Photography, like other art forms, has a range of genres and styles. Its willingness to accommodate the ever-evolving domination of technology has allowed it to be relevant and interesting.
The medium has managed to retain original or classic forms of photography whilst also developing new ways of capturing images. It also developed various ways to capture images.
Similarly, photography has managed to place itself as an indispensable tool within the creative industries that it has become a mainstay in the digital era. However, there are many forms of photography that are more than about being professional. It has also functioned as a fun and creative outlet for passionate individuals. It has given serious enthusiasts with a lucrative career or an exciting hobby that is worth pursuing.
In this article, we’ll run through a handful of the genres and styles that currently exist in photography. Below are a couple of established and thought-provoking photographers who are known for their particular style.
Most beginner or amateur photographers will have an idea of what they intend to shoot. Meanwhile, others might not have a cohesive idea. This list will hopefully provide inspiration, perhaps even open opportunities to let your creativity flow. This list might give you an idea of the specific genre or style of photography you want to hone in on.
It’s also worth noting that a number of styles and genres of photography overlap. This is highly beneficial for amateurs who are looking to learn the ropes, and also good for professional photographers who are looking to add other elements or skills to their portfolio in order to attract a wider range of clients.
To begin, we will look at all the different genres of photography that are currently in existence as doing so gives people a well-rounded idea of what people are shooting. Hopefully, these will inspire you to try shooting something that is uniquely your own.
Architecture
Architectural photography is the world’s earliest form of photography. The view from the window, which was shot in the 1820’s, is the first documented photograph that depicts a building.
Architectural photography has since continued to be an important part of photography for many years. It still holds value today. Used by photographers for both artistic purposes as well as a source of income, it’s a great area of photography to gain knowledge from. Plus, it is incredibly rewarding.
This type of photography offers plenty of room for experimentation. It’s a great way to expand your perspective as well as knowledge. It will also help you master the art of shooting at a variety of different angles, heights, and positions.
Buildings provide more than mere shelter. They shape the way we live. It alters the way our everyday lives are lived. They are a huge part of life and are extremely important, culturally.
As previously mentioned, architectural photography leaves you with endless shooting opportunities. Anything from bridges to museums and everything in between is fair game for this style of photography. It also offers a great way to learn a range of shooting skills.
Documenting space and place within cities (citiscapes) is another great way to exercise your skill in architectural photography. This particular style is growing in popularity all the time due to the speed at which cities are currently changing. Architecture is part of our cultural identity. It marks the way we live and is integral to our identity.
Whether you live in a city and love documenting the buildings you pass by on your commute, starting a career in architectural photography is rewarding.
The possibilities are endless with architectural photography. Check out Berenice Abbot for some inspiration. She managed to keep her shots interesting whilst informative. She has made a long and lucrative career out of taking pictures of buildings. Her blend of architecture and casual street photography is still a trendy shooting syle today.
Real Estate
A sub-section of the field of architectural photography is real estate photography. Coinciding with real estate photography is interior photography.
Both of these photography genres are largely pursued by photographers who want to earn more money. Shooting real estate became a passion of mine shortly after I began pursuing photography professionally. It became more than just a mere hobby. WIth plenty of freelance opportunities, it turned out to be a great gig.
If you love being nosy around people’s homes, architectural photography is the way to go. Often you won’t be able to release your creative side as you’ll be working with a brief and will be required to produce professional-quality photographs.
However, it’s still a different skill set to learn, and one that can be very rewarding. Although you will be shooting similar style shots, it can remain an interesting field of photography. If you have a passion for interior design, styling, or architecture it’s a great style of photography to try out!
Advertising
During the early 1960’s when Roland Barthes stated that the image had replaced the text, only a few understood the ramifications of a trend. Little did anyone know that Barthes foresaw how the image will radically affect the ways in which we live our everyday lives.
Fast forward 60 years and the image has only further asserted its status as the one at the forefront of our consumer world. Advertising is one of the largest industries in the world. Behind every good advert is an image taken by a superb photographer.
Advertising agencies are always on the hunt for new photographers who have the ability to create the most radically different shots. In this industry, your creative skills are often allowed to flourish.
Advertising is an extremely popular field. It is so popular that it has led to it also becoming quite saturated in recent years. As a result of the ongoing saturation, those that have the power to alter trends rather than simply following them are the photographers that will go furthest in this field.
This field of photography will require you to enjoy researching before you shoot. You’ll also have to have a creative edge, use your own ideas, and master the art of taking professional standard images for a wide range of clients.
This is a great field of photography that looks set to keep on growing. If you’re keen to develop your photography career, this is a great place to start.
You won’t have to look far to find photography in advertising. Open any magazine, browse the web or simply wander through any city and you’ll be sure to find plenty of examples and inspiration.
Documentary
With degree programs now offering this specific field of photography, there is no doubt that documentary photography is becoming increasingly popular. The surge can be related to Barthe’s claim. In the 21st century, a person’s attention span is shorter. Where words miss, images hit. Documentary photographers look to expose, educate and direct attention toward ongoing issues in the world.
If you’re politically motivated, enjoy traveling, or have a curious nature about the world, documentary photography is a great field to expose realities and truths about our planet and its inhabitants.
Normally regarded as an extremely rewarding profession, documentary photography is also on the rise in the professional field. With a range of fields expanding to include the ever-powerful image in their artillery, don’t be surprised if you see the world of documentary photography continue to grow!
Check out the works of Martin Parr, a British photographer who has spent years documenting the everyday lives of his native British people. Parr shows that documentary photography doesn’t have to be focused on the extreme – the mundane and normal also provide great stimulus if you look hard enough.
Photojournalism
With many newspapers turning toward the image, photojournalism is another area of photography that has continued to grow in relevance and prevalence. This highly rewarding and interesting genre will test your shooting skills.
If you’re passionate about an issue, want to expose an experience, or provide evidence to the wider world, documentary photojournalism is an excellent way to convince, influence opinion, and even alter world views.
With this position comes a degree of power so use your shooting skills wisely!
Fashion
For some, this may seem like an odd niche. For others, it might be a “duh” moment, but fashion photography has been around for a long time and its popularity never seems to falter.
Coinciding with editorial photography, fashion photography is pretty straightforward and obvious. It involves taking pictures of models in clothes! The fashion industry is booming and every outfit needs to be documented properly.
Be prepared to dabble in set design, styling, and of course runway shows. For the fashion-conscious, photography is more than just selling clothes – it’s a way to emotionally move people, and to depict the human form in all its glory.
Check out world-famous Cindy Sherman who, perhaps, has been the biggest influencer in the fashion world. Sherman’s shots revolutionized the fashion photography world. Her lasting legacy is still visible to this day!
Editorial
As previously mentioned, editorial photography is another studio-based subset of fashion photography. This genre usually covers wild, crazy, and staged shots. Editorial photography covers the wide scope of images that are featured in magazines, publications.
Often also an affiliate of advertising photography, editorial photography is normally a little more high-end, creative and ‘out there’.
Art
Photography has long been considered as an informal art form compared to traditional and older mediums such as painting or sculpture.
However, photography is widely regarded as an art form by institutions ranging from the world’s largest museums to the best universities in the world.
We can have trouble defining what an artist is, and this definition becomes even more so diluted when it comes to photography. Museums have photographers’ works in their collections. It covers all ranges and styles of photography. At times, it is often the photographer who has to formally declare: “I am an Artist!”.
Check out Gregory Crewsdon whose work has been praised by art critics across the globe. His work is often staged, and provides a high degree of drama for the viewer. In creating a fictional narrative, his shots allow viewer interpretation and often generate an emotional response.
Landscapes
Artists have long traveled the world in order to find the best landscapes that they can paint, draw, or document.
Photography is of course no different! Plenty of photographers have sought careers and made great hobbies out of shooting the world’s most attractive landscapes. It takes time, skill, and determination to capture gorgeous landscapes.
Andreas Gursky shoots cinematic and often incomprehensible landscape shots that really have a ‘wow’ factor. Check out some of his shots for inspiration and you’ll see just how expansive this genre of photography can be if you let your imagination run wild.
Cityscapes
As our city changes at a quicker pace than ever before, and urbanization’s unprecedented grasp on the world evolves, taking pictures of cities throughout the day has become another great area of photography.
Having lived within cities for the majority of my life, I’ve always enjoyed finding the beauty in the ugly and concrete. Large cities have skylines that continue to mutate and grow every day.
Many photographers have taken to documenting the changing of cities, capturing a life that often doesn’t stand still for very long at all.
Street
Capturing our changing city skylines is one past time that I love, but when you’ve had enough of snapping the city and its buildings, why not start shooting its subjects instead?
Street photography is a great way to test out your shooting skills. Street photography requires patience, confidence, and risk.
Whether your street photography falls into categories of portraiture, advertising or even art street photography, it is a great way to expand your skillset.
One of my favourite methods of shooting street photography is to creep up and shoot people without them realizing that the shots have been taken. This is especially great in densely populated cities whereby you’ll find the weird, wonderful, and extravagant buried in the deepest darkest corners of the cities.
Looking for inspiration? Check out Fred Herzog, a pioneering street photographer who changed the way people viewed photography. He dedicated his life to street photography, which is evident in his witty, interesting, and thought-provoking shots.
Food
Just like photography, the food industry has also adapted well to the advancements of technology. With restaurants and technology integrating successfully, most restaurants and eateries now require professional images of their food.
Whether it be for websites, apps, or just advertising, food photography has blown up in recent years. It’s a fantastic way to hone new skills and learn how to shoot a wide range of different images in, literally, delectable ways.
Sport/Action
Sports photography has been on the rise for many years now. It requires photographers to be alert, sharp, and quick to catch the action.
Great for sport lovers, this is a great genre of photography that can provide an extra source of income while watching the sports you love.
Wildlife
If you enjoy spending time outside and have a passion for nature, wildlife photography is another great option.
If you spend a lot of time outdoors, love watching nature, and always carry your camera, why not try catching the world’s beauty and wonder whilst you’re out? Awe-inspiring shots of unknowing subjects make great shots.
Harness different skills with this great genre of photography that will get you outside and exploring.
Travel
If you love exploring and spend your time always looking, booking a vacation, and then going on your next holiday, travel photography is a great way to explore the medium.
Travel photography is another field of photography that is growing fast. With new travel blogs popping up all the time, exploring new places has become a right of passage for millennials.
It’s an incredibly rewarding genre of photography that covers plenty of different themes. Naturally, you’ll enjoy learning about other cultures.
If you want to hone in on a range of skills whilst developing your skill, then travel photography is a great option to consider whilst enjoying some time away from your normal surroundings.
Wedding and Event
I decided to bunch these two genres together as they are closely linked. Both also involve many of the same skills when operating a camera.
Event and wedding photography are great ways to earn extra money. Wedding photography is particularly useful for those that want to expand their professional shooting range. Every wedding has a photographer! So you should have no problem finding clients.
You’ll need to be able to take good quality shots and be willing to go along with the happy couple on their special day.
Event photography requires a similar skill set but could require you to shoot in a range of different settings. Lots of nightclubs require photographers so if you enjoy clubbing and spend most of your Saturday night dancing – event photography might be a great way to combine two passions and earn some extra money.
Product
If you enjoy shooting studio quality images and want to find your feet as a professional photographer it’s worth taking a look at the world of product photography. This ever-evolving industry owes its growth in part thanks to the growth of internet shopping.
With all new products needing to be photographed before they are put online for sale, product photography has become an in-demand profession. A knowledge of studio photography is key for this genre. Whilst it isn’t the most creative outlet that we’ve covered, it is a safe bet for earning you a stable income!
Experimental
Experimental photography can merge together any of the following genres or subject areas that we’ve covered on this list. Experimenting is key to any art practice. Only with experimenting can you grow and develop your skills.
Trying out new techniques and breaking the rules is part and parcel of capturing great shots. I encourage everyone to learn some of the basic “rules”, master them, then disregard them. See where you end up. You could also ignore me altogether, either works!
Experimentation in art is what makes it so amazing, therapeutic, and endlessly fun. Getting creative with photography is enjoyable and something anyone can do!
Check out Jon Rafman, an experimental photographer who manages to take photographs without a camera. Rafman spends hours searching Google Street View finding weird, wonderful, and sometimes shocking images that are picked unknowingly when Google Street View collects their images.
Rafman pushes the boundaries of photography as an art form to its extreme!
Styles of Photography
In this section, we will be addressing the various styles of shooting used by professional and amateur photographers. Get inspired from our list below:
Aerial
Since the advent of drones, we have seen an increasing amount of aerial shots featured in both still and moving images. The aerial shot has become a key tool in the advertising industry. It provides new and creative ways to shock, wow and amaze potential customers.
Drones are just one of the new ways in which photographers are able to capture images. Try getting up high and shooting down below, adding new elements to the photography arsenal is always a great way to expand your practice.
Portrait
Portrait style shots are one of the oldest forms of photography. They are timeless. Though they look easy to capture, they require a certain level of skill to accurately portray the person in the photograph.
The key to a good portrait is knowing your subject well enough so that you are able to capture their spirit within a single frame.
Landscape
Shoot the world as you see it with portrait photography. Not in the mood to shoot subjects? Honing your landscape shooting abilities will definitely help you diversify your shooting abilities.
Even if you consider yourself a street photographer, learning to shoot portraits will definitely help you view the world through your camera differently.
Close Up
Macro shot anyone? Get close. Then get closer. So many photographers are nervous, scared, or embarrassed to try close-ups. Why? We do not know.
Try getting uncomfortably close to your subject to capture those imperfections that make us human.See details that the eye would normally miss. Find beauty in the every day, and mundane. Shock viewers with shots that expose a different side of photography.
Images by Pixabay