Traditional Photography. Custom photography. Lifestyle Photography. Photojournalism. These are all terms used to describe different photographic shooting styles, and they are all fairly well-known terms nowadays too. I have found though, that despite the number of people who have heard of these terms, very few actually know what the difference between them is. In the rest of this article, you will find explanations for what each term means and why you might choose to use one photographic style over another.Traditional photography is the type of photography most people have experienced. This would be your standard studios and department store studios. These photographers typically create their photographs in their own studio using their own props and equipment. They are often artificially lit using studio lighting. This style of photography is actually very well known for it’s very posed and perfected look. Everything and everyone is in their place and positioned just so. This type of photography is often used for portraiture, especially for families.If that doesn’t sound like the right fit for you, you may be interested in custom photography. Custom photography is actually a name used to describe several different sub-categories of style. Basically custom photography is about going a step up from the typical carbon-copied photos of the traditional photographer and selecting a photographer who will not only create images that directly reflect your family, but also provide you with an experience and service that just can’t be compared to traditional photography studios. Custom photography might be the style for you if you are interested in taking an active part in finding and working with a photographer to create truly unique pieces of artwork that reflect you.One subcategory of custom photography is lifestyle photography. Lifestyle photography is exactly what it sounds like – it’s photographs depicting someone’s lifestyle. Oftentimes you will find these pictures capture a family cooking in the kitchen, a couple watching a movie, or friends enjoying their time at the park. This style of photography is designed to take the everyday activities that we all take part in and make them seem grander and more opulent than we typically find them to be. This style of photography has actually become very popular among commercial photographers who take photographs for companies to market their products. Lifestyle photography is also great for creating more spontaneous and natural photographs of couples, weddings, kids, and families.Photojournalism is another subcategory of custom photography. Photojournalists originally were solely employed by papers and magazines to document events and tell the story through their picture. However, recently many photojournalists have brought their unique abilities into wedding photography. The goal of a true photojournalist is to stay in the background and be as invisible as possible and simply document the events of the day. If you are wanting formal posed photos, these photographers may not be your best choice but they certainly do know how to capture an event in a unique way.There are many other subcategories for custom photography and of course not everyone fits into a specific mold when it comes to their photographic style. There are so many different ways of shooting and so many different looks to photographers’ imagery. This wide range of options provides you with the perfect opportunity to find a photographer who truly fits your personality and style. And if you take the time to do this, you will be guaranteed to get pictures that best reflect you, your family, and/or your event.