Are you struggling with consistency in your photography? Here’s our cheat sheet for getting images that are recognizable to YOU.

One thing that seasoned photographers are always talking about is getting consistent images. Consistency in your photography is an important piece of establishing your personal style, and can serve you well in business. The reason for this is because consistency is often translates to trust and credibility. When a client sees consistency in your images, they know EXACTLY what they are going to get. If they see a million different types of edits (from light and colorful, to dark and moody), this can get a little confusing. They often wonder what they are going to get when they book a session with you, and may think twice. Here are a few tips to getting consistency in your photography!

Learn about light!

Getting consistent images has to do with finding the same elements in your scene, and light is probably the most important one.  Understanding light and learning how to control it can really change the game for you. This is why photographers love shooting during golden hour. Right before sunset, you get this amazing glow from the sun (because of its’ placement in the sky). When you consistently shoot at the same time of day, you can get pretty similarly lit images.

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Find a style and stick with it.

The first few months as a photographer (years, in my case) can be filled with a lot of confusion. You’re NOT alone! Finding your style can be tough. You have to decide on a particular look that reflects your personality and your strengths. If you’re like me, you’re drawn to many different styles, because they all look beautiful! Matte can be absolutely stunning, a moody edit incredibly emotional, or a bright image really elegant. The truth is, you have to find what you are drawn to on a regular basis. After a while, people will actually seek you out because of your style.

Learn from your work!

Just think about the photographers that you admire! Do you notice consistency in their images? I’d venture to say, that’s a resounding YES!

It’s paramount that you study your own work (and the work of those that you admire). When you start noticing patters of what you DO like, you can start replicating that in future photos. Really go into detail when looking at images that draw you in, and tell a story. Channel your inner three year old and keep asking WHY!

You can start with asking yourself these questions:

• What do I love the most about this image?
• Where is the light coming from and where/how is it illuminating the image, or subject in the image?
• What do I love about the composition?
• Is there a consistency is color, layout, or depth that I am drawn to?
• What makes this photo interesting?
• Where was the photographer standing to capture this image?
• Think of three adjectives to describe every photo you love? Do you notice any similarities?

Editing is key!

You can take photos that don’t necessarily have the same light, or showcase the same location, but can edit them and get similar “look.” My favorites tend to be Cole’s Lightroom Presets, specifically from his “Crisp and Clean” and “Light and Airy,” collections.  If you don’t know about presets, you can read all about them here.

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Synching images in Lightroom can help!

Did you know that you can easily sync one image in a gallery to the rest of your images with a few clicks?! Seriously, this have revolutionized editing in Lightroom. Not only does it achieve consistency in your images, it can DRASTICALLY cut down on your editing time. It syncs everything from small adjustments, like exposure, white balance, but it can sync edits on small things, like the amount of sharpening!

Consistency is your business.

We’re not just referring to consistency in your images, when it comes to running a successful photography business. Treating your clients consistently can go even further than consistency in your photos. Your client experience is a HUGE part in attracting more photography clients, so make sure you’re paying just as much attention to this aspect of your business. Impressing your customers is the fastest way to produce word of mouth referrals, which also directly impacts your credibility! So what’s our biggest tip for establishing your awesome reputation? A “thank you” after a session (because appreciation goes a LONG WAY)!

Practice. A LOT.

I’ll say this. Consistency isn’t an overnight thing. It takes time, devotion, and love for what you’re doing. Just like in life, consistency in photography is going to bring you success, but it requires a lot of work! So take the pressure off maybe! When you’re not working with clients, practice by taking your camera out and just playing with what you’ve learned from your reflection. Find a style or edit that you love and that shine light on your strengths as an artist. We want to narrow it down because when we’re trying to do everything, we don’t get really consistent with anything.

All we want is to establish a business where people come to us because they trust that WE will produce images that they will love! What an honor! The key is to REALLY learn consistency in your business as a whole, because THAT will get people talking. The biggest compliment I ever received was from a friend who saw one of my images at work, from a college that I had worked for the weekend prior (and was showing off his images). She said, “As soon as I saw the photos, I just KNEW you had taken them. They are so full of life!” That literally left me speechless. In conclusion, when you really make a point to work hard in producing images that reflect consistency and your personality, you will attract clients that find a connection in your work. There is nothing better than knowing someone came to YOU because they love your work, and trust your ability to give that to them as well.