Types of

photography

By James Dalzell
Advertising Photography
This type of photography can be defined as photographs of products and/or services
provided by a company or individual , to is done to advertise the product and make it
look appealing to potential and existing customers. It can either be a a picture of the
actual product or and artistic representation made to convey a message to the
audience. This form of photography is most often seen in magazines and in online ads.
An example for this type of photography is Nivea advertising their range of skin care
lotions and body washes, they use leaves and grass in the picture along with their
products in order to convey to consumers that their line of skincare products are natural
and therefore good, attracting an audience who want the best natural care for
themselves.
Fashion Photography
This type of photography is focused on capturing images of fashion this can include clothes
and other fashion items and accessories. This form of photography is most often seen in the
form of fashion magazines/catalogues, television advertisements and websites for designer
brands such as Gucci, Prada and alternative brands such as Killstar. Below for an example i
used a picture of a woman in a long black gothic dress, i feel that the background with the
dark and dying plants and wooden gate on the verge of rotting is to give the a dark and
mysterious tone this is done to appeal to people who would be into that type of fashion and
dark and mysterious are often associated with the gothic subculture.
Photojournalism / Documentary
Photojournalism is the method of using pictures and sometimes videos to tell stories mainly
news, this form of photography when used for political or charity related causes can can be
an effective tool for making the audience sympathise with the point trying to be made. Below
for an example i used the famous picture of the vietnamese monk setting himself on fire as a
form of protest against the treatment of buddhists at the time. To me this powerful image
represents the monks nearly inhuman dedication to this cause as he endured extreme pain to
stand by his point while still following the buddhist path of non violence against others which
also sends the message that protests done have to involve harming others.
Portraiture
Also known as portrait photography this method to used to capture the personality
of the subject or subjects. The mood and personality of the portrait can be
presented through the background, lighting and the pose and facial expressions of
the subject. Below as an example i have used a portrait photo of Frankenstein’s
Monster, i feel that his facial expressions of melancholy accurately portray what
defines the character
High-street photography
Otherwise known as candid or just street photography is a form of
unscripted/unplanned photography usually done in a public setting. The example i
have used is youths of the punk subculture in the street. To me this captures youth
culture and the lack of activities for young people to society.
Studio photography
This form of photography is done indoors, this gives the photographer complete
control over what happens as they can change almost every aspect of the studio to
fit the project. As an example the picture used below shows the whole studio aea
blackened with only the subject barely visible, i believe this is done to show the
mysterious and scary nature of what the model is portraying.
Architectural photography
Architectural Photography is the process of photographing architecture this usually
takes the form of the exteriors and interiors of buildings however this form of
photography can also include other structures such as bridges and other forms of
architecture. As an example I have used this interior picture of a shadow which is
taken at such an angle it shows off all of the key architectural and design elements
along with complimentary lighting.
Medical photography
Medical photography is the process of photographically documenting various
medical related topics for example the look of various rashes, disease markers and
injuries, it is also used for documenting the correct way to perform surgeries as
medical photography is often used for medical teaching through textbooks and
other educational mediums. Below is a picture of doctors performing a surgery and
I feel this is a good example as you can see where people are correctly placed and
what they are doing which is good for the purpose of education
Fine Art Photography
Fine Art Photography is a form of photography which has the photographer assume
the perspective of an artist and use artistic expression in order to convey the
message behind the artwork. The example I have chosen is of a woman with what
appears to be black smoke coming from her body and what that represents to me is
a deep saddness or depression radiating off of her or leaving her completely.
Illustration photography
Illustration photography is a term used to refer to photos that have been edited to
look different from the original picture, the most common place to see this method
of photography is in advertising as it allows the companies to change the picture to
fit what they want it to look like. The example I have chosen below is an old poster
for Coca-Cola as the top section of the picture has had the company logo and
colours edited in to it in order to display their product in an eye catching way to
customers.
Lifestyle Photography
Lifestyle Photography is the method of photography that captures the real life and
everyday activities of the subjects in an artistic manner in order to tell a story
however these photos are staged as opposed to street photography which is more
unscripted. For my example of lifestyle Photography I used a picture of a woman
playing guitar in the outdoors as this captures the daily life of musicians who like to
practice in nature for solace and inspiration.
Event Photography
Event Photography is the method of photography that focuses on capturing an
event taking place, this involves taking pictures of not just key moments during said
event but also pictures of the audience in attendance in order to capture the
energy and mood of the event. Below I have chosen a picture of two wrestlers
facing each other in a build-up for a major event, this picture also shows the
audience and their reactions.
Sports photography
Sports photography is the method of photography dedicated to documenting all
kinds of sports there are many levels of this from huge professional sporting events
to local school sports events. Below for my example of sports photography I have
chosen an MMA sporting match, this photo is important and well timed as is
captures the pivotal moment of a fighter going down from a punch to the face
possibly ending the match or round.