Task 5 Create Own Portfolio

I've done some research of different contemporary's photography portfolio online, I've found a lot of nice and well designed online portfolios, so I am planning to make an online portfolio for this task.

First of all I've found this photography site that can easily help you create your own portfolios. www.500px.com

500px, pronounced five hundred pixels, is an online photography community that was co-founded by Oleg Gutsol and Evgeny Tchebotarev (artistically also known as “Ian Sobolev”). The Toronto based startup launched its Web 2.0 version in 2009 and is aimed at aspiring and professional photographers; encouraging members to upload their best work.

500px is seen as a place to gain exposure, find inspiration and connect photographers with one another. The site currently has 2.5 million registered users and over 10 million monthly active users.

500px also protects the photographer's work very well, there's no way to download images from this site.

Subject Matter

In the task I am going to create an online portfolio as I claimed in the top of the article, the reason why I chose to create an online one instead of a portfolio book because 

1 my personal budget, 

2 the location of where I study and live, it's very far from the city and a proper printing shop who prints good quality prints and uses good quality materials such as papers and covers, the printing shops on campus don't have service such as printing photo books. 

3 Online portfolio has been a main trend for contemporary photographers, it is widely sprayed all over the world, because internet connects people and the world.

4 Online portfolio is a good opportunity to showcase your work to people or clients, and of course it's got its cons when your environment is without internet access, and you want to show your work to people or clients. 

5 Online portfolio is environmental friendly.

Process 1: The Portfolio page that I've been developing so far

The subject matter in this page are 

- A proper domain of this site: http://kalilasnowjan.500px.com it is my name at the beginning and it's easy and convenient for people to remember the link of my portfolio, especially for friends or people who already know my name. 

- Proper sections of my work, I separated my different kinds of works into "Lomography" "B&W Projects" "Color Projects" "B&W Portraits" "Color Portraits" 5 sections. So the content of my portfolio won't be messed up together.

- Choosing the best work, I have chosen the works that I personally think they are good enough to showcase in my portfolio, so it won't be necessary to upload a bunch of images and photos of mine to the site. The audience won't have much time for browsing each photos of yours, it will take the audiences time.

- About and Contact, on the right conner of the site, there are 2 clicks, About and Contact; in about, it is  a short CV of myself to tell the audience what I do and an introduction of myself and my work. Contact is a form for the audiences who are interested in working with me or contacting me for projects/purposes, so they can send an email or message to my account.

- Background, the background of this site are not a single picture, it automatically changes the photos in my portfolio in shuffle. 

Interrelationship of the Visual Arts

Process 2: I have developed and changed a little in my online portfolio, as in the cover of each sections in the bottom.

The visual arts of this site are decided into 6 parts, first of all, the background of my portfolio site, is a slideshow of my photos that's in my portfolio. It shuffles automatically, and it showcase my photos well. Secondly, the other 5 parts are the square images in the bottom, these are a several photos in 1 square. And I layout them as in order to be black and white lomography - black and white projects - colour projects - black and white portraits - colour portraits, in this order, the colours are separated, as in colour - black and white - colour - black and white - colour. The coloured layouts are well organised in visual arts, it is a good balance for audiences' visions of my portfolio site.

About My Work

I personally love photography, design, art and filming; graphic design and photography is my study major, photography is my passion. 

In my photography works, I usually take portraits for my friends around me in my ordinary life, to practise and find more different perspectives from my viewfinder; I own a lomo camera which is a film based camera - Holga 120 using 120 films, I like experimenting with my film camera, so that's in the section of "Lomography" on my portfolio site. I like taking my film camera with me to different places, so I can capture the moments I like or something interesting, also to practise my skills through the viewfinder and develop the way I see the world and things. 

In "B&W Portrait" section and "Color Portrait" section, there are the photos of my friends or strangers' portraits that I took for them. Portraits are one of my direction in my work.

I also have worked for many college assignments and different projects, and the direction of my the projects I've shot are mostly conceptual photography. I am also very into fine art photography and conceptual photography. 

Finally: Another developed portfolio.

Conceptual photography is a type of photography that illustrates an idea. Conceptual photography - as a part of conceptual art - is a photography genre in which the artist makes a photograph of a concept or idea. In this type of photography, you try to convey a concept or message with a photograph.

I have changed "B&W Projects" and "Color Projects" in to "B&W Conceptual" and "Color Conceptual" so the audience has a clear and precise direction on my portfolio page instead wondering "what projects?" because projects's a very broad word to describe photography; and using "conceptual" is a more proper word to describe my work.

And this won't be final work of my portfolio, of course time moves on, photographers get better and better, more and more amazing work to be done, so I will be updating my portfolio page by time. 

Eventually I have found another advantage of online portfolio, that is the photographers are easily able to update their portfolio through the time beings, instead of printing many photo portfolio books through time beings.

Other than this portfolio I have just made, I have been having my own website for showcase all my work, including my design and my film works. 

Website: http://kalilasnowjan.tumblr.com

Portfolio: http://kalilasnowjan.500px.com

Task 2 Visual Analysis Skills

What is this object or event that I see or hear or otherwise sense?

Fine art photography is photography created in accordance with the vision of the artist as photographer. Fine art photography stands in contrast to representational photography, such as photojournalism, which provides a documentary visual account of specific subjects and events, literally re-presenting objective reality rather than the subjective intent of the photographer; and commercial photography, the primary focus of which is to advertise products or services. Fine Art Photography can be best distinguished from a mere photograph by the intent of the artist or concept behind the image. A snapshot versus a creative expression. 

What is it about?

Fine art photography is all about concepts, it differs from snap shot or snap shot aesthetic. Fine art photography is well planned before shooting with a camera, the photographs are constructed through concepts and ideas. It's beautiful and creative. 

When photographic images are referred to as “fine art,” it raises questions—perhaps because it gives an impression that fine art images are somehow superior; more artistic; even gallery-worthy. Still, there is a history and an established meaning of “fine art images” in the world of photography. 

Advocates such as S.D. Jouhar, founder and Chairman of the Photographic Fine Art Association in 1961, strove to establish a new classification of photography created as art, defining “fine art” as “creating images that evoke emotion by a photographic process in which one’s mind and imagination are freely but competently exercised (Jouhar).”

Along those lines, fine art photography was distinguished from commercial photography.   Jouhar strove to classify photography as an art rather than a craft, one of the prevailing perceptions at the time. The new definition also encompassed the “technical” perspective from which the photograph was created, emphasizing “fine perception” and “technical execution.”

What does it represent or express?

Fine art photography usually represents and expresses an idea through beauty, it can be interpreted in thousands of words. Work is set in a fast-paced, social environment where an intuitive sense of timing and perception is revealed in the quality of the photographer's work. Investigating present day photographers for the meaning of “fine art photography,” Alain Briton provides a note-worthy analysis of the term in his essay, “Fine Art Photography Top 16” (Briot, 2010), excerpted below:

1. “Become an expert in light

1. Compose your images carefully

1. Study colors and contrast

1. Create images that represent what you felt, not just what you saw

1. Focus on quality not quantity

1. Master both art and technique

1. Master all the aspects of fine art photography (composition, conversion, optimization, printing, curating, and exhibiting)

1. Optimize your photographs using layers in Photoshop

1. Make the final print your goal

1. Mat and present your work in a professional manner

1. Focus your work and effort on projects

1. Share your work with others and build an audience

1. Do not try to recreate the wheel

1. Create a personal style

1. Do not expect success overnight

1. Do not overestimate talent” 

What does or did it mean to its maker?

Fine art photographers produce high quality, original photographs that convey moods, emotions, ideas and themes that distinguish them as works of fine art. They make bold statements with color and lighting.

As a highly creative and fast-paced career, fine art photography allows for flexible hours as some photographers are self-employed. Others work for portrait studios or art galleries.

A fine art photographer interacts with a wide range of individuals on a daily basis. They collaborate with other artists and designers to create and exhibit their work. Negotiations are made with gallery owners to secure opportunities to display work. Maintaining a highly developed portfolio is vital to speeding career progress and snagging opportunities in this highly competitive field.

Fine art photographers realize that pictures convey more than words can express. Capture more than a fleeting moment and share your vision with the world as you embark on this exciting career path!

Work of Kyle Thompson 

Fine art work of Kyle Thompson

Kyle Thompson was born in Chicago on January 11th, 1992. He began taking photographs at the age of nineteen after finding interest in nearby abandoned houses. His work is mostly composed of self portraits, often taking place in empty forests and abandoned homes.

His work encapsulates the ephemeral narrative, a nonexistent story line that only lives for a split moment.  These images show the collapse of narrative, as there is no defined story line with a beginning and end; instead, these images create a loop.  This fleeting moment lives on in a constant unchanging state.  By diverting the view of the face, the images become more ambiguous, the viewer is no longer able to tie a defined story line to the image. 

-You describe some of your work as ‘fine art’, what’s your definition for ‘fine art’?  What makes a piece ‘fine art’?

-It just means art.  I suppose the term “fine art” can come off as a bit pretentious.  I just use the term to separate my work from documentary or commercial photography

(From an interview with Kyle Thompson online, resource: http://www.emptykingdom.com/featured/ek-interview-kyle-thompson/ )

What is it a part of?

Fine art photography is a part of aesthetic feelings and perceptions of things, people and the world. It is an understanding of beauty, and building a unique style of beauty. It is a way and method to express an idea through photographs. It is a part of life, a part of imagination, and also a part of perception of beauty.

What are its references?

Fine art, from the 17th century on, has meant art forms developed primarily for aesthetics, distinguishing them from applied arts that also have to serve some practical function. Historically, the five main fine arts were painting, sculpture, architecture, music and poetry, with minor arts including drama and dance. Today, the fine arts commonly include additional forms, including film, photography,conceptual art, and printmaking. However, in some institutes of learning or in museums, fine art and frequently the term fine arts (pl.) as well, are associated exclusively with visual art forms.

One definition of fine art is "a visual art considered to have been created primarily for aesthetic and intellectual purposes and judged for its beauty and meaningfulness, specifically, painting, sculpture, drawing, watercolor, graphics, and architecture." In that sense, there are conceptual differences between the Fine Arts and the Applied Arts. As originally conceived, and as understood for much of the modern era, the perception of aesthetic qualities required a refined judgement usually referred to as having good taste, which differentiated fine art from popular art and entertainment. However in the Postmodern era, the value of good taste is disappearing, to the point that having bad taste has become synonymous with being avant-garde. The term "fine art" is now rarely found in art history, but remains common in the art trade and as a title for university departments and degrees, even if rarely used in teaching.

The word "fine" does not so much denote the quality of the artwork in question, but the purity of the discipline. This definition tends to exclude visual art forms that could be considered craftwork or applied art, such as textiles. The visual arts has been described as a more inclusive and descriptive phrase for current art practice. Also, today there is an escalation of media in which high art is more recognized to occur.

What is it responding to? 

Fine art photography is responding to the present society, the issues from society or humanity, or anything that indicates a topic of something, it always metaphorically indicates, expresses, represents a thought, a mind, a statement of a fact or an idea; fine art photography tells a story or fact through a beautiful way of art. And it is an aesthetic taste of photographs.

Why did it come to be?

First, and foremost, a fine art photograph begins with a message, an idea. something extraordinarily profound, but a meaning encoded into the photograph is essential. The purpose of fine art photography is to ennoble the beauty of what is in front of the lens. It is the photographer’s job to fortify the photograph with a clarity of view unique to his or her passion for the subject. Given the beauty of a fine art photograph viewed in person, the photograph itself should hit the viewer on a visceral level—completely “right brained.” That is to say, not to think, but to feel. If the viewer is thinking, not feeling, that it is not fine art. The reaction to the entire photograph should be immediate, and simply overwhelm the sensation of the viewer. Whatever techniques are used by the photographer to get there, they should not detract from the primary mission—which is the ennoblement of the beauty within the subject matter.

How was it made?

Fine art photography is a metaphor for a feeling that the artist is trying to express to the viewer. It is not about the object, place, or event of the photograph, but rather about the feeling generated within the artist as part of the process of the photography.

One photography historian claimed that "the earliest exponent of 'Fine Art' or composition photography was John Edwin Mayall, "who exhibited daguerrotypes illustrating the Lord's Prayer in 1851". Successful attempts to make fine art photography can be traced to Victorian era practitioners such as Julia Margaret Cameron, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, andOscar Gustave Rejlander and others. In the U.S. F. Holland Day, Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Steichen were instrumental in making photography a fine art, and Steiglitz was especially notable in introducing it into museum collections.

In the UK as recently as 1960, photography was not really recognised as a Fine Art. Dr S.D.Jouhar said, when he formed the Photographic Fine Art Association at that time - "At the moment photography is not generally recognized as anything more than a craft. In the USA photography has been openly accepted as Fine Art in certain official quarters. It is shown in galleries and exhibitions as an Art. There is not corresponding recognition in this country. The London Salon shows pictorial photography, but it is not generally understood as an art. Whether a work shows aesthetic qualities or not it is designated 'Pictorial Photography' which is a very ambiguous term. The photographer himself must have confidence in his work and in its dignity and aesthetic value, to force recognition as an Art rather than a Craft"

Until the late 1970s several genres predominated, such as; nudes, portraits, natural landscapes (exemplified by Ansel Adams). Breakthrough 'star' artists in the 1970s and 80s, such as Sally Mann and Robert Mapplethorpe, still relied heavily on such genres, although seeing them with fresh eyes. Others investigated a snapshot aesthetic approach.

American organizations, such as the Aperture Foundation and the Museum of Modern Art, have done much to keep photography at the forefront of the fine arts.

What purpose might it have served its maker or patron?

The purpose of fine art photography is to ennoble the beauty of what is in front of the lens. It is the photographer’s job to fortify the photograph with a clarity of view unique to his or her passion for the subject. But the image is not about the photographer; it is not about the photographer’s camera system; it is not about the photographer’s technique. The photographer is the conduit for the formation of the image, and what tools and techniques are used should invisibly support the beauty within the photograph in celebrating what is before the lens. Historically, prices for fine art photography have tended to be much lower than those fetched by artists working in other medium, but that seems to be changing for some parts of this market, albeit pretty slowly. 

Fine art photography unlike commercial photography, its importance in marketing and selling is about the feelings to the artworks. On the other hand, commercial photography is working with clients to take pictures for. Making fine art photography is self-motivated, a project or a piece of artwork that's not set up by any clients, its inspiration is found by the artists or makers, and exposed in public, then attracts the viewers and the viewers decide to purchase or not as a costumer or a patron.

What pleasures did it provide those responsible for it?

The pleasure of making fine art photography is the feelings, emotions and spirits into the art pieces. Photography isn't all about documenting things, it can be art as well. Fine art photography usually inspires the viewers on something, an inspiration comes from visual perception then understand the artwork. That full-stride moment comes when the fine art photographer simply FEELS. The rest is irrelevant. And it comes at a personal cost of gaining maturity of self that is beyond ordinary “things.” It is beyond the point of worrying about what the photographer is getting out of the process in art or reward. It is beyond the point in what others might think of the work. The photographic tool simply has become the means for the photographer to connect with the meaning of life€™s, truth through beauty. What is seen through the lens is a metaphor for truth as shown through beauty. And to get there, the artist must give up all the rest. The perfect light is that which is imperfect.

What needs does it relieve?

Fine art photography relieves from the pressure of the reality, it makes the reality more beautiful in fine art photography, photography is captured by cameras, and camera captures the most real subjects, objects or things, unlike painting or drawing, they are through the imagination and usually turns out not to be the same thing what we see - the real things; fine art photography is capturing the reality and turning into beauty. It is a perception of beauty and perception of beauty relieves the humanity and human's eyes, thoughts and minds.

What does it mean to others?

Fine art photography is a beautiful and aesthetic way of art through photography. Most people who reviews fine art photography would say "wow" or "it's amazing". It is true that fine art photography amazes if it's a good piece of fine art photography.

What does it mean to me?

I am personally very into fine art photography, cause its beauty and how it makes me feel; every time when I look at a new piece of fine art, I would feel, every time, it is a different type of feelings. 

Does it affect my life?

I gotta say, fine art photography affects my life a lot, I've been studying photography for 2 years, and not long ago, I've set a goal and path on my photography era, that is doing fine art photography, I love bring my cameras to occasions or places and just take photos around me or for my friend. I like the fact that fine art photography had influenced me quite a lot and I have made the direction of making fine art photography in the future. 

Task 2 Research of Contemporary Photography

Past and Contemporary Photography
Long before the first photographs were made, Chinese philosopher Mo Di and Greek mathematicians Aristotle and Euclid described a pinhole camera in the 5th and 4th centuries BCE. In the 6th century CE, Byzantine mathematician Anthemius of Tralles used a type of camera obscura in his experiments. 
First camera photography (1820s) Invented in the first decades of the 19th century, photography (by way of the camera) seemed able to capture more detail and information than traditional media, such as painting and sculpting. Photography as a usable process goes back to the 1820s with the development of chemical photography.

All photography was originally monochrome, or black-and-white. Even after color film was readily available, black-and-white photography continued to dominate for decades, due to its lower cost and its "classic" photographic look. The tones and contrast between light and dark shadows define black and white photography.

Color photography was explored beginning in the mid-19th century. Early experiments in color required extremely long exposures (hours or days for camera images) and could not "fix" the photograph to prevent the color from quickly fading when exposed to white light. The first permanent color photograph was taken in 1861 using the three-color-separation principle first published by physicist James Clerk Maxwell in 1855. Maxwell's idea was to take three separate black-and-white photographs through red, green and blue filters. This provides the photographer with the three basic channels required to recreate a color image.

Digital photography: In 1981, Sony unveiled the first consumer camera to use a charge-coupled device for imaging, eliminating the need for film: the Sony Mavica. While the Mavica saved images to disk, the images were displayed on television, and the camera was not fully digital. In 1991, Kodak unveiled the DCS 100, the first commercially available digital single lens reflex camera. Although its high cost precluded uses other than photojournalism and professional photography, commercial digital photography was born. Digital imaging uses an electronic image sensor to record the image as a set of electronic data rather than as chemical changes on film. ^[25] An important difference between digital and chemical photography is that chemical photography resists photo manipulation because it involves film and photographic paper, while digital imaging is a highly manipulative medium. This difference allows for a degree of image post-processing that is comparatively difficult in film-based photography and permits different communicative potentials and applications.

(Research resource from Wikipedia)

Photography is a science and art combination, the camera has its own evolution, 

Contemporary Genres

Technical photography as product shots in which you are capturing the pure physical aspects of something with no vision in mind. Even documentary photography could be called technical photography as it is the capturing of moments or events without necessarily any previous thought or plan. Of course there are many very powerful, artistic documentary photos, but again, the photograher did not usually go out with some vision in mind.

There are many photography genres from the history till now; in contemporary photography, there is a different era of photographic genres. 

Images containing socially ‘correct’ aesthetics, such as perfect exposure and centered in-focus subjects are now definitive of a past artistic generation. Today, photographs that a vast majority would have discarded because of ‘incorrect’ aesthetics are now highly celebrated by popular culture.

What aesthetics are generally associated with ‘wrong’ photographs?  Compared to Fine Art photography, images with blurred focus, off-center composition, shifting light, imbalanced exposures, and subject issues such as odd facial expressions and entirely cropped features, contain these ‘wrong’ aesthetics. As well, the informal frontal flash of a point-and-shoot camera and drugstore over-saturated processing are classic indications of amateur photographic production. Ironically, as popular culture evolves parallel to contemporary photography, these ‘incorrect’ aesthetics have slowly become correct.

These new tendencies in photography are welcomed because of the natural, constant evolution of society and art together. (Research resource from F-STOP A Photography Magazine) http://www.fstopmagazine.com/pastissues/43/milbrath.html

People around the world use different styles of photography. But if we classify in general; Commercial photography, Artistic photography, Technical photography are major sub divisions. Apart from these, there are so many genres/types of photography. 

Light painting: It is one of the most interesting kinds of photography. Photography itself is playing with lights. But light painting is something where the photograph looks like a design. Here the camera’s exposure is set in Bulb mode and the light painting is done to hand held lights. Use of tripod also plays a key role, but one has to make sure that the frame is fixed. The light painting photographs are very attractive and as said earlier give an expression of a design. It is something little unusual from reality and it depends on photographer about how he/she balances the subject and the mix of light painting in a photograph. This is a very challenging type of photography.   

Sports photography: It is known that everyone would love to see the photographs of the players. This genre has been the most economical, there are so many still photographers appointed for many international matches irrespective of any game. It is more about freezing a moment when it comes to sport photography. It does come under photojournalism as many work in the context of covering the event rather than a hobby. These photographs are really relished and are documented. In this genre, the joy, anger, spirit and sportsmanship is seen in the photographs rather than beauty, story etc. It is used for advertising purpose as well.

Street photography: It is the capturing of human activity in those particular outdoor surroundings. Street photography is not about capturing the street rather it is capturing the soul and life of those streets. Most of them are candid moments. Street photographs are lively and have a story and moment in it. Many photojournalists are street photographers. It falls under both professional and a hobby genre as well.

 Bokeh Photography: “Bokeh” is a Japanese word, which means blur or aesthetic beauty of blur.  In simple, the creative usage of blur parts in a photograph which looks very color and glorious is what Bokeh photography is all about. It is very easy and exciting once you know how to get Bokeh photograph. If you want it in the form of lights (heart, diamond shaped lights) a little home work is needed. But this has been the most creative genre which creates a sense of attraction even at the out of focus portion in a photograph.
Portraiture: The photographs which have high emphasis on the mood of the subject and the facial expressions are called portrait photographs. Here subject eyes are keenly directed towards the camera aperture which gives a feeling that subject is in direct eye contact with the photographer later viewer once it is published. It can be of solo subject or family photographs, basically it came from the portrait painting which was highly on demand before the invention of camera. Portraiture usually tells a story and subject’s mood is clearly noticed through the eyes.
Floral photography: It is a simple and colorful type of photography. The name itself reads, it’s about the photos of different flowers.  Although it may not seems all that difficult but it’s a genre of macro-photography and sometimes it’s tedious task to find the good colorful blooming flowers with a complementing natural light, for which one has to wait for a particular time of the day. Most of the amateurs photographer prefer to go for floral photography, most of these photos are used for medicinal and botanical studies. It is the most highlighted sub branch of nature photography.

Studio Photography: How many times you have gone to studio to take a passport photograph in the studio? It is the basic indoor photography, where in indoor fashion, food and product genres are also seen. Studio photography includes even wedding and portraiture photographs as well. Here group of professionals combine and build a studio which is completely meant for economical gain. Many big studios are meant for fashion purpose. When it comes to indoor food and product it is useful for advertising purpose.

Food Photography: Food photography is commonly seen in all the places. It is high in demand due to the advent of advertising. It does need some skill as it depends on photographer to show the group of food products and different varieties of food in a pleasant and attractive way. This is one of the most common category, as it can been on all our food products. This genre is very commercial and at the same time aesthetic as well. Many professionals and even amateurs go for food photography which is easy, economical, professional and creative too.

Wild life photography: Wild life photography is the most challenging and adventurous type of photography. One needs to have telephoto lens to capture the animals in the jungle. Many aspire to be a wild life photographer, but it is risky and equally thrilling as well. It is again meant for both as a professional or a hobby as well. Some are paid very high when take on such projects e.g.: National Geographic, Animal Planet etc. Many amateurs go out for adventure trips and try wild life photography just as a hobby. But this genre has a lot of scope, money, creativity and risk factor in it. Photographs are used for zoological studies as well. Remember, the photographer must be very patient, alert and sometimes a stalker while  capturing the wild animals.

Candid photographs: Capturing the photographs of the subject, where he/she is clueless about the camera and photographer is called candid photography. Here the subject is not looking directly into the camera he/she and is completely unaware of the photographer. Most of the photographs we see in the news papers, books and many historic pictures are candid. The photographs display the natural expression of the subject.  These are generally seen in wedding photographs. It even comes under the rubric of photojournalism. Sometimes it is called secret photography, generally in sting operations. It is very difficult to categorize this genre of photography as it is almost seen in all subject based photography genres. All sorts of emotions and expressions are seen in these photographs. Sometimes these candid photographs really captures the ‘honest’ moment ,that can be shocking and too hard to take.

(Research resource from List Dose) http://listdose.com/top-10-photography-genres/

And so on there are many more interesting genres in photography, in past photography or contemporary photography.

ActionShot: is a method of capturing an object in action and displaying it in a single image with multiple sequential appearances of the object. One of the methods of this shot is manual image editing, to create a dynamic panoramic image manually, a photographer needs to take several shots of a moving object and then combine them together using manual image registration, followed by manual image stitching. Image editing programs can assist in this process.

Aerial photography is the taking of photographs of the ground from an elevated position.

Architectural photography is the photographing of buildings and similar structures that are both aesthetically pleasing and accurate representations of their subjects. Architectural photographers, are usually skilled in the use of specialized techniques and equipment.

Cloudscape photography is photography of clouds or sky.

Color photography is photography that uses media capable of representing colors, which are traditionally produced chemically during the photographic processing phase.

Conceptual photography is a type of photography that illustrates an idea.

Cosplay photography is a form of photography where the subject of the photo focuses mainly on a cosplayer and their attire and/or prop making skills.

Documentary photography usually refers to a popular form of photography used to chronicle significant and historical events. It is typically covered in professionalphotojournalism, or real life reportage, but it may also be an amateur, artistic, or academic pursuit. The photographer attempts to produce truthful, objective, and usually candid photography of a particular subject, most often pictures of people.

Fashion photography is a genre of photography devoted to displaying clothing and other fashion items. Fashion photography is most often conducted for advertisements or fashion magazines

Fine art photography is photography created in accordance with the vision of the artist as photographer. Fine art photography stands in contrast to representational photography, such as photojournalism, which provides a documentary visual account of specific subjects and events, literally re-presenting objective reality rather than the subjective intent of the photographer; and commercial photography, the primary focus of which is to advertise products or services.

Glamour photography is a genre of photography whereby the subjects, usually female, are portrayed in a romantic or sexually alluring way. The subjects may be fully clothed or semi-nude, but glamour photography stops short of deliberately arousing the viewer and beingpornographic photography.

Lomography is an analog camera movement and community, and is also a commercial trademark of Lomographische AG. The Lomographic Society International was founded in 1992 by a group of Viennese students after they discovered the Lomo LC-A camera^[1]created by LOMO PLC of Saint Petersburg, Russia. Since 1995, Lomography has been the sole distributor of that camera outside of the former Soviet Union, and has since moved into producing their own range of analog cameras, and other imports such as the Diana camera.

Macro photography is extreme close-up photography, usually of very small subjects, in which the size of the subject in the photograph is greater than life size.

Monochrome photography is photography where the image produced has a single hue, rather than recording the colours of the object that was photographed. It includes all forms of black-and-white photography, which produce images containing tones of grey ranging fromblack to white.

A mug shot, mugshot is a slang^[1] term for police photograph, or booking photograph, is a photographic portrait typically taken after a person is arrested.

Narrative photography is the idea that photographs can be used to tell a story.

Night photography refers to photographs taken outdoors between dusk and dawn. Night photographers generally have a choice between using artificial light and using a long exposure, exposing the scene for seconds, minutes, and even hours in order to give the film or digital sensor enough time to capture a usable image.

Panoramic photography is a technique of photography, using specialized equipment or software, that captures images with elongated fields of view.

Paparazzi /pɑːpəˈrɑːtsi/, /pæpəˈrætsi/ (singular: (m) paparazzo Italian: [papaˈrattso] or (f) paparazza) are photographers who take pictures of athletes, entertainers, politicians, and other celebrities, usually while they are going about normal life routines.

Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism (the collecting, editing, and presenting of news material for publication or broadcast) that creates images in order to tell a news story.

A snapshot is popularly defined as a photograph that is "shot" spontaneously and quickly, most often without artistic or journalistic intent. 

The term snapshot aesthetic refers to a trend within fine art photography in the USA from around 1963^{[citation needed]}. The style typically features apparently banal everyday subject matter and off-centered framing. Subject matter is often presented without apparent link from image-to-image and relying instead on juxtaposition and disjunction between individual photographs.

Photo Genres 
Classifying the types of photography is a really difficult exercise. First of all, it has been difficult discerning what is a genre and what is a technique. Is 'portraiture' a genre or a technique? And what about 'high speed photography'? Even if you can identify genres, there is often lots of overlap between the different genres. And it is tough deciding what is a genre and what is a sub-genre. Although it is nearly impossible to be accurate and comprehensive about it.
Photographic genres can be divided into four basic categories - Creative, Editorial, Retail and Personal

Creative genres tend to allow an element of fantasy and so are more liberal in terms of photographic ethics, allowing significant retouching and blending of images and so on. Just because the genre is listed here does not mean that we condone each one. Pornography and propaganda, for instance, we would consider to be exploitative and unethical. Be mindful that this is not an exhaustive list. Are there any other genres of photography that you think should fit in here? Editorial genres tend to be governed by a more stringent code of ethics. Again, not all these genres can be considered ethical all of the time. Public relations imagery, for instance, may include a good deal of invention, and spy photography may be a plain violation of human rights. Just because we list the genres here, does not mean we condone them or suggest you begin to practice them. Be mindful that this is not an exhaustive list. Are there any other genres of photography that you think should fit in here? Retail genres are about serving private persons primarily in aiding them to record a significant milestone or achievement in life. Personal genres don't require the services of a professional photographer. Any income to be made here is in enabling people to take good pictures themselves either by providing equipment, training, post processing or products that can be created from their photography. (Research resource from shutha.org)