Understanding Photography : An Ultimate Guide!

Gone are the days of ‘abba nahi maanenge’!

With the growth of the media, advertising, and fashion industries, photography has become a popular and lucrative professional choice for young people in India. The general public used to think of photography as a hobby until a few years ago, but it has recently made a significant comeback.

Today, people of all ages are choosing photography as their vocation. With the camera taking the place of the pen or paintbrush, it is an artistic way of expression.

Any subject, whether it be a piece of equipment, the beauty of the human body, nature or the smile of a child, it must be able to be composed well by the photographer.

It all comes down to utilising a camera to capture light and turn it into an image. Several technological advancements are used to produce a photo. The fields of colour, digital, and black-and-white photography have all undergone a revolution.

In this day and age, photography is in. It can assist you in artistically capturing a number of life's unforgettable moments. Since everyone has a different perspective on the world, each photograph is distinctive. Through photography, you can express your worldview to people who can appreciate your creative efforts. This will be satisfying, especially after you start getting positive feedback from your audience. Professional training can be a wonderful place to start if you want to become a photographer.

The photography industry is vast. In addition to having a plethora of options for cameras, lenses, accessories, and other gear, photographers can choose from different genres in which to experiment. Photographers frequently favour genres that appeal to them for a variety of reasons or that feature subject matter that is significant to them.

While it is common for photographers to stick to one or more specific genres while creating work professionally, exploring various subgenres of photography is a terrific way to broaden one's perspective on the industry and develop one's skill sets.

Let's spend a moment discussing the main categories of photography and looking at some of them.

• Travel Photography- It's thrilling, gratifying, and exhilarating to photograph travel. Although it would be near the top of a list of ideal photographic careers, there are some restrictions and challenges. This kind of photography could involve going on location and taking pictures for subsequent sale as fine art, or it could involve taking on commissioned assignments from brands or businesses that require the photos for journalism or advertising. Photographing landscapes, nature, or people in their homes and workplaces are all examples of travel photography.
• Street Photography- Photographing people going about their daily lives on the street can also involve taking pictures of inanimate objects or structures, occasionally (but not always) in a city or street. These pictures are typically accidental or chance contacts and they are almost always candid in nature.
  
  For the photographer, street photography may be exciting, and occasionally terrifying. The photographer and the subject, who most likely have never met or spoken before, occasionally engage in conversation. In lieu of telephoto lenses' greater focal lengths, photographers who use this approach typically favour smaller, lighter camera bodies and prime lenses.
• Architectural Photography- Architectural photography typically falls into one of two categories: photographing the exteriors or interiors of structures and other landmarks or photographing commercial real estate for the goal of marketing them for rent or sale.
  
  Since there are thousands of homes up for sale every day photographers are in high demand to capture these properties in the best possible light. Real estate photography is the type that we see most frequently. Real estate photography is typically photographed at a slower pace than other types of photography, giving you more time to set up the necessary photos.

Event Photography- Since there are so many events and gatherings outside of weddings in our world, event photography is a vast field of opportunity. This subgroup entails taking spontaneous as well as staged photos of people, locations, and objects related to the event.

The job of the event photographer is to capture the event on film, but they should also use some artistic composition to make the event look appealing and uplifting. The golden rule of food photography is that if the meal doesn't look appealing, the image is useless.
• Product Photography- Product photography for advertising is another area of commercial photography. The potential for photographers to give retailers clear, appealing photos of their products is growing yearly as internet commerce continues to dominate the industry.
  
  The objective is to offer the products in the most appealing way possible. Tripods are used to help align the camera into the proper position and to ensure crisp photos. Lighting is nearly always necessary unless the images are being taken outside in natural light, and tables or other platforms may occasionally be helpful.
• Wedding Photography- For good reason, wedding photography has a reputation of being difficult. It is a hybrid of portrait, event, macro, and culinary photography rather than a totally distinct genre. The main issue with lighting during weddings is that the majority of the activities that take place throughout the evening take place indoors and sometimes at night.
  
  The photographer would almost surely want to shoot in Raw since many adjustments will probably need to be done in post-processing, and they would also want a full-frame system with quick zoom lenses to accommodate low lighting.
• Editorial Photography- Photographs taken specifically for use in print or digital publications like newspapers, magazines, news websites, or blogs are referred to as editorial photos. These photographs are meant to serve as a storytelling tool, enhancing the article/story and providing the reader with a clearer picture of the topic.

This contrasts with commercial photography, which instead aims to sell items by appealingly showcasing them. As editorial photography requires greater artistic interpretation, presentation, and subjectivity than photojournalism, it also differs from that genre.
We have covered the most well-known photography genres here, although this was not a comprehensive list of all of them. It's always great to experiment and explore as many types of photography as you can, regardless of which genre of photography appeals to you. This will push you to pick up new talents, increase your creativity, and broaden your range of abilities as a photographer.

A profession in photography has a broad and ever-changing scope. If you dive into this domain and give your best, you’re most likely to reach great heights in your career.

If you're seeking a reputable institute to learn photography, look no further, Nitte Institute Of Communication offers a one-year PG diploma in photography and filmmaking.