LO1 Photography Genres

Landscape - Lincoln Harris - all the visible features of an area of land, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal

It is a picture of  landscape, on the verge of sun set that has been edited somehow to give that effect. The picture has been taken when the sun is setting and it gives a really nice effect, the colour palette has been developed and adds to the beauty of the piece. The dark foreground contrasts with the bright and colourful background, also giving a nice effect. This photo was taken in a field of some sort at sun set. There isn’t a definite link between the photographer and the photograph apart from that he might be interested in landscape photography. This is not a realistic depiction of the normal view of a sun set, its been edited somehow to add to the beauty. The background has been distorted, I assume they are stars that have been merged and swirled around. The message that this photograph communicates is the beauty and force of nature combined with the beauty and distortion of space. I like this image because it shows the beauty of nature, all the colours compliment each other really well. Id like to try some landscapes photography, it interests me.

Photojournalism - Mark Pain - the practice of communicating news by photographs, especially in magazines

The photos taken are of sporting events, they are generally taken amidst the action or thrill of the event. The relationship between the photographer and the subject is that the photographer obviously has a passion for sports and enjoys the thrill of the events. The photograph could represent a lot of things; it could represent the love of sport, the energy and passion for life or just the beauty of the games. This is a realistic depiction as unlike some other photographic genres these are photographs that haven't been edited drastically and capture real life events. No parts have been exaggerated or distorted but the cyclist photograph the background has been blurred, through camera techniques. The blurred background allows the composition and presentation of the piece to be improved and also gives the image a focal point being the cyclists. I like these photographs because they are almost channelling all the excitement and thrill of the events into a single shot, the colours compliment each other very well.

Social Reportage - Martin Parr - taking photographs of groups of people and documenting their lives and social status

This photograph is social reportage which is about documenting real life events and is all about social structure. This photography genre has been known for capturing the non-beauty of situations, capturing realistic depictions showing the grittiness of real life events. This was taken at the beach, some time through out the day, the weather resembles the mood that the photographer is trying to show. The relationship between the photographer and the subject is that it resembles some similar qualities, I think the point the photographer is trying to get across that is you can always find some non-beauty in all situations and it happens to all of us, so it creates a connection with the person viewing the image. This is a realistic depiction of what happens at the beach. The children and the car are the focal point, the old car further reinforcing my idea about the non-beauty being shown. No parts of the photograph have been exaggerated or distorted, but I think the point the photographer is trying to get across is slightly exaggerated.  I really like this photograph and genre because it shows a realistic depiction of events and creates a connection with the viewers.

Portrait  - Man Ray - taking photographs of a person or group of people that displays the expression, personality, and mood of the subject

The photographic genre is about depicting portraits of people realistically. I really like this photo because it has a deep underlying message, being even with beauty comes sorrow. I think the close up of the face works really well, it allows the photographer to depict the image realistically and show all the detail. I like the composition of the image, as even though it is just a face, the photograph has obviously been thoroughly thought through. I feel the colour scheme consisting of shades of grey, black and white really works well when adding to the mood. I feel that the tears have been slightly exaggerated or distorted, but they are the focal point and are the most influential part of the photograph. Id really like to try this genre of photography, it interests me, even though portraits are usually a happy depiction of an event, id like to present the sadness in these events and connect emotionally with the audience.

Still Life - Irving Penn - is the depiction of inanimate subject matter, most typically a small grouping of objects

I like the idea of the photographic genre still life, the concept intrigues me, how such a still and lifeless image can represent such passion and underlie a powerful message in some cases. The food could represent various things, such as gluttony or self control, but it could also represent anarchy and chaos. The relationship between the photographer and the photograph being a common interest of the audience being hunger and food lust. This is a realistic depiction of the real life event, nothing has been exaggerated and  distorted after the photograph has been taken, although the photograph has been made or organised to look messy but also organised at the same time. I really like this type of photography and hope to try this in my pieces, whether it with food or other inanimate objects.

Fashion - Bruce Weber - is a genre of photography devoted to displaying clothing and other fashion items. Fashion photography is most often conducted for advertisements or fashion magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, or Elle

I like the idea of fashion photography, it really intrigues me as a concept, a single photograph representing the fashion and style of the piece. I really like the colour scheme consisting of mainly black and  white, this creates a really nice effect. The black and white colour scheme represents that there is always beauty in even the most grim and lifeless situations. The focal point of the image is obviously the models and more specifically the clothes and style they are in. This is a realistic depiction, nothing has been distorted or exaggerated apart from the colour scheme, but it is relevant to the mood of the photograph. I like this theme and would like to involve fashion photography somewhere in my final piece.

Street - Gary Windogard - features the chance encounters and random accidents within public places. Street photography does not necessitate the presence of a street or even the urban environment

I really like the idea of street genre photography, capturing all the chaos and emotion of the situation. The photograph depicts real life events, all the vibrancy of the situation. Streets can be so diverse in events that take place, there are specific events that occur on streets which would be interesting to document. The composition of this photograph is really good, the tone of the piece is generally quite low giving the photograph a darker look. I would really like to involve this genre of photography in my own work, possibly combined with other genres to make it more interesting.

Night - William Fraser  - refers to photographs taken outdoors between dusk and dawn. Night photographers generally have a choice between using artificial light and using a long exposure, exposing the scene for seconds, minutes, and even hours in order to give the film or digital sensor enough time to capture a usable image

This is possibly my favourite genre, I like capturing certain events or places enveloped in darkness. I think that any photographs taken in the dark have an eerie sort of quality to them but also a vibrancy to them. The street and car lights in the background add another level and contrast to the image, the image doesn’t really have a focal point but I think it could be the darkness. I like the composition of the piece, nothing is to crowded or too spread out. The light reflecting of the water creates a really nice effect and adds a subtle contrast change. This is a realistic depiction depicting real life events in darkness, nothing has been exaggerated or distorted. I would really like to incorporate this style into my own work possibly combined with other genres to make it more interesting.

Wildlife - Andy Rouse - concerned with documenting various forms of wildlife in their natural habitat

This is one of my favourite genres, but also one of the hardest ones to get right. Even though there are literally wildlife wherever you look, presenting them in an interesting way without it being blurred and getting close enough without scaring them could be difficult. I really like the colour schemes of the two images, the first consisting of mostly oranges and browns, I like the way the background highlights part of the foreground. The focal point of all the photographs took in this style is the animals. The colour scheme in the second photograph is more contradicting, the bright background really stands out from the dark foreground.  No part of the photographs have been distorted or exaggerated, this is a realistic depiction documenting the beauty in nature. I think the message the photographer was trying to get across was the beauty and spontaneity in wildlife. I really like this style and would like to involve this in my own work somehow.