Directions in photography with examples. Choosing the right titles for your photos
Photography today is not just a way to capture an important life moment. Thanks to the huge amount of technology high class and special programs, everyone got the opportunity to make photography their hobby. Artistic photography as an art form is quite multifaceted. Even a beginner will be able to show his imagination to his heart's content. At the same time, everyone will find their favorite genre.
A little history
Today digital camera available in every home. But a hundred years ago photography was a real luxury. Few people know that an ordinary photograph is an image painted with light. This unique discovery came about thanks to several scientists. Before photography appeared in the form in which many people know it, a lot of work was done. The history of photography is interesting and exciting.
Attempts to obtain images were recorded back in the 17th century. But they cannot be called successful. Art photography dates back to 1839. The French scientist Louis Daguerre was the first to obtain a clear image of a person. In this case, the exposure time did not exceed a minute. Since then, photography has been improved many times. Today we have the opportunity to create real masterpieces with minimal time.
How to create a unique photo?
Anyone can pick up a camera and take pictures of everything without any preliminary settings. In this case, you will most likely not be able to get a beautiful photo. Those who want to become a real photographer should first learn how to correctly select the content of the frame. The light must be selected correctly and the lens must be adjusted. These rules are the same for any technique, regardless of whether you have to shoot with an old Zenit or the latest digital camera.
It is impossible to become a professional photographer from the very first days. You will have to take a huge number of pictures before a real masterpiece is born. In this regard, digital technology has many advantages. An unsuccessful frame can be deleted at any time. Every aspiring photographer should identify for himself the genres of photography that he will pay attention to first. To become a professional, you can’t spread yourself thin. It is rare to find a specialist who is well versed in all sectors of a particular field of activity.
Portrait
Portrait photography was born when people learned to take the first photographs. Here artists tried to repeat the images of painting. The first portraits were quite expensive. Only aristocrats could afford them. They took pictures both on their own and with their family members. Some ancient photographs have survived to this day and are now in museums around the world.
A portrait is not just an image of a face. If a person is depicted in full height, this is also considered portrait photography. Any school of photography primarily includes this genre in its course. Models can be photographed both outdoors and indoors. It is important that
the main emphasis fell precisely on the person. No details should distract attention.
Special mention should be made of studio shooting. This kind portrait photography is relatively young. Previously, stars were photographed in this way for fashion magazines. Today, everyone can please themselves with a photo shoot in the studio. Art photography is about correct selection background and lighting organization.
Still life
This genre of photography also originated from painting. Artists depicted beautifully arranged fruits and vegetables in their paintings. The image was supplemented beautiful fabric and dishes. As soon as the first school of photography appeared, still life also began to gain popularity. From the French "nature morte" literally means " inanimate nature». Professional photographers, like artists, are able to beautifully convey to the viewer the meaning of the existence of certain inanimate objects.
For a long time, still life belonged to an unclaimed genre. The technique and art of photography was taught in schools for educational purposes only. With the development of information technology, still life has become very popular. With its help, photographers hone their professional skills. Besides, is it possible to remember an online store without product photos? After all, the image of a particular product is a still life.
Today, still life occupies one of the first places among all genres. The history of photography tells us that the emotional power of images of objects was previously not inferior to portrait photographs. At the moment this trend has been lost. But without still life, the existence of online stores would be impossible.
Scenery
The classic genre that involves photographing nature is called landscape. This branch of the photo industry can be called the most emotional. It is from nature that every aspiring photographer can draw inspiration. And some pictures are so amazing that it’s hard to take your eyes off them.
It is difficult for a beginner to master the landscape from the very first days. Anyone can take landscape photos. But the point is not to capture the moment. The image should convey the photographer’s state of mind. The process of finding a successful shot can be complicated by various natural phenomena. Unlike in the studio, work outside may be hampered by bright sun, precipitation or strong wind. Sometimes a photographer has to work for weeks to get a really good photo.
Architecture
Like previous genres of photography, architecture arose almost immediately. There is a huge resemblance to the landscape. The only difference is that the objects are various buildings and structures. There are also distinctive features. Great attention is paid the right choice shooting points. The most profitable way to rent a building is from a hill. For example, one house can be photographed from the roof of another.
Architecture is one of the most difficult genres. Finding the right position is often complicated by traffic and weather conditions. In addition, it is not always possible to convey details through the camera lens. Photographing architecture requires expensive equipment.
Reportage shooting
Today this genre is quite widespread. And to be popular reportage shooting began only in the second half of the 20th century. Few people know that photographs of various events and holidays are a report.
It is believed that a photographer simply films this or that event. In fact, reporting is an opportunity to convey not only the essence of certain actions, but also the attitude towards them. If we consider various genres of photography, then the reportage most accurately conveys the character of the photographer, his emotional condition and professionalism. If a protest is being photographed, for example, it is up to the photographer to show both sides in a positive light. An objective look at things is one of the most important character traits that a real photojournalist should have.
Household or genre photographs
Transferring using a camera Everyday life refers to genre photography. Quite often, images have a documentary basis. Genre photographs are very similar in essence to reportage ones. A professional must convey life exactly as it is. The photo may show children playing, a grandmother cleaning the yard, a beggar begging, etc.
The difference between genre photography is the ability to convey the emotional state of not only the photographer, but also the subjects themselves. In the picture you can see joy, tears, disappointment and anger. This can be either street photography or indoor photography.
Interior photography
Today we cannot do without this genre of photography, although it is quite young. Already finished interior, created by a professional designer, has its own emotional load. At the same time, the photographer’s task is to convey the idea completely without distortion. Interior photography is closely related to design. No professional could create a portfolio of their work without the help of an experienced photographer.
The angle has great value in portrait photography. The correctly chosen point determines how the room will look in the picture. In addition, one element allows you to decorate the entire space. Therefore, the photographer should pay special attention to the most advantageous interior details.
Reproduction
This genre of photography is not artistic. Regardless, it is important. There are a huge number of scanners with different technical characteristics. But the photographer will be able to convey the essence of the picture more correctly. In addition, many ancient images require special treatment. Do not touch the paint again. Photography is the ability to accurately transfer an image onto paper. And some photographs are taken with such high quality that it can be quite difficult to distinguish the photo from the original.
Photography in Nude style
Nude human body is a popular filming subject today. In fact, this genre originated quite a long time ago. Everyone knows that artists loved to depict their women without clothes. As soon as the first artistic photograph appeared, the Nude style was born. This genre is one of most important places for many centuries.
Most often, girls are the subject of photography. This can be either street photography or studio photography. A naked body in photographs can only evoke positive emotions. No anger or disgust.
Nude style is often intertwined with everyday photography. These genres of photography exist perfectly together. For example, a naked girl may be depicted going about her daily business or sunbathing on the beach.
Avant-garde
Like any other area of life, photography can be found non-standard approach. Avant-garde is a special genre of photography. It is characterized by going beyond conventional aesthetics. To achieve his goals, a photographer can use the most unconventional means.
Avant-garde does not have any specific features like other genres of photography. Therefore, it is often quite difficult to track the professionalism of a photo. The photographer can depict a “second reality” that is in no way connected with the real world. The subject of photography can be people, animals, household items and plants. And they will be depicted in an unusual form for others.
Macro photography
This genre is very popular among beginning photographers. It involves obtaining an image at a certain scale. Many people consider macro photography to be an opportunity to photograph at a short distance from the subject. But it is not so. Special lenses allow you to take high-quality photographs. Technology for transferring objects on a large scale is quite expensive.
Macro photography allows you to capture the life of insects, small animals, and microorganisms. With an expensive lens you can even photograph a mosquito or a flea.
Non-standard photography genres
There are types of filming that cannot be called generally accepted in professional circles. First of all, these include self-portraits. No photographer can photograph himself well. This genre is more suitable for amateurs. With the development of information technology, self-portrait began to enjoy enormous popularity. At the same time, in order to take a photo, a regular mobile phone is most often used.
You can also shoot landscapes with your smartphone. The photos look good for a home album. High-quality professional photographs must be created using appropriate technology, which is not cheap. It is still advisable to start getting acquainted with photography with a semi-professional SLR camera from the middle price category. Such equipment allows a novice photographer to get an idea of the genres of photography, as well as learn the basics.
So, let's choose names for your photos. We name our art, so the name must be attractive, interesting, clear, easy to understand and fit perfectly with the art.
The title is a prologue. It always complements the picture, telling about the nature of the image, and helps the viewer understand it better. It should hint at the nature of the image. Our titles or headings should create a sense of belonging to the author. We consciously give names to our children, nicknames for pets, and we should be just as thoughtful about the names in this art form. There needs to be additional context to what the picture has already said.
For a better understanding, we can divide the ways of creating a title for an image into three categories.
Straight to context
Try to choose words that can accurately describe what the image is trying to convey. Your title can be a description of the scene, a verb of what is happening within the action, or simply the name of the topic. The choice of this type of name should be simple and straightforward.
Echo of the unknown
dragon tree
A handful of happiness (First steps)
Faith
Without a smile
Here: Dennis Bautista
Breathe
Mood in words
The mood of the photo is conveyed by the ambitious titles. Strong and sharp words should be used here. They should dramatize the moment, evoke certain sensations, make one feel joy or pain, instill faith or evoke disgust. It could even be a dialogue between subjects inside the frame, their voice inner soul, their thoughts and dreams. The title should interpret their words in order for the audience to understand and connect with the picture.
Only in a storm
She will be back
Secret
I'm not afraid
Melody in silence
Peak hour
Life is Beautiful
Creativity
It is easier to talk about creativity than to become creative yourself. Creativity is the art of self-realization, following the inner voice. Slowly but surely, this process turns into a habit and becomes characteristic feature. When trying to choose a name with a pinch of creativity, you should be wise and careful in your choice of words. Often these names, like an arrow, hit the bull's eye, clearly conveying the nature of the picture, and are etched into the depths of memory for a long time. The creative title is sure to wow the viewer, who will raise their eyebrows in surprise or at least put a smile on their faces.
21.02.2016
Genre photography is a popular and controversial phenomenon in photography. Sometimes it is very difficult to say for sure that a particular photograph was taken in a genre style, and another is not. And these difficulties are associated primarily with the name of the genre.
To make it easier to identify a genre photo, you should first remember that landscape, portrait photographs and still life do not belong to genre photography.
Genre photography involves photographing people’s actions, depicting everyday life and life in a person’s familiar environment, showing his interaction with everyday life and the environment.
In fact, genre photography is an image of states and the actions of people, but not forced, but natural. Such a photograph should not be staged.
Genre photography is not only a reflection of everyday life, it is an attempt to convey a person’s inner world, emotional state, joy or sadness, maybe even thoughtfulness or, conversely, a state of relaxed tranquility. And for the photographer this is also an opportunity to show his attitude to everything that is happening.
The main task of genre photography is to depict reality as it is. It conveys not so much a specific event, but the fullness, brightness, and uniqueness of each specific moment of life.
Photographer: Garry Winogrand
This is one of the most emotional, interesting and fascinating areas in photography. And due to the fact that such shooting teaches you to see the frame, predict the situation and develops reaction (the ability to take a picture at the right moment) it is also a very popular genre among photographers.
Very often we walk the streets so deep in our thoughts that we do not notice anything around us. But in fact, at every moment of our lives, amazing things happen next to us. Sitting in a cafe or walking in the park, or just waiting for the bus, you can find unusual and interesting story, capture it in a photo by pressing the camera button. The moment will pass, disappear into the past, but will forever remain in the photograph.
Genre photography is a look at the world through the eyes of an artist, a unique and multifaceted genre that has no rules to adhere to, giving complete freedom for creativity.
A long-focal zoom lens will be a good assistant for shooting; it is many times more convenient than a lens with a fixed focal length.
Photographer: Mat Stewart
Genre photography has its own difficulties. The very situation when the photographer is left alone with the person he is going to photograph is already emotionally difficult. If a person notices that they want to photograph him, then reality, the atmosphere of the immediacy of life in the photograph, is lost. It takes a lot of experience and good reflexes to remain unnoticed while taking unique shots of a particular moment.
Genre photography is conventionally divided into two types, the first of which is reportage photography. Here the photographer becomes an observer, does not interfere with what is happening, but is in the thick of things, conveying colors, emotions, colors and moods. The second type is staged genre photography, which includes home holidays, planned events and even studio photography.
Interesting publications on the site
Today we would like to talk to you about two of the most interesting trends in the art of photography - genre photography and reportage photography. As a rule, the viewer only admires and enjoys landscape photographs, portraits or still lifes. But the genre and reportage makes those looking at the pictures think. Sometimes you think about quite serious problems.
Let's first of all define the concepts: what is genre photography and reportage photography? How do they differ from each other and what do they have in common?
A photo report is, first of all, a photographer’s report about some event, an event that he attended. But at the same time, this is a kind of metaphor that should attract the viewer’s attention, call the viewer to think about what is depicted in the photographs, force him to develop his attitude to the ongoing event described in the report.
Working on a photo report requires its author to have certain work experience. You can't make a report that easy. To do this, you need to develop the ability to see the plot and have knowledge of what you are filming. For example, when filming a report from a football match, you need to at least know the rules of the game of football. To shoot a report about a theater premiere, you need to know at least the basics of theatrical art... Of course, to work in this genre you need to be fluent in photography techniques.
A photographer engaged in reportage photography must not forget about the logic of the events taking place around him, know these events, competently track and show the viewer the relationship of its elements and stages. Experienced master In a photo report, a seemingly completely insignificant, trifling event can be presented to you and me as a fascinating, fantastic story. If you have decided to devote your creativity to photo reporting, then you must develop the qualities of an interesting storyteller in yourself. But when working on a report, do not forget about the author’s vision of what is happening, about the author’s subjectivism. After all, any reportage photograph reflects not only the fact of the event depicted, but also the attitude of the author of the photo report to it. Simply put, the photographer seems to incline the viewer to his point of view, only he does this not in ordinary words, but in the language of photography. Thus, without noticing it himself, he is engaged in propaganda of the situation, the event that is unfolding in front of the lens of his camera. However, this can be done consciously and purposefully. But this is, as they say, aerobatics.
Thus, one can easily come to a simple conclusion: a photo report, or even just one report photograph, is essentially just an interpretation. But she must be honest. Without any manipulation or deception of the viewer. This is simply unacceptable here.
But genre photography, unlike reportage photography, depicts scenes happening around us in everyday life. Shows us images of people around us. Here it is important for the photographer to be able to see and timely capture unusual, bright moments everyday life. Working on genre photography allows the photographer in his work to be interesting, agile, even unusual in some ways, and sensitive to what is happening. Genre photographs can safely be called unique. After all, the scenes captured on them will never be repeated again.
What is important for a photographer involved in genre photography to know and be able to do?
The main thing is to learn not only to see what is happening, to notice everything interesting and unusual, extraordinary around you, but also to clearly understand what is happening right now in front of the camera lens. It is important to be able to choose desired point shooting, take a picture from an advantageous angle, instantly, even during the shooting process, have time to work on the composition of the frame, mentally scroll through the plot in your head and much more. All this comes with experience, with skill. In order to develop this skill, a photographer must work very hard. And this work will be rewarded. You will learn to shoot without thinking, on an intuitive level.
To the uninitiated or new to photography, it may seem that photo reporting and genre photography are very similar in nature. But this is a common misconception.
The main thing that distinguishes a genre photograph from a reportage one is that the person is shown in close-up. Close-up not in a compositional sense, not a face in full frame, and in his semantic meaning. A person must be shown in all his experiences, emotions, mood. In genre photography, a person should be, as it were, snatched by the photographer’s gaze, by the click of a camera, from the general stream of ongoing events of modern everyday life. A person with all his complexities, with his inner world - that’s what’s most important in genre photography. This is what is important to learn to convey to the viewer.
Another sign distinguishing feature genre in photography is the warmth of intonation, a certain lyricism, softness, and soulfulness. A good, skillfully done genre photograph is, one might say, a whole performance with its own dramaturgy. The viewer should feel as if they were seeing what was before the photographer pressed the shutter button of the camera. And what will happen in a minute, in an hour and even the next day...
Currently, photography is perhaps one of the most dynamically developing areas of contemporary art. It’s hard to imagine that just recently there were ongoing debates regarding whether photography can even be considered a full-fledged art. Now photography has taken a confident place on the same level next to classical art, such as painting, graphics and sculpture.
A camera is now not just a piece of equipment, it is a special tool that helps a person look at the surrounding reality differently, and photographs are not just paper with an image, but a reflection of thoughts and inner world the author himself. A new wave of interest in photography swept across society with the advent of inexpensive digital photographic equipment, which, moreover, was able to provide a decent level of photography. The size of the audience interested in amateur photography has now reached impressive proportions.
Photo exhibitions are regularly held in all corners of the world, presenting the work of different photographers, usually made in the same style. Although, it must be said that the concept of style in photography has become very subjective, not every photo can be adjusted to any of the standard styles. At the same time, it is not difficult to recognize the style - just look at the photo.
What are the characteristics of styles in photography?
In general, styles modern photo can be characterized using concepts such as:
- composition;
- interpretation of the topic;
- use of colors and tones;
- shooting technique;
- the mood of the author that he is trying to convey, and so on.
The combination of these concepts forms the style of photography. At the same time, modern photographers work both in classic styles, such as glamor or retro, and create their own original styles, each of them in one way or another is characterized by its own handwriting, which makes any photo unique. Style in photography is formed under the influence of a variety of factors: processes occurring in society at the moment, trends and tendencies inherent in different segments of the population, new ideas arising as a result of human activity.
Pop art erases all boundaries
The pop art style, which became a kind of avant-garde in the 50s and 60s of the last millennium, was incredibly popular in America and could not help but leave its mark on modern art. This style is based on signs and symbols characteristic of that period of time. It was then, thanks to artists working in the field of this style, that the lines between mass-produced objects and unique objects of art were blurred. One of the most prominent representatives of that period is the American photographer and artist Andy Warhol. It is he who owns the glamorous collages depicting Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe.
The characteristic features of the pop art style in photography are the following:
- bright colors;
- increased level contrast;
- abstractness of images;
- streamlined forms.
Any of the above techniques helps a photographer working in this style to attract the viewer’s attention, however, the most unexpected methods are suitable for this. Since pop art has always encouraged the photographer to approach the photography process as creatively and with imagination as possible, in our time this style still remains very relevant and popular among artistic photographers.
Retro photographs that preserve memories of a time long past
Historical affiliation is what will always distinguish retro photographs from others, in addition, they have a certain sophistication and sophistication. Such photographs, as a rule, capture the most striking events days gone by, memories of people and places. It is for this reason that retro photographs often become objects of interior decoration, introducing a certain spirit of the past into the atmosphere. If we talk about modern times, it turns out that it is by no means easy to take a retro photograph in our time, because now technology is capable of capturing components that were previously impossible for a camera to see. To achieve the desired result, masters use photographic materials. black and white, sometimes adding a little color to them, but sometimes they are distinguished by a minimum of halftones and dullness. In addition, in order for retro photographs to be as realistic as possible, you will have to try to recreate the atmosphere of antiquity in clothing, furnishings and furniture that would correspond to a particular historical era. Of course, such manipulations take a lot of time, effort and money, but the end result, as a rule, justifies all the stated expectations. Photos taken in retro style carry notes of sadness and longing for bygone days, which is what enchants and at the same time evokes vivid emotions.
Vintage chic - the best of the past
An ignorant person can easily confuse a vintage photo with a retro photograph, however, this style has its own original features that are unique to it. The word "vintage" came to us from French and translates as wine the best grade, quality. This is also inherent in photographs taken in this style; as a rule, they are exclusive and unique in their kind. It’s not for nothing that the title of this section says that vintage photographs are the best that has come down to us from the past. Despite the many new trends and directions in modern photography, vintage photos never become outdated or lose their relevance. However, in order for a photograph to stand the test of time and not cease to be original, the photographer-artist must make a lot of effort. And here the masters come to the rescue modern technologies. For example, using various editing programs, you can give a photo a vintage effect, make the colors fade, or create a worn-out effect with splashes.
Popular glamor photo
Hardly anyone will deny that glamor photography is the most common photography style at the moment. Photos of this style filled literally everything around: billboards, pages of glossy magazines, movie posters, restaurants and nightclubs. The origins of glamor photography lie in cinema, which became widespread in the 20-30s of the last century. The languid looks of women dressed in dresses with a deep neckline, open high-heeled shoes, all this served as the source of the emergence of the glamor style. Of course, bright pictures depicting the sex symbol of that time, Marilyn Monroe, also left their mark, which significantly contributed to the development of glamor. The characteristic features of this style are chic, charm, brilliance and sexuality. Photographs in this style, as a rule, depict movie stars, models and other public figures, on whose images entire teams of stylists, hairdressers and makeup artists work every day.
Of course, on modern stage development of glamor photography, the scope of this style has significantly expanded. Now photos can reflect both light romanticism and tenderness, and tough sexuality mixed with arrogance, challenging the entire society. However, a certain attachment to chic and luxury, impeccable images and brightness have not disappeared. It is in these features that lies the success of glamor and the inexhaustible interest in such photos, but the intensive development of advertising, fashion and the interest of glossy magazines in this style only contribute to its development.
