The Guide to Building or Creating Your Own Photographic Identity

How To Build Your Own Photographic Identity

Share This Post

In a world where anyone with an Internet connection can be a photographer, learning how to build and create your own photographic identity is becoming increasingly important. In this era of competition, it’s no longer enough to simply take great pictures; you need to develop a personal style and aesthetic that separates you from the rest of the pack. 

In this blog post, we’ll discuss how you can create a photographic identity and why one should create their own. 

So, without further ado, let’s jump into the topic. 

What is Photographic Identity? And Why Is It Important?

Before we go deep into this topic, and although we believe that you already have enough knowledge about photographic identity, let us describe it more simply. 

Being a photographer, you also have some favorite people whose work you really appreciate, and you can recognize their work without even seeing their names. Having signature styles, establishing personally identifiable elements, identifiable approaches, and aesthetics is a photographer’s own photographic identity. 

The importance of photographic identity needs no explanation. As the digital age progresses, a person’s online identity has become increasingly important. It is no longer enough to just have a profile on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter. People are expected to have a strong online presence in order to be successful in their careers and in life.

A personal brand is not something that you can create overnight. It takes time and effort to build an online identity that will represent you well and make you stand out from the crowd.

So, the trend goes for photographers too. There are no substitutes for self-branding. Although it may sound very easy to create a self-brand and get yourself introduced to the outside world, in reality, it can be way harder if you take it lightly and take random steps without knowing enough or researching. 

What Basic Things You Should Know When It Comes to Building Your Own Photographic Identity

Photographic identity is the way in which people have been able to use photography as a form of self-expression. It is a form of identity that has been used by people to create a vast market for their own work for many centuries.

It feels amazing when you do something and people recognize that it’s YOU without even seeing or hearing your name. Your identity gives your work an aroma. But the question is: what should you know when it Comes to building your own photographic identity?

The first step is to think about the type of photography you want to do. Do you want to specialize in portraiture, landscape, wedding, product, or fine art photography? Or do you have any different genres in your mind? 

Take some time to decide on your type of photography. Everyone has their own potential and all you need to do is to think about yours. You also have to feel it and decide which type of work gives you pleasure. 

Once you’ve decided on a specialization, invest in quality gear and learn how to use it. Photo quality and work output depend a lot on gear quality and their ways of use. So, it’s not appreciable if you don’t get a quality setup and gather proper knowledge about your studio setup, gear, using process, and all. 

Join online communities and study the work of successful photographers within your area of specialization. Believe it or not, online platforms and social media are great contributors to every sector of work. If you want to get close to successful people, if you want to build your own identity, or even if you want to be popular in society, the first option you should choose is social media and online communities. 

So, our suggestion is to join the biggest and most active communities within your work preference, study properly, follow the great ones, and always be in a learning mood. 

Upload your work on social media platforms. The photographic identity can be seen on many different platforms, but two of the most popular social media platforms where this can be seen are Instagram and Facebook. These platforms allow users to upload photos that they have taken and share them with other users who are also on Instagram.

And most importantly, people can share their thoughts about each other’s work, so take people’s opinions from the comment section. By noticing your followers’ opinions, you can easily decide which areas need improvement and how people want your photography to be. 

It may seem simple enough, but there are many things that can go wrong when taking a picture, from camera settings to lighting and even how your subject poses in front of the camera, so attend workshops and classes, and practice, practice, practice. Shoot as much as possible and build a strong portfolio.

Two Most Crucial Factors: Your Vision and Style

Your Photographic Vision:

Take the photo with a specific vision. This may seem easy, but it can be more complicated than you think. 

Let’s talk about something deep and different. Do you know what photographic vision is? And why are we talking about it in a different section?

From our early childhood till now, we’ve heard that we all must have a vision in life. Photography is a passion, a lively profession, no less than life itself. It’s really crucial to set your photographic vision that is strong, has emotional acceptance, and can be seen in your work. Your vision should reveal your passion. When a person not only puts effort into their work but also devotes their heart, it can be clearly seen. So, yes, define your photographic vision. 

An example may make this whole part more precise. If you love the beauty of an urban night, then what are the elements that make you feel most of it? Glowy darkness, the silence of city streets, the beauty of neon lamps, the dark sky, tree shadows falling in the streets, and numerous other things come to mind. Can you simply capture your feelings about something with a camera? If not, then try it. Define your vision, feel your surroundings, and let the camera speak your heart out. 

People can see it, even you can see it. 

Set Your Own Photography Style

Every person has a different style of work. Your photography style shows the way you photograph. You may have a unique background preference, different lighting, shadows, frames, or any other thing that can clearly separate you from the crowd and help you stand out from the competition. 

We’re not saying that you must have just one unique style or preference; you can have several. Having a photographic style will add your way of expression and emotional elements to the photographs. By establishing a photographic style, it will be easier for you to create a deep impact in people’s hearts and make them accept and feel the unique and creative part of the mind of the photographer. 

Ways to Set Your Own Photography Style

Since most photographers want to be specific about their way of working, it goes without saying that style selection can be more confusing than it seems. So, it’s better to take a look at the most popular ways of choosing photography styles. 

There are many ways to set your own photographic style. The most popular ones are:

  • Emulating a professional photographer’s style
  • Choosing a theme for your photos
  • Choosing the type of equipment you use
  • Choosing the type of subject you will photograph

Your photographic style will alter and evolve over time, much like recognizing and defining your vision. You’ll pick one, perform some tests, tweak others, and refine your own style. These are common practices. You will evolve through time, and you will be able to recognize your flaws and adjust your style based on the knowledge you have gained from experience. 

EndNote

Photography is a way of expression, and being a photographer, if you want to express yourself and gain a recognizable photographic identity, you must be honest with your profession and without any artificially you need to acquire the ability to express a deeper view in your subject. 

So, today in this article we’ve discussed how to create a photographic identity, which is important for both personal and professional use. It explains the different elements involved in creating a strong photographic identity. From photographic vision to the role of social media, we’ve tried to cover all the things related here. If you want to create a portfolio that will help you land your dream career, this may be a great resource.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get updates and learn from the best

More To Explore