Types of Photography Styles

Understanding the different photography styles used by the pros will help you to decide on the style you want to utilize for your wedding or special event. For budding amateur photographers, learning about these styles gives you interesting options for creating your own photographic masterpieces. Whether staged or spontaneous, photographs tell your story and preserve a special moment in time.

Traditional photography is planned and posed, and has been used throughout the past to create portraits with a formal appearance. In traditional photography, photographers pose people to look directly into the camera and use staged backgrounds. The advantage of a traditional photo shoot, especially for weddings, is that you can plan for a certain time and get a predictable outcome. Since traditional photos are not spontaneous, the planning and staging can create the disadvantage of looking artificial and unnatural.

Artistic photography styles utilize abstract, impressionistic and representational art techniques in creating a photo. In abstract photography, the photographer incorporates unexpected design and graphic elements into the composition, rather than focusing on realism. Abstract uses silhouettes and unusual shapes as focal points. Impressionistic photography has a surreal quality, focusing on capturing an impression or feeling, rather than a realistic representation of the subject. Representational photography focuses on capturing the true nature of a subject, without the use of any artificial elements such as props or lighting.

Action photography captures a moment in live action. This is an exciting photography style that is used by sports, animal and nature photographers. Action photography is similar to photo journalistic photography, in that it captures a spontaneous moment. However, an action photographer must concentrate deeply on the subjects, and quickly capture the subjects in action at just the right moment. The concept is to have the timing right to capture a fast moving subject, while creating an interesting composition at the same time. Finding a location for a camera, in order to capture a unique point of view, is essential for action photography.

The candid, or photojournalistic, photography style is about capturing an emotion rather than capturing the quick, spontaneous movement of the action style. This photography style focuses on the sentiment of a moment, making it a unique choice for weddings and special events. In candid photo shoots, a photographer shoots a series of continuous photos that create a storyboard. The most unique and natural candid photos happen when subjects are behaving naturally and unaware that they are being photographed. Use your creativity in using interesting foregrounds and backgrounds in your shot, and watch for interesting events unfolding around you that you can capture.