Sean, not only with photography... but your video skills and editing have been leveling up big time lately in these last few videos and it's really awesome to see!! I appreciate what you do and your level headedness in your videos while spreading knowledge and experience! Been a real inspiration in my own photography work with your "preserve the highlights" aspect!! Thanks for being awesome!!!
I agree. I've liked Sean's work from the start, but in the beginning, in the back of my head, I worried that the videos would be a little too sentimental for me. That never happened. Or maybe it did, and I've forgotten it was a concern because I enjoy the videos so much. Regardless, a photographer and YT channel I really enjoy following, and seeing a notification in Twitter for a new video.
A few friends have mentioned that when they're scrolling through their feed and see one of my images they just know it's one of mine immediately. This always gives me pause because I often find myself frustrated that I feel my images still aren't as consistent as I'd like. It seems that other people often notice your favorite subjects, your color palettes, and your compositional habits before you notice them yourself. As much as I feel my work isn't consistent in the ways I want it to be yet, I'm glad that people can identify those core elements that are starting to emerge in my images. For anyone else in a similar place, enjoy this phase of growth as much as you can. Dabble in all the different influences that inspire you and I think one day you'll look and realize that your voice is already there.
What has been most helpful about this channel is your focus on the art of photography rather than the 'gear'. I am a beginner and wanting to learn I binged on channels like digital rev. Although it might not be the intention their vids led me to believe that in order to take good photos I need a ton of lenses, filters, a new camera etc. Your channel has taught me to think more about what I see in front of me than the gear in my hand.
Sean, you are a gift, especially to the novice who is beginning to explore their voice as a photographer. The seasoned and enlighten knows well that photography is very much a multi-faceted art form. Some like it OOC, some personalize their images and all the way to those who do composites to get their ideas across. It is ok to prefer an aspect of photography but when one criticizes another's concept then you are being very rigid and closed-minded.
You are completely right. On Instagram when I see a great photo, I click the person’s profile and see if I like the majority of photos before I follow them. I really appreciate this video
Consistency. Vital in so many areas, from music, art, photography. If you wind it back, it comes back to simple continuity. We are creatures of habit. Continuity gives us comfort, whether it’s enjoying the same story, time and time again as a child or your daily grind at work, we NEED continuity, so it only make sense that we’ll be drawn to consistent images. Sean, I genuinely love your videos.
Spot on! There is a voice to your work, crisp, contrasting light and color that speak to me. Never the same image, never the same idea, but always the same voice.
I came straight from your comment reply on the video where you first mentioned consistency, I now understand what you meant and this actually opened up a view for me that i wasn't able to see before. Thank you for reading the comments and actually taking lots of time to break this down for us
Totally agree. We used to choose the film and ISO we wanted. Then in the dark room we tried to be as creative as possible. It was limited compared to today’s tools. Today I’m restarting in photography and going all over the place... looking for my style. Now consistency is always important in art... period. Play and make a million of mistakes! Then when it’s ready...
Your wisdom and insight transcends the different photography genres. It applies to all of them. Your videos make me stop and think about what I want to do and not worry about what others think. If I have something to say, find my message and stick with it. Your encouraging and humble approach to your videos are far more valuable than how to shoot landscapes, weddings, flowers, etc. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for your channel. Not only are the topics interesting but I also appreciate your beautiful use of language. I hope you stay motivated and keep it up. Greetings from Poland.
you make me love photography more and more. sometimes, as a beginner, I forgot to enjoy while I learn and experiment but at the end that's the most important part of taking photos, making something beautiful and enjoying the process. I know someday I will find my own kind of consistency. again: thanks.
AHA!! Illuminating to say the least Sean.Your comparison between film choice (Velvia was mine] and developing our own custom digital preset just woke me up. Of course! I’m a loooong time hobbyist - this talk will be immensely helpful in my craft and in finally building a portfolio that I may actually present! Thanks so much!
Thank you for being a source of calm, thought and philosophy among the chaos of gear. Your videos approach photography in a way that inspires me to challenge myself all the time.
I am a firm believer in CONSISTENCY. In my line of work in the Food industry there is set rules and guidelines and if there is no cosistency, you are out the door. It took me 5 years to grow an online presence with Facebook, from there followed my first cookbook and from there a TV series...I had to be consistent with what my "voice" and "signature" is going to be. I learned the hard way and that is to STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF. Don't be a copy of a Rembrandt, but be unique and trail and error until you find your safe spot and voice. Thank you for this confirmation and reminder to keep my eyes set on my goals! DAnkie Sean!
I sometimes despair at the amount of anger attached to the opinions of photography. Clear minded thoughts as usual Mr Tucker. As an aside, I very much enjoyed that Van Gogh exhibition, I'm not that much of a fan but seeing what influenced him and how it effected his art was fascinating.
Brilliant advice. I love the term "visual voice". Just finished helping someone with a novel he is writing and one of my criticisms was that his voice was not consistent. Hearing you speak about "visual voice" really resonated with me. I am just at that crossroad in my photography where I have been starting to look for a consistent look in my portrait work. I'm not there yet but I work at it daily. Thanks for posting.
Spot on Sean, consistency really is important. An example is people watch Quentin Tarantino films because they are consistent with how each one is filmed and the look.
Sean. I think your videos are more about the philosophy of photography, moreso than anything else. While studying philosophy at the university of Toronto, my approach to philosophical questions resembled how you unpack problems in photography. You analyze the "why" instead of the "how" and I'm very grateful for the TH-cam community has a voice like yours.
I constantly get distracted by the portraits on your background. I love them so much!! It's inspiring me to make such pictures on my siblings and me as a present to our father.
I cannot believe that you got a backlash for that video!! These are the kind of things photographers need to listen to! Another great video. Thank you! Such a refreshing channel.
Variety (to me) is the spice of life. Consistency to me is really about the quality behind the work. I do get bored when I scan a wall and only see a narrow bandwidth of tones/style. I don't neccesarily assume that a consistent look always means control - it can also mean that there's control only over that very narrow look. A consistent look could ALSO mean a lack of diversity or even lack of ability to do anything different. You live and die by presenting only one thing/look to the world. Victor Wooten said something like "I don't want to be known as a great bass player, I want to be known as a great musician." As a bass player I can identify with that. Sure - if you want to play rock - and only rock - and rock makes you feel great, by all means do it... and you can be known as a great rock bassist. If that is your goal and you arrive there, all is well. But I'll tell you this... the 1st time that I played something that wasn't gospel music I couldn't even hear the changes. A few guys invited me to jam after seeing me play at church on Sunday. In church i had TOTAL command of the bass. They assumed I would flourish in a jazz setting. They thought. "SURELY he can play 'anything' if he plays gospel the way that he does. I had never been so exposed as a bass player in my life... haha. I ABSOLUTELY limited my growth by only playing gospel. I drove home that night saying to myself that this would be the LAST time I would be exposed in that manner... and it was. I proceeded to get my ears on all manner of music and learned to understand it, and play it well. At this point I can play pretty much anything out there, and my phone rings more often for gigs because I think the people I play with know that I can get it done at a high level regardless of the gig. When I only played (and displayed) gospel, gospel promoters were the only people calling, and the longer I stayed there, the longer it took me to grow in totality as a well-rounded, well-seasoned BASSIST. I won't do with photography what I did w/ music... I won't lock myself into a genre, or a "look". As a side note - I also won't turn another elevated hobby into a business. I've done that twice before, but photography I'm keeping this one for myself this time. :) One might assume that if I needed to eat by photography I'd re-adjust my thinking, but knowing me, I wouldn't. :) As always - good stuff Sean!! IG: freshouttafocus
Last week I spent 4 hours (not long enough) at the Helmut Newton exhibition in the Museum of Photography in Berlin where I was lucky enough to see a new presentation of all of the photos from Sumo, plus some of the works of the Three Boys from Pasadena. If you get the chance, go. You can clearly see that all 4 photographers maintained consistency without becoming repetitive. The Sumo room in particular showed a consistent style that spanned decades. It’s also clear from the collection of Newton’s private artefacts that he was quite happy to play with exposure, cropping and film choice to get the look he wanted.
Your pieces of advice are always priceless. Thanks again for putting this topic online. I'm not a pro photograph but your comments help me to think about how I want to display my work.
Helpful Sean. The idea of consistency didn't sit well with me at first, but after years of experimenting, I have slowly been honing in on my look. I agree that the journey of finding your style is so important and one must be patient as its typically not a quick process. You have provided some important things to consider surrounding starting a website and wanting to put your work out there!
Great, great advice. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Been a fan of your advice and philosophy for years. My next installation is this week Friday. Loving my photographic journey.
This is so well said and very true. All the photographers on IG I follow have consistency. The same in TH-cam, I follow you because I trust "your voice".
so true. I've self-taught photography for a couple of years and from time to time, I've been thinking about the way that I shoot, asking "should I shoot something that more people would like or should I keep shooting the way that I would like?" It has been answered today.
Unfortunately, people are not afraid of complicated processes or denigrating their photography... People are just speaking out against someone that tells everyone "Design your own"... Which is basically don't buy others' presets. I think people are mostly reacting to that :) A huge portion of today's photographers make their living selling presets. Not photos, or services - presets. Killing photography - no. Killing fake photographers'' way of making a quick buck - hell yes. Cheers from Bulgaria, Sean! Love your videos!!!
Thank you for showcasing how much photographers can learn by looking at the work of painters - I live in Vienna and visit the "Kunsthistorisches Museum" (museum for the history of art) on a weekly basis - not only to get inspired by the works of those masters but also to pay attention to the colours they use (and to those they don't use!) and the compositions they decided to paint. Please keep talking about artists like van Gogh/Rembrandt and Caravaggio (!) in your videos!
This is video triggered a wake up call for, something I've long suspected. The need for creating my own style and consistent subject matter. Still not Totally sure how, but I know I need too. Thanks for generating the spark Sean. Keep the gready content
Another masterpiece, Sean. After I watched the "Editing Colour" video, I made it my aim to strive for a consistent color palette in my work. That led to me building a couple of Lightroom presets from scratch that I can apply and then tweak the images to taste. Looking back at my old work, and then looking at the work I'm putting out now, I can see a night and day difference in consistency. Thank you for YOUR consistency in producing quality content that inspires both creativity and thoughtfulness. Keep up the good work, sir.
Thanks for this superbly done reminder. I was already aware of my 500px and Insta being all over the place but this tells me again to focus. "Stop shooting mediocre photos" I said to myself a few times lately. And shooting them is not so bad but posting them everywhere is no good. Great video and so true.
Thank you Sean tucker, i have been thinking days about how to create consistency in what i love to do. practicing and experiment for long , i would love to take to a new level. thanks.
Man, you are changing/forming my photography signature every day. We should all embrace being "thinkers" miles before we hit the shutter... Great video.
A reflective and perceptive set of considerations. I think the 'I just shoot it and post because that's more honest' line comes from an incoherent sense of what art is, or can be. Mimesis isn't simple 'copying what's there' assuming that was even possible. Thanks for this: a thought provoking video.
As eloquent as ever! Totally agree and thank you for explaining it so clearly. I now understand why I follow photographers like you, Adam Gibbs and Thomas Heaton!
Thank you for this video. One thing I really need to work on and lack I think. The most thorough videos I have seen on the topic of being consistent and finding your style
I love your channel Sean! You and Jamie Windsor are tied for best photography channel on TH-cam as far as I know. Awesome stuff! I had lots of fun the last year fooling around and 'seeing what comes out'. I feel like I am getting definitely getting more control, but there is no distinct style or subject yet. But my first clients have unexpectedly found me. Taking photos in clubs, documenting a workshop, headshots at a dentists office, covering a full wedding day and even fly to Ibiza to photograph a Deejay friend! All awesome opportunities via friends, but not having a style is SCARY. Nothing to falll back on, I have no idea what the clients expectations are - and neither do they! I can't wait to develop a consistent, beautiful style that I would be proud to attract clients with whom love what I do specifically.
Another fantastic video Sean, you are definitely correct about following photographers who post consistent work, I guess I hadn’t really thought about why I follow some people but not others, as soon as you said it though I realised that’s what it was most of the time. I’m only an amateur photographer who just does it for fun, while it’s nice to get likes and comments online I find it’s more of a kind of therapy for me, generally I’m so enthralled in what I’m doing at that moment, anything else on my mind starts to drift away. So if I’m stressed about a crappy week at work it can just help me really switch off. That’s something I’ve come to love about it, some people never find that.
I rarely add comment. I get it. You are one of the few photographers I take notice of. There are many I look at. Your style of video to me is also about morality which looks at the reason why. That resonates with me as a beginner gusting hobbyist. Consistency is key but I now understand the 'why' in photography. Thanks.
I agree so much with you here Sean.. Presets can be a great jumping off point for someone who dreads the editing process. I recently began using a few presets myself after spending 3 years without them. I have no shame in this because I thought it was important to learn as much as I could personally before relying on color or tone curve assistance. Your points here are very well thought out and articulated very nicely. Personally, I cannot stand when someone who shoots primarily portra film hates on someone else who uses presets to achieve uniformity. It seems so hypocritical when you consider that film stocks are in fact the prototype for what we now call presets. Well done and thank you for your input!👍🤘
Thanks Sean. This all rings true to me. I have been struggling to get a consistent look and form to my work. I know that I like a Film look even to my digital work. Certain subjects have a need to be shown in colour. Other subjects need Black and White to bring them the gravitas they deserve. This is the next step in the development of my work. Thanks for your channel.
Sean. Like many of your videos, this one is inspirational. I'm just a keen amateur/hobbyist. I've pondered on creating a style for a long time. I'm now going to really think about how I want my photography to progress. Thank you
Seems I’m in the hobbyist slot but lately, I’ve been contemplating creating separate Instagram accounts to practice on common themes and visual styles. Your video came at the perfect moment. I’m going to start that tomorrow (while still having fun and whatever crosses my mind on the main account). Thanks
Great lesson for all photographers at any point in their career whether its the very beginning or professional. Great reminder to remember consistency in your work.. I loved the references to Rembrandt and Van Gogh.
I've been struggling with moving from exploration to finding a personal style lately. Your videos are always well timed, nuanced, and thorough. Thank you forward continuing to create videos, they always make me think.
Thanks for sharing this Sean :) And you’re absolutely right. Why are people following a certain photographer? Because the style resonates with them. On Pinterest I have a mood board in which I categorise artists by style. The funny thing is that each and every time I look for more photos of a particular photographer or work by a certain artist, I can almost always tell which photos or what work belongs to that photographer or artist, when i browse through all of the images. It only goes to show that we are creatures of habit I guess. Although we do not like to admit it, we tend to look for consistency. Thanks for reminding me of that. I tend to lose myself every now and then ;)
Again, great video Sean! Your video is like this guidance to me up there. It s like when I am wondering around in a foggy morning, I saw a flash light of your video, I go there, coz I know I can get your consistently great advices! Thx Sean !
You always manage to hit the nail on the head. Your counter argument (not that you're arguing) to the complainers is always so eloquent, classy and very thoughtful. Some people seem to get off on complaining.
I really love your channel. I think starting photographers and even long time professionals can learn from it, even if its only for confirmation of their own thoughts. I’m almost completely on board with everything you said here and the way you communicate is always clear and inspiring. One thing i like to add you touched on very briefly: as important as consistency and even more control is over our works, style and look can be varied based on project. With that i mean, a modern approach with all kinds of art forms is that quality and control stays high, but style, color grades and so on might very well change from project to project. You could almost say its an evolution of having one style, look, visual language and high quality of your work throughout everything...OR only having applied always an incredible high level of control and quality in your work, but you change look and style, based on the project at hand. Its something we see in architecture or withmusicians quite often. Its not a contrary view to what you say, but rather an addition. The most prominent example i can think of in architectue is herzog & demeron. For the casual follower they looklike the works of different studios, but once you observe it more closely, youll find that they are consistent in quality and innovation, without having to have the same look over and over that actually would compromise the ability to adapt to varied environments.
Sean, just love this video. Am just a beginner and a hobbyist but pursuing consistency in my work. I follow a lot of photographers in IG cuz of the consistency in their work. I hope to work on mine … you have inspired me to just continue until I find my own signature!
Sean, this is one of the best talks on photography I have heard, and not just on TH-cam. You presented such a clear explanation of what consistency means and why and for whom it is important. I certainly will continue to take many kinds of photographs, but now I know that I need to develop that specific and recognizable style/look/presentation that you describe, and why. Your insights are valuable. Many thanks!
Great explanation on consistency! Your insights on photography is on point! Sometimes we get excited and do things but never ask ourselves the questions why. Gonna listen to this a few times to help find my voice. Thank you.
Hey Sean! Thank you do much for opening my eyes. Now I can accept, that I am still in this phase of finding my place in art, trying out different things and styles without feeling bad. This video helped me a lot, thank you so much and keep going on! With best wishes from Germany!
As always, some of the best content on the Internet is on this channel. Wisdom here for sure. I think my struggle is that it’s another word for specialisation. I’m a generalist in a number of ways (not just photography), but strive excel in the various pursuits. That’s hard to do! My takeaway is I need balance, and I have started to eliminate certain photographic genre/subjects this year. More introspection is needed...thanks for this nugget!
Thanks Jared. No need to stop shooting the stuff you love, I think it's just about being strategic about what you present where. Don't close things down which you enjoy for yourself.
Sean Tucker yes, try and stop me from shooting the stuff that I love ;) I agree. I think I’m in transition in my social media presence, and could see a new IG with focus (specialisation) when the time is right. Moreover, I’m honing my portfolio this year and see self-curating as mission critical. Thanks again-truly appreciate what you bring to your channel. Stay the course!
Wow, a video with strong impact. Held my interest throughout. Your advice on portfolio building sounds correct. Your videos are both philosophical and practical. Much appreciated.
Hey Sean, man I really love your work as much as I do your TH-cam videos. I totally agree with you about consistency and having a visual voice. My clients choose me because they want to see consistency in my work because it gives them greater comfort that they would know what to expect. Although my work is constantly evolving, being able to show control and a consistent voice is important for me, because it's what brides need to see once you reach a certain level. Keep up the awesome work and stay blessed!
An important message and well communicated! I'm reading David duChemin's "The Visual Toolbox: 60 Lessons for Stronger Photographs", and one of the first lessons is to evaluate your portfolio and find your "voice" - what elements show up routinely in favorite images, what draws your eye, so as to find your "voice" and develop one's unique vision for photography. I struggled with this exercise; this post helped me to understand how to approach this and why it is SO important. Thank you!
Completely agree with your video. Still in the experimenting phase where my Instagram is full of completely inconsistent photos and looking for a voice. It doesn't bother me that I haven't defined a style for myself yet, just means I'm still learning.
Nice video Sean. I am still in the “experimentation “ phase and enjoying it quite a bit. No ready to define a personal brand of photography yet; I need to learn and understand the nature of my own creative spirit. Thank you for your tutorials.
I kind of knew this, but it's still eyeopening. I'm one of those that've said that I need to be creative and try different things and not keep a constant look. But this video really inspired me to take som action and decide. Thank you again!
Reminds of a line from Steve Jobs "everything comes down to taste". I feel like an artist's style and consistency is essentially his/her taste. Each piece of art is a package of choices and decisions an artists makes to mature his/her vision. And those choices are made based on their taste. I personally, never consciously thought or paid attention to whether or not I have a consistent style or have deliberately chosen one. However, it was not until my colleagues pointed out, my images always have dominant cooler tones with warm (usually red) accents - that i did have a consistent style. Which if funny because it was never a deliberate choice. Point I am trying to make is style comes automatically as you keep creating more work and evolve. Having said that, since our taste also evolves so will our style. The things I liked 10 years ago and I don't anymore.
This came at a critical time for me and my photography journey, and as always you have the best insight on TH-cam on these things. Thank you very much, I'm off to take your advice.
Sean, not only with photography... but your video skills and editing have been leveling up big time lately in these last few videos and it's really awesome to see!! I appreciate what you do and your level headedness in your videos while spreading knowledge and experience! Been a real inspiration in my own photography work with your "preserve the highlights" aspect!! Thanks for being awesome!!!
I agree. I've liked Sean's work from the start, but in the beginning, in the back of my head, I worried that the videos would be a little too sentimental for me. That never happened. Or maybe it did, and I've forgotten it was a concern because I enjoy the videos so much. Regardless, a photographer and YT channel I really enjoy following, and seeing a notification in Twitter for a new video.
Awesome Comment and Thankx to him
👏
Well said, great video
99ii
Last week I started following you because of your consistency..👌
A few friends have mentioned that when they're scrolling through their feed and see one of my images they just know it's one of mine immediately. This always gives me pause because I often find myself frustrated that I feel my images still aren't as consistent as I'd like. It seems that other people often notice your favorite subjects, your color palettes, and your compositional habits before you notice them yourself. As much as I feel my work isn't consistent in the ways I want it to be yet, I'm glad that people can identify those core elements that are starting to emerge in my images. For anyone else in a similar place, enjoy this phase of growth as much as you can. Dabble in all the different influences that inspire you and I think one day you'll look and realize that your voice is already there.
I consistently click the like button on your videos.
What has been most helpful about this channel is your focus on the art of photography rather than the 'gear'.
I am a beginner and wanting to learn I binged on channels like digital rev. Although it might not be the intention their vids led me to believe that in order to take good photos I need a ton of lenses, filters, a new camera etc. Your channel has taught me to think more about what I see in front of me than the gear in my hand.
Sean, you are a gift, especially to the novice who is beginning to explore their voice as a photographer.
The seasoned and enlighten knows well that photography is very much a multi-faceted art form. Some like it OOC, some personalize their images and all the way to those who do composites to get their ideas across.
It is ok to prefer an aspect of photography but when one criticizes another's concept then you are being very rigid and closed-minded.
You are completely right. On Instagram when I see a great photo, I click the person’s profile and see if I like the majority of photos before I follow them. I really appreciate this video
SEAN...... I WAIT FOR YOUR VIDEOS.... EVERY WORK IS VERY INFORMATIVE .... LOVE IT ... LEARN A LOT... GET INSPIRED ... BEST BEST ....LOVE IT
Consistency. Vital in so many areas, from music, art, photography. If you wind it back, it comes back to simple continuity. We are creatures of habit. Continuity gives us comfort, whether it’s enjoying the same story, time and time again as a child or your daily grind at work, we NEED continuity, so it only make sense that we’ll be drawn to consistent images.
Sean, I genuinely love your videos.
Your videos not only have information related to the topic but it has the aesthetical & philosophical touch of photography. Much appreciated !!
Spot on! There is a voice to your work, crisp, contrasting light and color that speak to me. Never the same image, never the same idea, but always the same voice.
Thanks James.
I came straight from your comment reply on the video where you first mentioned consistency, I now understand what you meant and this actually opened up a view for me that i wasn't able to see before. Thank you for reading the comments and actually taking lots of time to break this down for us
Totally agree. We used to choose the film and ISO we wanted. Then in the dark room we tried to be as creative as possible. It was limited compared to today’s tools. Today I’m restarting in photography and going all over the place... looking for my style. Now consistency is always important in art... period. Play and make a million of mistakes! Then when it’s ready...
Your wisdom and insight transcends the different photography genres. It applies to all of them. Your videos make me stop and think about what I want to do and not worry about what others think. If I have something to say, find my message and stick with it.
Your encouraging and humble approach to your videos are far more valuable than how to shoot landscapes, weddings, flowers, etc. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for your channel. Not only are the topics interesting but I also appreciate your beautiful use of language. I hope you stay motivated and keep it up. Greetings from Poland.
you make me love photography more and more. sometimes, as a beginner, I forgot to enjoy while I learn and experiment but at the end that's the most important part of taking photos, making something beautiful and enjoying the process. I know someday I will find my own kind of consistency. again: thanks.
AHA!! Illuminating to say the least Sean.Your comparison between film choice (Velvia was mine] and developing our own custom digital preset just woke me up. Of course! I’m a loooong time hobbyist - this talk will be immensely helpful in my craft and in finally building a portfolio that I may actually present! Thanks so much!
Thank you for being a source of calm, thought and philosophy among the chaos of gear. Your videos approach photography in a way that inspires me to challenge myself all the time.
I am a firm believer in CONSISTENCY. In my line of work in the Food industry there is set rules and guidelines and if there is no cosistency, you are out the door. It took me 5 years to grow an online presence with Facebook, from there followed my first cookbook and from there a TV series...I had to be consistent with what my "voice" and "signature" is going to be. I learned the hard way and that is to STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF. Don't be a copy of a Rembrandt, but be unique and trail and error until you find your safe spot and voice. Thank you for this confirmation and reminder to keep my eyes set on my goals! DAnkie Sean!
I sometimes despair at the amount of anger attached to the opinions of photography. Clear minded thoughts as usual Mr Tucker. As an aside, I very much enjoyed that Van Gogh exhibition, I'm not that much of a fan but seeing what influenced him and how it effected his art was fascinating.
Brilliant advice. I love the term "visual voice". Just finished helping someone with a novel he is writing and one of my criticisms was that his voice was not consistent. Hearing you speak about "visual voice" really resonated with me. I am just at that crossroad in my photography where I have been starting to look for a consistent look in my portrait work. I'm not there yet but I work at it daily. Thanks for posting.
Spot on Sean, consistency really is important. An example is people watch Quentin Tarantino films because they are consistent with how each one is filmed and the look.
Sean. I think your videos are more about the philosophy of photography, moreso than anything else. While studying philosophy at the university of Toronto, my approach to philosophical questions resembled how you unpack problems in photography. You analyze the "why" instead of the "how" and I'm very grateful for the TH-cam community has a voice like yours.
I constantly get distracted by the portraits on your background. I love them so much!! It's inspiring me to make such pictures on my siblings and me as a present to our father.
I cannot believe that you got a backlash for that video!! These are the kind of things photographers need to listen to! Another great video. Thank you! Such a refreshing channel.
Variety (to me) is the spice of life. Consistency to me is really about the quality behind the work. I do get bored when I scan a wall and only see a narrow bandwidth of tones/style. I don't neccesarily assume that a consistent look always means control - it can also mean that there's control only over that very narrow look. A consistent look could ALSO mean a lack of diversity or even lack of ability to do anything different. You live and die by presenting only one thing/look to the world. Victor Wooten said something like "I don't want to be known as a great bass player, I want to be known as a great musician." As a bass player I can identify with that. Sure - if you want to play rock - and only rock - and rock makes you feel great, by all means do it... and you can be known as a great rock bassist. If that is your goal and you arrive there, all is well. But I'll tell you this... the 1st time that I played something that wasn't gospel music I couldn't even hear the changes. A few guys invited me to jam after seeing me play at church on Sunday. In church i had TOTAL command of the bass. They assumed I would flourish in a jazz setting. They thought. "SURELY he can play 'anything' if he plays gospel the way that he does. I had never been so exposed as a bass player in my life... haha. I ABSOLUTELY limited my growth by only playing gospel. I drove home that night saying to myself that this would be the LAST time I would be exposed in that manner... and it was. I proceeded to get my ears on all manner of music and learned to understand it, and play it well. At this point I can play pretty much anything out there, and my phone rings more often for gigs because I think the people I play with know that I can get it done at a high level regardless of the gig. When I only played (and displayed) gospel, gospel promoters were the only people calling, and the longer I stayed there, the longer it took me to grow in totality as a well-rounded, well-seasoned BASSIST. I won't do with photography what I did w/ music... I won't lock myself into a genre, or a "look". As a side note - I also won't turn another elevated hobby into a business. I've done that twice before, but photography I'm keeping this one for myself this time. :) One might assume that if I needed to eat by photography I'd re-adjust my thinking, but knowing me, I wouldn't. :) As always - good stuff Sean!! IG: freshouttafocus
Well said!!
Last week I spent 4 hours (not long enough) at the Helmut Newton exhibition in the Museum of Photography in Berlin where I was lucky enough to see a new presentation of all of the photos from Sumo, plus some of the works of the Three Boys from Pasadena. If you get the chance, go. You can clearly see that all 4 photographers maintained consistency without becoming repetitive. The Sumo room in particular showed a consistent style that spanned decades. It’s also clear from the collection of Newton’s private artefacts that he was quite happy to play with exposure, cropping and film choice to get the look he wanted.
The dude on the right @ 2:58 is renaissance Sean Tucker!!! love it!
Your pieces of advice are always priceless. Thanks again for putting this topic online. I'm not a pro photograph but your comments help me to think about how I want to display my work.
I can't thank you enough...your videos are always just what I need to hear .
Helpful Sean. The idea of consistency didn't sit well with me at first, but after years of experimenting, I have slowly been honing in on my look. I agree that the journey of finding your style is so important and one must be patient as its typically not a quick process. You have provided some important things to consider surrounding starting a website and wanting to put your work out there!
Great, great advice. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Been a fan of your advice and philosophy for years. My next installation is this week Friday. Loving my photographic journey.
Another informative video Sean. It’s rare in the TH-cam world where I learn something AND am given something to think about.
This is so well said and very true. All the photographers on IG I follow have consistency. The same in TH-cam, I follow you because I trust "your voice".
Thanks Debby:)
Every time, your videos approach a subject with such a passionate level of candor that I can't help but feel inspired. Thank you Sean.
so true. I've self-taught photography for a couple of years and from time to time, I've been thinking about the way that I shoot, asking "should I shoot something that more people would like or should I keep shooting the way that I would like?" It has been answered today.
Unfortunately, people are not afraid of complicated processes or denigrating their photography... People are just speaking out against someone that tells everyone "Design your own"... Which is basically don't buy others' presets. I think people are mostly reacting to that :) A huge portion of today's photographers make their living selling presets. Not photos, or services - presets. Killing photography - no. Killing fake photographers'' way of making a quick buck - hell yes. Cheers from Bulgaria, Sean! Love your videos!!!
I just think you are way ahead not only in photography, but also in mental state overall. You just know what to say and when.
Thank you for showcasing how much photographers can learn by looking at the work of painters - I live in Vienna and visit the "Kunsthistorisches Museum" (museum for the history of art) on a weekly basis - not only to get inspired by the works of those masters but also to pay attention to the colours they use (and to those they don't use!) and the compositions they decided to paint. Please keep talking about artists like van Gogh/Rembrandt and Caravaggio (!) in your videos!
That's one great museum with much thanks to the Hapsburgs. Fantastic collection of Pieter Brueghel work. I visit it every time l visit Wien.
This is video triggered a wake up call for, something I've long suspected. The need for creating my own style and consistent subject matter. Still not Totally sure how, but I know I need too. Thanks for generating the spark Sean. Keep the gready content
Another masterpiece, Sean. After I watched the "Editing Colour" video, I made it my aim to strive for a consistent color palette in my work. That led to me building a couple of Lightroom presets from scratch that I can apply and then tweak the images to taste. Looking back at my old work, and then looking at the work I'm putting out now, I can see a night and day difference in consistency. Thank you for YOUR consistency in producing quality content that inspires both creativity and thoughtfulness. Keep up the good work, sir.
Thanks for this superbly done reminder. I was already aware of my 500px and Insta being all over the place but this tells me again to focus. "Stop shooting mediocre photos" I said to myself a few times lately. And shooting them is not so bad but posting them everywhere is no good. Great video and so true.
Thank you Sean tucker, i have been thinking days about how to create consistency in what i love to do. practicing and experiment for long , i would love to take to a new level. thanks.
Man, you are changing/forming my photography signature every day. We should all embrace being "thinkers" miles before we hit the shutter... Great video.
Sean, you have one of the best photography voices on the internet. Thank you.
A reflective and perceptive set of considerations. I think the 'I just shoot it and post because that's more honest' line comes from an incoherent sense of what art is, or can be. Mimesis isn't simple 'copying what's there' assuming that was even possible. Thanks for this: a thought provoking video.
Whew.
Man, I really needed to hear this.
Sometimes you know you need to do something but you just need to hear it from someone else.
Much appreciated.
As eloquent as ever! Totally agree and thank you for explaining it so clearly. I now understand why I follow photographers like you, Adam Gibbs and Thomas Heaton!
Thank you for this video. One thing I really need to work on and lack I think. The most thorough videos I have seen on the topic of being consistent and finding your style
Thanks Sean. Your advice rings true for all artists I think. I’m a scrap metal sculptor and am following your leads...
I love your channel Sean! You and Jamie Windsor are tied for best photography channel on TH-cam as far as I know. Awesome stuff!
I had lots of fun the last year fooling around and 'seeing what comes out'. I feel like I am getting definitely getting more control, but there is no distinct style or subject yet. But my first clients have unexpectedly found me. Taking photos in clubs, documenting a workshop, headshots at a dentists office, covering a full wedding day and even fly to Ibiza to photograph a Deejay friend! All awesome opportunities via friends, but not having a style is SCARY. Nothing to falll back on, I have no idea what the clients expectations are - and neither do they! I can't wait to develop a consistent, beautiful style that I would be proud to attract clients with whom love what I do specifically.
Another fantastic video Sean, you are definitely correct about following photographers who post consistent work, I guess I hadn’t really thought about why I follow some people but not others, as soon as you said it though I realised that’s what it was most of the time.
I’m only an amateur photographer who just does it for fun, while it’s nice to get likes and comments online I find it’s more of a kind of therapy for me, generally I’m so enthralled in what I’m doing at that moment, anything else on my mind starts to drift away. So if I’m stressed about a crappy week at work it can just help me really switch off. That’s something I’ve come to love about it, some people never find that.
I rarely add comment. I get it. You are one of the few photographers I take notice of. There are many I look at. Your style of video to me is also about morality which looks at the reason why. That resonates with me as a beginner gusting hobbyist. Consistency is key but I now understand the 'why' in photography. Thanks.
I agree so much with you here Sean.. Presets can be a great jumping off point for someone who dreads the editing process. I recently began using a few presets myself after spending 3 years without them. I have no shame in this because I thought it was important to learn as much as I could personally before relying on color or tone curve assistance. Your points here are very well thought out and articulated very nicely. Personally, I cannot stand when someone who shoots primarily portra film hates on someone else who uses presets to achieve uniformity. It seems so hypocritical when you consider that film stocks are in fact the prototype for what we now call presets. Well done and thank you for your input!👍🤘
Sean - you bring such a breadth of thought and experience to my hobby photography. A big thank you !
You are amazing! SO happy I found you here on TH-cam ❤️
You are such a beautiful and thoughtful soul!!! Your channel is inspiring and elegant!!
Thanks Sean. This all rings true to me. I have been struggling to get a consistent look and form to my work. I know that I like a Film look even to my digital work. Certain subjects have a need to be shown in colour. Other subjects need Black and White to bring them the gravitas they deserve. This is the next step in the development of my work. Thanks for your channel.
Sean. Like many of your videos, this one is inspirational. I'm just a keen amateur/hobbyist. I've pondered on creating a style for a long time. I'm now going to really think about how I want my photography to progress. Thank you
If everyone had your passion in whatever they do, the world would be a better place. Thank you for sharing Sean.
Seems I’m in the hobbyist slot but lately, I’ve been contemplating creating separate Instagram accounts to practice on common themes and visual styles. Your video came at the perfect moment. I’m going to start that tomorrow (while still having fun and whatever crosses my mind on the main account). Thanks
I have done this as well. My portrait work is separate form my film and landscape work. Different audiences.
Great lesson for all photographers at any point in their career whether its the very beginning or professional. Great reminder to remember consistency in your work.. I loved the references to Rembrandt and Van Gogh.
Brilliant.
I appreciate you taking the time to say this
Agreed! Well delivered Sean!!
I've been struggling with moving from exploration to finding a personal style lately. Your videos are always well timed, nuanced, and thorough. Thank you forward continuing to create videos, they always make me think.
Another awesome video, thanks for sharing, Sean!
Thanks for sharing this Sean :) And you’re absolutely right. Why are people following a certain photographer? Because the style resonates with them. On Pinterest I have a mood board in which I categorise artists by style. The funny thing is that each and every time I look for more photos of a particular photographer or work by a certain artist, I can almost always tell which photos or what work belongs to that photographer or artist, when i browse through all of the images. It only goes to show that we are creatures of habit I guess. Although we do not like to admit it, we tend to look for consistency. Thanks for reminding me of that. I tend to lose myself every now and then ;)
As a beginner photogtapher, this video had so much great advice, thanks Sean!
Again, great video Sean! Your video is like this guidance to me up there. It s like when I am wondering around in a foggy morning, I saw a flash light of your video, I go there, coz I know I can get your consistently great advices! Thx Sean !
Sean your videos are just what I need just to keep my hobby growing and going in a direction that I want for myself .
This is something that i always felt but don't know how to explained to others , Thanks for explaining !
You just made me realize what’s missing in my photography and what I need to work on. Thank you!
You always manage to hit the nail on the head. Your counter argument (not that you're arguing) to the complainers is always so eloquent, classy and very thoughtful.
Some people seem to get off on complaining.
Thanks Jen:)
I really love your channel. I think starting photographers and even long time professionals can learn from it, even if its only for confirmation of their own thoughts. I’m almost completely on board with everything you said here and the way you communicate is always clear and inspiring.
One thing i like to add you touched on very briefly: as important as consistency and even more control is over our works, style and look can be varied based on project. With that i mean, a modern approach with all kinds of art forms is that quality and control stays high, but style, color grades and so on might very well change from project to project. You could almost say its an evolution of having one style, look, visual language and high quality of your work throughout everything...OR only having applied always an incredible high level of control and quality in your work, but you change look and style, based on the project at hand.
Its something we see in architecture or withmusicians quite often. Its not a contrary view to what you say, but rather an addition. The most prominent example i can think of in architectue is herzog & demeron. For the casual follower they looklike the works of different studios, but once you observe it more closely, youll find that they are consistent in quality and innovation, without having to have the same look over and over that actually would compromise the ability to adapt to varied environments.
Sean, just love this video. Am just a beginner and a hobbyist but pursuing consistency in my work. I follow a lot of photographers in IG cuz of the consistency in their work. I hope to work on mine … you have inspired me to just continue until I find my own signature!
Sean, you never fail to get me charged up about my work and what I need to do. Thank you once again.
Sean, this is one of the best talks on photography I have heard, and not just on TH-cam. You presented such a clear explanation of what consistency means and why and for whom it is important. I certainly will continue to take many kinds of photographs, but now I know that I need to develop that specific and recognizable style/look/presentation that you describe, and why. Your insights are valuable. Many thanks!
Great explanation on consistency! Your insights on photography is on point! Sometimes we get excited and do things but never ask ourselves the questions why. Gonna listen to this a few times to help find my voice. Thank you.
Hey Sean! Thank you do much for opening my eyes. Now I can accept, that I am still in this phase of finding my place in art, trying out different things and styles without feeling bad. This video helped me a lot, thank you so much and keep going on! With best wishes from Germany!
Cheers, Sean! I appreciate your narrative its good to hear you echo back thoughts I've been bouncing about.
One of your best, yet!!!
As always, some of the best content on the Internet is on this channel. Wisdom here for sure. I think my struggle is that it’s another word for specialisation. I’m a generalist in a number of ways (not just photography), but strive excel in the various pursuits. That’s hard to do! My takeaway is I need balance, and I have started to eliminate certain photographic genre/subjects this year. More introspection is needed...thanks for this nugget!
Thanks Jared. No need to stop shooting the stuff you love, I think it's just about being strategic about what you present where. Don't close things down which you enjoy for yourself.
Sean Tucker yes, try and stop me from shooting the stuff that I love ;) I agree. I think I’m in transition in my social media presence, and could see a new IG with focus (specialisation) when the time is right. Moreover, I’m honing my portfolio this year and see self-curating as mission critical. Thanks again-truly appreciate what you bring to your channel. Stay the course!
@@JaredTremper Good luck!
Man, love your channel and your videos. I feel like I could sit down with you and talk for ages. Keep on doing this, thank you!
Wow, a video with strong impact. Held my interest throughout. Your advice on portfolio building sounds correct. Your videos are both philosophical and practical. Much appreciated.
I like how you explain beeng a beginner i learn new things, thank you for sharing with us and hope to see more videos
Hey Sean, man I really love your work as much as I do your TH-cam videos.
I totally agree with you about consistency and having a visual voice.
My clients choose me because they want to see consistency in my work because it gives them greater comfort that they would know what to expect. Although my work is constantly evolving, being able to show control and a consistent voice is important for me, because it's what brides need to see once you reach a certain level. Keep up the awesome work and stay blessed!
Thank you for being so clear about this topic and covering all the contentious points that may arise.
Well said, Sean. The best discussion of this topic that I've seen. I think a lot of what you said applies to any artistic pursuit.
An important message and well communicated! I'm reading David duChemin's "The Visual Toolbox: 60 Lessons for Stronger Photographs", and one of the first lessons is to evaluate your portfolio and find your "voice" - what elements show up routinely in favorite images, what draws your eye, so as to find your "voice" and develop one's unique vision for photography. I struggled with this exercise; this post helped me to understand how to approach this and why it is SO important. Thank you!
Sean, you consistently deliver great content. Your photography style is different than mine, but I value your point of view
Completely agree with your video. Still in the experimenting phase where my Instagram is full of completely inconsistent photos and looking for a voice. It doesn't bother me that I haven't defined a style for myself yet, just means I'm still learning.
Nice video Sean. I am still in the “experimentation “ phase and enjoying it quite a bit. No ready to define a personal brand of photography yet; I need to learn and understand the nature of my own creative spirit. Thank you for your tutorials.
This is why I have a personal account and now I've started a new one to get my photography work starting! Your videos are so inspiring and real !
a very inspirational video for me. thanks for sharing your thoughts, and great job with the video!
I kind of knew this, but it's still eyeopening. I'm one of those that've said that I need to be creative and try different things and not keep a constant look. But this video really inspired me to take som action and decide. Thank you again!
Great points and much needed to hear from time to time so one can focus on the end goal. Its own consistant look. It so easy to fall for trends
Reminds of a line from Steve Jobs "everything comes down to taste". I feel like an artist's style and consistency is essentially his/her taste. Each piece of art is a package of choices and decisions an artists makes to mature his/her vision. And those choices are made based on their taste. I personally, never consciously thought or paid attention to whether or not I have a consistent style or have deliberately chosen one. However, it was not until my colleagues pointed out, my images always have dominant cooler tones with warm (usually red) accents - that i did have a consistent style. Which if funny because it was never a deliberate choice. Point I am trying to make is style comes automatically as you keep creating more work and evolve. Having said that, since our taste also evolves so will our style. The things I liked 10 years ago and I don't anymore.
Very well said Sean - I appreciate your level headed presentations and thoughtfulness. Provoking contemplation is essential to any endeavor.
This came at a critical time for me and my photography journey, and as always you have the best insight on TH-cam on these things. Thank you very much, I'm off to take your advice.
Thank you. Very insightful information for someone getting started.