Download Photography Genres

Photography Genres
Examples of Different Genres and the
People Who Made Them Famous
What are the different types?

Just as in music, or film, there are different
genres, or types of photography. These range
from the delicate art of fine art photography, to
the more hardcore sports photography.
Photojournalism




Photojournalism is the use of images to tell a
news story
Has become more and more popular
Can be more powerful than the written story
Famous Photographer: Margaret BourkeWhite (1904-1971), Eddie Adams (1933-2004)
won the Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the
Vietnam War
Margaret Bourke-White
Margaret Bourke-White
Eddie Adams
The Black and White
Landscape



Black and White photography uses details like
lighting, composition, and patterns to attract
viewers
The loss of color can create a more striking
image than the colorful one
Famous Photographer: Ansel Adams (19021984)
Ansel Adams
Ansel Adams
Action Photography




Action Photography uses a fast shutter speed
to catch an action in a freeze frame
There are two types of action photography:
blurred, and frozen motion
Life is movement, whether it’s a NBA althlete
reaching for a slam dunk or water cascading
over a waterfall, our world is revealed in
motion
Famous Photographer: Eadweard Muybridge
(1830-1904)
Eadweard Muybridge
Isaac Bauman
Tim Tadder
Advertising Photography



Advertising Photography is the use of
photography to create an image that sells a
product by portraying it in an often lavish and
sexy form
Recently this genre has become more and
more sexually suggestive and colorful
Famous Photographer: David LaChapelle
David LaChapelle
Fashion Photography



Fashion photography is used to display
clothing and other accessories
It is often used for advertising purposes but is
mostly published in magazines as editorial
spreads
Famous Photographer: Shaun Alexander
Shaun Alexander
Shaun Alexander
Portraiture



Portraiture is the photography of people and
can be at close range to showcase the neck and
up, or further away to showcase the waist up
and sometimes the entire body
Black and White photography is often used
here to evoke more of an emotional response
Famous Photographer: Philippe Halsman
(1906-1979)
Philippe Halsman
Philippe Halsman
Philippe Halsman
Animal Photography



Animal photography is the use of photography
to showcase the beauty and danger of animals
Animal photography in it’s finest form
captures the animal in it’s natural unobserved
state
Famous Photographer: Nick Brandt
Nick Brandt
Aerial Photography



Aerial photography is the shooting of earth
scenes from above while in a plane or
helicopter
This form of photography captures the natural
patterns of the earth and displays them
beautifully, often by contrasting the image and
manipulating the lighting
Famous Photographer: Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Still Life




Photographic representation of the
arrangement of inanimate objects
Still Life Photography is a way to to capture
the essence of objects and reveal their
importance to us and to other people
Examples of still life are all around us, they
can be found within brochures, catalogues,
advertising, magazine and book covers and
also within fine art galleries
Famous Photographer: Edward Weston
Edward Weston
Fine Art Photography




Fine art photography overlaps many genres of
photography, as it is developed primarily for
aesthetics and/or concept rather than function.
photographs that are created to fulfill
the creative vision of the artist.
Stands in contrast to photojournalistic and
commercial genres
Does not focus on selling products or services
Man Ray & Bill Brandt
Nature



Nature photography is an umbrella term
incorporating landscape, wildlife, and plant
photography.
Many nature photographers try to educate
people about the beauty of nature, often with
the hope that more people will be inspired to
help the environment
Famous Photographer: Eliot Porter
Eliot Porter
Macro Photography




Macrophotography is the capturing of images
at a very close range
This is a rather new genre due to the fact that
highly specialized and expensive equipment is
often required
This genre is often used to shoot insects,
flowers, and other small animals
Famous Photographer: M. Plonsky
M. Plonsky
Stock Photography



Encompassing virtually all genres of photography
“Stock” refers to rights-managed images supplied
to buyers for specific uses as a means to fulfill the
needs of creative assignments
Changed how companies do business, in terms of
their advertising. Nowadays, it's no longer always
necessary to hire a photographer. Thanks to stock
photography collections, it's possible to simply
buy the individual images one needs for a
particular project
Shutterstock.com
Careers in Photography





Freelance
Fashion
Journalism
Media/Newspaper
Nature, Wildlife, Travel




Corporate
Portrait and Wedding
Music
Forensic