I’ve given myself the impossible task of listing and organizing the different types of photography in one massive article. It’s going to take a while. So if you don’t see your favorite photography niches here, let me know!
Consider this a “living blog post”: one that I will regularly update with new insights, genres, and different types of photography as the industry evolves.
There are hundreds of photography genres in the world, and every type has its sub-categories that keep branching off into other highly specialized areas. For this guide, I’ve broken things down into the most popular foundational categories, followed by their specific sub-niches.
Photography genres vs. niches: what counts?
Before we dive in, what are the different photography genres, exactly? I want to start by clearing something up: for me, a genre or niche is based on the subject you’re photographing.
Portrait photography focuses on portraying people. Landscape photography is all about showing a landscape.
This means “niches” like smartphone photography, film photography, or black-and-white photography won’t be on this list. You can take a smartphone photo of an animal or shoot street photography in black and white. Those are mediums, styles, or sensor-based choices.
Now that we have the ground rules set, let’s dive into the different types of photography!
Different types of nature photography
Nature photography is the first general niche we’ll discuss, and it’s one of the most accessible for beginners. In general, nature photography is the practice of photographing natural subjects. This can be something massive, like a vast mountain range, or something minimal, like a macro shot of a fly’s eye.
Types of Landscape Photography
In landscape photography, we aim to show vast pieces of land, sea, or natural environments. Usually, we use a wide-angle lens for this type of photography. However, nothing stops you from photographing landscapes with a telephoto zoom lens to compress the background.
- Natural Landscape Photography: Any landscape where human structures are brought to an absolute minimum. Often, subjects for this type of photography are meadows, hills, national parks, and woods.
- Mountain Photography: This one couldn’t be simpler to explain: it’s photos of mountains. The goal is to capture the sheer scale and make the peaks look as impressive as possible.
- Seascape Photography: Seas are a daunting subject to take on. The water can be smooth as glass one day and stormy the next. Seascape photographers capture beaches, dramatic coastlines, crashing waves, and sometimes the piers and ships that brave them.
Wildlife Photography
In this genre, we focus on capturing images of wild animals in their natural habitats. Though you can practice photographing animals in the zoo, most prestigious wildlife contests only accept photos of actual wild animals. It requires patience, long telephoto lenses, and a deep knowledge of animal habits.
Macro Photography
Macro photography aims to make images of tiny objects appear larger than life. This can be anything, but insects, water droplets, and flower petals are the most common subjects.
Astrophotography
One of the most impressive natural phenomena is definitely the night sky. Photographing it isn’t as easy as it might seem. Capturing the Milky Way or star trails takes patience, a sturdy tripod, and a lot of technical skill. Yet, the results are incredibly gratifying!
Different types of portrait photography
Usually, this type of photography requires photographing a person. Though there are creative workarounds, the focus is almost always on a person’s face or body language. But even within that one subject, there are so many ways to achieve a portrait.
Headshot Photography
A headshot is often used to showcase a person’s face. It could be an actor trying to get work, a business person needing a fresh LinkedIn profile picture, or someone updating their resume. Generally, a headshot is tightly cropped, showing only the head and shoulders.
Studio Photography
There are many subjects you can photograph in a studio, but portraiture is one of the most common. In a studio, you have total control. You can shoot headshots or full-body fashion images. The core idea is to use artificial lighting (strobes and continuous lights) to intentionally shape and accent the best features of your subject.
Environmental Portrait Photography
In an environmental portrait, the subject is still a person, but the frame is less filled with them. There is more room to show their space, such as their workplace, art studio, or home. It tells a much broader story about who the person is, not just what they look like.
Family & Newborn Photography
Family photography is the art of making group photos of families: parents with their kids, grandparents, or large reunions. These shoots are often a bit staged and posed to get optimal photos for holiday cards or albums. On the flip side, newborn photography focuses specifically on capturing a baby in their first few weeks of life.
Boudoir Photography
In boudoir photography, the subject and atmosphere are usually intimate, romantic, and sensual. It’s often shot in a bedroom or a specialized studio, with a focus on celebrating the subject’s body and boosting their confidence.
Fine Art & Intimate Photography
There is a vast realm of photography that moves away from “documenting” and into “art.” This includes Fine Art Photography, where the photographer is more like a painter using light to express a specific concept or emotion.
Under this umbrella, we also find Intimate and Sensual Photography. While often linked to boudoir, this niche focuses heavily on the artistic play of light on the human form, textures, and storytelling. Whether it’s high-contrast black-and-white nudes or soft-focus intimate portraits, the focus here is on the aesthetic and the mood rather than on a commercial product.
Lifestyle Photography: The art of the “unposed” pose
Lifestyle photography is a niche that has recently exploded in popularity. It sits perfectly in the middle ground between a staged studio portrait and a raw documentary shot. The goal is to capture people in “everyday” situations, but with professional lighting and composition.
Brands love this because it makes their products look like a natural part of a beautiful life. Families love it because it feels more “real” than everyone sitting stiffly in a studio. It’s about capturing the feeling of a moment rather than just the appearance.
Street Photography: capturing the unfiltered world
Since I spend a lot of my time wandering the streets of Antwerp with a camera, I couldn’t leave this one out! Street photography is all about capturing candid moments in public spaces. It’s not just about “streets”; it’s about the human condition and how we interact with our environment.
- Candid street photography: The “purest” form, where the subject doesn’t know they are being photographed. It’s all about timing and anticipation.
- Street portraits: This is when you actually stop someone on the street and ask to take their photo. It bridges the gap between street and portraiture.
- Urban landscapes: Focusing more on the geometry, light, and shadows of the city itself, often with a person providing a sense of scale.
Dive deeper into the types of street photography with this guide
Editorial & storytelling photography.
If you have a passion for storytelling and “truth,” these are the genres for you.
- Photojournalism: This is news-driven. You are there to capture a specific event: a protest, a sports match, or a local news story to accompany a headline. Speed and accuracy are everything.
- Documentary photography: While similar to photojournalism, this is a “long game.” Documentary photographers might spend months or years following a single subject or community to tell a deep, complex story. It’s less about the “breaking news” and more about the historical record.
Types of architectural & real estate photography
When we think of architecture, we think of buildings. Yet, there are many sides to a building: inside and out. Naturally, there are several types of architectural photography.
Architecture Photography
In this niche, the focus is usually on a building’s exterior. It can be the entire structure within the frame, a zoomed-in detail of a modern facade, or a wider cityscape shot showing how the building fits into its surrounding neighborhood.
Interior Photography
Showing the spaces inside a building can be challenging, especially if you are working with smaller rooms or mixed lighting (natural window light clashing with warm indoor lamps). Yet, a good interior photographer has a solution, and usually a very wide lens, for those situations.
Real Estate Photography
In this case, the subject is often a residential or commercial property up for sale or rent. The idea is to make a series of photos that showcase the entire property in its best light to attract buyers. Real estate photography is essentially a fast-paced, highly commercial combination of architecture and interior photography.
Commercial & Event Photography
Commercial photography is any type of photography you do to help your clients sell their products, services, or brand.
Corporate Event Photography
This is the niche I personally focus on as a business photographer. I help businesses document the events they host: seminars, product launches, networking mixers, and end-of-year receptions. Any professional gathering falls under this umbrella.
Learn more about corporate event photography in this big guide
Wedding Photography
Wedding photography is a high-pressure mix of several genres. You have to create posed family portraits, shoot macro details of the rings, and capture fast-paced event photography to cover the day’s highlights. The end goal is to provide the couple with a beautiful visual story to remember their special day.
Concert & Nightlife Photography
Concert photography captures the energy of live music, from classical orchestras to pop-rock stadium tours. Similarly, nightlife photography focuses on DJ-centric events, parties, and nightclubs. You are photographing people dancing in the dark while balancing erratic laser lights and strobes.
Product & Food Photography
Product photography features an item for sale. It can be shot on a clean white background for an e-commerce store or styled in a lifestyle setting. Food photography is a specialized branch of this, focusing on making a well-composed plate of food look absolutely mouth-watering. Omnomnom.
Still Life Photography: mastery of the controlled environment
Before you had “Product” or “Food” photography, you had Still Life. This is the art of photographing inanimate objects. The beauty of Still Life is that you have 100% control. You control the light, the background, the subjects, and the arrangement.
It’s the best way to practice your technical skills because the subject never moves and never gets tired of waiting for you to get the light just right. It can range from classic “fruit bowl” setups (reminiscent of old paintings) to modern, abstract compositions of everyday household items.
Travel Photography: The ultimate hybrid genre
Many people start their photography journey here. Travel photography is unique because it’s actually a mix of almost every other genre on this list. When you travel, you are a landscape photographer in the mountains, a street photographer in the markets, a food photographer at dinner, and a portrait photographer when you meet the locals. It requires you to be a “jack of all trades” and stay fast on your feet.
Types of photography businesses: The most profitable niches
If you are looking to turn your camera into a career, you might be wondering which genres actually pay the bills. When looking at the different types of photography businesses, a few niches consistently stand out as the most profitable:
- Wedding Photography: Because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event with high emotional value, clients are willing to invest heavily in premium wedding photographers.
- Corporate & Brand Photography: Businesses have marketing budgets. If you can provide high-quality headshots, event coverage, or branding images that help a company make money, they will happily pay professional rates for your services.
- Real Estate Photography: While the per-shoot rate might be lower than a wedding, real estate photography is built on high volume. Agents constantly need new listings photographed, providing a steady, reliable stream of income.
What type of photography do you like best?
We’ve covered a massive list, from standard portraits to untapped niches. Whether you are wandering the streets of Antwerp with a camera or setting up a studio in your living room, there is a genre for everyone.
What type of photography do you enjoy shooting the most? Let me know in the comments below!
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