Finding your artistic style
I have asked myself this question so many times: “What is my style?”
People often remark that they can tell if a photograph is mine, because they recognize my style.
What style? What do they recognize?
If I describe my style, I say it is dreamy, attentive and impressionistic.
I achieve this by choosing certain equipment and settings, yes, but the fact that I find myself naturally drawn to shoot this way is what defines my style.
I found my style in obvious succession on this photographic journey.
I had come into possession of a really basic point-and-shoot camera and after playing in the kitchen with it for a few months, I discovered the little flower button – the macro function.
What it did was cause a shallow depth of field which resulted in most of the image melting into a mix of gradients and soft edges. I will never forget the photos I first took on that mode. They were so bad, but I could see the potential and I was completely in love!
Fast forward a few years and I decided to change my life and become a photographer. I started out on f3.5 like we all do on our kit lenses, but quickly discovered the 24 -70mm f2.8.
Once I discovered the creaminess I would never be turning back. It took another few months before I discovered f1.4 and the intensity of bokeh and blur it offers.
After that I found the lensbaby lenses and of course they are beyond the blur heaven I came to love.
The point is, it took the actual journey’s process for me to find the style I liked shooting in.
How did I discover my unique style? By showing up everyday and shooting, shooting, experimenting, shooting, experimenting, failing, shooting.
My style is reflective of how I see the world. I adore and am in love with beautiful food, so when I look at it I am entranced, focused and absorbed with fascination, interest and appreciation.This is how I want everyone to see the dishes I choose to spend my time with. I want you to be right up close to its beauty, textures and colours.
Can you feel it? Can you smell it? Can you almost taste it?
