Is it a bad Idea to have a go at loads of styles of photography?

Mark-Anthony

Mark-Anthony

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As above really. Is it a bad Idea to have an attempt at different styles of photography? I.e my main styles are

skateboarding shots
Nightclub Photography
Portraits
Model shoots

I was talking to a photographer before and he had a moan at me because I'm trying all styles. he said I should stick to one part and work on it. is he right or just being an idiot?
 
How do you know what you like unless you try them all?

Do what makes you happy :)
 
That is true I guess. I had a try at motorsport but didn't find that interesting, although I love to try pictures that have the wow factor about them. I ignored him but just wondered if it was him being funny or speaking sense.
 
Whatever floats your boat.
I think you'll only get good by shooting something you're interested in, and if you're interested in all that stuff then there's no problem.

I'd guess that your specialisms will be fewer in a few years time.
 
Yeah that's a good point. I did have the chance to shoot my sisters wedding last september but I turned it down as it was too big of a deal for me if I messed up on the day. Instead of learnt some tips off the tog there and he's offered me some help this year which should be an eye opener.
 
Shoot the stuff that you like, not what you think you should be interested in because everyone else does it. I like shooting dirty old abandoned buildings and industrial landscapes, whereas most landscape photographers shoot nice, beautiful scenes. That's not something I want to do.

Only by shooting the things that really interest you will you be able to maintain your enthusiasm and get better!
 
Try everything..... Photography is one medium that gets into everything.... Even stuff you never thought would interest you.

I did photography at college as part of another course. Never thought about it as a job... but after college job doing Archeaology photographer came up and i got it. 2 years later I'm in London in studio at Tussaurds then working for Sports/entertainment agency doing photo calls etc. lots of studio work and then 6 years Scenes of Crime..... Now trying my hand at own biz.

Like being paid for a hobby. It's so varied I love this job. Same as if you were doinjg it for a hobby.... so much out there and so much to discover.

Try everything.

all the best.
 
I enjoy aviation and wildlife shooting best but I do shoot anything I fancy. I've done parties, landscapes and the occasional 'readers wives' set for a friend and enjoyed it all. It's more of a challenge when you shoot out of your comfort zone anyway, I want to shoot some motorsport, ball sports and try some long exposure night shots this year as well as some other things I've got planned.
 
Every type of photography has its own demands and techniques, so the more you try, the more you learn. Some people like to shoot more or less one subject (I know of a lady whose hobby is shooting postboxes :cuckoo:), which is fine, but you may find a sameness creeping into your work and you may struggle when you do want to shoot something different. Try different things and techniques - your overall standard is likely to benefit.
 
Little_duke said:
I was talking to a photographer before and he had a moan at me because I'm trying all styles. he said I should stick to one part and work on it. is he right or just being an idiot?
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That's just silly. It's like saying you should only eat steak for the rest of your life because its your favourite and you cook it just right. Try all styles and find what you like. You have to taste lots of different food before deciding on your favourite dish!
 
Something else to mention is that whilst they're not directly related types of photography - you can apply skills learned in one type to another.
 
Daryl said:
Try everything..... Photography is one medium that gets into everything.... Even stuff you never thought would interest you.

I did photography at college as part of another course. Never thought about it as a job... but after college job doing Archeaology photographer came up and i got it. 2 years later I'm in London in studio at Tussaurds then working for Sports/entertainment agency doing photo calls etc. lots of studio work and then 6 years Scenes of Crime..... Now trying my hand at own biz.

Like being paid for a hobby. It's so varied I love this job. Same as if you were doinjg it for a hobby.... so much out there and so much to discover.

Try everything.

all the best.
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Wise words, Daryl! and a cool story regarding your own path in the art too. Reminds me a little of an article I recently read about getting into medical photography - something most people don't even know exist (myself inlcuded)
 
How can you be sure you have found you style unless you continue to experiment from time to time
 
I think he was being a bit of an idiot when he said that. Some photographers are prone to moan about anything, they think they are right about everything.
It's like everyone says, how can you know what you really like if you don't try it.
Personally I'm really eclectic in my tastes, so I go to and fro from one style in another my photography.
Just take the photos for fun, and if you are doing paid jobs, have fun doing it.

I think that someone who is a photographer and isn't having fun is wasting their time and money. So just try whatever takes your fancy whenever you want :)
 
I think I will try my hand at everything, and even if you chose one subject to shoot, why not learn and enjoy the process of doing something else.

My kids will be a big factor, want to practice on them alot, 2 fast moving children should provide me with quite a challenge for now.
 
If you fancy trying something then go for it,6 years ago I had never taken a sports photograph then I decided to have a go now its my main topic,i have just bought a macro lens off eBay to have a go at Macro it may work out it may not but until you try you never know
 
CaptainPenguin said:
If you fancy trying something then go for it,6 years ago I had never taken a sports photograph then I decided to have a go now its my main topic,i have just bought a macro lens off eBay to have a go at Macro it may work out it may not but until you try you never know
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+1 Don't be afraid to try different types/styles/genres. It all increases your capability with your camera, your confidence and your creativity. Said moaner is probably a bit envious ...
 
Little_duke said:
he said I should stick to one part and work on it. is he right or just being an idiot?
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He's an idiot.

Until you've tried all sorts of stuff, how are you to know? You don't know what you don't know, as the saying goes. Try as much as you can, experiment, diversify.. push yourself out of your comfort zone, try new stuff.

You may end up just back where you started thinking, but at least you'll know for sure that what you decide to finally settle on is the right thing for you.
 
How do you know what style of photography is best for you?

I tried allsorts. I am a massive fan of motorsport, so thats one of my strongpoints as i know the ins and outs. I tried portraits also and like it so that is a side topic.

IMO its all about finding the right subject area for you.
 
Pookeyhead said:
You don't know what you don't know, as the saying goes.
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Exactly. :thumbs:

I was enrolling some camera classes last week, and I always ask what people like to take pictures of, and I'm always surprised when someone says one thing. :eek: OK, some have bought a camera just to take pics of the grand kids, but to not even think about taking a pictures of anything else seems odd. :thinking: And if it is something as seemingly narrow as the grand kids, what about when you want a portrait, as opposed to pics when they are running around. :shrug: And then what if you want to show them in front of a lovely landscape or sunset. :shrug: That seemingly simple subject now requires a few more skills if you want to get good pics. ;)

Sometimes students can be inspired by seeing something they have never considered or even seen before. I was describing some options for a difficult lighting situation of an unlit statue in front of a floodlit building, and mentioned cutting and pasting different exposed elements, HDR, and light painting. Most had not heard of light painting, so we went and had a look at some examples on the internet, and I described how some of the effects had been achieved. One of the students was very excited about the idea, and texted me the next day saying that she had her son helping her, and she was giving it a go. The point is she didn't even know about the technique, and if you go into anything, but Photography in particular, which can be a huge varied hobby, with a very blinkered view, you could be missing out on quite a lot. :shrug:

Learn to use the camera first, and then try and learn the additional skills to get the most of specific subjects you try. :) It's all knowledge that will will hopefully make you a better photographer.

I take pics of whatever I feel inspired to try. If I don't like something after trying it, then at least I know I don't like it. ;)
 
Id say take whatever you like and experiment if you have a niche thats the only way you will find it. Im still looking for mine but im enjoying photographing everything along the way :thumbs:
 
What some said. I have no style whatsoever, or I haven't found it yet. I photograph whatever pleases me. Just a matter of time.
 
It's important to do work you enjoy. I've been a photographer for 5 years and have shot all types of genres of photography and still get interested by other types of photography, even though my personal work is predominantly Landscapes. It's always important to keep your options open as you may just get a lucky break in one genre and decide to stick with it. Just keep shooting and be creative.
 
I've tried the majority of styles and would like to think that I'm competent in all of them , I think that it made me a better photographer as the skills required are different for all of them.
 
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