Before one becomes a specialist at something, there's a "mandatory" general route that everyone is not spared from.
It's the reason why students learn a series of subjects in school before deciding on which major to take or which career pathway to venture into.
Let's be honest.
Even if we have various passions and interests, we can't always pursue all of them due to limited resources and time.
Finding one's niche takes time, and holds huge significance in the long run because it establishes your employability and credibility in the job market.
Just as you have different restaurants that specialise in different cuisines, and different doctors that treat different types of patients, there are also different photographers that shoot different subjects of pictures.
In this article, we will look at multiple branches of photography and the famous photographers in the industry as well as how you can pursue a fulfilling photography career in these respective fields.
For The Foodies: Food Photography
Believe it or not, there's an actual phrase to describe our new obsession with taking food pictures and posting them later on Instagram.
It's none other than the camera eats first.
Ahem, how many of us are guilty of this?
There are some foodies who actually plan ahead in terms of what to eat and where to eat to curate a new foodie diary on their social media platforms. And of course, we're sure you have come across hashtags like #foodie or #food whenever you are looking at the captions of these images.
These are examples of personal memories and satisfaction. There are individuals who take this to the next level by only specialising in food photography.
As mentioned earlier, the popularity of food content on social media is one of the major contributing factors to the increasing demand for food photographers.
This is especially relevant in the food and beverage industry, where new dishes are released on a regular basis. It is important for every dish to not only be visually appealing to pique the consumer's curiosity but also convincing enough to attract them to try the dish personally.
From the colours, coordination of the utensils, and delicate packaging to the display of ingredients for each dish, every single detail matters when it comes to food photography.
Here are two examples of food photographers who have made a name for themselves locally and abroad.
Victor Chin [Vezora Studio]
First, there's Victor Chin, a food photographer who is based in Kuala Lumpur.
With an extensive experience of 10 years in this field, Victor is no stranger when it comes to winning the praise of clients and international awards such as Foodelia, and the International Food Photography Awards.
Some of his clientele include brands like Din Tai Fung, Snowflake, Mama Kim Wellness Kitchen, Yūimu Omakase and many more.
Photo by Jay Wennington on Unsplash
Louise Lister Photography
Currently based in Sydney, Australia, Louise is an established photographer who has worked for advertisers, magazines and various book publications.
When it comes to her food photography style, she is well versed with various themes and demands of each client, whether it's a display of ingredients, a sweet theme, a savoury theme or a recipe layout for a cookbook.
Get a glimpse of what to expect as you learn photography for the first time.
For Those Who Have A Soft Spot For Animals: Wildlife Photography
Loyal viewers of National Geographic would know that wildlife photography is really not a walk in the park and it's meant for those who are adventurous at heart and extremely patient.
In fact, some wildlife are even nocturnal like koalas, jaguars, bobcats, wolves and so forth so you may only catch a glimpse of their active side during the night.
Some animals could be quite aggressive when they sense humans from a distance, posing great dangers to wildlife photographers.
That's why a good wildlife photographer should not only be equipped with solid photography skills but also some basic knowledge of animal behaviour as well as "disguising" skills, like a chameleon. One needs to be sensitive to the surroundings and also brace for any unpredictability like a sudden change in weather.
Now, let's take a look at these two notable wildlife photographers.
Sanjitpaal Singh
Having worked as a photographer for more than 15 years, Sanjitpaal Singh has made a name for himself as a dedicated and passionate wildlife photographer locally in Malaysia and internationally.
In 2018, he had a feature exhibition of the Malaysian Hornbill at Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom and has continued to champion conservation initiatives to preserve various species of the Hornbill.
Together with his wife, Dr Ravinder Kaur who is the scientific director of XploreGaia (Gaia), a wildlife research and conservation group, they continue to advocate the importance of maintaining the ecosystem and biodiversity through wildlife photography.
Marina Cano
Professionally trained as a musician, Marina hails from Cantabria, Spain and currently specialises in African wildlife photography.
A lover of nature and wildlife, Marina has more than 20 years of experience in this field and her works such as Babies of the Wild (2015) and Wild Soul (2018) have been published globally.
Marina is also one of the wildlife Canon ambassadors in Europe. Her favourite photography kits include the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III and Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM.
Find out where you can study photography professionally in Malaysia.
Photo by Süheyl Burak on Unsplash
For Those Who Loves To Capture Emotions: Wedding and Portrait Photography
One could argue that these days the busiest person during a wedding is neither the bride nor the bridegroom but the wedding photography crew.
Depending on the formality, the entire wedding can take a whole dinner, where photographers not only need to be ready in the morning but also gear up for the reception at night alongside some video production at the same time.
Here are two wedding photographers who are clearly at the top of their game.
Jenny Sun Photography
Established in 2006, Jenny and her team believe in honest storytelling, unscripted love stories, and talking portraits with heart.
Born in Malaysia and raised in Australia, she is one of the few female wedding photographers in Malaysia with a huge client base in Kuala Lumpur and Sydney. However, she is also open to travel to other locations depending on the team's availability.
Jenny is a passionate storyteller who frequently shares her work on her IG page and communicates with her audience through authentic conversations. She dabbles in portrait and family photography too and is great at bringing the best emotions out of camera-shy individuals.
Andy Gaines
Based in York, England, Andy is an award-winning wedding photographer with a passion for creative and natural images.
He believes in documenting and not "directing" to capture the most natural glimpse of emotions of your most special day!
Some of Andy's awards include Best Wedding Photographer in UK & IE in 2017 by Masters of Wedding Photography and Rising Star of Wedding Photographer in the World by Rangefinder USA.
For The Physical Games Lovers: Sports Photography
Our list is certainly not complete without touching sports photography.
Whenever a big sports event like the Olympics, Commonwealth or Asian Games take place, you'll see lines of photographers from all over the world adjusting their lens with one common goal: to commemorate the victory of the athletes of various sports.
Let us introduce to you two famous sports photographers from Malaysia and also Vancouver.
Annice Lyn
Annice Lyn made headlines when she became the first female Malaysian sports photographer to be accredited for her works during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games.
She was determined to create awareness of the Malaysian ice-skating community even though winter sports is not a mainstream sport in Malaysia. She later had the opportunity to cover the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics as well as the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
She is also the co-founder of Women Photographers Malaysia and is listed by Forbes 30 under 30 in 2021.
Nick Didlick
With more than 30 years of photography experience, Nick Didlick has witnessed different scales of sports events across the globe.
Throughout the years, he has learned to master the craft of sports photography by observing different sports, different players, and different photography styles and also planning around the elements of having the perfect shot.
For example, the emotions of coaches, the audience during the on-site game and even the weather.
Discover these learning resources to sharpen your photography skills.
Photo by leah hetteberg on Unsplash
Learn Photography At Your Own Pace With A Superprof Tutor
We hope you have gained new motivation towards photography as you read about various branches of photography and also the respective photographers.
Don't be taken aback if you are just starting or if you wonder if you could ever be like one of them.
With Superprof, you can find a photography tutor to master various branches of photography at your own pace.
Don't worry as the lessons will be personalised and more flexible according to your learning preferences.
You can browse through the tutors' profiles and decide on your desired tutor, whether it's physical or online photography lessons. Currently, there are more than 3,000 photography tutors who offer their expertise at Superprof!
Some online photography tutors even offer their first lesson for free, so be sure not to miss this opportunity!
Just head to the Superprof Malaysia homepage and begin your photography tutor-hunting process.
As you progress from basic, and intermediate to advanced photography lessons, you will slowly find your niche in photography. From there, a new chapter awaits.
Who knows, you might be on the list of talented Malaysian photographers in the years to come too!
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