Are you looking to dive into the field of photography? We have rounded up 27 common types of photography to enable you to learn and widen your understanding of various forms of photography and how to achieve them.
Checking out different types of photography is a great way to enable you to develop more ideas, pushing you to create unique new photography content for your portfolio. It is also an avenue to understand what the clients want.
Whether you are looking to capture your life or that of your loved ones with the finesse of Maryam Ashrafi or create a wide range of photos for your clients, this is the ideal blog on where to master different types of photography.
We have compiled 27 of the standard photography types to hone your skills. As you feel motivated to venture or widen your mastery in the field of photography, we offer a one-by-one kind of photography to help you understand each photograph you will be capturing.
If humans, animals, plants, the universe, and everyday events excite you, the following photography categories are ideal.
1. Street Photography
This term can mean photographing events and people in the streets. However, its usage holds a broad meaning. Street photography means taking pictures of everyday actions. Carrying out this photography requires little to no planning. Spontaneity is king when it comes to street photography.
Street photography captures the actions of the day in crystal clarity. It serves the goals of casual memories or enlightens the audience on the current societal issue. However, it comes with various challenges like equipment theft or harassment of photographers during the shooting sessions.
2. Aesthetic Photography
This term “aesthetic photography” could technically represent any photograph. Often, all pictures have unique aesthetics. Whether such aesthetics are appealing or a sore to the eye is a different debate.
What develops into aesthetics within photography? Lighting, color, composition, and capture angle, to name just a few. Say you want photography that brings out gritty aesthetics-then you may settle on low-key lighting, grainy ISO, and desaturated colors. The aesthetics of a photograph lies in what the photographer wants to make of it.
3. Commercial Photography
How would advertising be a multi-billion-dollar industry without photography? Not anywhere near the world-leading sectors. Commercial photography- the stylistic capture of a product or service for sales purposes- has become a lucrative market for photographers looking to use their skills as their source of income.
As a rule of thumb, commercial photography is dynamic. It varies based on the client’s needs. However, commercial photography should always be appealing, easily digestible, and aesthetically pleasing to attract the target audience.
4. Fine Art Photography
Fine art photography refers to pictures that do not adhere to strict representation of what is in front of the camera. The end products in the form of photographs are created using tricks such as Photoshop or other forms of in-camera trickery that distorts what appears in front of the photographer’s eyes.
5. Landscape Photography
Landscape photography goes beyond just pointing the camera at a random, pretty view. Instead, it entails connecting with nature, ensuring a perfect understanding of light, and creating a final scene as an image that invokes emotions.
As an interested photographer, you can master the art of landscape photography by studying renowned landscape photographers’ works. You can also become a skilled landscape photographer by taking the initiative to experiment with different weather conditions, photograph in varying locations, and always have fun while at it.
6. Sports Photography
Sports photography refers to the art of capturing the exciting moment of athleticism. It is more about telling the story of a game or sports event through a captured image. An ideal sports photography requires a blend of artistic vision, an innate understanding of the sport, and the photographer’s artistic vision.
However, just because it is easy to explain does not mean that doing sports photography is an easy process. Capturing excellent sports photography requires high-speed telephoto lenses and a fast reaction from the photographer. Due to the game’s pace, a quick, long lens should be the number one tool for quality sports photography. Using a slower lens can quickly be muddied with motion blur.
7. Natural Light Photography
This form of photography uses light, which is not artificial. Sometimes, the natural light in natural photography is from the sun or the moon.
Natural light comes in handy if you are seeking to capture great outdoor images with maximum realism. It is also ideal for someone lacking artificial lights. Natural photography, however, has its drawbacks. First, the photographer has less control over the lighting level. The sun can choose what it deems best: hiding behind the clouds, set at a certain time, and more. However, making proper arrangements regarding shooting time and the right equipment leads to excellent natural light photography.
8. Black and White Photography
It refers to a picture that lacks any saturation. The photograph is full of shades of gray. This photograph might appear to be an old image produced in the past due to the lack of proper technology. However, a black-and-white photo can still represent modern events and objects.
Remember, black-and-white photography is not easy to create. It requires keen attention toward contrast, composition, and lighting. As a photographer, you should ensure that there is no distraction afforded by color. It is also essential to differentiate black-and-white photography from monochromatic photography. For the monochromatic one, the image has a gradient of one color, such as black, white, or even purple.
9. Glamour Photography
Glamour photography is about capturing all the beauties surrounding the human subject. This type of photography relies on everything to enhance the captured subject’s appearance and beauty.
Eye-appealing glamour photography emanates from a blend of many things. The photographer may carefully choose a lens, a soft filter, or a flattering lighting. There is usually room for other professionals like fashion designers and makeup artists. Glamour photography is a product of a team of professionals.
10. Film Photography
Film photography is defined by what is inside the camera. It entails taking photos on film rather than digitally.
Film uniquity has waned with the increased growth of high-quality digital cameras. However, film photography’s unique, aesthetic analog still holds a particular space in many photographers’ hearts. Although many modern photographers might try to use technology to produce film, it still lacks the excellent authenticity exhibited in actual film photography.
11. Event Photography
Event photography is all about capturing activities that are unlikely to be repeated. As such, an event photographer needs to be quick on their feet. As an event photographer, you must remember that you are not working with models but are just along for the ride.
Thus, event photographers are just camera gurus who can quickly adjust their camera settings and capture a flash in the pan. Further, as an event photographer, you wouldn’t want to face disruption from motion blur or shallow depth of field. Therefore, you should always invest in exceedingly fast lenses.
12. Macro Photography
Put, macro photography entails capturing the images of extremely small subjects. However, some photography experts argue that macro photography occurs when the magnification ratio is at least 1:1. Simply put, the object capturing should hit the camera’s sensor at its actual size or larger.
It is a general knowledge that macro photography requires special attention to equipment. As a photographer interested in macro photography, you must have a lens with a very small minimum focusing distance to get you very close to the subject. Also, the lens must be pretty long to help magnify the subject to qualify as genuinely macro. Through excellent macro photography work, we can witness the hidden worlds of objects, often overlooked by the naked eye.
13. Real Estate Photography
Real estate photography refers to capturing high-quality images of property used in marketing to attract potential buyers. This form of photography is fundamental in the real estate business.
Real estate photography has a unique and complex visual language. These aspects converge to serve the goal of showcasing highly appealing property. As someone in real estate photography, you need to master the skill of visual clarity. You will have the mandate of situating the viewer in a property, representing the layout of the building while at the same time highlighting the architectural details of that property.
Therefore, elements like high-key lighting, wide-angle lenses, and a sharp eye for composition are needed for outstanding real estate photography.
14. Brand Photography
A brand’s visual identity has become crucial in today’s highly competitive business world. Thus, brand photography is simply the photographs of products. This image, with time, becomes the face of that given company.
Think of a Nike billboard with the image of an athlete running in the company shoes. Nike’s brand, thus, ends up developing an identity as a company that deals with quality running shoes. Also, a hedge fund company can opt for brand photography with images of cityscapes and happy families on the website. Such an image will make the company’s brand approachable and aim to improve the family’s well-being.
15. Wildlife Photography
Wildlife photography refers to a mixture of scientific observation and artistic flourishing, where photographers capture animals in their natural habitats. Production of great wildlife photography is vital in inspiring wonder and remotely transporting viewers to distant jungles with great wildlife views.
When planning to carry out wildlife photography, there are various considerations that you must make to end up with a great animal photograph. Ask yourself questions like, will I be able to draw closer to the animal? If not, then you will need to acquire a telephoto lens. It would be best to ask what time the animal is most active. It would be wise to settle on infrared cameras if the answer is at night. However, as you venture into wildlife photography, remember that this requires in-depth knowledge of biome and camera areas. You should also master the art of patience.
16. Nature Photography
To better understand this photography, you should know that wildlife photography is a form of nature photography. Still, not all nature photography is a type of wildlife photography. Therefore, nature photography captures any element of the natural world, such as animals, plants, or expansive vistas.
Like other forms of photography, nature photography depends on aspects like landscape, long exposure, natural light, and macro. Further, being a great nature photographer can be demanding and requires high expertise in the medium and outdoorsmanship.
17. Interior Photography
Photographing interior spaces remains among the most challenging areas of photography. The process can be daunting for those unfamiliar with interior photography techniques. Common challenges that make this type of photography an arduous task are issues like lousy lighting, inability to fit the scene in your preferred frame, and failure to capture the chosen scene realistically.
Unknown to many people aspiring to embrace photography, this form of photography can be the most enjoyable and straightforward if you master the art of interior HDR photography. Tools like Luminar Neo are excellent photo editing software that grants you single-exposure images with HDR effects.
18. Dance Photography
With the great, modern cameras, you can freeze any moment of human activities. Then, why not capture the mesmerizing beauty of a dance move? That is precisely what it entails to carry out dance photography.
But photographing dancing can be a tricky type of photography. For example, snapping a dance move in a scenario like mid-air must happen in a split-second maneuver. Thus, as a photographer, you should never forget to set a shutter speed. You should also consider the best angle for this type of photography style. Remember that a dance is more than just a body movement. Therefore, always capture a dancer’s face to get the essence of their performance.
19. Documentary Photography
Documentary photography can be described as a form of visual journalism. Photographers in this category use their cameras to document selected events, people, and places in their exact, unbiased manner. Documentary photography is usually rooted in reality. It aims to inform the audience, invoke new thoughts, and create social change.
Documentary photography is vital in revealing the unseen side of communities, nature, and the universe. Pictures from documentary photography create a better understanding of the world. It brings a better view and understanding of people and places, often hidden from everyday life.
20. Food Photography
Food photography remains one of the trendy images among photographers. You run into food pictures all the time you swipe in the newsfeed. Food photography has become a new tool for reaching hotel and food industry customers.
Food photography can be produced by both amateurs and professionals in the photography space. These professionals can capture mouth-watering food images through different types of cameras, including smartphone cameras. Playing with the right lens, color, and angles can help you capture great food photographs for personal and commercial use.
21. Fairy-tale Photography
Fairy-tale photography is among the most exciting photo shoots in photography. Fairy-tale pictures always look tricky. However, their production does not require a complicated setup for you to create the ideal fantastical images. You only need photo editing software, experiment, and voila.
Luminar Neo offers an excellent opportunity to turn ordinary images into fairy-tale pictures. Try out the layers panel, which gives you incredible power to become an outstanding artist. Start by opening the selected photo for editing, load another image you want to use as a texture, then play with brush and sliders to design the aspects of position and opacity to achieve the right creative effect. Continue with such experiments until you attain the best fairy-tale photography.
22. Underwater Photography
Shooting underwater can be tricky, even if you live in the right place. Underwater photography requires the right tools and environment, such as a dedicated waterproof camera and the right lighting toolkit, and it must be situated more than a short distance from the surface. Scuba diving equipment should also be available as you plan to dive into the waters and engage in underwater photography.
Tools alone are not enough for you to turn out as a perfect underwater photographer. It would help if you practiced for longer dives. Although it can be challenging, shelling the proper financial and training dedication can result in you developing an outstanding specialty in underwater photography. Remember, this area of photography extends from wildlife, macro, and even portrait photography.
23. Water Splash Photography
Water splash photography is an exciting genre that allows you as a photographer to freeze mesmerizing scenes of liquid in action. Like most other types of photography, water splash photography is an art, not a science.
You can efficiently train yourself to master the art of water splash photography. Maintain patience and persistence when shooting these types of photos. Also, remember that creativity is necessary in this type of photography. Ensure that your pictures are appealing and outstanding. Learning from other photographers through reinventing rather than copying their work is also okay.
24. Astrophotography
Astrophotography refers to the art of capturing images of celestial objects and events. Using the camera to capture endless photos of the moon and the galaxies is often a captivating hobby that leads to outstanding creativity in photography.
Any photographer can develop into an outstanding photographer. Among the needed aspects are a helpful guide, proper and adequate gear, and post-processing software. However, remember that you can turn any camera into an astrophotography tool. With the right skills and tools, astrophotography continues producing the beautiful sceneries of the universe.
25. Portraits
Portraits make up the broadest type of people’s photography. The images cover everything from family portraits fine-art photography, and commercial work. The primary goal of portrait photography is to capture the person’s personality and emotion through an image.
Portrait photography is among the most accessible forms of photography you can capture as a cameraperson. Becoming a high-level portrait photographer requires not more than a prime lens and a flash. However, excellently capturing the subject’s essence or meeting the goal of the given commercial project via the portrait sets you apart in better quality as a portrait photographer.
26. Travel Photography
Travel photography goes beyond just clicking a button while on the travel trail. It is more about capturing the essence of a place, having the ability to narrate about a journey or visit through images, and inspiring the audience to explore.
As a photographer leaning towards travel photography, remember that good travel photography captures the striking similarities and differences among people and places worldwide. Always capture images that invoke the feeling of connectedness and awareness of other people’s ways of life among your audience.
27. Pet Photography
Pets such as cats and dogs are more than animals. Over the years, their position in human life has grown from mere companions to part of family members. Therefore, what would be a better way to cherish their playful spirit and unconditional love than capturing stunning photographs of them? Thus, pet photography is a niche dedicated to capturing pets’ unique and beautiful moments in our homes.
Pet photography is ideal for getting up close and personal with animals in our homes. Pet photography comes with unique challenges, such as being fast in capturing the moments, as animals do not pose, which grants you ample time to take images of them. However, adequate practice and, eventually, being able to adapt can help you snap great shots of your favorite pets at home.
Conclusion
From capturing the buzzing energy of streets to immortalizing the fantastic beauty of nature, photography offers a golden canvas for creativity and expression through images. With the 27 diverse photography types explored, you can confidently say you have a comprehensive roadmap to kickstart or proceed with your photographic journey. However, remember that the key to becoming a master in the field of photography rests in continuous experimentation, practice, the right tools, and a keen eye for detail.
Photography By Sunman offers top-tier photography services tailored to your needs. Whether it’s portraits, events, or creative commercial photography, we’ll bring your vision to life with precision and artistry.
Explore how our expertise can enhance your special moments. Visit Photography By Sunman to learn more about our services, or contact us directly at info@photographybysunman.com to schedule your personalized photoshoot!
Recommended Readings
Bryan-Smith, C. (2024). 59 Types of Photography You Need to Know (With Examples). Retrieved from expertphotography.com
Wells, L. (2015). Photography: a critical introduction. Routledge.
Zappavigna, M. (2016). Social media photography: construing subjectivity in Instagram images. Visual communication, 15(3), 271-292.
