I have a darker style in how I shoot (almost everyone that has seen my pictures have said that) and I want to balance this out with some lighter more whimsical photos and shooting style. Does anyone have any ideas on what I could shoot/do to aid that? Please take a look at my work already and let me know what you think.
Look for the light and play with it. Look for bright and vivid colors. Perhaps try some street photography. Look for funny street signs. These are just a few ideas.
17 and 18 look better. Bring up the light in your photos. I don't really know you, so I don't mean to offend, but looking at this collection ( and it is small yet) it feels like some one who is trying too hard to be "artsy"
Don't plan so much, just have fun.
Your style is your style. You could make a few of these photos a bit brighter with some post editing(because there are a couple where it's difficult to tell what they are), but if this is your style, you don't need to apologize for it and strive to become a cookie-cutter photographer like so many on this site. Definitely experiment with shutter speed and exposure time, and make things even a little lighter. I think that your style is interesting. and that if all of a sudden, you were photographing sunshiney days and puppies, you'd be moving away from your style and would not be true to yourself.
Personally, I like your style. It's simple, b&w, high contrast. I see nothing wrong with it. There are a few photos that are hard to understand but that may have been your intention. Take your photography outside and to the streets. Take pictures everywhere of people. Be sure to look for the contrast in the light.
The goal is to develop your own style that comes through your pictures no matter where you take them. Don't rule out color or playing around with editing for color effects but your style is you. Don't pigeon hole yourself into doing what doesn't come natural to you.
Do the challenges to expand on your skills. It will help you to see there are always more than one option to making a photograph. Just keep them in your style.
I don't think you need to shout outside your style, you can however elaborate on it. You veer toward the darker side which is great.....rather look for subjects or different locations where you can interpret them in your way. In this shot
you are not holding onto the darkness so much but your style is still there, doesn't mean you have to have such deep contrasts, maybe try shooting where light is at a minimum, gigs or clubs would be a great subject for your style.....keep your style, you can broaden it, experiment with it and even try some of the challenges on here to widen your own individual spectrum of photography. One thing massively in your favour is that you're willing to ask others and takes steps to open up to others opinions..... :)
@dmortega in all honesty I don't have a focus for what I want to shoot beyond the fact that i've been shooting at night mostly and it's pretty spontaneous but then I start over thinking a lot. I'm just trying to stay away from shooting one style and shoot everything.
@5unflow3r but I do love puppies though haha I'm going to try and shoot more during the day but that's going to really constrain how often I can shoot.
I would suggest using more outdoor light, during the golden hour, and using colour (or very white black and white). That golden light always makes the tone of a photo lighter and more 'whimsical' as you put it. Also shooting subjects such as people, animals, and plants (even if they're just in the background) can breathe a lot of life into a photo. I checked out your project and you seem to be really into abstract composition - which is still totally doable with all the suggestions I just listed. I think that if you do these things you can still stay true to your style while branching out into new territory and introducing more verstility to your project.
Also - what you are doing now, asking people for feedback, is a really great way to accomplish your goal. It's not easy for mosst people to ask for (and receive) feedback, but it can be really helpful in photography to get other people's POV, so good for you! (And for the record I like your dark style).
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Don't plan so much, just have fun.
The goal is to develop your own style that comes through your pictures no matter where you take them. Don't rule out color or playing around with editing for color effects but your style is you. Don't pigeon hole yourself into doing what doesn't come natural to you.
Do the challenges to expand on your skills. It will help you to see there are always more than one option to making a photograph. Just keep them in your style.
you are not holding onto the darkness so much but your style is still there, doesn't mean you have to have such deep contrasts, maybe try shooting where light is at a minimum, gigs or clubs would be a great subject for your style.....keep your style, you can broaden it, experiment with it and even try some of the challenges on here to widen your own individual spectrum of photography. One thing massively in your favour is that you're willing to ask others and takes steps to open up to others opinions..... :)
I would suggest using more outdoor light, during the golden hour, and using colour (or very white black and white). That golden light always makes the tone of a photo lighter and more 'whimsical' as you put it. Also shooting subjects such as people, animals, and plants (even if they're just in the background) can breathe a lot of life into a photo. I checked out your project and you seem to be really into abstract composition - which is still totally doable with all the suggestions I just listed. I think that if you do these things you can still stay true to your style while branching out into new territory and introducing more verstility to your project.
Also - what you are doing now, asking people for feedback, is a really great way to accomplish your goal. It's not easy for mosst people to ask for (and receive) feedback, but it can be really helpful in photography to get other people's POV, so good for you! (And for the record I like your dark style).
Hope this is helpful!
Cheers,
Jackie