Photography

Advertising
Photography is an extremely popular method for advertising. It is popular because it allows the advertiser to show off exactly what they want. They do this simply by taking a picture of their product in a way that makes it look appealing to the viewer. The final image would most likely not be the one taken originally. They are often edited afterwards to add unnatural effects which are often used to exaggerate the product or make it look unique.

Image from: http://digitalphotofall2015.web.unc.edu/2015/10/04/advertising-photography/

 This is a photo used to advertise the drink 7 Up. In this picture they have surrounded the can in Ice and lemon and limes. The ice will have been put around it to make the drink look more refreshing. They are trying to get the point across that it is what you should drink when you need a cool down on a hot day. It even makes it look more appealing in general as no one likes a warm fizzy drink. The lemon and limes are in the image to exaggerate the flavour of the drink. They are trying to show that it has a natural fruity taste so anyone who likes the taste of these fruits will want to buy it even though there is a lot more than just lemons and limes used in the drink. This image was most likely edited afterwards. It looks as though it has been given a bit more of a shine to it. A brighter image in general would make it look more appealing however this could have been done with regular lighting.

Advertising photography is more commercially viable than artistic. This is because no matter what you have to take a picture of a certain product and you always have to make it look good. The example above of the 7 Up can would be hard to be creative with as you have to make a 7 Up can the center of attention and you need to make it look refreshing so your only options would really be to make it look cool. It is definitely commercially viable as the whole idea of advertising is to promote products and make money. Very few people would take attractive pictures of products to be creative.

Promotional
Promotional photography is a lot like advertising however there is a difference. Advertising is used to promote products and companies in general whereas promotional is used to promote one off offers and events. They both use the same methods to try and get their messages out their as they both focus on the product they are selling and try to make it as attractive as possible.

Image from: http://www.sjncheshirephotography.co.uk/the-eyres-promo-live-photography/

This is a promotional photograph. It is promoting a band. A band will need promotional photographs when they are releasing a new album or going on a tour. These photographs are often made by the venues that host the bands or the shops that sell their music. This is because they will want to sell as much as they can and these photographs can do that. This image shows the group sitting in an empty room with just a sofa. As simple as it is, this has been done on purpose to promote the bands image. From this image I can assume that the band sing indie or folk music. This is because they are all wearing simple clothes, just jeans t-shirts and jackets. They are not wearing all the latest brands or following fashions. This is because they don't want to look too mainstream. Also, the plain brick wall shows that they are not focusing on style and looking fashionable because the whole set in general looks a bit scruffy. This gets their image across well because the whole point of indie music is about being individual which the photographer has clearly thought about before taking the photo.

This is also more commercially viable than artistic because again you have to focus on promoting the product and can't do what you want. Promotion photography is focusing on letting people know of the latest offers and events that are out there. Certain promotional photography can be more artistically viable than advertising. For example if you were promoting the band shown above you could choose the setting and outfit as long as it suits there style. It would not have to be an empty room, another option would be a plain street. Besides this, there are still much more creative forms of photography available and promotional photography's main goal is to gain money and recognition in the long run.

Fashion
The purpose of fashion photography is to display and advertise the newest style in clothing and other items and accessories. Most fashion photography appears in magazines. Fashion is a popular interest along many people worldwide meaning fashion magazines sell in extreme numbers. For that reason, the photography that appears in magazines must be perfect. It influences so many people so if there is anything that is not up to standard it cannot be used. Fashion photography is all about selling and displaying lifestyles. It gives people images of what people like them can dress like.

Image from: http://digital-photography-school.com/7-tips-from-professional-fashion-photographer-adriana-curcio/

This is a photograph advertising fashion. All the photographs will be advertising different items however they all fashion photography has a theme to it. This photo is almost certainly advertising the dress and belt being worn by the model but like many others, it is very dramatic. This is done by making the model pose in an unusual position and using an abnormal background. There is also a lot more lights used on the model then there would be in any other form of photography. This is all done to make it seem more exciting to try and induce the viewer in to buying the items of clothing. Realistically, not many people will be able to pull off this outfit as well as the model does because they won't always walk around with lights following them, be covered in that much makeup and the majority of people who wear this will not look like a model. However, the image is dramatic and gets the viewer excited about wearing the dress as they believe it looks that good. If the image showed a regular person, in a regular background doing a regular pose then a lot less people would buy it.

The photographer would be able to choose what back drop and pose the model pulls off however they would not be able to choose much else meaning there is not much artistic viability. Fashion photography is used to sell clothing and accessories meaning it is more commercially viable. You can not simply take pictures of the dress without it standing out from the rest of the image. Even if you have been very creative with the backdrop, like the image above has, you still must focus entirely on the fashion item.

Photojournalism
Photojournalism is telling a story through images. It is often used in magazines and newspapers. They can be accompanied with text to help explain the story or they can simply be images alone. Magazines will quite often use only images to get a message across whereas newspapers almost always accompany the images with text as they are giving people the news which is often too detailed to give through just pictures. Photojournalism is often used to get messages across on serious subjects. By showing people the reality of the subject you can give them a stronger opinion in it, therefore raising awareness.

Image from: http://burtok.tk/099d75e/what-is-photojournalism.htm

This is a photojournalism image. It is quite a dramatic picture and would most likely have been used to tell a story of underage smoking or to show the scruffiness in a certain area. Underage smoking is a subject most people are against and this image will show the negativity behind it. People who see this in a magazine or newspaper will want to learn more about it so they do something to stop it and therefore helping the original cause. The image looks negative as it is grey scaled. If it was over saturated then it would look more pleasant and viewers would think the magazine was trying to promote underage smoking. Also the girl looks dull herself which gives the impression that she is not even happy to be smoking and she has just turned to it. This gives the viewers some sympathy towards her and might want to help. It is unlikely that the photographer told her to pose like she is, instead he just had to catch it at the right moment which gives it a more natural feel.

There is some commercial viability in this form of photography as you can use it to advertise certain causes or events or companies. A visual story line can often give the customer a better idea of what they are spending their money on. That being said, a photographer can be quite creative with photojournalism. They can tell their own stories by taking pictures of what they want to. Photographers often tell stories about themselves using photos which allows them to do what they want as no one can tell a story about them as good as they can.

Portraiture
This kind of photography focuses on a person or a group of people. It is done to try and capture moods and expressions through facial features and facial expressions. More often than not, portraiture focuses on just the face however it can also capture a whole body as body language is a big influence as well. Portraiture is not just taking a picture of anyone. The photographer will have someone model for them in a certain pose. This is different from fashion photography as this is focusing on the person and not the fashion items. Portraiture can be of anyone, not just the good looking people like in fashion photography.

Image from: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/ist/?next=/smithsonian-institution/around-the-web-new-yorker-photographers-on-national-portrait-gallery-subjects-34149457/

This is a portrait of actor, Jack Nicholson. This was taken for a magazine in New York. The image will have came alongside an article about Jack Nicholson or actors in general. I think what the photographer is trying to achieve here is a sense of normality behind Jack Nicholson. Most people will only know him as a big Hollywood actor and will have only seen him in films or photo shoots where he does not look natural. What this picture shows is that he is just normal like the rest of us. Here he is not doing a dramatic pose or covered in makeup to make him look better. He just looks like any normal person despite being famous. This particular magazine has done the same thing with many celebrities including George Clooney and Barrack Obama.

This form of photography can be quite artistically viable as it allows the photographer to show an emotion or expression how they want. They can direct the person modelling to do whatever. They do not have to worry about making them look good if they don't want to. However there is a commercial side as some magazine will only want specific portraits that will attract readers so if you are aiming to sell to a magazine company then you might have to narrow down what you use in your photos.

High Street Studio Work
This kind of photography is a popular career with photographers. It is one of the more simple forms of photography and can pay a decent wage. It is basically taking photos of individuals, families and even pets and making them look like models. High street studios get pictures that the everyday person would not be able to with a smart phone. When booking a high street photo shoot, the individual will often have their hair done up as well as makeup that all works well with the lighting and camera settings. The end product will make the subject look more attractive and similar to what you would see in a magazine.

Image from: https://wrl4.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/high-street-contact-sheets/high-street-studio-contact-sheet-3/

This is an image showing high street studio work. This was most likely taken for this girls prom. This kind of photography is a lot like fashion photography as the subject is in dramatic poses. This is again done to make her seem more attractive. There will be a lot of lights used and some slight digital tweaks afterwards to take out any visible flaws. This is all done to make the buyer feel like they are getting their value for money. Taking pictures for prom is popular because this is a time when everyone wants to look as good as they can and high street photographers can give that.

This form of photography is completely commercially viable. The photographer will have no artistic input as they will be taking the same picture everyday just with different people. It is important to make the subject attractive so varying away from this by trying to be creative is a big risk that might not satisfy the customer.

Architectural
This kind of photography focuses on structures and buildings. Photographers do not generally just take a picture of a building, they shoot it in a way that makes the building look appealing. If it is not a particularly attractive building then they may shoot it in more of a dramatic style. Anything that will attract the viewer. Architectural photographers generally have to be very talented to get good photos of structures. There are buildings and structures all around so you can't just show people what they already see. They need to be interested by it and so there must be a lot of work put in to the lighting and position.

Image from: http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/guide-to-architectural-photography

This is an architectural photo. This was specifically taken later on a night when it was dark so that the building would stand out. The building is surrounded by lights so it is completely shown in the image. Because it is all lit up, it has been shot from a long range so the viewer can see the whole structure. This is done on purpose so it looks like a nice place to be. The building looks relaxing and welcoming  which is probably what the photographer was aiming for as it is a house in the country.

This form of photography can be both artistic and commercially viable. This is because a photographer can take pictures of buildings they find interesting in ways that they want to. If they like the building they can portray it in a positive way and if they don't then they can portray it negatively. There is however money to be made in architectural photography as places like bars and clubs will want to advertise their club in a positive and welcoming way meaning the photographer would be slightly limited even if they thought the building looked horrible.

Illustration
This is a unique form of photography. In illustration photography the illustrator will take a picture and digitally edit it afterwards. This is often done to try and show a hidden message or just to be creative. Illustration photography allows the photographer to get an image that is not doable in real life. They can turn their original image in to anything they want as long as they can design it. Not everyone can create illustration photography, you need to have editing software at your disposal. drawing over your photos by hand would not have the same effect.

Image from: http://bonjourlife.com/french-artist-combines-photography-illustration/

This is an illustration photograph. This photographer has a certain style with his images. Most of them include the same man and have a similar illustration style. This image is trying to show the emotion of stress. He has taken a picture of the man in a normal stressful pose. He has then illustrated the man multiple times around him in different more extreme poses. It shows all the agony that someone can go through when they are stressed. It also gives the viewer a sense of the pain that someone can feel and might not show.

Illustration photography is more artistic than commercial. This is because the photographer can do whatever they want with their images all thanks to digital editing. It gives them the option to tweak photographs to make them more interesting. They can make a dull picture exciting. Illustration photographs will not be very good for making money as not many people will want to buy photos that have nothing to do with anything and are completely unique. They may sell in galleries but mainstream magazines and newspapers would probably not be interested.

Fine Art
Fine art photography has developed from fine art paintings. When a photographer takes a fine art image, they are generally trying to get a message or emotion across. They are images that make the viewers stop and question the photographers thoughts behind the image. Photographers also aim to make the viewer feel something through their image. It is more than just a good looking picture.

Image from: http://digital-photography-school.com/what-is-fine-art-photography-and-how-to-do-it/

This is a fine art image. It is of a school staircase which has been abandoned and vandalised. This is an emotional image as something as innocent as a school has been left alone to be broken and ruined. Despite all the wreckage, the light still shines through the windows. This image may have a hidden meaning behind it, something that is nothing to do with a school at all but either way it makes the viewer think.

Although this form of photography can be used to advertise certain causes, it is more artistic than commercial. It is made up of images that photographers feel mean something to them which makes it very unique. It is not easily sold to a wide audience. It will often be sold in galleries where fine art is appreciated and people can understand the hidden meaning however this is still not a large audience.

Documentary
Documentary is a lot similar to photojournalism. It is used to document real life events be it famous historical events or current affairs. In a way it does tell a story however it is more to educate than to interest. As simple as it may sound, documentary photography is basically photos taken of events happening. The most popular documentary photos are from events that happened many years ago. Things like the world war. These are popular because these photos are one of the best sources of information when trying to learn about such things.

Image from: https://lindiewesselshistory.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/documentary-photography/

This is a documentary photograph. A good documentary photographer will not only show the event occurring but will also add some emotion to it. That is what this photographer has done. This image shows a soldier from the world war standing over an injured or dead women. The area and people look Japanese which was a country that was hit hard in the war. This image shows the effect the war had on the people themselves. It represents them as individuals rather than a country as a whole. People may not give much thought to how people in Japan coped through the war all because they were on the other side however this picture shows they were hit hard just like everyone else.

Documentary photography is commercial because a lot of people would be willing to pay for images that show real life events. Some photographers are willing to put their lives at risk to get photos in wars and other dangerous atmospheres making documentary photography rare and expensive. When the photographer knows their subject, they can be creative with how they take a photo as long as it captures something informative. There is some artistic viability involved, for example, the photographer who took the picture above could have chosen to focus on the people in the back or the building on fire however they decided to get a close up on the soldier.


I am going to carry out my own photography task. I am going to take my own picture in one of these forms and edit it until I feel it is good enough.

This is a picture I have taken myself. The picture shows A warning sign explaining it is dangerous to look over the dock as there is deep water below. In the background of the image you can see someone peering over the edge. I have chosen this because I thought it would be interesting to recreate the sign and show someone breaking the rules. This picture could class as a photojournalism or documentary picture. This is because it is telling a small story of young people disobeying rules. You get the idea that this person is young as they are covered up in their hoodie which is a typical stereotype of a young person. It is also clear that they are breaking a rule from the sign.

I am going to edit this photo as there is still ways that I can improve it.

To edit this photo I have changed multiple features. I used Photoshop to adjust some of the settings including contrast, brightness and levels. The first problem with the original image was it was too dark. I increased the brightness and the contrast slightly so that more of the image was visible. The contrast helps to add more of a dramatic look. I felt that just increasing the brightness would make the image look too friendly so the contrast was necessary to keep it serious. I changed the levels very slightly on this image to adjust the shadows, midtones and highlights. I mainly just adjusted the midtones to make the main colours of the image brighter and stand out slightly more. I finally changed the curves on this image. I adjusted the red, green and blue levels on the image, adding slight adjustments to them all. I thought that there was more blue in the image than red and green so i adjusted it to make it even. I changed the overall RGB curve to adjust the brightness of the colours. I turned up the highlights the most to make the sign in the foreground stand out.

This is my final image. I am happier with this because it is clearer than the original. I think making it brighter has helped a lot with understanding what the picture is showing. The levels and curves add a bit more colour to the image which I think makes it a bit more interesting to look at.

To take this image I used the Canon 700d. This was an effective camera to use as I could alter the settings to take a good image. I was able to change depth of field so the sign in front was in focus and everything else was slightly blurred. I could also adjust the f-stops, ISO and shutter speed to adjust the camera to the lighting outside. I had to adjust it to natural lighting as it was set to take indoor pictures.

Image from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-Rebel-18-55-3-5-5-6-inch/dp/B00BYPW00I