I think that one of the main dilemmas in photography is if or how to define yourself & your work/art. There is the obvious “Pro or Not” debate, which is the easiest to resolve. Pro = earns his living through photography. Not = doesn’t (plus a few acceptable variants). Then we get into what can be called categories, genres, fields or types of photography.

It may seem restraining to have to define yourself or your work within these parameters, but it is very important to do so, because this will help you on your quest to master your art, and it will also help you to target the appropriate audience.

There are categories and subcategories and invented categories you can choose from but I suggest that you stick to the basics. Here are lists of commonly used Photography categories:

General:
Portrait – Lifestyle – Sports – Nature – Landscape – Architectural – Still-life – Animal – Nudes – Glamour – Fantasy.

Commercial:
Family – Sports – Architectural – Industrial – Events – Wedding – Editorial – Stock – Commercial – Fashion – Advertising – assignment – Furniture.

If you can’t decide what category best describes you, it could be that you are still growing and that you haven’t found your true path yet. It may also be that you are not concentrating on mastering specific disciplines (and you should). In general, photographers pick between 1 and 3 main categories to define their  personal work. On a professional side, try never to define yourself by more then 2 categories, this will help your clients find you among your competitors. You can still have 16 portfolios of all kinds of photography.

So to finish this post; It is Good to “label” your photography. Choose not only what you think your best at, but also what you want to do in the futur.

Good Luck :-)

 

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