The Truth Behind Changing Photography Styles

if you have been following along with my photography for awhile now, you surely know that i am known for my light, bright, and airy images.  i am known for creamy bright whites and soft neutrals, often purposefully overexposing to achieve my style.  while my photography style has been a passion of mine for quite some time and has awarded me some wonderful recognition in the photography community, i decided to be brave this week when i accepted the fact that my photography style was no longer making me happy.  in fact, it was making me dread photography and it was ruining my creativity. it finally came to a point that when i realized that changing photography styles was going to be the only way to save my photography.

knowing that my love for photography has always gone hand and hand with my defined photography style, i decided it was time to be fair to myself and allow myself to change.  there were many reasons why i decided to go in a new direction and when i nervously posted an image with my true vision on instagram this week, i didn’t know the reaction it was going to get.  a few minutes after posting, i started to breathe.  my following was going crazy, saying how much they loved the new look.  many were praising my new style and, because my community is so loving and tight, many lovingly asked what made me decide to switch and encouraged me to continue sharing images with this new style.

do you have a photography style?  here is when you can say that you’ve found your photography style.

The Truth Behind Changing Photography Styles

The Truth Behind Changing Photography Styles | Bethadilly Photography

did you know i wrote an eBook last year called the styled photographer?  check out why many photographers are saying it has helped them to find a style that is truly unique to them, making them happier with their photography and more consistent with their images.

for the past 6 months or so, i have felt that my photography style was ruining my photography.  while i was so proud of being highly known for my bright and airy images, i faced the fact that it just wasn’t my passion anymore.  i was burnt out with seeking out the best light and it was taking a toll on my love for photography.  then my daughter was born and i felt this pressure to not only photograph everything about her, but to photograph it according to my photography style that had become so popular.  i was making the mistake of photographing for my style, not for myself.

there was a big problem between me and my style.  finding the perfect light everyday was just not possible, especially with a young baby.  most days i found that the light was best when she napped or the when she was the happiest, the light was awful.  picking up my camera was supposed to be what made me happy, but instead it was deeply stressing me out.  more importantly, i was missing moments with my daughter because the light wasn’t “good enough.”  yep, i decided not to document certain beautiful moments because of light.  light!  how ridiculous is that?

i was tired of it.  i felt disappointed in myself.  i was tired of watching my husband have a perfect moment with my daughter and not photographing it because “it wasn’t my style.”  shouldn’t photographing your family always be your style?  why was i feeling like the light had to be perfect in order for the moment to be deemed memorable?  it was time for a change.  i deserved the change and so did my photography.  and so did my family.

it felt refreshing to finally say, “i don’t want to be known for light and airy anymore.”  it felt refreshing to finally post pictures that were truly me.  it felt refreshing to see my daughter do something adorably cute and want to pick up my camera, even in the lowest light.  it felt fair.  i was finally being fair to myself and allowing my passion for photography to evolve into something new.

in a way, my style is still the same.  i am still drawn to images that are honest and organic.  i am just being more thoughtful about how i choose to use light and how to honestly depict skin in my images to make my photography reflect what i actually see.

it has been freeing.  changing photography styles has been so very freeing.

no longer am i saying, “i can’t photograph our outing because it doesn’t have bright whites and creamy light.”  now, my style is my style.  it is truly me and depicts my everyday as i honestly see it.  changing photography styles has allowed me to photograph my daughter more because i can photograph her anytime i want, not just at high noon when the light is the brightest.  it has allowed me to photograph more things, including the adventures i take outside of the home.

now, when someone praises my images and my style, i am truly proud because i am happy with my photography again.  i think, as creatives, we feel the need to keep doing something the same way because it’s what we know.  we tend to put our feelings aside and not listen to ourselves when we are feeling uninspired.  and that’s when we completely ruin our passions for photography.

listen to me, change is so good.  i once heard a quote that said the worst thing you can do for yourself is stay the same because you should always be growing and evolving.  you should always be learning and getting better.  that’s how i feel about my photography.  my photography style has simply evolved as i have evolved as a photographer.  and finally saying it out loud and sharing the images that i am truly passionate about has made me so happy.  changing photography styles saved my photography.

thank you for reading this.

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  • Joy Huber - Beth! I did notice and I loved it!!!! And you were brave. I’ve been struggling a bit with style as well… seeing fulfillment in darker images with more dramatic light and shadow… trying to embrace it. I look forward to seeing how you settle into your new found style. Best ❤ReplyCancel

    • {beth} a-dilly - thank you so much, Joy! style can be tricky, but when you finally find it, it can be really inspiring again!ReplyCancel

  • 5 Reasons To Embrace Shadows In Your Photography - bethadilly - […] learning to embrace shadows encouraged me to take on a new photography style that represented me better.  read about that story here. […]ReplyCancel

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