So, you are fascinated by the different types of photography? It’s a common place for many photography enthusiasts, who are earlier in their journey, to end up. This is understandable, as it can open up a world of possibilities.
Perhaps you are considering a shift in career, or maybe want to develop a stronger passion for photography as a hobby. But, with so many paths, knowing where to start your educational journey might be tough to grasp. This guide helps explain it all.
Table of Contents:
Exploring the Diverse World of Photography
Photography offers many avenues for creative expression. You could take pictures of literally anything around you, but some types of photography need you to really niche down.
Nature’s Beauty in Photography
For people who enjoy plants and animals, these options may suit your interests. The great outdoors offer countless subjects.
Nature photography lets photographers capture stunning images. But the varying weather and difficult lighting conditions are certainly a concern. Careful planning is crucial, as is the proper camera equipment to document our natural world.
Landscape Photography
Timing, lighting, and technical challenges can make landscape photography tougher. Getting tips from landscape photographers about gear like a tripod, or using proper camera settings like slower shutter speeds, is always valuable.
Capturing amazing views might feel simple, but planning needs to take place first. Many beginners start with landscape photography, due to the abundance of natural resources available to most people.
Astrophotography
Astrophotography may suit your interest if you love exploring the wonders of the night sky. Tripods help photographers capture detailed photos of star clusters.
Many even set up time-lapses and see how stars change positioning from Earth. This niche requires additional camera gear for long-exposure photography.
Storm Photography
If weather photography excites you, storm photography and lightning photography can capture your imagination. Of course safety gear needs to be priority for obvious reasons.
Planning the photography session during proper times helps make photos memorable. This also offers unique insight that most don’t see, but only brave souls get.
Pet Photography
If taking pictures of someone’s animals appeals to you, consider giving pet photography a try. Adaptability is important so getting used to fast moving pets will serve you well.
Practice to find ways to take pictures that still have character, even if a subject is difficult. Professional pet photographers are skilled at capturing animal portraits.
Macro Photography
Macro photography may have the ability to change the way we think about a photo subject. Making a bug larger than a tree is quite a concept, indeed.
Using tools like macro lenses, photographers learn all about controlling planes of focus so a subject pops more. Wildlife photography sometimes involves capturing things up close.
Flower Photography
For anyone fascinated by all the colors of plant life, consider shooting images with flowers as subjects. Flower photography makes understanding things like shallow depth of field, exposure, and lighting important for photographers.
The skills take time to master, but with consistent focus, they are possible for even a newer photographer to use. Images captured often feel like fine art photography.
Urban and Structural Photography Types
Photography focused on structural subjects has an emphasis on bringing creativity into a commercial setting. The following suggestions will give some new viewpoints to consider on the subject.
Taking pictures of buildings from different positions or points in time opens an entirely different photographic experience.
Architecture Photography
Architecture photography deals with showcasing things like unique features or structures. To start, knowing how to work in natural light is critical.
Using wide angle lenses could help photographers with a broader viewpoint when photographing their subject, too. Cityscapes commonly serve as subjects.
Real Estate Photography
Photographing buildings commercially is common, and opportunities for a career path exist. This profession makes working with the correct lighting important.
Also, photographers might need help growing their own skillset or technical aptitude with photography equipment. Taking online courses may help with finding education on the topic, especially with learning photo editing software.
Drone Photography
Drone photography can take photos of nature from a viewpoint never considered in past decades. Photographers can pilot a drone from above to snap views not possible previously.
Pictures from buildings, highways, and even lakes may appear much differently now, even for those already with vast experience. Drone photography continues to grow in popularity.
Aerial Photography
This concept takes any photos captured at higher altitudes, making aerial photography different. Photographers sometimes have a lot of money, and experience flying in helicopters, too.
But drones change all of this by removing risk for injury. Aerial photography is much more accessible now with technology.
Capturing Photos of People
These areas focus more on images of actual people for subjects. Posing people offers it’s own complexities that don’t exist in other photography types.
Portrait Photography
Portrait photographers want a subject that sits comfortably during a photo shoot. Capturing character from a person requires storytelling abilities to keep photos interesting.
Knowing poses will help create unique perspectives for those who participate. Good portrait photography connects emotionally.
Headshot Photography
Headshot photography and portrait photography do share differences though. A professional image intended for sharing on a website differs, compared to art used to evoke deep emotion.
Both matter for different purposes, and in our technology filled world, knowing the nuance becomes much more crucial to a career path. Posing for headshots will be a different vibe from someone posing for high fashion.
Fashion Photography
Photographing clothing on a human is one thing. Making the product sell by adding creative flair is where fashion photography helps out a business.
Giving feedback and direction to models also grows trust that products have visual appeal for shoppers. The right photography sells a lifestyle for viewers.
Sports Photography
Commercial sports photography captures athletes using products. Photographers sometimes have to work at quicker paces and move at events to capture amazing shots.
Building rapport with everyone from coworkers, staff, and even players can go a long way too, by developing personal networks. Sports photography serves best for quick, adaptable, photographers.
Documentary Photography
Photography meant to document the lives of actual people tells truth of reality through imagery. The photographer needs more of a journalistic perspective and not focus so much on directing the shot.
Documentary photography shows the lives of those captured. Images can speak a thousand words with no audio.
Life’s Everyday Photo Moments
Daily events that bring life, such as walking down a busy street, happen all around. Capturing photography that connects with candid perspectives adds variety into this part of the craft.
Knowing these aspects adds a great amount of depth into this form of photography. Sometimes there isn’t any better form of education than diving in.
Street Photography
Photographers with all different amounts of experience start out taking pictures on normal streets around a city. Markets, sporting events, or city halls have their place to share candid images of daily lives.
Finding perspectives, while building self awareness as a photographer, improves photography capabilities for photographers here. The best street photography tells stories.
Wedding Photography
Wedding photography serves couples and records an unforgettable moment for a couple on one of the greatest days of their lives. Preparing ahead, having a solid workflow, and the ability to navigate quickly helps a ton during a stressful day.
Most wedding photographers have a small team that can photograph from various angles.
Photography that Pays
Many dream of transitioning into an income generating source for income from photography, at some point. This takes an understanding of the business-side of photography.
Food Photography
Food photography might mean images used for restaurants, in cookbooks, or online. Mouth-watering content posted online that looks appetizing gains views, which in turn sometimes grows income over a longer timeline.
Many license work to publications, giving a wider exposure. Photo editing software can greatly improve visual imagery.
Product Photography
Photographers take clear images to entice buyers with commercial appeal. Tips with learning editing are a must, too.
Photography that uses product photography techniques, such as proper camera settings and learning all of the equipment, brings products to life through visuals. Great product photography drives sales.
Artistically Minded Photography
Below are more types of photography. These fields explore all the ways that pictures can evoke curiosity.
Here are the details that one should understand.
Still Life Photography
Still life photography means composing the photograph with a number of different objects. Photographers pick the arrangement of everything used as subjects for their photos.
It requires patience and planning for compelling visuals.
Black and White Photography
Foundational skill is required by removing the aspect of color when photographing with black and white photography styles. The basic techniques with making strong composition give a great creative outlet, and make this one area that continues in popularity even in our digital age.
Proper contrast is critical for success.
Fine Art Photography
What qualifies a photograph as fine art might not appeal to everyone. It helps when someone has purpose to drive the photography process, though.
Defining this area of photography really comes back to each individual. Fine art might use elements of landscapes or still life.
Double Exposure Photography
Modern software brings this feature into mainstream audiences, but historically was manually created by those working inside a photo lab. Today’s modern photo editing techniques makes photography that uses double exposure photography principles more common.
Combining two exposures into one takes skill.
Surreal Photography
Surreal photography explores images through a more unique approach. Photographs using surrealism evoke feelings.
For people who already find themselves compiling photo content from pre-existing material, consider investigating deeper into this path of creativity. Planning is important.
Abstract Photography
Aerial shots photographed from above or images captured from up close could appeal. Those interested in fresh views from existing subjects use abstract photography principles in their content creation.
Viewers don’t always understand it, but feel it.
Conclusion
Picking an area of focus for a photo is just one of many important steps needed to create stronger skills. But picking an area of interest is probably an area you won’t want to forget to consider.
With any area of interest, there are some common things photographers pick up. All those things require dedication for your process with growth as an image maker, over the long term.
Foundational skill sets apply to every field with the craft. Different types of photography share similar things, and with each unique type comes with its challenges and benefits. By putting in the effort to continually practice, though, anyone can create visually compelling photos for an audience, even a very large one.
Check out our other articles for the latest Future Photographer content.
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