Tips for Developing a Unique Visual Voice
You know when you look at a photo and instantly know who took it. Something in the light, the way a subject is framed, or the overall feeling gives it away. It’s like recognising your favorite musician or band straight away.
Your style is a culmination of unique elements that come naturally to you.
Your style won’t arrive in a single moment. It develops gradually, through curiosity, practice and reflection. It took me literally years to find my style, but I needed all of that time in order to discover what I liked and, importantly, what I didn’t like. I tried so many styles, from ultra-dreamy to grainy and dark, but eventually, eventually, everything slowly fell into equilibrium.
If you’re feeling like you’re struggling with finding your voice at the moment, here are some things that can help you discover yourself and your unique way of seeing the world.
Photograph everything
The more you photograph, the more you’ll understand what excites you. Take your camera out when you walk to the train station. Notice the light in your kitchen in the late afternoon. Capture the small pauses in your day. Try angles you wouldn’t normally try. Don’t worry about showing the work yet, this part is just for you.
In my early days, I carried my camera almost everywhere and I took photos of anything that felt interesting, even if I couldn’t explain why. Try different light, different angles, different moods, different weather, different times.
Looking back, many of those images never saw the light of day, but they helped me understand what I was drawn to. I started noticing how much I loved softness, stillness and atmosphere. That kind of clarity doesn’t come from thinking, it comes from doing.
Look for what keeps showing up
As you shoot more, make sure you set aside time to study the visual patterns in your work. Do you tend to use certain colors? Do you often frame your subjects off-center? Are you drawn to movement or stillness? These little pieces of information are keys to your style.
Collect your favorite images and place them side by side. Often, your style is already there, gently repeating itself. You just gotta make the space to notice it :)
Feel inspiration outside of photography
It’s easy to get caught up in what other photographers are doing, especially online (that’s a blog post for another day). But inspiration can come from so many other places. Inspiration can live anywhere: in film, architecture, poetry, music, painting, sculpture. Sometimes a particular scene in a film will move me more than anything I’ve seen in a gallery (Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams had me in a CHOKEHOLD.)
When a piece of work resonates with you, sit with it. Why is it making you feel some kind of way, and what is it teaching you? Being able to understand what stirs you emotionally will guide you towards your innate visual direction.
What do you care about?
Your style is not just about how your photos look. It’s also about what they mean to you, by incorporating your perspectives, memories, values and beliefs.
For me, living in Japan has influenced the way I see the world. I’ve developed a deep respect for subtle contrast, gorgeous light and the harmony between old and new. Growing from that, I was then able to look back at Australia and really understand what parts of Australia’s beauty makes me emotional. Its landscapes, history and tenacity and strength of its people. That’s what inspired me to shoot my documentary with the Salty Bitches. My personal story, and the context this creates, has naturally and almost subconsciously shaped my style.
Let it grow with you
Your style doesn’t need to stay the same. It will shift as you do, and that’s a good thing! Some seasons in your creative life will feel full and clear. Others will feel messy or directionless. Both are part of the journey. I’ve had all of them, multiple times. They’re all part of the journey, and you really do just have to trust me on that one.
The more space you give yourself to explore and change, the more you’ll uncover new parts of your voice. Eventually, your work will start to feel like you. Not because you forced it into a formula or because it matched someone you felt envious of on IG, but because you gave it the time and space to unfold. Like a beautiful flower :)
The day you plant the tree is not the day you eat the fruit. Remember that.
If you’re in a weird uncertain phase, keep going. Keep photographing. Keep noticing. Your style is already there. It just needs time, space, and your attention to unfurl.
You’ve got this!
Lisa
