Types of Photography

 

 

There are many specific types of photography ... explore the Internet to see for yourself.  Other than commercial and studio, some of the myriad of other specialties are aerial, fashion, sports, photojournalism, portrait, medical, macro-photography, astrophotography, stock photography, forensic, nature and wildlife, scenic and ... well, you get the picture.


One example of commercial/industrial work is promotional photography for companies and institutions. Assigned or stock photographs are almost always a huge part of communications instruments, including brochure design, magazine/newspaper advertising, or annual reports.

Portrait/wedding photography is aimed directly at the general public. You need to be good at flattering people through your photography in order to appeal to the average customer. Wedding photography is fun and profitable but extremely demanding of the photographer, as weddings are sometimes impossible to re-create if necessary and extremely expensive when it is possible. You must be able to capture the moment in a flattering way because these photos will be displayed for generations to come. Since digital has overtaken film, the wedding pro can instantly evaluate every single shot and repeat it immediately if the need arises ... for instance if Auntie had her eyes closed in a family shot.

Press photography is very time based and competitive as you need the skills to be able to sum up a newsworthy event in pictures. Some publications still accept visual essays, offering space for in-depth documentary coverage of the topic. You can therefore think in terms of a sequence -- supply the art editor with full coverage containing strong starting and finishing shots. The advent of smart phones and internet "sticks" allows the news photographer to immediately upload important pictures and photo essays to his or her publication(s). With the addition of Social Media, amateur photographers can often capture a newsworthy photo and upload it instantly. Will the press photographer role disappear? 
         

Editorial/advertising photography means working closely with designers. Catalogue work particularly, involves the use of digital studio photography. Advertising work is usually a pre-planned layout or entire campaign assigned to a team including a creative director, photographer(s), graphic designer(s) and a copywriter(s). Thematic images are often required for "concept" ads, like those for insurance companies, banks, funeral homes and other personal service ventures. Often, these images are purchased from stock photo agencies, several of which have millions of photos on file for sale. Again, you are encouraged to roam the internet for some time to better appreciate the role of stock agencies and the huge role they play in the word of advertising.

Technical/scientific applications of photography call for factual analytical records. You are likely to be an employed staff photographer, either working on industrial/university research projects or at a forensic or medical centre, or perhaps with a police force or industrial facility.

There are several key roles in any photographic business or department. A manager administrates quality control, accounts, safety, equipment and materials. One or more photographers organize shoots, liaise with clients and carry out jobs efficiently, imaginatively and economically. Ancillary roles include art directors, editors, agents, stylists, model agencies and prop suppliers.

Most people get into professional photography by taking an appropriate full-time college course, or they start in the studio and study part-time. However, 'getting on' depends more on evidence of your practical achievements than on paper qualifications. A solid photographic education such as those offered in Alberta by NAIT, SAIT, and the universities' BFA and MFA programs do not guarantee success in a chosen field any more than a degree in Political Science can guarantee you will become Prime Minister ... but it's a step on the way, and an education in the field of your dreams is a great start to a fulfilling career.


This concludes Unit 1: Photography in Society.  Please proceed to Unit 2, where you will learn about The Camera.