When people start photography as their career, they specialize in one or two different types of photography. They experiment with different styles of photography that help them to improve and broaden their skills. It means that when they improve in one area, they will be able to learn valuable lessons and techniques. Also, they can be experts in one style or other styles depending on their skills and interest.
Not every photographer wants to be an expert in different photography styles such as architectural photography, portrait photography, sports photography, etc. Their interest, skills, and equipment define their expertise. Also, a photographer looks for different things while learning different photography styles such as what are they going to achieve, what are their interests, what do they love to shoot, etc.
Best Photography Styles You Should Master
Portraits Photography
Portraiture is the broadest type of photography style that ranges from family portraits to commercial work and fine-art photography. The purpose of portrait photography is to show the subject’s character including emotions and personality in just one image. Portrait photography is an accessible genre that requires only a primary lens and flashlight at a higher level.
Portrait photography might seem easier but it serves the purpose of capturing the essence of the topic. If you are unable to do so, then you might not be able to achieve your goals in this type of photography style.
Wedding Photography
For most people, the most important event in their lives is their wedding. It means that wedding photographers are having a big responsibility on their shoulders. Wedding photography style does not only require good camera equipment and lighting skills but working with people skills too. In wedding photography, the photographers have to effortlessly capture the right emotions during the event.
Wedding photography style might seem easier but in reality, it is a tough type of photography style. There is only one chance to get it right, otherwise, a photographer might not be able to achieve what he was meant to in a project.
Wildlife Photography
Wildlife photography can bring out some of the most intense photographers you will ever meet. They spend hours and hours waiting for an animal to make its perfect spot. Also, they look for creatures that most people avoid because of hazards. Wildlife photography is something that you can practice in your backyard or maybe a short drive away from home.
In more remote locations, you can take urban wildlife photographs because of the availability of different animals and birds. Once you master this style of photography, your wildlife photos can be used for various purposes.
Macro Photography
Macro photography is another way of capturing small creatures or objects that are might be overlooked in daily life. It is usually associated with images of flowers and insects but there can be other objects too such as raindrops on leaves or flowers or snowflakes in the air, and much more. Macro photography, in other words, is close-up photography but macro photography means magnification of small objects.
For macro photography, you might be looking for a macro lens for your DSLR camera but it can be expensive. As an alternative, you can use an extension tube set that is cheaper. The advancement in technology has made it easier for people to capture moments with their smartphones. They come with a macro lens that can help you to capture magnified small objects around you.
It is not easier to master this photography style but you can learn technical skills by taking photos of flowers or flies in the backyard.
Food Photography
Food photography has seen remarkable growth in popularity among different types of photography styles. All the credit goes to social media. The roots of food photography come from commercial work, cookbooks, menus, etc. As of today, it is a part of documentary photography.
In food photography, the purpose of a food image is to capture the most appetizing way possible. To your surprise, at a commercial level, the real food items are replaced with artificial substitutes that make the food look tastier. For example, milk is replaced with glue or any other mixture while photographic a cereal.
Documentary
Documentary photographers have to convey information and news in their images. In documentary photography style, the images portray a surprising element that transcends the limits of the art and elicits an emotional reaction from the viewers. Documentary photography can range from local news to reporting straight from the war zones.
Documentary photography is to highlight the important events in the surroundings such as political events, celebrations, etc. It is not only about the news but the cultural or traditional display.
Landscape Photography
Landscape photography is another name of environmental or scenic photography. It is about taking photographs of a natural scene such as smaller and more intimate or large and grand. They are meant to bring the viewer into the scene. As of today, landscape photography is one of the most popular photography styles. It comes from subgenres of seascape photography, storm photography, etc. but with a broader definition.
Landscape photography also includes man-made scenes and cityscapes. This type of photography style might be available to everyone but it is not easy to master it.
Astrophotography
Covering everything from smartphone images taken using a telescope to photographs of Hubble’s deep space, astrophotography style is one of the humbler types of photography. it is because the size and scale of the objects are enough to evoke existential dread in everyone. On the other hand, if you are not having excellent exposure and post-processing techniques, then astrophotography style is not the best option.
On the other hand, there is a genre of Astro Landscape. It includes the Milky way with a piece of Earth in the foreground. This type of photography style might be trickier for some photographers but they can master it easily.
Street Photography
Street photography is all about capturing the moments happening around the city. They can be sidewalks, parks, malls, museums, etc. Street photography finds the purpose and meaning in seemingly ordinary interactions or moments that lead the viewers to think of something they would otherwise have overlooked.
Street photography is black and white photos that are captured using a 35mm lens. In modern times, this photography style can show street happenings in any effect or post-processing elements.
Architecture Photography
The last type of photography is architectural photography. It includes the details of buildings, cityscapes, historical construction or buildings, etc. For a perfect image in this type of photography style, the photographers use tripods or post-processing techniques to display more details of the building that people see daily but overlook.
Architecture photography seems easy that you have to take a photo of a building and post it after editing but the straight lines make it difficult to master. When a photographer goes through editing procedure, they avoid having a skewed or crooked appearance of a building. Hence, this photography style is not that easy.
Photography Styles – Genres Of Photography
Not all photos correspond perfectly to one style of photography. Sometimes, an image overlaps the line between two different styles of photography. The main thing is that there is no hard line between them but the different styles make it easier to learn new skills and enhance them by practicing.
Mastering different photo styles are to take a perfect photo in every scenario, field, or moment. It can happen if a photographer is interested in other styles of photography and tries to learn new skills to diversify his career as a photographer.