How to Find Your Unique Photography Style (Beyond Camera Settings)
Last night I had the incredible opportunity to again speak at the Virginia Beach Photography Club. The goal of my presentation was to encourage photographers of all skill levels to develop a habit of practice to grow their photography. It's simply not enough to sit down, read the latest "how to" photography book, and then randomly point your camera at something when it's convenient. The practice and study of photography should be thoughtful, engaging, and results oriented. During my preparation for the presentation, I kept coming back to the idea of Deliberate Practice. A concept developed by K. Anders Ericsson, Deliberate Practice is active practice with the specific goal of improving weaknesses.
Quality of practice is worth as much as the quantity
Skill is primarily the result of practice not talent
Improving your photography over time is your goal and motivation
Practice must be intentional, aimed at improving, designed for your currentskilllevel, and combined with feedback from either yourself or others
It is rumored that idea of deliberate practice led Malcolm Gladwell to his idea of the "10,000-Hour Rule," which claims that the key to achieving world class expertise in any skill is a matter of practicing the correct way, for a total of around 10,000 hours. I don't know about you, but I know I haven't spent 10,000 working on anything.
A Creative Exercise for Your Next Walk
If you are feeling stuck in a technical rut, try this simple exercise on your next photo walk to shift your perspective:
The Single Focal Length Challenge: Leave the zoom lenses at home and shoot with a single fixed focal length for an hour. Force yourself to move your feet to find the composition.
Look for Shadows, Not Subjects: For the first twenty minutes, ignore literal subjects like trees or water. Focus entirely on capturing the shapes, lines, and textures created by deep shadows and highlights.
In Search of Wonder: Slow your physical walking pace down to a crawl. Stop and look for the tiny micro-compositions that you usually walk right past.
Let’s Discover Your Visual Voice Together
Moving past technical perfection and learning to shoot with genuine feeling is a journey. If you want a guide to help you navigate that shift, break through creative ruts, and build a cohesive portfolio that carries emotional weight, I would love to support you.
Through my Private Mentoring programs, available both online and in person, we work one on one to break down the artistic blocks holding you back.
And if you are looking for an immersive experience to completely focus on your craft, join me at The Saltwater Retreat on the Outer Banks. It is a quiet, intentional space designed to help you step away from daily life, explore the wild coastal landscape, and connect deeply with your artistic vision.
