Nature Photography Photo Workshop

10.3. DEVELOPING YOUR STYLE

As you work on your nature photography you can and should conscientiously work toward developing your own style. Whether it's entirely unique is not the point; what matters is that you create a body of work that represents your experiences and interaction with nature.

Just starting out, it helps to work toward simple, obtainable goals. Uncontrolled creativity results in random, scattered results; self-assignments and personal projects help you develop your creative thinking skills. For example, you could spend a summer building a portfolio of wildflower photos or create a series featuring the most dramatic landforms of America's national parks. In either case, if you have a specific goal in mind it sets up the framework for you to channel your creativity into pictures that are uniquely your own. In the end, your photographs should show your own personal, creative vision.

Start by thinking about the kinds of pictures you like the most. Find representative examples of other photographers' work. Evaluate the compositions, the light, and the conditions in which those pictures were taken and write down your thoughts about your own style.

10.3.1. PRODUCING A BODY OF WORK

An artistic body of work is a collection that represents your complete vision and in which the individual pieces work together in a cohesive way. In many cases the whole is more than the sum of the parts. Some photographers have many distinct bodies of work. They can be based on photographic ...