If you have decided to kickstart your journey as a professional photographer, you will soon learn about Photography styles. You will probably start consuming more content that bridges the distance between your goals. And in the process, you will more than often hear about “finding your style” or “picking a niche.”

The truth is, whether you’re interested in people, nature, fashion, or even sports, there’s a type of photography centred around that subject.

An important thing to note is that the most well-known and established photographers have a unique style that’s instantly recognisable. However, the sheer volume of choices available can be overwhelming.

Worry not, discover your path with outlined photography styles and types that is open to beginners and professionals alike!

1. Portrait Photography

The most basic form of photography, portrait photography or portraiture, has been around for centuries in one form or another. Earlier, it was the strokes of brush and paint that immortalized a person in the portrait, today, it’s a click of a button.

In a great portrait shot, the photographer aims to capture the individuality, mood, and inner story of an individual or a group. Images can be full-body or close-ups, candid or posed.

Either way, the attention is on the subject’s face and eyes to let their story shine through.

With that, lighting and backdrop come in handy as they help to convey emotion and tone. But the best portraiture is captured when the photographers put their subjects at ease so their expressions come off as natural.

2.Fashion Photography

Often related to portrait photography, it is a more glamorised and sumptuous form of photography that aims to capture shots focused on clothes, shoes, and accessories to heighten their appeal to consumers.

It is commonly intended for brands and advertisements and published in magazines and online.

Fashion photography takes place in an array of locations, from runaways to studios with full lighting setups to open files and city streets.

As such, a career as a fashion photographer will provide exposure to a diverse subject matter, from shooting lookbook photography for showing off a clothing line to street fashion photography to record everyday styles of the real world.

Even catalogue fashion photography is a part of this type, whose purpose is to showcase clothing items in a clear and appealing manner to provide a sense of how they fit and look.

3.Sports Photography

A broad style of photography, sports photography covers everything from international events such as the Olympics to parents capturing their child sports events, and even adventure-based photography is part of this genre.

By catching players, coaches, athletes, and even fans at the likeable moments, sports photographers highlight the emotion, passion, and drama that fuels sports events.

What’s important in sports photography is first-rate autofocus skills, perfect timing, and often a swift shutter speed. Sports photographers must aim and shoot quickly to keep pace with the fast action happening around them. It’s best, as such, to make use of a higher ISO to ensure shots at a quicker shutter speed. Besides, taking into use long-heavy lenses ensures focus on interesting angles to make your walk stand apart.

4.Architectural Photography

From snaps of humble abodes to historical monuments, and magnificent buildings, architectural photography covers the interior as well as the exterior design of manmade structures.

With subjects that are normally static and practically accessible, most professional photographers kickstart their journey with architectural photography.

Notably, this kind of photography comprises cityscapes as well as design and construction aspects. Often, the shot emphasises the most visually appealing parts, such as an archway or specific corner of the structure. Interesting materials such as wooden floors or concrete walls, as well as vivid colours, might also be emphasised.

5.Travel Photography

Hands down one of the best photography styles, travel photography is also the broadest type of photography – capturing people, landscapes, food, culture, and the individuality of places. Good travel photography is about shooting the spectacular similarities and differences of people across the world, making us feel more connected and enlightening us about other’s cultures and societies.

6.Editorial Photography

A relatively common style among the different types of photography,  editorial photography is visuals that support the text in print and online publications. It is primarily embedded in fashion and journalism. The purpose of these images is to help a story or narrative by setting a certain mood or tone for the piece.

As an editorial photographer, you have the luxury to shoot in an array of different settings as well as styles, from fashion to portraiture, events to food.

7.Still-life Photography

As it sounds, still-life photography is made of photography featuring inanimate objects – manmade or natural – arranged in a certain composition. From the traditional bowl of fruit to an assortment of products spread across a setting for a catalogue shoot, a still-life is another broad category of photography styles.

How to Find Your Style in Photography?

While discovering a distinct look for your shots is confusing and time-consuming, the given pointers can help you out with the question – How to Find Your Style in Photography?

• Experiment with multiple genres in your early stage: As you’re starting out, focus on different kinds of photography and learn as much as you can.
• Take into account your personality: Since your work is an extension of who you are as a person, you will notice that your style depends on your personality and feelings.
• Maintain a portfolio: By keeping together your snaps taken in one place, you can identify which styles you were more focused on.

The Bottom Line

In the world of photography, styles are in abundance! Even if you are a newbie, fret not, you can start playing around with these photography styles and see which one you draw towards.

Yet, no matter which style you pick, a good understanding of foundational photography will help you out. If you’re interested in pursuing street fashion photography, opt for a Diploma in Fashion Photography from the JD Institute of Design. The course acquaints you with critical aspects of fashion photography and hones skills with different compositions and photography techniques in the commercial and editorial fashion world.