Five Photography Styles to Master

The majority of photographers specialise in one or two types of photography. However, there are several types of photography that you can experiment with to expand your skill set. The creative and technical skills required often cross numerous photography genres. This means that you can improve your skills in another genre as you master in one.

Below are five photography styles that you can practise to build a strong foundation for your photography career.

Photojournalism

Photojournalism is the art of telling a story of a newsworthy event through photographs. This style requires a lot of objectivity and truth as much as possible, as well as capturing candid moments as they happen. Generally, the aim here is to capture the event as is rather than capturing picture-perfect shots. The photographers attend planned events with the hope of capturing unplanned and unscripted moments.

Portrait Photography

Portrait photography or portraiture is a type of photography that aims to capture the personality and mood of an individual or group. The photos may be candid posed, close-ups, or full body. Whichever way, the subject’s face and eyes are in focus. Popular portraits include family portraits, senior portraits, professional headshots, and engagement photos. Lighting and backdrop play an important role here to help convey the tone and emotion. You must make the subject feel comfortable if you want clear shots.

Sports Photography

Sports photography aims at capturing the emotion, drama, and passion fuelling sporting events. Sports photographers must aim and take quick shots to keep up with the action around them. These photographers often use long, heavy lenses to zoom in on the action. Capturing at interesting angles can help you stand out in this competitive genre.

Editorial Photography

This type of photography is taken to illustrate a story or article, typically for a magazine or newspaper. Usually, the subject varies widely and entirely depending on the topic of the text it accompanies. In editorial photography, the shots taken should work for a variety of layouts, including vertical and horizontal compositions. In editorial photography, you will need to have good communication skills and professionalism as you will be closely working with art directors and writers.

Fashion Photography

Fashion photography showcases and romanticises fashion shoes, clothing, and accessories to make them more appealing to buyers. It is commonly published online and in magazines. Most people choose this type of photography over other genres as it offers them the chance to be highly creative in making photos that are appealing and eye-catching. Fashion photographers work in numerous locations, from fully lit and setup studios to shows. These photographers use a majority of skills used by portrait photographers and are required to be good team players and communicators when working with creative directors, shoot stylists, and models.