Recently, one of the most searched topics on the internet, according to the Exploding Topics website, was the word Ikigai. Ikigai is a Japanese concept that refers to "what makes life worth living". It doesn't surprise me that, in the post-truth times we are living, where ethically dubious practices seem to be becoming the norm, people are looking into doing something fulfilling with their lives.
When I left the corporate world to become a photographer, I was also looking for my reason for being. And I think that after many years of trying different things, I successfully found it. My work makes me happy and gives me purpose.
However, as I was writing this post, I asked myself why is it that I do some genres of photography and not others. Is it because I don't like them or is it because I don't have the skills or personality to do them? Admittedly, one can always acquire new skills with enough training, but there are certain types of jobs that also require a particular type of personality.
I decided to write a list of the traits and skills that I considered that photographers need depending on the type of work that they are doing. It is a very subjective list, and not everyone has all of the elements that I suggest, but I think it's a good guide for those who are starting in the industry and have yet to decide for one genre of photography or the other:
Fashion: you must love clothes and understand the inner-workings of the industry. This type of photography is all about how the clothes we wear make us feel. Fashion gives photographers a lot of creative freedom, playing with fantasy and the theatrical.
Beauty: shooting beauty requires a lot of attention to detail and knowledge of lighting. Like with product photography and still life, it requires a lot of patience. But, because you are photographing humans, it also requires people skills and empathy.
Portraiture: probably one of the genres of photography in which your people skills can make or ruin an image. Taking someone's portrait requires a lot of empathy and an ability to get people to share with you their real selves.
E-commerce: it's a fast-paced environment, with lots of repetitive tasks. You need a knowledge of what type of images sell. A lot of people say that this type of work is where creativity goes to die, but it pays the bills. Bigger brands have their own in-house staff, but studio owners and freelance photographers also cater to this part of the industry.
Still-life / Food / Interiors: photographing still-life, food or interiors might be the opposite of a fast-paced e-commerce environment. It can be a slow process that requires a lot of patience and attention to detail and a very good understanding of how light behaves in different environments and on different surfaces.
Street: this genre of photography requires good reflexes and always being alert to what is going on around you. You must be physically fit, as you will spend many hours on the streets trying to find the perfect photo or waiting for the perfect weather conditions, a task that also requires a lot of patience. If you photograph people on the streets, you definitely require people skills to convince people to pose for you or to deal with them if they react negatively to being photographed in public spaces without their consent. You must be familiar with the local legislation and your rights as a photographer.
Landscape: landscape photography is about capturing the essence of the environment around you. You must be someone very patient, capable of waiting hours for the right light angle or the perfect clouds, but also someone flexible enough to react to an unexpected change of weather. Someone who is good at researching and doing recces for locations and for perfect weather conditions but who also knows how to take advantage of a sudden shower.
Press and Documentary: these two genres of photography are very similar in that they require storytelling skills. They are not so much about the technicalities of the craft but about telling a story with the utmost respect for the subject matter and the people you photograph. They require integrity and high moral standards, and in some situations, you must be willing to put your safety at risk. They differ mainly in the turnaround. Usually, press photographers are expected to have a fast turnaround, were documentary photographers tend to work more in long term projects.
Sports: also a fast-paced environment, it requires good reflexes and a thorough understanding of the sports you are shooting. It usually involves expensive and heavy equipment.
Advertising: this genre of photography is all about selling and trying to convince the viewer that they must have the product depicted in the image. It usually involves big clients with big budgets and large crews and the photographer is just a small piece in the whole production. Being able to coordinate with the rest of the areas involved to achieve the results that the client expects is essential.
Weddings and Events: for me, this is one of the most stressful genres of photography. You just have one chance to get the images that you are hired for, and you are working on your client's most special occasion. It is fast-paced, requires nerves of steel, people skills, lots of equipment, very good reflexes and a love for weddings and events.
Travel: this genre of photography is a sort of cocktail of other genres like documentary, street, landscape, food and portraiture. It is basically documenting the landscape, people, cultures, customs and history of a specific destination.
Fine Art: this genre of photography is less about the photography itself and more about the vision of the artist and their creative expression. The artist uses the medium as a way to convey an idea, a concept or an emotion.
This is not a complete list, as there are many other genres of photography but it covers the most common ones. In general, photographers should be resourceful and must be able to solve last-minute mishaps promptly and with flexibility. Also, I believe that professional photographers should have respect for the craft, the industry (peers, crew, clients) and the subject (models, product). Only by respecting and understanding the industry is that we can contribute to improving it, but also we can benefit from its support.
Photo credit: behind the scenes image by Andrzej Gruszka.
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