Are you looking to get into photography but not sure what style to focus on? Are you already a photographer and looking for a different niche to try out? The world of photography is filled with many different niches or styles. It can be overwhelming for those that are just starting out and trying to find an area to focus on. It can be even harder for someone that is already established in a certain niche.
By no means do you need to “master” every style there is out there? There is so many it would be impossible. I focus mainly on landscape style photography but I will also try anything that I don’t have to pose people. Although, I am willing to try my hand at different portrait styles of photography.
A friend of mine wants me to try the boudoir niche. While another friend is getting married and asking if I could take photos at her wedding. Both of those niches appeal to me but I do find them scary since I don’t know much about posing or working with people. However, I am willing to learn.
We don’t know what we will be good at until we try. I may not be good at either of those niches but I won’t know until I try it out. All you need is an interest in that niche and a willingness to learn.
Below you will find 25 photography niches you can focus on. Some are easy to get started in like Landscaper photography. While others take a little more effort like being a fashion or music photographer. Many are similar enough that you can learn to master or get good at a few like Family and Newborn photography. In many cases, it would benefit you to try and learn a couple of them together especially if you are planning on making a career out of photography.
Product Photography
Product photography is exactly what you think it is. Photographing different products. You can start this out at home on your kitchen table. Just look around your home for different things you bought and start taking pictures of them.
You could even try to find someone local who is just starting out making their own things and taking the pictures for them.
Fashion Photography
So what is Fashion photography? I like to think of it as taking photos of clothing. You usually do this with models. But your kids or family can help fill that role. You can even model yourself.
Just set the timer on your camera and go. Fashion photography doesn’t just have to be a model on a runway. It can be a simple as just the clothing hanging on the rack.
Sweet Sixteen Photographer
Turning sixteen is a big deal for a girl. At least that’s what I’ve been told. There are photographers who make a living just photographing sweet sixteen birthday parties.
Of course, this doesn’t just have to be for a girl’s sixteenth birthday. Birthdays in general nowadays are big deals. Many parents like having a photographer around to capture those special moments.
Travel Photographer
A travel photographer in this sense is a photographer who will travel with a family and capture all the moments of that vacation. You see this popping up a lot in the Orlando area. Families what to capture every moment but also don’t want anyone left out.
Take a look back from when you were a kid. Chances are a lot of the photos are missing mom or dad. The reason is that they were behind the camera. Having a travel photographer means no one is left out.
Wedding Photographer
This is the niche all of us photographers know about. If you have been snapping photos for any amount of time chances are a friend or family member asked you to take their wedding photos. This niche is big business. Just be careful, there is a lot to know and one miss-step can ruin a bride’s special day.
If this is the niche you decide to try and focus on, I wish you the best of luck. There is big money in this niche but it is also very stressful and you should learn my different styles to set yourself apart from those in your area.
Landscape Photography
There’s a good chance when you think of photography this is one of the niches that comes to mind. Landscape photography is one of the easiest to get started in. You just need some knowledge on how your camera works, a tripod (read our reasons for needing a tripod when you are starting out), and time.
I love going out and shooting landscapes. While there are not many epic locations in my immediate area. Only a short hour or two drive can get me to some pretty spectacular places.
Street Photography
I like to think street photography is all about timing. Being in the right place at the right time. However, that isn’t necessarily true. While it does help, you can still catch some amazing images walking around your local area.
A man smoking on the corner, a person getting into a taxi, a woman walking her dog. Street photography is all about being out there. In the middle of the action and capturing those moments.
Newborn Photography
Newborn photography can be anything from being right in the delivery room to taking a photo each month for the first year. It is different than family photography but does come off the same vein.
In newborn photography, you are just focused on the baby. Nothing else but the first moments of that child’s life.
Music Photographer
The music niche can be some pretty big business. In this niche, you would travel around with different bands or you could work for a venue. You would take pictures at concerts, for album covers, and even photos for the band’s website.
If you want to get started in this niche start off in your local scene. Go around to the different bars and clubs and see if you can take pictures of the bands that are performing. Who knows you might just become the next “it” photographer for the up and coming bands.
Dating Profile Photographer
Any of us that are single know how important the photos on our dating profile can be. Getting the right dating profile picture can be a challenge even for people who know photography. If you like taking pictures of people this could be the niche for you.
Boudoir Photographer
Boudoir photography is a photography style that features sensual, romantic, intimate, and/or erotic images of a person in a private setting. The photos themselves are usually only for the client’s personal enjoyment for themselves or with their partner.
Right now a lot of photographers are pairing up the boudoir style with wedding photography. A lot of brides want to have something a little special for their new husbands and a boudoir photo shoot is just what the doctor ordered.
Golf Course Photographer
Along the same lines as landscape photography. However, in this niche, you are just focusing on golf courses. There are hundreds of golf courses throughout the world.
I can think of at least three near me within a 30-minute drive. You never know when the last time a golf course was photographed. It could have been years ago.
Food Photography
Almost everyone takes their phone out to snap a photo of the meal they are getting ready to eat or what they just made. This is a little different than that. In this niche, you need to learn a whole bunch of new techniques.
Did you know that food photographers use glue in place of milk? Or motor oil in place of syrup? It all sounds weird but it’s what all the major food photographers do.
Macro Photography
Macro photography is a very interesting niche to get into. The macro niche is all about getting extremely close-up to the subject. The subject is usually very small objects or insects.
Corporate Photography
Corporate photography is usually a combination of two different niches but working with one company. Corporate photographers do head shots for the company and would photograph the companies major events. Companies all over the world need photographers for many different things.
If you can get in with the right company you could be making a killing in this niche. However, it will take a lot of work. You won’t be able to just start out with a company like Apple or Coca-Cola.
Family Photographer
Just like landscape or wedding photography this is another niche many people think of when it comes to photography. In this niche you would focus on doing family portraits. You can work indoors in a studio setting or in the great outdoors.
If you like working with people this is a great place to start off. You don’t need a ton of gear to start off and you can start off by taking pictures of your own family.
Wildlife Photographer
To me wildlife and landscape kind of go hand and hand. After all, when you are out taking landscape photos you are out in nature. Nature if you didn’t know is where you will find all kinds of wildlife. Sure the settings you will use are different and same thing goes with equipment.
I like to go out and do both when I am out. In my area I can find plenty of small mammals, eagles, deer, and much more. While I am waiting for the perfect lighting conditions for the landscape composition I am going for I will be on the lookout for wildlife. Of course, you can go out in nature just with the sole purpose of getting that next great bear shot.
Sports Photography
Sports photography is a niche that focus on sporting events. Anything from soccer to baseball, to boxing and even water sports. It’s not hard to start off in this niche especially if you have children.
You will have better luck if you can get on the sidelines. The sports photography niche can land you some pretty epic images. The moment a player cracks the ball off the bat. Or a receiver catches the game wining pass. Or when a boxers gloves hit an opponents face.
Event Photographer
Event photography is where you would photograph guest at an event. Like stated earlier it is usually corporate events but can be anything. From the opening of a new shopping center or store. To the local fair.
Events are happening all the time and someone needs to take photos of it. That’s where event photographers come in. I have a friend who does events and weddings. Both are similar where as you are just trying to capture the moment.
Long Exposure Photography
I love long exposure photography when it comes out right. Even when it doesn’t the images are still very interesting. While there might not be a big need for this niche. There are still people out there looking for this style of photo.
Weather Photography
Ever try to get a picture of lightning? Well there is a photographer niche that just specializes in capturing the weather. Anything from lightning to tornadoes and everything in between.
Stock Photography
The stock photography niche covers many different styles and techniques. In this niche you focus mainly on taking photos for stock websites. Every website needs stock photos.
This is where you would come in. Sometimes you need a photo for an article but just don’t have the right one to fit. Stock photos are in high demand but there are also tons of pictures on stock websites.
Head shot Photographer
I use to think that head shots are dead but I was wrong. There is still a huge need for head shot photographers. Up and coming actors need head shots and so do models.
You could focus solely on offering head shots or do what many photographers do and do head shots but also other portrait styles.
Real estate Photographer
Have you ever looked at buying a house or renting an apartment? The ones that sell the best are the ones that have good quality photos of the place. Let’s face it, many places have some pretty crappy photos of the place they are trying to sell.
There is always a need for a good photographer to take photos of the places being offered for sale.
Astrophotography
You don’t need to be in a super dark location to get into the astrophotography niche, although it does help. Astrophotography is all about photographing the night sky. It could be something as simple as photographing the moon.
To more challenging things photographing other planets in the solar system. You would need a telescope and other specialized equipment but boy is it worth it when you capture something amazing.
So there you have it 25 photography niches to check out. You could try out all 25 to see which ones you excel at. Just remember it is all about enjoying what you are doing. If you don’t like being around people than being a wedding photographer probably isn’t the best niche for you to get into. You should try something that has you dealing with little to no people like landscape or real estate photography.
Just remember you will not master all 25 of these niches. You may master few but even than you probably won’t since it takes years to master a skill. Photography like anything else in life is just another skill. However, it is a skill that we love and spend years on perfecting.
Do you already work in a specific niche and looking for another to try? Are you just starting out on your photography journey and looking for niche or style to focus on? Let us know in the comments below. We here at KozmoPhotos loving hearing your input. So let us know what other niches we missed and should write about on our part two of this list.
Are you thinking about getting into photography or just starting out? Check out our post about Photography terms you need to know. Or check out our photography starting guide. Photography is a fun hobby that can get you back out in nature and exploring the world around you from many different angles.
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