How important to you is consistency in aesthetic/look/feel/vibe...

[Formerly presspass]

Only one constant - 35mm black and white - for a very long term project, begun in 1981 and wrapped up in 2021. I am still documenting the work of our all-volunteer fire company, but for those years, I put together an annual book of at least 100 prints each. Clearly because I could not govern the environment or lighting or time of day, I could not impose a specific esthetic. I chose the media because I could do the work myself and could process the prints to an archival level to preserve the efforts of these men and women who provide a free, necessary, often uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous service.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

One camera , one lens is in my roots and just makes sense.
I usually don't mix color and bw as well.

 

[Darthfeeble]

Isn't there a saying about consistency?

 

[retinax]

I'm not very serious about my photography right now but I try to keep things like a holiday consistent in using only one film. That's for simplicity reasons just as much as for aesthetics. Nothing worse than having the wrong film in the camera when you want to take the photo. So I try to keep a fairly universal film, usually ISO 400 black and white, in my camera when traveling.

 

[ReciprocityFailure]

I'm thinking in terms of the kind of continuity of the aesthetic that a DP in cinema would try to achieve throughout an entire movie, e.g., the "JJ Abrams look"--a visual trademark of sorts--achieved through the use of flares, dynamic camera movement and positioning, etc... Is that concept pertinent in photography?

Speaking from observation of photographic projects of other photographers (as I suffer from ADD and can't seem to just concentrate on one theme or subject), I think consistency in look is important. You might be familiar with the website LensCulture, which showcases many photographers who have projects, and just looking at their approach, one sees that look is consistent, but content takes center stage. LensCulture - Contemporary Photography