Introduction to Photography Course - Definition & Types of Photography

We start the introduction to photography course by taking a look at what photography is, a brief history and the types of photography styles we can expect to see.

The first permanent photograph was captured in 1826 (some sources say 1827) by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in France. It shows the roof of a building lit by the sun. The photo was taken using a camera obscura and a photographic plate. 20 First Photos from the History of Photography .

All cameras work in the same basic way. Light from a scene is focused via the lens onto a photographic medium - light-sensitive paper, film or a CCD in the case of digital cameras. The photographic principles are the same regardless of if you are working with a digital compact, SLR or film.

The camera is the most essential piece of equipment for any photographer. There are a wide variety of cameras available, from basic point-and-shoot cameras to large and expensive DSLR cameras that have numerous features and settings. When choosing a camera, it's important to consider what type of photography you will be doing, as well as budget and portability concerns. We will look into camera choice in the next article.

A lens is what makes or breaks a photograph, since it impacts how much sharpness and clarity of the image has when it's taken. Most photographers use interchangeable lenses depending on their needs - telephoto lenses for capturing distant subjects, wide-angle lenses for sweeping landscapes, portrait lenses with shallow depth of field to capture dreamy portraits, etc. The lens choice can make a huge difference in the outcome of your photo shoot.

Using a tripod while shooting can help ensure that all images are properly composed and free from camera shake. They also free up both hands so you can focus on other forms of composition such as focusing and manipulating light sources. A sturdy tripod is especially important if you plan on taking slow exposures or shooting heavy lenses or DSLR equipment with multiple accessories attached such as lights or microphones.

Filters are an easy way to change or deepen the quality or look of your photographs without spending too much money on separate lighting components. A simple polarising filter can dramatically reduce glare from objects such as water, glass buildings and windows while taking pictures outdoors.

Most cameras come with a built-in flash, but these are less than ideal. A built-in flash is often underpowered and not directable. External flash units come with high-tech features, but those starting may opt for either strobe (continuous lighting) or they might want external flash which can be placed anywhere, making their lives easier. Among these two setups flash units will be better suited because they offer precise control over the amount of illumination depending on how close the subject is.

Having extra batteries on hand is always crucial for any photographer planning for shoots outdoors or on location without access to electricity sources or outlets. As well as carrying spare batteries, make sure to grab the charger as well. You may get a chance to charge a flat battery whilst using a spare.

In order to properly store all images taken during various photo shoots, digital storage solutions must be employed. It does not matter whether you go with typical flash drives, SD cards, DVDs, SSD cards, etc. In addition, today's digital devices allow photographers to use cloud solutions in addition to physical storage solutions.

Landscape photography is one of the most popular styles and captures spaces within the world, sometimes vast and unending, but other times microscopic. Landscape Photographs typically capture the presence of nature but can also focus on man-made features or disturbances of landscapes.

Architectural photography is the photography of buildings and structures that are both aesthetically pleasing and accurate representations of their subjects. Architectural photography emphasizes creating accurate representations, and geometric symmetry in the photo. While architectural photography may seem simple there are lots of things to watch out for, and sometimes special equipment may be required. Most lenses will "fish eye" when capturing a whole building, and the walls will be distorted and appear to bow outwards. Special perspective control equipment is used to correct this and produce photographs of buildings with straight walls.

Portrait photography or portraiture is the photography of a person or group of people that displays the expression, personality, and mood of the subject. The focus of the photograph is usually the person's face, although the entire body and the background or context may be included.

Fashion photography[/link] is similar to portrait photography, except that rather than focusing on the face, the emphasis is on the lifestyle. It also aims to capture the details of the clothing and other fashion items. Fashion photography is most often conducted for advertisements or fashion magazines

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. Macro photography is great for really bringing out the detail of your subject but can be tricky especially for insects and animals as you need to get close to the subject.

Black and white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is more accurately monochrome since it captures shades of grey. The focus isn't on the colours but instead on shapes, tones and textures. Shadows and highlights become much more important.

Documentary photography is used mainly for reporting and journalism and can also be used for events and significant historical or political reporting. The aim is very much to capture the feelings and emotions of the time, often in groups, but sometimes the individual.

Time-lapse Photography uses very long exposure and is used to illustrate something happening over time. A popular example is a street at night with car lights blurred into long lines.

Photography taken from a different perspective, usually landscapes, from above. Examples would include photos taken from aeroplanes or balloons, drones or from a height.

Astrophotography is a specialised type of photography for recording images of astronomical objects and large areas of the night sky. This typically uses specialised equipment and very long shutter speeds to capture everything from stars and constellations to planets and even distant galaxies.