Contemporary Photography

• Generally photography from the 1980s onward.
• Shaped by new technologies and innovations.

A huge development in this was the creation of colour photography. Today we also have digital manipulation (Photoshop).

Contemporary photographers often use these developments to present new perspectives on traditional subjects and compositions.

Contemporary Techniques

When contemporary photography first emerged, it was classified as any photograph taken using non-traditional techniques.

Due to the nature of contemporary as an art movement this is always evolving, the techniques used in capturing imagery are never set in stone.

When instant image cameras such as polaroids and the like were first developed and became widespread, they were classified as a contemporary photographic technique.

Digital photography is the current ‘contemporary norm’ in photography, but even now, many photographers are developing new techniques to capture their photos.

Contemporary as Adapting Art

Contemporary art and photographs featured settings and subjects like what modern photographs capture. These include buildings and metroscapes, still-life, and candid portraits.

This eventually evolved to encompass a range of sub-genres and styles. Contemporary photography today now readily includes abstract, landscape, architectural, and even cameraless photography to name a few. Photo documentary and photojournalism are two sub-genres that are arguably the most popular as these depict image and subjects that are both pressing and in the now.

Photography for the Pioneers

The contemporary photo movement today continues to evolve and is more than just what’s trending in the world of photography. It’s experimental and continues to push and redefine its own rules and norms, creating a truly dynamic experience for both the photographer and the people who appreciate it.

Contemporary photography is more than just a genre or a style; it’s a concept and an expression of the artist at that specific moment – captured and immortalized in a photograph. It’s a movement for the pioneers and those unafraid to think outside the box.