Types

• There are many types of photography and photographic services. The most common form of photography may be portraiture. Going to a studio or hiring a portrait photographer to document your family, children or self is a popular service. This type of photographer needs to be charismatic and work well with all age groups.
  Commercial and advertising photography are admired by millions daily. From the images in magazines, to advertisements along the street and on billboards, photography is all around us. This type of photographer needs to be a technical genius in the digital darkroom.
  Fashion photographers work with models, stylists and designers to showcase people and products. An eye for detail, color and exemplary posing are a must for fashion photographers.
  Pick up the daily newspaper and see how photojournalists have broken up the sea of gray text with visual information about noteworthy events. This type of photographer has to be ready for any situation the day presents. From sports events, to a car accident, they document it all.
  Food photographers document mouth watering creations. Usually they set up the scene in a kitchen, restaurant or dining table atmosphere. This type of photographer must be time conscious when working with hot, melting and unstable foods. They often work with a food stylist that helps keep the food looking perfect.
  
  

Effects

• Photography brings a visual element to so many things we encounter in our daily lives. Imagery for product packaging, a colorful front on a magazine and a store advertisement for products on sale all include photography.
  Photography creates lasting memories of family members. It can document the growth of a child, the expansion of a family and preserve the most cherished moments of our lives with a visual record.
  
  

Identification

• Professional photography has a distinct look with several characteristics. Clearly focused pictures are a must. Blurry or soft images will not be tolerated in most photography applications. The use of high end photography equipment allows photographers the ability to record images at a high resolution, so they maintain their clarity even when enlarged for reproduction. They most often use an SLR or medium format camera.
  Professional lighting in a studio, or on location, is a key element of professional photography. Attention to detail may also include the use of a stylist, make-up artist or set designer.
  
  

History

• Photography and the ability to record imagery with light has been experimented with since ancient times. The first photo sensitive compound was discovered in 1727 by Professor J. Schulze. In 1880 George Eastman, of the future Kodak company, set up a dry plate company and published the first half-tone photograph in a daily newspaper. The first commercial color film was presented by the Lumiere brothers in France in 1907. Sony debuted their Mavica digital camera in 1982.
  
  

Potential

• The need for visual records will continue far into the future. Photography will continue evolving just as it has the past several hundred years. The future forms for photography may not be known, but the ability to capture a moment in time, and preserve it for future generations, will continue.