Finding Your Voice and Style as a Photographer
Finding your style as a photographer can feel like one of the biggest, most important parts of the job.
When you’re starting out, it’s easy to believe that everyone else has already figured it out or that they’ve found their look, their niche, their signature. And you’re just… experimenting. Trying. Wondering if your work is good enough or recognizable enough or “you” enough.
But here’s the truth: style isn’t something you pick overnight.
It’s something you grow into. Slowly. Naturally. Over time.
And I wish someone had told me that sooner.
What Photography Style Really Means
When I first started photographing weddings and sessions, the overly saturated, warm, almost orange-toned edits were everywhere. That was the hype. That was what “good photography” looked like online.
Photographers like Anni Graham and India Earl were shaping an entire aesthetic, and I remember thinking: This is what real photographers do.
So I tried to edit like that too.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that where I was shooting (in Saskatchewan) was a completely different landscape than Yosemite or Joshua Tree. The light was different. The colours were different. The environment was different.
I was trying too hard to look like everyone else.
And over time, I started to see something clearly: the style I was forcing wasn’t going to sustain me long-term. In fact, it actually dated my work. Those galleries didn’t feel timeless bur rather they felt like a specific trend from a specific era.
It wasn’t until I began leaning into more natural tones, keeping greens green and whites white, that I actually started to feel confident in what I was producing. It felt honest. It felt like me.
And it didn’t happen overnight. It took years of doing the wrong thing to figure out what was right.
If I could go back, I would ask myself these questions:
Will this photo stand the test of time? Will it still feel present five years from now?
Because at the end of the day, our job is to preserve moments and memories, not to hinder what the memory actually was through editing.
Style isn’t a label. It’s longevity.
How to Find Your Editing Style
Editing is often where photographers feel the most stuck. It’s easy to think you need to “land” on your look as quickly as possible.
But the only real way to find your editing style is to experiment.
Shoot in different lighting scenarios. Edit in harsh sun, in cloudy skies, in dark reception halls, in golden hour. Test presets across multiple weddings, not just one perfect session.
Over time, you’ll start to notice something: even when everything looks different, the clothing, the venue, the season, your work begins to carry the same feeling.
That’s when you know you’re finding your rhythm.
Your editing should support your storytelling, not distract from it.
And nothing is set in stone. Your editing will evolve as you evolve. That’s normal. Growth is part of the process.
Style comes not only from how you edit, but from what you value. From what you notice and from the moments you choose to hold onto.
Building a Portfolio That Actually Reflects You
In the beginning, it’s okay to say yes to everything.
I did.
I photographed all kinds of weddings, all kinds of sessions, all kinds of styles, because that’s how you learn. That’s how you build experience.
But as time went on, I started to realize what I loved shooting… and what I didn’t.
I loved intimacy. Connection. The in-between. The quiet moments that people don’t always notice until they’re looking back.
And that’s when I realized your portfolio shouldn’t just show what you can do.
It should show what you want to do more of.
The weddings and sessions you feature should reflect the kinds of couples, days, and moments you want to attract. Your portfolio should feel like a clear invitation.
Your dream clients should be able to see themselves in your images, through your website and social media and through the work you choose to share.
Developing Consistency Across Galleries
Consistency is what builds trust.
Couples aren’t hiring you for one pretty photo, they’re hiring you to tell the full story.
Consistency comes from repetition. From shooting often. Editing often. Refining your workflow. Learning how you handle different lighting and environments.
And yes, from remembering that you are the expert.
Sometimes that means moving yourself around for more favourable light. Sometimes it means offering gentle guidance when it’s needed. And often, it means looking for what’s happening in between.
B-roll matters. Atmosphere matters. Storytelling matters.
In my own experience, what feels most consistent is keeping my editing focused on emphasizing the colours and moments that are already there and not changing them into something they weren’t.
That’s what makes galleries feel cohesive. That’s what makes the work feel timeless.
Attracting Clients Through Brand Clarity
When I first started, I was shooting everything and more than that, I didn’t really know what kind of photographer I was.
That came with experience.
Now I know: I’m a storyteller. My background in photojournalism shaped that deeply. I care about documenting weddings and sessions in a way that feels honest, emotional, and lived-in.
And more than that, my work and my messaging are the same.
When you show the work you love to shoot alongside the words that back it up, you naturally attract clients who value what you’re offering.
It’s unlikely that someone who wants an entire day of curated Pinterest-worthy posed shots will connect deeply with my work.
But the couple who values the in-between? The candid? The real?
They will.
Brand clarity isn’t about narrowing yourself. It’s about alignment.
What Actually Helped Me Find My Voice
The most important part of all of this is simple: you don’t need to shoot like anyone else.
Finding your voice didn’t come from trying to stand out louder. It came from paying attention.
From shooting more of what you love. From noticing what moments I naturally gravitated toward. From letting myself evolve instead of forcing an aesthetic.
From realizing I didn’t need to photograph like anyone else… I just needed to photograph like me.
Your voice and style aren’t something you invent.
They’re something you uncover over time.
And even if it doesn’t happen right away, your people will find you.
A Final Thought
Trends will come and go. Editing styles will shift. Instagram will keep moving the goalpost.
But your voice, the way you see, the way you notice, the way you preserve memories, that’s what lasts.
Give yourself time.
Keep shooting. Keep learning. Keep paying attention.
Because one day, without even realizing it, you’ll look back and see it clearly:
You’ve been building your style all along.
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