Finding My Own Aesthetic After Years of Working On Everyone Else's

Fighting off the algorithm & your inner voice to find your own style.

When I first started my career, I worked at creative agencies. Like most people in the industry, I didn’t get to pick who I worked for—brands were assigned, briefs landed on my desk, and I adapted.

One week you’re working on a beauty campaign for Dolce & Gabbana, an IRL event for Toyota and creating a CGI/real life photoshoot for a fine jewellery brand. The next, you’re working on an Adidas film, a pitch for a shoe brand, and creating a campaign for Kerasilk’s new hairline.

My success? It came from versatility. I could jump between aesthetics — bold, minimal, traditional, emerging, high street, luxury — five times a week, no sweat. (Well, some sprinkled with a bit of burnout). But in the back of my mind, a question kept circling: "What’s my style?"

I look at some photographers, directors, even freelance art directors, and their portfolios are like a well-curated gallery—everything so succinct, so them. Meanwhile, my portfolio? It's all over the place. Not bad, just... varied. Because that’s what paid the bills. But it left me wondering, what do I actually like?

I think this dilemma resonates beyond just art direction. It’s true for any creative paid for their work—stylists, writers, artists, but it’s also true for Sally in sales. Look at beauty and fashion trends—we all jump from one to the next. One season it's bushy brows, the next it's barely-there. The Kim K silhouette, then Pilates bodies. Leopard print, then cowprint. We chase trends so impulsively that we forget to ask ourselves: What do we actually like?

So, for the past month, I’ve done something different. I stopped curating for clients [well, except for my current client Koibird] and I started curating for myself. I scrolled through old screenshots, books on my shelves, old Instagram boards —saving, pinning, bookmarking anything that caught my eye, without thinking too hard. No moodboards for pitches. No shoot ideas. Just saving for the sake of it.

💡 Tip: There were loads of images I liked, but knew it wasn’t me. So keep asking yourself—would I put this on my wall? My lock screen? If no. Appreciate it. But know it’s not your style.

Here’s What I Discovered About My Own Taste:

I’m drawn to simplicity, but with an edge. Images that don’t try too hard. Minimalist still-life shots that have one clear focal point but an unexpected twist.
Meet: messy minimalism.

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I’m obsessed with colour, but not in the loud, look-at-me luxury kind of way with bold gradients and clashing tones. For me, it’s all about the subtlety of tonality—a palette that flows seamlessly. It’s immersive. A perfectly curated palette shows thoughtfulness at every level. From the casting to the makeup to the grading or from the product, prop, and styling—when colour is done right, it feels effortless, but you know it’s been carefully crafted.

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The last thing I noticed—which might sound like a bit of a cop-out, but hey, who’s making the rules here?—is that I mix industries and mediums. Maybe this one’s less about defining a specific style and more about where my concepts come from.

I pull from film, books, galleries, archives, interiors—places that aren’t always in the conversation. Colour palettes from every day objects, background textures from chairs. Honestly, it’s probably a holdover from my past work across hair, sport, skin, art, fashion. So maybe it’s less about having a set ‘taste’ and more about how I build ideas. It’s foundational, not just aesthetic.

So, how do you find your style after years of working for others? Here’s what worked for me:

5 Steps to Find Your Own Aesthetic:

1. Curate Carelessly
   Stop thinking about a final product. Scroll through your favorite platforms and just save anything that catches your eye—without trying to fit it into a narrative.

2. Look for Patterns
   After a few weeks, go back and see what keeps coming up. What are you repeatedly drawn to? Is there a recurring color, mood, or composition?

3. Forget the Trends
   Try to separate what you like from what’s trendy right now. Ask yourself: would I still like this if no one else was talking about it?

4. Step Away from Your Comfort Zone
   Challenge yourself to explore new sources. Visit galleries, read books, or follow artists outside your usual realm. Inspiration can come from the most unexpected places. I really like Public Work by Cosmo for discovering forgotten images, textures and illustrations.

5. Test Your Taste
   Once you’ve identified what you think your style is, try it out in your work. Apply your new discoveries to a personal project—see how it feels to create something that’s truly yours.