot. Every image is sketched out in my mind before I shoot it and they may not all work or have meaning for others, but to me, they tell my story and share my voice.

Through photographing this way over time, my style has developed. I have a set of adjectives I use to describe my photography and I remind myself of those when I shoot. Style is never finished and can always be improved upon. It takes many years to perfect and I am always working on reaching that objective.

I do know this; to nurture style, one must have a goal. We need to figure out where we are now, where we want to be and how we can close the gap between the two. It’s a work in progress and cannot be achieved overnight. We are the creative directors of our own work and we are the only ones who can speak with our own unique voice.

Do you have a clear vision and voice that you share with others?

Please share images that you think best represent you or your style with us!

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Today Amanda is giving away one spot in her Shoot By Design: Refining Your Photography Style photography e-course where she will teach you all she knows about molding your signature style, finding your own voice, share technical tips to get the best out of your camera and show you how to creates strong, passionate images. Leave a comment here before Tuesday 24th 12pm PST to win a place in the Shoot By Design Spring session, starting on March 5th!

You can find out more about Amanda's work on her portfolio and popular blog Mocking Bird. She is also the co-author of the anticipated Instant Love: How To Make Magic and Memories with Polaroids (with Jen Altman and Susannah Conway) published by Chronicle Books.

The winner of the giveaway is Mary! Congratulations, you will receive an email from Amanda shortly.

Comments

[Mary Jo]

I think this course could help in many areas of my life --- how do I reconnect with MY voice and let it sing out through my work?

[Mary]

You've really given me something to think about! Thank you! The e-course sounda amazing!

[Jennifer S]

I'm always looking to improve my work.

[Kanoti]

Inspirational advice for me to keep in mind as I begin this wild and passionate adventure into photography. Thank you. And thanks for the chance to learn more from your class.

[Radish]

Would love to know where to place my efforts. Some of this I know, but not how to push through to the end.

[Radish]

Would love to know where to place my efforts. Some of this I know, but not how to push through to the end.

[Radish]

Would love to know where to place my efforts. Some of this I know, but not how to push through to the end.

[dave tuttle]

well said indeed. i'm struggling with this very concept at this time. and while i think we all struggle with this at some point or other, it is this point that makes us grow. we have to get here, our lowest point to rise above and succeed. thanks for spelling it out so well. it makes me feel better reading this and knowing that I will get past.
this what just what i needed. =)

[L McK]

I've been thinking a lot about my love for photography and what I want it to convey. There has just been one minor problem- my pesky inner perfectionist, who is quite judgmental! : )
 
Enter this insightful post about being your own creative director and developing a voice and vision in your photography. After reading it, I realized that wrecklessly pursuing these elements means parting ways (permanently!) with my perfectionist tendencies . That nagging, judgmental voice does nothing but put a chokehold on my creativity; that's where I AM.
 
Through listening to the sweetly sublime chatter that is my inner voice, I have found my vision: emotion. I don't want others to look at my photos and say, "That's nice." No, that simply won't do. I want them to feel something. That's where I want TO BE.
 
Read my complete post here: http://timeandspacedesigns.blogspot.com

Thanks for inspiring me today! :)

[Patty]

Although I photograph many different things, it's mostly just what I'm drawn to. And that is evolving as I become more present and observant. My favorite subject is the unique interplay between nature and light. Here is a little recent example. Great food for thought!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomadicnotebook/6674824473/in/photostream

[Leigh]

Such a great post! It's sometimes hard to remember to shoot for ourselves and not others.

[Barbara]

Still learning my style, but I know I love iPhoneography. I keep going back to it again and again.

[Julie]

Oh. I would LOVE this course.

[Laurie]

I would love the opportunity to define/refine my style. Thanks for the opportunity to win.

[Af]

Capturing emotion in a picture - that is my ultimate goal - as opposed to just capturing an event or a scene. Whether that be through framing/cropping, post processing or just straight out of the camera. But that is what i strive to achieve. The workshop sounds like an amazing opportunity! thanks!

[Sallie]

Thank you for the opportunity to enter your giveaway! :-)

[Kristin]

Always inspired by all these photography courses. And always looking for inspiration.

[merlin]

My camera and I are finally, after years of animosity, developing a friendly relationship, and this course sounds like just the thing we need to move our relationship to the next level.

[Kelly]

I like to shoot just about anything, but I am wanting to narrow down and define who I am as a photographer. The e-course looks like it would help me define myself as an artist. I would love to win this course.

[Christine Hickey]

I love this instant photo. Impossible's film tones have such a timeless quality. In trying to find my style, I've been experimenting a lot with analog and instant films.

[Amisha]

Last year I made the switch from point-and-shoot to using my SLR in manual. So I shot everything I saw. Now it's time to find my voice :-).

Thank you for this inspiring giveaway!

[Alexandra]

I'm almost one month (23 days) into the 365 day photo challenge (366 because this year is a leap year)... My dad challenged me to it and I thought it would be a good way to learn more about my camera and over the course of a year develop my style and my interests. Right now I'm just capturing images of my day and trying to convey little things that are on my mind. The opportunity to win spot in the class aimed at developing style would be amazing.

[Linda]

So many things about this post hit home...struggling to figure what kind of photographer I want to be when I grow up. Some of my journey has been emulating styles and images that intrigue and inspire me, but I'm ready to take it to the next step and figure out my own thing. I think I most love to create images with a soft and dreamy feel: http://www.flickr.com/photos/siennapictures/6707947099/in/photostream

[M.M. Buckley]

This post brought the hopes of my vision in photography alive. Before I press the shutter button I often ask myself in one way or another "What am I trying to say?" As a beginner photographer I am searching for my own voice in storytelling through visual communication. What a wonderful opportunity you are offering.

[Alyssa]

I've been struggling with the exact same issue and would love a bit of help "letting go" and creating a coherent personal style. Thank you for the chance to win a spot!

[Tracy]

This describes what I've been grappling with for what seems like forever. I feel like I'm figuring it out, but I think sometimes I have too much of a good thing with all of the inspiration I enjoy from other photographers. I'm so enthusiastic about so many types of photography and so many styles that it kind of pulls me in all sorts of directions. The one thing I do know for sure is that light is my favorite muse and here's one of my favorite photos where this is evident: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31417716@N00/5473145526/

I would LOVE to be the lucky winner of a spot in the Shoot by Design course!

[jessica]

"We need to figure out where we are now, where we want to be and how we can close the gap between the two."

This post was worth reading, just for that line alone.

After six months and a big move, I decided it's time to reconnect to my camera again. In the past, I don't think I ever really found my voice in photography, but I do sometimes hear really loud inner critic which makes me shy away from appreciating my own work and pushing it further. Because of this post, I'm ready to really explore my style and my voice. Yes, I would love a spot in your class, but I think in this post you've helped figure out that I need to not be afraid to shine through my work or tell my stories.

Thank you!

[Jill F]

I'm asking the same questions. Mostly, I shoot what's available but would like to find my own voice.

[Emily W.]

I feel like I am drowning in the crowd too.
I need to find some creative direction this year.
This course sounds just perfect.

[Raquel]

This is spot on what I need at this time!! To find my style, how to be confident in my style and learn technical knowledge. Sounds awesome!

[Meghan @ Life Refocused]

I totally adore Amanda and her work!

[Ann]

Yeah, I know what you mean...I'm stuck in the 50mm rut myself. I know what I like when I see it, but the big challenge is to intentionally produce it!

[Melanie]

Thanks for the post. This is something I needed to read!

[Kay]

I am struggling to find my style, so this course would be amazing. Tanks for te chance to win!

[Spyros Heniadis]

I started that way, just shooting with no design, no idea, no vision. It took me about four years to form my vision and make it my own, and then, it changed, I went from nature, to urban. My wife and I had moved, and it was a narrowing, a focusing of my vision and interest from the broad to something more specific, the city.

Then it changed again, and for the last couple of years my vision has narrowed further as I pursue a self portrait series. I don't shoot things that don't interest me anymore, and every once and awhile I feel a little guilty about it, but then I don't.

Thanks for reinforcing that. :)

[Mary]

Thank you so much - Shutter Sisters and Amanda - for the opportunity to take this e-course! I can't wait to get started!