The earliest experiments with photography, i.e., capturing images on a light-sensitive two-dimensional surface, date to the 18th century. It wasn’t until 1839 that two inventors presented what became the basis of picture-taking we know today. Granted, their invention had to do with chemistry, as the surface required a special coating to produce a positive or a negative image. Through technological advancement, digital cameras replaced images captured on photographic film starting in the early 1990s.
The types of photography below have existed long since, too. However, implementing cameras into smartphones and the advent of social media both propelled the creative industry forward, improving them permanently.
What is Photography?
Photography is the process of creating images by recording light. It can be done electronically using sensors or chemically via a light-sensitive material. However, the process of capturing images is an art. And a popular one at that.
Photography is used in various fields and industries across the globe. Sometimes it is used for scientific or informative purposes; otherwise, it is used for leisure, communication, or as an art. No matter what, since its inception, we have heavily used the application of photography in our lives.
The very first photograph was captured by Joseph Nicéphore Niepce in France in 1826. Since then, we have come a long way and developed advanced technologies regarding photography.
Will Photography stay relevant in the age of AI?
Due to recent technological advancements, there has been some concern regarding photography and its relevance, especially with the introduction of AI. Even smartphones and similar technologies have affected the photography sector, as the sale of digital cameras has seen a sharp decline of around 87% since 2010.
However, if we look at the photography sector objectively, we will notice that is not the case. In fact, a recent study shows that there were almost 1.7 trillion photos taken just last year, which is almost 4.7 billion photos a day or, 54500 photos per second.
If we consider photography as a profession that employs around 74.6 million professionals worldwide, it still remains a thriving industry. But we should take in the inadvertent effects of AI on photography, which the following video talks about in brief:
Types of Photography
The following table explores the various types of photography in brief:
| Type of Photography | Features |
| Portrait | It utilizes the shallow depth of field for a close-up shot using extra lighting and other posing techniques. |
| Landscape | More emphasis on nature and landscapes, using wide-angle camera lenses. |
| Macro | Rather focused on details with the use of macro lenses, controlled lighting, and tight focusing. |
| Wildlife | The utilization of telephoto lenses and camouflage techniques in order to capture wildlife and nature as it is. |
| Fashion | More vibrant and verbose, using professional models to showcase clothes or other accessories. |
| Aerial | Allows the use of drones to capture images from a unique perspective |
Those who need further explanation and some more examples of photography can read it below –
1. Landscape Photography
Taking pictures of landscapes is among the most widely known types of photography. You’ve surely done it yourself at one point, whether in your backyard, from a moving car, on a trip to a beach or a hill, or simply looking out the window.
Also called environmental or scenic photography, it is characterized by evoking an intimate feeling of vastness, unknown, or undiscovered. It is also intimate, as it rarely includes people or animals, regardless of whether the scenery is grandiose or focused on a landmark. The unrelenting progress of technology also gave way to a subtype named urban landscape photography, which includes man-made scenes and structures.
2. Portrait Photography
Portrait photography is something you’re undoubtedly aware of. From the time you were a child to school days, taking pictures for a yearbook, then your ID, you’ve had someone take a portrait image of you. Also called portraiture, it’s one of the oldest forms, as the first inventors used themselves and their family members as stand-ins.
However, there’s far more than meets the eye. The photographer must keep the person in focus and decide which part of their face to emphasize. Additionally, they must pose them in the right light, with the correct posture and placement, and nail their facial expression.
3. Fashion Photography
Taking pictures is a core part of fashion. The reason is that it allows products and services to reach a worldwide audience in a digital format. However, fashion photography is far more than showcasing clothing, accessories, shoes, and other goods. It is predominantly based on studies on human psychology, and what we find attractive.
This is always combined with the photographer’s creativity, talent, passion for art, and the right location: runways, studios with full equipment, streets, scenery, and more. The result is eye-catching pictures published in online and offline magazines and advertisements, from banners on websites to massive billboards in cities.
4. Candid Photography
We spoke of intimacy above, but this one is truly among the most candid, honest, authentic types of photography. It represents picture-taking in the most natural way possible — without any preparation on the subjects’ side. This allows the photographer to capture the magic of the moment as it happens. Common occasions are events, irregular or unusual activities, or emotional moments, whichever side of the spectrum they may lean on.
This doesn’t mean subjects never receive instructions, especially if their intended use is stock photography. However, the vast majority of such images are taken spontaneously, by surprise, or even unconsciously (with consent for use afterward).
5. Still-life Photography
Still-life photography represents capturing inanimate objects, whether natural or manufactured. This is frequently the starting ground for photographers, as they can choose objects slowly and carefully.
Moreover, the person taking pictures can reposition objects with ease and capture them under different lighting conditions and camera settings. Their frequent use is two-fold: commercial and expressive/creative. The latter has a wide array of applications, but we witness the former daily. Think product placement in TV ads, advertisements through various visual marketing mediums, and a library of stock images.
6. Sports Photography
You don’t have to be a massive sports fan to notice this category of photography at work. Daily news, printed and digital advertisements, and TVs in restaurants and bars are sufficient sources. This category of photography is all about capturing a high-quality, razor-sharp picture from afar, typically during high-speed movement.
Photographers utilize long, heavy camera lenses to magnify the action from tens of meters away. Additionally, they must ensure the final result is in focus, has no heavy shadows, and illustrates the point they’re trying to prove, usually through body movement or facial expressions. Sports photographers may also capture the audience and coaches to better portray the situation.
7. Macrophotography
Macrophotography or macrography focuses on capturing close-ups of already miniature subjects or objects. Some common examples include zooming in on coins, water droplets, bees on a flower, intricate jewelry, and even textures of living and still objects. These images require one of the following:
- Custom lenses with or without extension tubes. Lenses alone are common for amateur photography because they can be placed over a smartphone camera or attached to entry-level digital cameras. Extension tubes are added to boost magnification and get closer without losing focus.
- Digital microscopes. Photomacrography refers to the use of digital microscopes to achieve an image reproduction ratio higher than 10:1.
8. Black and white Photography
Taking pictures in black and white (B&W) is one of the oldest kinds of photography, next to portrait, sepia, and architectural photography. Monochrome photography remains popular to this day because it evokes feelings of timelessness, class, elegance, nostalgia, and love for vintage. Although you can still find second-hand analog cameras, most of today’s B&W photography is created through a camera setting or in post-production.
9. Architectural Photography
The name says it all — architectural photography represents a sort of photography whose main subject is buildings, whether their interior or exterior. It mixes precision and a keen eye. After all, images must typically be accurate in relation to the nearby buildings, objects, people, and landmarks while also looking aesthetically appealing. They may also follow unspoken rules appropriate for architectural styles such as Gothic, Victorian, classical, contemporary, and more.
10. Wildlife Photography
This photography classification frequently wins a myriad of “Best Picture” awards, yet isn’t too present among the general population. It’s self-explanatory — the term represents picture-taking of wild animals, in contrast to pet photography. It’s far harder than it looks, too. Photographers may spend hours in one spot, as wildlife will neither pose nor easily approach humans.
Furthermore, they might expose themselves to hazardous conditions or dangerous animals for exclusivity, reaching the habitat, or getting an ideal angle or lighting conditions.
Want to be a photographer? Here’s what you need at the minimum
If you also aspire to be a photographer, it is imperative that you learn the craft. However, even more important is to grasp the basics. When first starting out as a photographer, many people make the mistake of getting equipment that they won’t require right off the bat. Hence, we are here to point out the minimum or the simplest requirements necessary to traverse the world as a photographer:
1. Camera
If you do intend to buy a digital camera, make sure to get one with interchangeable lenses to introduce yourself to the different types of photography. However, do not obsess over the device, as today, almost every camera is comparable to the opposition.
2. Lenses
Since you got yourself an interchangeable camera, you should also focus on what lenses you should get. First, get a standard zoom lens for your everyday photography, a typical 24-70mm or 18-55mm would suffice. If you are interested in covering sports, go for a telephoto lens. And for macro-photography, a macro lens, and so on.
3. Software
In this age of digital photography, you can’t get by without using post-processing software. You not only have to take photos but also edit them accordingly. All those free software programs and other built-in photo editors won’t be up to the mark. Photography requires a dedicated application. For starters, you can look for either Photoshop or Lightroom, both are staples of photo editing.