consistency

bribrius · Mar 22, 2015

I am curious of people opinions and out look on consistency. Mostly because i read a article the other day and had been giving it some thought. Both consistency in shooting the same genre and consistency in perhaps editing or your portfolio. Consistency that may or may not create a distinct perception of your style (whether that perception is correct or not may be another discussion)

thoughts?

fjrabon · Mar 22, 2015

depends on your goals. There's advantages to both consistency and versatility. I tend to flock towards versatile photographers and also prefer that in my personal photography. My favorites are Joe McNally, Zack Arias, Jay Maisel and Michael Freeman. None of those guys can you really say are particularly "consistent" in any sense other than consistently great work.

But in the wedding industry, for example, there's a pretty big advantage to having an identifiable niche style that you're known for and that you develop as thoroughly as possible. Wedding photographers, good ones at least, obsess about having a consistent look and feel to their photography. I've seen wedding photographers be totally head over heels in love with a lens, for example, but ultimately send it back because it wasn't consistent in feel with their other lenses.

On the other hand, sports even though it's considered a single genre, tends toward liking being a jack of all trades.

Designer · Mar 22, 2015

fjrabon said:
But in the wedding industry, for example, there's a pretty big advantage to having an identifiable niche style that you're known for and that you develop as thoroughly as possible.

Even if their style contains nothing good?

At least they're consistent.

Derrel · Mar 22, 2015

Consistency is pretty widespread across many human endeavors. I walk consistently, I breathe consistently, I eat consistently, I shower consistently, I drive consistently, I capitalize the first word of sentences consistently, I mis-spell the word digital as "digitial" much of the time, I mis-spell you as yuo maybe 20% of the time (so that is a consistent typo I make...consistently...lol), and so on, I eat peanut butter and jelly toast consistently, I add sweetener to my coffee consistently, same number of shakes from the shaker every time...

Photography is something that has some simple basics underlying its performance....I consistently focus each frame, consistently try to make an exposure evaluation for each scene, I consistently try to process for best effect, etc.. I consistently try to make each shot the best I can make it. I try to bring a consistent, thoughtful approach to every frame I click off.

rexbobcat · Mar 22, 2015

I'm consistent in my inconsistency. Does that count?

Overread · Mar 22, 2015

If you are producing a product it helps if that product is consistent with what you advertise the product as. Doesn't matter what it is - what matters is that the customer gets what they pay for within reason of the situation.

For photography this means having a "style" that you fit into continually. You can update that style or have more than one on offer; but your advertising should reflect those changes. It also helps to review every so often as since its a creative situation chances are you will drift and adapt as time goes on (this is why its always good to keep your portfolio not only as your best, but also your most recent).

At a functional side a style can help you focus; it limits your options and thus lets you refine what you are doing more so. This can be good for anyone doing a creative skill so long as you eventually try something new every so often (even if you come back to your first style of working trying new things is important for gaining new insights).

Note some photographers have a very loose style with more freedom; others a very strict one with very little room to adjust. Neither is right and neither is wrong so long as the customer understands. Indeed some make their money having only a very light element of style or theme in their work.