Photography Classification

When mentioning photography, weddings, portraits, nature, sports or wildlife pictures jumps to mind. These are the popular types of photography found in advertisements, movie posters, books, consumer products etc. and it has become a vital part of daily life. Cell phones, those handy "snap-me-quick" tools, are veritable treasure chests, filled with personal pictures, and homes have special walls adorned with gems, immortalized in frames. These varieties of photography are just the tip of the iceberg. When digging deeper, an amazing variety of specialized fields appears, that are as unique as the worlds they delve into.

Aerial photography is one of the fields that are lesser known and requires specialized training and equipment. Airplanes and helicopters are but a few of the vessels used for aerial images. Aerial photography also includes images taken from a raised position, such as hot air balloons, tall buildings, parachutes and even kites equipped with a specialized camera. (PAPA) The results are used for environmental studies, commercial advertising, land development, real estate, cartography and even archaeological studies. There are a variety of techniques and additional equipment used in this field, for example, aerial photographers use a gyroscope-based stabilizer. (PAPA) This is a weight, that adds mass when attached to the camera, and it absorbs the vibrations and movements of the airplane or helicopter. The more stable the camera, the less blur in the photographs. The newer cameras of today are lighter and more susceptible to movement and by adding weight to the camera, movement and vibration is minimized. (PAPA)

Photography also has a mystical side to it. Paranormal Photography made its mark in the early 1800's, when W Campbell in New Jersey, took possibly, the first "ghost photo". (Paranormal Encyclopedia) Since then, a never ending stream of investigators has been attempting to capture ghosts, orbs and other apparitions. There is no special equipment or training needed, except maybe a healthy bout of reality. All that is required is a basic camera with 35mm infrared film. It is not an exact science and will always be surrounded by controversy. Most people watch with disbelieve while others just dismiss it as trickery.

Close on its heels in the mystical section, is Aura or Kalian photography. Aura photography is used to capture images of the radiant energy fields that manifest the physical, mental, emotional and even spiritual state of humans or objects. (Aura photo) Genius scientist, Nicola Tesla, was the first person to record an Aura photograph. Today, it is mainly used by psychotherapists to gain access into the mental and emotional states of a patient. The Auracam 6000, invented by Guy Coggins in 1992, is used to capture the images. It works on the same basic principles as a Polaroid camera. According to researchers, the camera captures the image of an aura, using deviations in humidity,