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What’s Your Specialty or Passion?
By sirsnapalot | March 12, 2010
I imagine most photographers and budding photographers have a preferred subject matter when it comes to taking pictures. There are lots of genres, and each can take a while to become comfortable with, and a long time to become an expert at them.
Of the genres I can think of off the top of my head, my specialty areas from approximately from strongest to weakest:
- 3D
- Nature
- Macro
- Architecture
- Abstract
- Product
- Still Life
- People
- High Speed
- Astrophotography
If I think of others, I’ll come back and edit them in.
3D is a special case- as with the exception of Astrophotography, all the other areas can be photographed in 3D. I list it tops because my www.3dphoto.net website is #1 in Google for 3D photography, and has been for over a decade, so I’ll take that as an endorsement! 
Nature, though, as pure subject matter goes, is my best and favorite, and my “comfort zone.” I know it very well, and take very good nature photos. I know a lot of tricks to get better shots, and am now trying to learn HDR to push it even further. Every genre has its own, special techniques that you can learn to push the envelope, and HDR is one such tool especially for Nature.
Haleakala Crater, Hawaii- one of my best Nature shots
Macro has moved up a lot this year- I have gotten very good at it and can take some amazing shots, and have learned various techniques to push into the micro realm and improve the quality as well. I still have a ways to go, but I’ve made a lot of improvements the past year, to the point I can at least image down to 1000x magnification (quality is poor at that level, though).
Hibiscus Stigma- one of my better Macro shots
I do OK with architecture, though I do not have Tilt/Shift lens that would make for higher quality work. I could stand to learn better techniques as well and learn more what makes a better architectural picture. Right now it’s based largely on personal choice, and that’s not always a good barometer.
Ohio State Capitol- one of my better architecture shots
Abstract photography is just that- it can be a texture, some formless light, or even fairly specific, but abstract in nature that the picture doesn’t necessarily have a point. To take them, you can meticulously set up the scene for a pre-desired effect, or you can be completely whimsical. Abstract can offer a lot of so-what freedom in taking pictures, and experimentation- any experimentation, is helpful. Try moving the camera while the shutter is open, or severely over- or under-expose the shot. Basically, try breaking all the so-called rules.
Fun with food coloring (Liquid Octopus)- One of my best abstract shots
Product photography is something I’ve picked up in the last two years from nothing. Basically, I pick a “product”- could be a nice wine bottle, a small glass scultpure, or anything around the house, and I attempt to take a good photo of it- magazine good, that is. That is far more difficult than it sounds. You really need to control the lighting environment, and this takes some extra work- either equipment or some good DIY materials, to diffuse shadows and eliminate unwanted reflections. I did make a breakthrough at Christmas with the purchase of a fairly cheap lightbox and some black and white plexiglass sheets, but still have a ways to go.
Product Photo Experiment
Still Life I’m ranking below product photography. With products, you just pick a “product” and try to take the best photo you can. With Still Life shots, you need to compose a scene that looks nice. So, in addition to many of the limitations of product photography, you also have to add some imagination, and I need to work on that.
Movement In Still Life- an early example my experiments in Still Life
I put people almost last- I suck at it. I hate photographing people, but I like it when I take a good (and rare) people picture. It makes me nervous (not talking snapshot party pics here, but good people pictures). I have never hired a model, and feel self conscious photographing strangers (so-called Street Photography). And then there is studio photography- lighting is of paramount importance there. I do plan on exploring aspects of people photography. Years ago a friend of mine (a very people-oriented friend) referred to my vacation pictures as “trees and rocks”, as I avoided having people in them. Though I still have yet to explore this genre, I have taken his comments to heart and will get to it.
My Wife- one of my better "people shots"
High speed photography can be fascinating- capturing brief, passing instances and freezing the moment for posterity. It’s tricky, requiring either a very fast shutter speed, and/or a good flash unit. If you use a bright, constant light, then fast shutter speed is the way to capture if. Otherwise, you can use a fast flash in a darker room. By its nature, it’s generally difficult, and you have to try and refine your techniques and processes. But the satisfaction of getting that cool shot is well worth it once you succeed (I know I was ecstatic when I got this balloon shot last summer).
Water Balloon Burst- one of my best High Speed shots
And last, is Astrophotography. It is here because it is difficult and I have devoted very little time to it. I can take star trail shots, and I have a good telescope, but I have not attempted to take a photo through it in a long, long time- I got one good one (moon photo) many years ago with a film camera, and did not replicate that experiment. It takes a lot of practice to get good at this. I will play with it in the future, but I doubt I will become an expert, especially as good as a friend of mine at work- Alvaro Vacquero, whose work can be seen here.
The Moon- my best Astrophoto (from film)
This of course is not the best shot- it was taken on film many, many years ago, through my 17″ Dobsonian telescope. I built an adapter out of commonly available PVC and a simple Canon reversing ring to attach the camera. This is direct eyepiece projection onto the film- there was no lens on the camera. The telescope served as a massive telephoto. I’ve not taken a thru-the-telescope shot since, but a friend of mine recently borrowed my telescope (I have a different one now) and has had some luck with it.
Of course there are many more specialty areas of photography, such as wedding (people), art, abstract, etc…
I’ll expand individually (or have already done so) on the individual categories above in future blogs. My main point is everyone has specialty areas- I’d encourage you to write them down in approximate order of strongest to weakest. Then pick a category from lower on the list and try to get better at it. The challenge will breathe new life into your photography as you incrementally get better and better.
My goal is to become better at all, gradually. I switch around to different subjects from time to time to keep the passion going.
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