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Creating Your Own Voice

Lesson 24 from: The Photographic Style & Aesthetic Workshop

Benjamin Hardman

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Lesson Info

24. Creating Your Own Voice

Starting first by recognizing what inspires you - it can be photography, fashion, architecture, music. Gather what inspires you and have it somewhere it can be looked at (mood board, posters, phone background).

Lesson Info

Creating Your Own Voice

Building your style up can lead to something that is a unique expression of your passions. The concept of a unique voice, it is possible. And if you are truly passionate about what you're taking photos of it will shine through. That's what I am really passionate about is this creative kind of cohesion. I'm really stoked to have something that could be a unique expression of Iceland and the Arctic. Style will always change. Never let yourself be fenced in with something that you think, "Oh, this works. "Like the internet might like this "and I'm getting good feedback "on this specific type of image. "I'm just gonna go and stick with that "and that's gonna become my subject "and the thing that I shoot." I have pretty much shot every single type of thing that I've had the chance to, weddings, I've shot macro photos of bees. I've been out to the ocean in Australia. And if it wasn't for all those things these strange circumstances that have nothing in relation to my current photography, the...

n maybe I wouldn't be where I am today. So don't let style kind of bracket you in, go and try everything that you can. It's all valuable. And even out of these smaller shoots you can maybe get more familiar with your camera if you're struggling with manual mode, for example. Just trying some long exposures, even though it might seem weird to go and do a long exposure, it gives you some really valuable technical knowledge about your camera system. And I can think back to times where I've been 40 degrees Celsius days out bright sun, I've gone on eBay bought like a $5 ND filter. That is like the darkest one, like welding glass, and gone and tried some long exposures, you know, 30 seconds. And how does this work? Like, why am I doing a 30 second? What's happening in the landscape as I progress through these 30 seconds? All of these things have helped me to understand cameras and be able to make them kind of just subconscious in my mind. And I can think about the creativity behind a photo instead of how the settings will affect it. It just becomes second nature. All of these things can can help you to diversify, be creative, try a bunch of things that you've never tried before. And who knows, maybe you'll find some new avenue just as I ended up here in Iceland, something completely different to what I grew up with. Having those external influences like letting your surroundings and things outside of photography, kind of guide you into the way that you compose, the way that you style your image in terms of color. For me, that has really led to this point. And I hope you guys can take this away and turn this into something that over time can become your own style.

Class Materials

Bonus Materials with Purchase

Workshop
Iceland Road Guide

Ratings and Reviews

Matt Grandbois
 

Very Informative & Awe Inspiring Both Benjamin and Alex have played huge roles in my photographic style development over the years and it is great to hear first hand exactly what inspires and drives Ben to keep pushing his creative boundaries. Personally, I love his minimalist approach and it was super insightful to watch him explain how he developed that style and how he actively produces photographs in a cohesive manner. 10/10 recommend this workshop to anyone looking for a very unique and profound perspective with the intent of expanding your creative horizons.

Janelle Dransfield
 

Moving to Iceland now...? Loved this workshop! I really liked the way the modules are split up, and the way you watch Benjamin go out on location for a shot, then immediately sit down and watch his editing process for that specific shot. So much editing to learn too, since he doesn't use presets! The workbook is also super thorough, so printing it out allowed me to pay close attention and just add little notes here and there. The Iceland road guide is also SO helpful and in depth. Can't wait to use it. Also loved that Ben talked about printing your own work. Would be cool to maybe see something from Wildist in the future that goes even more into depth on that (calibrating your own printer, working with a print shop, dropship sites, etc.) Awesome course. Thanks, Hardman.

Alec Brown
 

First Workshop The first workshop I have ever purchased. I've always been hesitant to invest in a workshop, however this went above and beyond my expectations. Fluid in progression, great insight and a super relaxed learning curve full of information. I feel this has prepared me to take my own personal photographic journey to the next level. Executed to perfection. Nice work guys! 10/10 recommended.

Student Work

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