Different Types of Photography You Need to Know!

For a beginner or amateur photographer, it is essential to know and understand the photographic genres. Doing so will open up a world of possibilities and allow you to learn new ways to capture images to adopt your own style. Check out the list of the most important types of photography and expand your knowledge!

Nature photography

It is the discipline that is dedicated to portraying a  living or inert natural element. It is characterized by encompassing many genres, although its main objective is to capture the aesthetic part of nature, always under the premises of safety and respect.

Of landscapes

Landscape photography is also known as scenic or environmental – is a very accessible and popular way to make tap natural scenes. Its definition includes all images that have a  landscape as the protagonist, although it is possible to include other elements in them.

It is not an easy genre to master because it requires moving the viewer to the place and making him participate so that he has the feeling of seeing everything.

Of wild fauna

Wildlife photography requires patience and perseverance, as you must wait for the perfect moment to photograph animals in their natural state; in fact, it can take hours and hours for the creature to appear or until it makes the move you want to capture.

What kinds of photography are there

Pixabay / HowardWilks

To start, we recommend that you photograph common scenes from home or the car, since it  is possible to see animals everywhere, be they birds, squirrels or dogs. When you have some experience, go out into the country and look for other species that are harder to see.

Macro photography

The term ‘macro’ means large; therefore l to macro photography, also known as macro photography or simply macro- is the branch of photography in which the photographed item is expanded, equal in scale 1: 1 or more than in real life.

It is generally associated with images of insects and flowers, but you should not limit yourself to it, since this discipline is the art of capturing small objects or animals that we normally overlook and that surround us, full of color and details.

Underwater or underwater

It is the type of photography that is done underwater combining photographic and diving techniques. It covers everything: wildlife, macro, and also portraits; however, it is one of the most complexes to master given the risk, difficulty, cost, and limitations of the equipment, as it must be designed to withstand underwater pressure.

All parameters change due to refraction. Thus, even if you see clearly, the lens’s field of view angle, brightness, and distance calculation are all diminished by this effect.

Astrophotography

Also known as astronomical photography covers a wide range of shots: craters on the moon, solar explosions, stars, the sun, and a long etcetera.

Within it is the subgenus astronomical landscapes or astrolandscape, which includes the famous photographs of the Milky Way with a portion of the Earth in the foreground.

Learn how to take these types of photos in the tutorial on how to photograph the Milky Way or learn how to photograph sharp stars.

Aerial photography

There are opinions that state that it is a branch of landscape photography, while others think that it is a genre in itself. In any case, aerial photography is one that is taken from the air at several meters of altitude above the surface or base, whether taken by plane, helicopters, or by drones.

Being done with perspective and covering a larger landscape, allows us to observe reality from an unusual point of view. That is why it is especially useful in cartography, archeology, geography, surveillance, and the military field.

If you want to get started in this type of photography, take a look at this drone comparison.

Scientific

Scientific photography is dedicated to capturing the beauty of elements as small as those under the microscope and also astrophotography images; although, other everyday objects also infiltrate these shots.

It is in charge of teaching us a  new way of seeing science, not only as artists but also as scientists, allowing us to see in detail the cells of the body, bacteria or viruses, among other things. 

People photography

It is the way of bringing together all those images in which the protagonists are people. Despite its obvious complexity, it is a very recurrent discipline because there are few things more expressive than the face, as the saying goes:  “the face is the mirror of the soul. “

It is a  very broad type of photography because it ranges from family portraits to fine art images, including commercial works.

Although it is accessible because it can be done with any photographic equipment, the truth is that it is a complex genre due to the difficulty of showing the essence of a person, their character, personality, and emotion, which is really their main objective.

Weddings are a  very special event in people’s lives. Being a wedding photographer involves responsibility, having good camera skills,  and having great knowledge of how to capture emotions and work with people.

Since 2016,  documentary wedding photography is one of the most demanded sub-genres as it portrays all events in a journalistic way, which allows a natural narration of events, avoiding poses and seeking originality.

Documentary/film photography

Almost all photographs could be documentaries because they capture a time, moment or instant, but, in the strict sense, documentary photography consists of recording reality with the purpose of generating social awareness by portraying the context and the characters, whether they are news or not.

It is often claimed that these types of shots are self-explanatory, as they involve a great emotional blow by reflecting not only the reality of people or social groups but aspects of their daily life.

Sports photography

Sports photography is one of the most complicated specializations because sports are fast and unpredictable, much more if we add a ball or ball.

A photograph of family or friends playing sports requires autofocus, synchronization, and high shutter speed skills, as well as practice and perseverance.

Fashion photography

It is the art of transmitting emotions and sensations that evoke a message thanks to scenography, styling, makeup, or hairdressing, among other techniques that go beyond lighting and the composition itself.

Its objective is to sell the fashion brands that are portrayed; For this reason, it is a type of photography used by these companies to promote consumption through advertising, whether in magazines, advertisements or on Instagram.

Commercial photography

It is any photograph designed to attractively present the most relevant characteristics of a product or service so that it moves the viewer and increases sales.

This group includes especially the images of advertisements and stock photos that match the emotions and the message that a company wants to convey; For this reason, it is very important to know the brand and the product in depth, in addition to mastering both lighting and display techniques. 

Street photography

Street photography is an old genre and very popular today. It consists of capturing reality or parts of daily life directly and spontaneously in public places such as streets, parks, and beaches.

photograph of a man running

It is often associated with working in black and white or on 35mm film, although the current one uses different styles of post-processing and equipment. The important thing is that the shots find meaning and purpose in ordinary scenes so that the viewer becomes aware of a situation in which they would not otherwise notice.

Without a doubt, if you want to put these types of photos into practice, my favorite lenses are a 35mm or a 50mm lens.

Of events photography

It is the photography that is done in concerts, parades, congresses, and other types of corporate events in which the guests are one of the most important parts along with the celebration itself.

These are usually fast-paced scenes with unforeseen interactions. Therefore, the event photographer must capture the environment and transmit the emotions of those who attend the place, informing of the importance and meaning of the event and allowing the scene to be relived again.

Some tips for concert photography that can help you in your next job.

Travel photography

You should not confuse the traveling photographer who immortalizes their travels with the traveling photographer who travels to take photos, as good travel photography is capable of capturing the striking similarities and differences between people around the world.

Its objective is to capture the essence of the place, the culture, the geography, its people, and their customs in portraits or spontaneous images, which makes us feel more connected and more aware of how other people live.

If this is the modality that best suits you, take a look at the best tips to earn money with travel photography.

Pet photography

Although it does not fit perfectly in the so-called ‘photography of people, we have included the photography of pets in this group because dogs, cats, and any domestic animal are considered one more member of the family.

Immortalizing them requires skills similar to those required for portrait photography; hence there is a  type of professional photography dedicated to creating the best indoor and outdoor pet snapshots.

Since it can be frustrating to get a good photo of your dog or cat, perhaps these pet photo tips can help.

Photography of artificial objects

In most cases, it is possible to take great photographs with the elements that you have around you and use them every day. It just takes a little imagination and ingenuity… always remember that the simplest objects can create incredible shots!

About product

It is a powerful and powerful type of photography since its objective is to boost sales. Product photography should arouse interest, describe the product visually, bring it closer to the buyer and differentiate it from the competition.

The image quality plays a critical role, as this will depend on the perception and acceptance in the market. For this reason, these types of shots are usually taken in the studio with careful lighting and with the elements arranged in a way that is visually attractive and true to its characteristics.

Gastronomic

The one known as gastronomic, food or food photography was a subgenre only seen in advertisements, cookbooks, or menus, which is beginning to be classified as a genre due to the remarkable growth it is experiencing thanks to social networks.

Thus, food photos always try to capture the dish in the most appetizing way possible, whether or not they include the chef or diner. Sometimes photographers substitute real food for artificial substitutes to make it look much tastier.

Still life

Still life photography – also known as still life photography –  is a very broad style since it immortalizes immobile objects. It consists of photographing together or in detail a series of aesthetic elements so that the scene looks its best.

Modern still lifes usually include living beings such as plants or flowers along with other artificial objects; the most common are those that add cutlery or office supplies, among other elements …

Of architecture

Architecture photography includes urban landscapes, building details, and interior design images. It is responsible for capturing the interior or exterior spaces created by man, relating the building to the context.

It is similar to urban landscape photography, where professionals often use tripods and post-processing techniques to accentuate the subject as much as possible, although the most important thing in this genre is lighting.

Other types of photography

There are many images that do not meet the criteria for any of these categories. This is what happens with abstract images or surreal photography, in which it is difficult to know what the main subject is; This does not mean that they are not of quality, since they all have a place in the world of photography.

other varieties of photography

As you have seen, the types of photography do not have a strict line that delimits them, although establishing categories or groups makes them a little easier to understand.

Conclusion

Our goal with this article is to help you understand the different types of photography and give you ideas to enjoy the wide variety of photographic styles, as well as opening the door to a world that you may have limited to taking images only of landscapes or portraits.

I hope I have helped you to do so ????