Favorite Photography Genre vs "other" genres

[FowlersFreeTime]

Off-topic, but photography-related.
I was at a family member's birthday event this weekend and I became the de facto event photographer. My interests, however, lie more along the lines of Landscape photography. This is not the first time this has happened to me: I've covered 3 birthday parties now, and will probably offer up my time for another in 2 weeks. I do not believe I am skilled enough to charge for this sort of thing and I only do it for close friends and family. I treat it as practice, though I don't always enjoy photographing events as I would landscapes, flowers, or food.

I'm curious about our other forum members. What are your favorite genres versus "other" genres you might get convinced to partake in?

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Favourite should be obvious, but Wildlife these days, though I have been primarily a landscape guy in the past, and would go back, given more time and less distraction from wildlife I have also shot a friends wedding for them. That wasn't something I was overly keen on doing, but they didn't want a full pro deal, just candid and the odd posed shots. They were over the moon with the album I made them, so it worked out well.

 

[Boojum]

I am catholic in my photo tastes. I will take a pic of anything that interests me. Hopefully some of what interests me will interest others. I wish I were better at street photography but that happens just like how you get to the Paramount: with practice. And learning from the crowd here helps, too.

 

[RNO7552]

I like to think that landscape is my preferred subject but looking back over the last 12 months probably 80% of my photos have been of my beautiful granddaughter.

 

[Boojum]

I like to think that landscape is my preferred subject but looking back over the last 12 months probably 80% of my photos have been of my beautiful granddaughter.

Grandhcildren rule. You have no choice. They gladden the heart.

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

I like to think that landscape is my preferred subject but looking back over the last 12 months probably 80% of my photos have been of my beautiful granddaughter.

Now that's a blessing!

 

[Astrnmrtom]

B&W, architecture, and abstract. The abstract usually has to do with perspective, and I also like doorways.

Here's a shot taken of a beautiful historic house in Knoxville Tennessee that combines the first two categories. I don't have any abstracts with the Sony yet but I've attached a couple examples taken with another camera.
I stumbled on a style I'd like to play with more with the a6000. I was messing with settings at the "House on Fire" pueblo ruins near Blanding Utah. Didn't even realize I'd done it until I was back home and was checking my photos. I know a lot of people find the Sony artistic styles kinda silly, but I liked the way it captured the ruins. Could be fun to play with.

• X-S1
• 9.2 mm
• ƒ/5
• 1/640 sec
• ISO 200

• X-S1
• 6.1 mm
• ƒ/3.2
• 1/350 sec
• ISO 100

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• ILCE-6000
• E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS
• 20.0 mm
• ƒ/9
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 2000

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

B&W, architecture, and abstract. The abstract usually has to do with perspective, and I also like doorways.

Here's a shot taken of a beautiful historic house in Knoxville Tennessee that combines the first two categories. I don't have any abstracts with the Sony yet but I've attached a couple examples taken with another camera

So for you, Astronomy is the main genre and Abstract and Architecture is what you often venture into on the side?

 

[Astrnmrtom]

Oops, inserted this as a separate post. Sorry.

• ILCE-6000
• E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS
• 50.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/80 sec
• ISO 200

 

[Astrnmrtom]

Actually as far as photography goes, astrophotography is a new side road I'm exploring, and I'm a complete newbie there. The other genres are examples of the type of photography that could be called my favorites and have been for a long time..

 

[Clix Pix]

My favorite genre is macro/closeups, and I like to shoot interesting objects or ordinary objects and make them look extraordinary. Along the same line, I also like to shoot and create abstracts, too. Aside from that, my second favorite genre is wildlife -- primarily the waterfowl who hang out around the small lake where I live. In the past I enjoyed shooting candids of people but haven't done much of that for a while now.

 

[J.Duffy]

My favorite is anything that doesn't involve people.....Ironically I have paying family shoot tomorrow. I did their family photos last year, they were happy and asked me again this year. I actually offered to do them for free because they live 15 minutes from me but she insisted that they be charged something, so I threw out a really low number because I had no idea what I was doing. I still don't. I feel like if I actually get good shots, it's because I just got lucky...

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

My favorite is anything that doesn't involve people.....Ironically I have paying family shoot tomorrow. I did their family photos last year, they were happy and asked me again this year. I actually offered to do them for free because they live 15 minutes from me but she insisted that they be charged something, so I threw out a really low number because I had no idea what I was doing. I still don't. I feel like if I actually get good shots, it's because I just got lucky...

That's awesome Jess! I hope I get to the point where my friends say "oh you know your pictures are pretty good, here's some money for always covering our kids' parties"

 

[J.Duffy]

That's awesome Jess! I hope I get to the point where my friends say "oh you know your pictures are pretty good, here's some money for always covering our kids' parties"

Well they canceled on me.....her husband just got a new job and has to work overtime.....no big deal to me, I was literally petrified. But I'm not going to lie, I was looking forward to seeing how I've progressed with families....

I wish I could just be a pet photographer and then sell landscapes and nature prints online....I need to take a class on selling digital or prints online. I tried to post some on shutterstock, but half of my photos would get disapproved because they were too big and then too small after I resized.....

 

[Astrnmrtom]

Jessica,

I have a friend who has a great ability to capture people, whether it be candid shots or portraits. His shots look so natural. I on the other hand, don't have it, whatever "it" is. If people like the pictures you take of them, that says something. I understand the pressure. It's one thing doing them on your own, and it's another when you are asked to do them. I'm very mechanically inclined and I've offered to fix things for people, but I feel the additional pressure if someone asks me to do it.

Tom

 

[Jeff A]

How dissapointing for you to get a little shooting Gig and then have it go away. That is a bummer. On the other hand, your idea about a pet photographer sounds like a great idea and after seeing your photos on Flickr, I'm saying that it's "Right up your alley" as they say. I don't actually know who says that but you know what I mean. I think.

 

[Scooter]

Wildlife is my absolute favourite. (I have been asked to do pets, and I don't charge......it does give me practice with the autofocus, etc). I live in a beautiful place though, so landscape always manages to also be prevalent on my sd cards lol. I was listening to one of my favourite pod casts about wildlife photography, and the discussion was on learning different genres, because of the crossover benefits. So I am really looking forward to learning more.

 

[Landshark99]

I shot entertainment ADV and Publicity professionally for over 40 years, that involved a lot of studio and location work with people, mostly actors, celebrities and some sports figures. While it could be a lot of fun the pressure to produce in a short amount of time was intense at time. So because of that experience I do not shoot events, parties, weddings, family portraits (other than my grand kids), I much prefer to not shoot for others and instead entertain myself with shooting landscapes, cityscapes, street photography of both people and found art, nature, flowers, travel and whatever else sort peaks my interest at the time

 

[pmenear]

I enjoy one genre above all others because it is the only geuine one. You have to get it right in camera as the competition rules stop you :- adding, taking away, moving, cloning etc. and the original raw files have to be provided as proof. I'm refering to wildlife competition images.

 

[Clide]

I think the above comments reflect the excitement I now have for photography. Photography frees you up to see all types of genres and explore them in different light, angles, focal lengths. The possibilities are endless not to mention the art and creation involved in post-production. I employed photography in a limited way in my profession for over 30 years (macro) and the only post-production I could employ was cropping. I retired 5 years ago and only took photos on vacation. I decided to pick up my camera this past August. I am searching for what subject brings me the most joy. Right now, it is any photo I get in focus. Your site and your members inspire me to try and go out every day and capture life and eventually tell a story. Thanks!

 

[Landshark99]

Having shot in the beginning of my photo life with films like Kodachrome, where there were no options of any kind to alter the original image or shooting 35mm black and white, where we used to file the negative carrier so one had to print the whole image. There was no autofocus, no auto exposure, no image stabilization, far fewer fast lenses, no carbon fiber tripods and no almost endless image capture. I no longer care about being in any competition where I need to prove the original is unaltered in any way. For me the final image is what matters, especially now where the camera does so much. Whatever genre one enjoys, learning to see the image, the light, the subject and producing that amazing final image. for me is far more critical than any technical stuff.