Does a more defined style make a photographer more appealing?

NSFW

for me its about how you execute them, and when its apropriate.

ex- each of your style changes fit the theme of the shoot perfectly, and i love it. it means i know if i shoot with you wearing bright colours, you can edit in a way that makes it pop, but if i wear neutrals, you can do that too!

theres a few people i want to collab with based on them having a distinct style, but it does mean i have to plan my styling and concepts around their style. whereas you can very clearly adapt to whatever the model is portraying - and thats very valuable to me!

of course weve already worked together, but given the opportunity id absolutely do it again:)

edit: i wanted to add after going back over our shoot, that i proved my own point. all of the sets look like they couldve been taken on seperate shoots. its bloody awesome

Edited by Lauren-Jade

I like this question. I'll try and answer forgive me if it sounds like I'm going off point.

If I'm looking for models who work up to high levels, it's a benefit to me as I mostly shoot "editorial" to Lingerie. I'm usually looking to work with someone comfortable to work up to relatively high levels even though I don't shoot them. Also I've shot more Lingerie than I've posted, but I feel some models could be a little put off by that.

I may not shoot in a certain way but having seeing a port with a varied amount of styles could bring forth experience in my opinion.

About a month ago someone DM'd me to tell me that basically my port was dull in terms of style and perspective apart from one image due to the thumbnails. I think I took it gracefully enough because

A: Purple Port is not the only place I post my pictures. So I have different shots elsewhere.

B: It was another Photographer so they wouldn't be posing for me anyway!

I personally feel it can depend on who you're targeting. But reliability and confidence is more important to me to be honest.

Lauren-Jade That's a nice way to look at it - I definitely find it easy to adapt to what I'm given, but find it harder to choose my own theme/concept etc. so I guess it makes sense to work to my strengths.

I often forget we only shot once! The sets we did were very distinct. I was lucky to work with you just after deciding to shoot more outdoor location fashion stuff, your outfit choices were fab and helped it all go so smoothly!

Your work since then has been incredible though, looking forward to whenever we do get a chance to shoot again.

Afrofilmviewer I'm not sure how I would deal with a message like that!

I think variety is more expected and required for models really, with some exceptions of course.

l x s t I wasn't majorly bothered. However it reminded why I don't place anything on here for critque! :-D

Variety is needed but I feel it depends on what people value as variety I guess. Choice of shots/angles, colour palettes etc. But like you, this is more of a hobby and PP isn't the only place to find people to work with. Personally feel it's shifting sands.

l x s t said

As a model and/or photographer, are you more likely to work with, or follow, someone with a specific style of work?

Generally no, but I do prefer models who pay more attention to details like styling, hair and makeup. For me I'm all about the details so if I can find a creative who exercises good quality control, likes to experiment but is also not afraid to try new things like silly expressions or random ideas happy days. Just to clarify, I'm not one of these photographers obsessed with shooting models in their underwear. Styles for me is a null point, Purpleport is a bit of a bubble I my head. If you look around the website you will find models and photographers who claim to shoot things like Fashion or Editorial, and then you look at their portfolio and its just a sea of normal photos, no attention to hair, no attention to styling and the edit is just dire so in those cases I'll steer clear.

I guess it depends. Some models will purely shoot with anyone as long as they pay, but I'm sure if you have a better portfolio and demonstrate you are actually a true creative who knows how to pose models, has access to quirky locations and clear master when it comes to working you way around your camera you'll attract the better models or those interested in collaborating. 

I would personally say try to limit yourself to your best work or keep it fresh. 

Side note - Nice adobe myportfolio. I always liked the themes but I hated that you couldn't have a horizontal slider. 

I don't know if I would know a Style if it bit me on the butt :(  but I think having a wide repertoire is a good thing but also to develop a style that you can excel in ( johnny chaos ) would in my mind bring you more from people looking to work in a niche .

I hope that makes some kind of sense :)

I usually shoot with models who contact me, though before I agree a shoot they need to be suitable and a mood board agreed. I then take it from there.

I love your work

And yes, I do believe that if your output is consistently good and of a style then it makes you more appealing to work with

Hi and good morning l x s t

Your question is seemingly simple but the answer is very complex because it has so many variable factors.  However, in simple terms, both on PP and in the wider commercial world, a clear and consistent style is a huge advantage and will win you opportunities provided that your style is fashionable and in demand.

You can only sell people things that they want or things that you can convince them that they need.

Jack Russell has a very identifiable style and had models queuing round the block to work with him despite his reputation as a serial abuser and predator 🤷‍♂️

I am very pleased that you posted this as I don’t believe that I have seen your portfolio before.  The images above are great examples of a creative and imaginative portfolio, with a consistent style.  If I were a model I would want some of your work in my portfolio.

A good few models have told me I have a style (as opposed to 'have style' :-( )  I've certainly found more people are interested to (aka prepared to) work with me since my earlier days.  I also think there are plenty of models who actively wouldn't want to work with me, for pretty much the same reasons.  

I would have thought that consistency of shooting / post / pose style will be more important (in a PP situation) for suppliers rather than the consumer.

If a photographer intends to pursue TF, then they have to be constant their output, and potentially worth 'something' to the model.*

When the photographer is paying for the models time, then the onus is on the model to be consistent in delivery.

* This appears to be less important to hobby photographers in general as most hobby photographers appear to TF pretty much anyone.

Edited by Stu H

On a shoot last year, the model said she'd looked at my portfolio and found it interesting because I didn't seem to have a specific style, each shoot I'd done looked different - which I found quite complimentary.
I don't shoot that much, but try and approach each one on its own merits, rather than apply a similar style each time. If I shot a lot more, I suspect there would be some repetition because I don't have that much creative imagination!

Having an identifiable style is generally good, if you want to stand out. However, it will draw some in and drive others away, for the simple reason that we all have different tastes. I think as an artist, it is often important to define yourself with a strong sense of identity, however, there is then the danger of getting stale, either for viewers are as an artist. Many of the best photographic artists have a strong underlying style, but either constantly develop it with slight adjustments, while others almost go through a change of identity, just to keep it fresh. The latter has its own dangers, as you could alienate fans. It's a bit like a music artist suddenly completely changing the style of music they perform. As hobbyists, there are also two angles, you can either try lots of different things to stop you getting bored or you can relish the challenge of developing your style.

Ultimately, it is down to who you want to impress or if you care about impressing anyone, other than pleasing yourself. If you are only in it to please yourself, then a strong style probably doesn't matter that much. If you are trying to attract models for TF or if you have clients, then it is also important to impress your target audience. If you want to keep a wide appeal and have lots of traffic, then an individual style is less important

In terms of the images you have posted in the original post, I would say that your strongest images are the indoor ones (and that is coming from someone who prefers the great outdoors). They are well executed, with strong, dynamic lighting. They aren't necessarily something that I would normally be drawn to, but I do like the way you have made use of the lighting and this is what makes them stronger than the outdoor images. They have a sense of drama, but I wouldn't necessarily think they were by a specific photographer, even though they do have a common theme, with strong lighting and some with narrow depth of field.

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts! These are some really interesting points - I'll probably carry on the way I share photos right now, but narrowing it down to a more recognisable style may be a better option in future. Maybe the variety of styles now will eventually influence a more consistent look/feel.

For now I'm enjoying just shooting whatever the heck I feel like haha

I pretty much know what I like until something new hits me in the face when it comes to models. Sometimes it is looks, sometimes it is attitude, sometimes it is just a feeling. Whatever it is, I recognise it when I see it. Though I do think I could make an interesting image of any model if he or she is willing to go with me. But I definitely try to keep models ordinary but in an image with an added edge. Though I find, most models want beautiful images so aren't interested in my work. 

So I suppose the answer is, style doesn't attract me per se. Most styles I don't like, even if I can respect the vision and the technical skill of the photographer, while models who only shoot a particular style just seem one dimensional but then, that might be just down to the gigs they are offered. 

The truth is, if I could find the right model, male or female who is willing to perform, I'd like to try a project not unlike Eikoh Hosoe's Kamaitachi. I can't see me ever finding the right model though but I have found a Spanish dancer I'm hoping to seduce with the idea.