15 types of photography genres you can pursue

1. 15 TYPES OF PHOTOGRAPHY
GENRES YOU CAN PURSUE AS A
PROFESSIONAL
PHOTOGRAPHER
JO LOWES

3. #1 - WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY
• As a job, being a wedding photographer involves an exciting mix of portraiture and event photography
in a wide variety of settings and groups. Wedding photography is pretty intense, with an element of
getting the best shot you can on the first try and not really getting a second chance in some situations.
Wedding photographers have to be quick on their feet, moving around during the reception and
ceremony, and there are substantial sales and customer service components to their jobs. They also
have to be adaptable, ready to shoot outdoors on a sunny day and indoors for dimly lit receptions and
dances. Couples will expect the direction from the photographer for posing shots and settings, so the
photographer must be confident and communicate well with the bride and groom.
•

5. #2 - EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY
• In the same vein, event photography is a dynamic and fast-paced way to make a buck with your camera.
Whether your beat is corporate events or wild and crazy rock concerts, event photographers work in a
variety of settings. Event photography styles often involve a mixture of photojournalistic documentary
work and portraiture. Some organizations use their event photos for publicity purposes, while other use
party photos as souvenirs or keepsakes.

7. #3 - PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
• Portraiture is one of the most common types of photographer that we think of when we consider
career options. The kinds of photography that can be included in portraits is astounding. Retail
customers seek out portrait photographers for every phase of life: maternity and newborns, school
photos, senior photos, and general family photos. Corporate portraits are also commonly needed as
employees update their headshots for websites and publicity materials. Furthermore, aspiring and
professional models are in constant need of updated portfolios with a catalog of current shots to
market themselves for agencies and jobs.
• Portraiture is a great place to start out as a photographer. Building a great portfolio of quality shots can
lead to more business. It can often lead to more work for families and weddings as word of mouth
marketing does its magic. It can also lead to fashion and product photography gigs.

9. #4 - PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY
• More specific than working in advertising, product photography is a great specialization. Think about all
of the products you have recently shopped for: everything needs to be photographed. The photos are
used for online and print catalogs, as well as for labels and packaging. Most product photography is
studio based, with careful control of backgrounds, shadows, and lighting.
• Product photography covers a lot of ground. Food photography is a specialized niche, and restaurants
need to advertise their meals and create their menus. Jewelry is another favorite type of product
photography since this requires the perfect balance of light and preparation. While some product
shoots might involve models, many times you will be working solo in a studio doing still life photographs
of small objects.

11. #5 - FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY
• Of all of the types of photography, this is the one with no rules. Fine art photographers create art. They
display their work in galleries and at art shows, and generally, they sell a finished, framed print product
to their customers. Fine art photography can be of any subject at all, but landscape and portrait artists
are probably the most common. Fine art images are about capturing emotional responses and
communicating with the audience.

13. #6 - FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY
• Fashion photography is one of the more glamorous and more difficult to enter photography jobs. From
cover shots of the top fashion magazines to documenting the latest styles and trends on the runway,
fashion photographers work in the design districts of New York, Paris, and Milan. Runway shoots require
an element of documentary photography, while posed shoots on location demand one-on-one work
with the model.
• Catalog and magazine shoots might also occur on location, from tropical beaches to subway. In this style
of glamour photography, the look of the photographs is everything. Lighting must be perfect. This is a
job that is also focused on the model, so a majority of the photographers time is spent posing and
directing models and scenes to get the look desired from the publication.
• Fashion shoots are all about teamwork, and they are done by a group of people. The photographer is
just one cog in the wheel. Stylists, wardrobe specialists, makeup artists, art directors, and others make
up a team that keeps the shoot on track and make the magic happen.

15. #7 - ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY
• While many find taking pictures of buildings to be a fun hobby, many specialized photographers make
careers out of it. Employed by architectural agencies or working as freelancers, these photographers
capture the essence of buildings from inception to completion. Details captured include the exteriors
and interiors, and subtle details that make the building's design unique. Architectural photography
requires some special techniques and equipment to minimize distortion and perspective problems that
become apparent on a building’s many right angles.
• A subdivision is real estate photography. Realtors always need excellent photographs, especially in
today's market where many customers view many properties online before deciding to go see them.
High-quality architectural pictures are difficult to get right, and realtors will pay for professional photos
especially in the high-end market.

17. #8 - TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY
• Do you love to travel? Would you like to get paid for it? Who doesn’t? Travel photography allows you to
do just that while having fun with your camera in dynamic settings. Travel photography blends many
different types of photography into one. On one trip you might want to focus on the people and the
lifestyles present in a place, while also capturing the landscapes and the natural world in which it’s
located. Macro details and wildlife photography might be included too. Be it on the beaches of Bali or
the ice fields of Antartica, the job of a travel photographer is to transport their audience to that place
without them having to leave home.

19. #9 - ADVERTISING OR LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY
• Everywhere we go we are surrounded by photography. Photography is on billboards, street signs,
magazine ads, even in our pockets on our smartphones. Captivating photography makes the advertising
world tick, and photography has never been more in demand than it is right now.
• Advertising photography can include a range of subjects, like street photography, lifestyle photography,
fashion photography, or product photography. Advertising photographers can work as freelancers,
selling images on a project-by-project basis, or they might work directly for major ad agencies. Either
way, this is a dynamic field where you may be shooting for a print ads campaign one day and shooting
internet ads the next, always with a new subject.

21. #10 - PHOTOJOURNALISM
• Whether it be in war zones, political rallies, natural disasters, or community celebrations,
photojournalists cover breaking news. Newspapers, magazines, and online publications are all in need
of still photographs to help tell their stories. Photojournalism is one of the documentary types of
photography, and the goal of a photojournalist is to document the events as they unfold. While there
may be some portraiture, the majority of work is done candidly and as unobtrusively as possible. The
photos tell a story of events that are happening all over the world.

23. #11 - PET PHOTOGRAPHY
• If your perfect subject is a furry friend, then pet photography might be for you. This is a growing sector
and is very similar in working conditions and type of styles to portraiture; only your subjects may
require treats when they are good. If you love animals, then there is no better job as a photographer.
Pet photography involves a fun mix of studio sessions and outdoor, on-location shoots. With
connections to your local pet daycare facilities and dog show circuits, you can build your business fairly
quickly. A great way to start out is to volunteer your time to your local pound, taking pictures of the
animals and helping them find their forever homes.

25. #12 - SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY
• If you love sports, then being a sports photographer is a great gig. From the sidelines, sports
photographers use quick cameras and long lenses to zoom in on the action and capture the winning
shots. Photos wind up in publicity materials for teams, in advertising and marketing, and in the news
media online and in print.

27. #13 - AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
• A burgeoning field of photography born from modern technology is the aerial photographer. Sure, aerial
images have been around as long as manned flight and cameras have been. But today, unmanned aerial
vehiclesaerial vehicles, also called drones, are making aerials within the realm of all photographers. In
the US and most countries, commercial drone pilots must be licensed. The process is relatively simple
and usually requires only a written exam. Aerial photography is now used for everything from
architectural and real estate photography to weddings and events. The unique perspective given by
drones can’t be beaten for uniqueness and beauty.

29. #14 - SCIENTIFIC OR SPECIALTY PHOTOGRAPHY
• Many fields rely on great photography for publications, training materials, and record keeping. Many
scientific and medical research companies employ photographers to document new findings and
discoveries.
• Many other industries rely on photos to conduct surveys and studies. For example, in Florida, aerial
wildlife studies are routinely performed to study the numbers of manatees and birds living in remote
areas. Many insurance companies rely on photographers to inspect homes and buildings, sending their
photographic findings to the company to document damage or condition.
• These are just a few examples of the specialized fields that use photography regularly. With open eyes
and ears, working photographers can find remarkable jobs working with governments and private
companies all over the world.

30. #15 - STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY
• If all of these types of photography jobs sounded good to you, you might make a great stock
photographer. Stock photographers sell the rights to use their images through catalogs. They can work
as a freelancer, but more often than not photographers allow agencies to handle their sales. Stock sales
usually don’t pay very much per use, but the goal of a successful stock photographer is to have an
extensive catalog of images that sell often. As a result, once the photos are uploaded and being sold,
they provide a source of on-going passive income.
• The advantage of selling stock photos is that you can sell any type of image you want. These images are
used by major ad agencies and small websites. Whether you like to shoot sunsets, people, kids, pets, or
wildlife, you can probably sell your images as stock. Once the photos are captured, a lot of time is spent
cataloging and keywording images to ensure that customers can find them.