Exposing five types of photographers- which one are you?

Your talents might already have led you to considering taking up photography, but most photographers find it useful to have a niche to define their career. There’s Ansel Adams, whose notoriously admired for his landscape and nature photography, as well as Yousef Karsh who is probably the most famous portrait photographer in history.  His iconic portrait of Winston Churchill catapulted his career and enabled him to go on to photograph royalty, celebrities and religious leaders around the world. 

Whether you choose to follow in the footsteps of Adams or Karsh, here we discuss some other specialist fields you could focus your talents. 

1. Social photography 

This includes everything from weddings, parties, birthdays to any other special celebrations or events. They’re often involved in capturing very special moments, but also getting creative to illustrate the style the client is expecting, for example, candid or black and white images.

Wedding photography in particular can be highly demanding, as photographers are often required for the duration of the wedding day. They may also be required for any pre and post wedding ceremonies, which could span a few days of their time. 

2. Photo journalist 

There is a great amount of responsibility on the part of a photojournalist as their work is displayed in the media- predominantly the news. Their role is to capture a situation that no one else is able to see in a way that is unbiased.

Their work often takes them to the doors of breaking news stories as well as capturing stories abroad. It can be exciting, but also challenging as they are often working in difficult conditions such as large crowds, restricted areas and possibly even war zones.

3. Fashion photography 

Fashion photography is a great way for designers to communicate their brand identity through photography. At its core, it’s about showing the clothes, but it’s up to the photographer to convey the right message. 

If you look through any fashion magazine you’ll see fashion photography is highly expressive – many photographers have their own style of shooting. Whilst it can involve travelling to exotic locations, often brands are looking for ‘every day’ people, which is why we have seen a rise in ‘street-style’ photography, particularly across social media.

4. Corporate photography 

Perhaps they are the unsung hero of the photography world, but corporate photographers are highly valuable to many businesses. Their work might involve taking corporate headshots for businesses or capturing an office work space, but they might also spend an evening photographing a corporate dinner or event. Their work is often used on company websites, in marketing and branding materials, at event presentations and more. 

5. Food photography

Arguably the most challenging of photography niches – it can be surprisingly difficult it is to make food look appetising. Food photographers have to think about the shape, size and colours of the food and consider how to best place these in order to get the most appealing angle. They might also be dealing with time constraints as some food may perish, like cream on hot chocolate. Their work is often found in food magazines, supermarket websites, as well as restaurant menus and increasingly, social media. 

The photography industry is thriving and with increasing technology, it’s becoming much easier to explore a career in photography. If you would like to capture yourself in any of these roles, then a photography course with Walsall College could be just one snap away. We have a dedicated photography studio, dark room and editing suites and more.

Apply now to secure your place for September. See our art, design and photography courses.