Documentary Photography
Photography that records a subject, community or situation over time with the intention of describing it truthfully.
In depth
Documentary differs from photojournalism chiefly in its timescale and its author's position: it is usually a long personal project rather than a commissioned news assignment, and it accepts an explicit point of view. What it does not accept is fabrication — the claim of description is what distinguishes it from staged work.
Examples in practice
A project photographing one fishing community across four seasons builds a portrait no single visit could.