Pho·tog·ra·phy

The art or practice of taking and processing photographs.     Types of Photography Photographic work can be divided into dozens of categories, many with lots of sub-categories. The following list describes some common types of photography. Aerial   From a plane, helicopter, balloon or other airborne device. Adventure, Action   Adventure sports, daring feats, etc. Amateur   Any type of photography practiced by non-professionals. Animal, Pet   Pets and their relationships with humans. Note that the human content is often as important as the animal. Architecture, Real Estate   The art of making property appear attractive. Often involves panoramic photography. Artistic   Photography in which creative composition is the goal. Astrophotography   Space photography, through a telescope. Aura   A controversial type of photography which some claim can photograph a person's aura. Often confused with Kirlian photography. Black & White   Not simply photography without colour, black and white photography explores shapes, tones and textures. Shadows and highlights become much more important. Camera Phone   "Convenience" photography using a mobile phone's built-in camera. While not the best quality, camera phones have opened a new world of spontaneous, on-the-spot photo opportunities. Commercial   Product shots, advertising, etc. Digiscoping   Photography through a telescope or binoculars. Documentary   Journalism, Events, Historical, Political, etc. Event   Concerts, parties, festivals, weddings, etc. Forensic   Police and legal photography. Infrared   Photography in which the recording medium is sensitive to infrared light rather than the normal visible light spectrum. Large Format   For use on posters, billboards, etc. Kirlian   A type of contact print photography in which an object touching a photographic plate is connected to a high voltage source, creating an aura-like image. Often confused with aura photography. Macro   The art of photographing very small and/or close-up objects. Medical   Specialized photography for clinical purposes, i.e. to help reveal and diagnose illness. Microscopic   Any technique for photographing objects too small to be visible to humans. Modeling   Photographing objects to be converted into 3D models. Nature   Landscapes, animals, plants, sea, etc. Night   Any technique used to capture images at night. Often includes infrared photography. Panoramic   Views of wide areas, up to complete 360° panoramas. Paranormal   Ghosts, unexplained phenomena, etc. People   Candid, Family, Fashion, Glamour, Passports & Visas, Portrait, Pregnancy, School, Sports, Wedding Pinhole   Uses the most basic type of camera possible — a box with a tiny hole to let light in. Scenic   Landscape, Cityscape Satellite   Views of Earth from orbit. Scientific   Any specialized photography used for scientific endeavour, e.g. electron microscopy photographs, medical photography, astrophotography, etc. Sports   The specialized art of shooting people engaged in sports, games and adventure activities. Stereoscopic (3-D)   Involves taking two photos simultaneously to simulate 3-D vision. Stock   Photographs taken for distribution to other people, for use in their projects. These photos tend to be quite generic, e.g. people working, landscapes, places, etc. Time-lapse   Photographs with a very long exposure, used to illustrate something happening over time. A popular example is a street at night with car lights blurred into long lines. Travel   Photography to showcase locations, illustrate travel literature, etc. Ultraviolet   Photography in which the recording medium is sensitive to ultraviolet light rather than the normal visible light spectrum. Urban, Industrial   Emphasizing urban environments. Water,Underwater   Any type of photography taken under water with a water-tight camera housing.