Genres, Movements & Theory — 8 Terms Defined

Self-portrait Genres, Movements & Theory A photograph in which the photographer is also the subject.

Snapshot Aesthetic Genres, Movements & Theory A deliberate adoption of the informal look of amateur photography — casual framing, direct flash, apparent artlessness.

Sports Photography Genres, Movements & Theory Photography of athletic competition, capturing peak action, effort and outcome.

Staged Photography Genres, Movements & Theory Photography in which the scene is deliberately constructed and performed for the camera.

Still Life Photography Genres, Movements & Theory Photography of inanimate objects arranged deliberately by the photographer.

Straight Photography Genres, Movements & Theory An approach insisting that photography's proper qualities are sharpness, detail and tonal range, without imitation of other media.

Street Photography Genres, Movements & Theory Candid photography of everyday life in public places, made without directing the subject.

Studium Genres, Movements & Theory Barthes's term for the general, culturally shared interest a photograph holds — its subject, context and craft.