What are my favourite things to shoot?

It’s an interesting question that I get often – what do I enjoy shooting the most? Well, I could make this a very short blog and simply say “everything,” which is absolutely true, but there are so many different photography disciplines. I think it’s worth taking a closer look at the three most specific types I have shot over the years, what I think about each of them, and why I enjoy them for different reasons and in different ways.

First off, at the top of the list is corporate photography. This is what ultimately pays the bills and remains our key focus for the foreseeable future. Beyond the financial benefits, corporate shoots give us the chance to meet new people every day, sometimes in incredible locations like luxurious hotels, large convention centres, and even famous landmarks. These diverse environments keep the work fresh and exciting.

But there’s more to it than just the locations and the paycheck. We also get the unique opportunity to learn new things every single day from experts in their respective fields – knowledge that we have often applied to improve our own business. For example, we recently covered a conference for a marketing company where one presenter shared an innovative story: his company deliberately promoted their worst online reviews as a marketing strategy. It was a bold and gutsy move that turned traditional marketing on its head, attracting attention because it was so different from what anyone else was doing.

Our team finds itself literally at the forefront of the latest insights from business owners and executives, covering topics like AI, marketing strategies, investments, health trends, retail innovations, climate change, and many more. We are essentially getting paid to learn on the job, absorbing valuable information daily. And often, these shoots come with great food, engaging discussions, and wonderful people – a truly inspiring and exciting combination that makes corporate photography especially rewarding.

My next favourite thing to shoot is definitely street photography. There’s just something truly captivating about being out in the elements, completely by yourself, armed only with your thoughts and your camera. It kind of reminds me of those moments when I used to surf - just having your board and the waves around you created a special, almost meditative connection. With street photography, you’re literally wandering around the city or town, on the lookout for interesting subjects, shapes, or light patterns that most people wouldn’t even notice. In fact, sometimes I wouldn’t spot these either if I was running late for a shoot or distracted by something else.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s day or night, weekend or weekday, hot or cold, wet or dry - there is almost always something fascinating to capture. By using a few tricks of the trade, like ND filters and slower shutter speeds, you can transform ordinary scenes into something quite extraordinary, often in just a few seconds with the click of a button. Additionally, it’s always worth shooting in both colour and black and white, as it often reveals different moods and adds a surprising effect to the final images.

One of the most interesting parts about street photography is observing the people around you. Most are in a rush, some give you curious or even funny looks, while others are completely absorbed in their own thoughts and often don’t even notice your presence. It feels a bit like curating your own little world — there are no deadlines, no briefs, no customers, just you and your camera, wandering and hunting for those compelling shots. This, to me, represents pure photography at its finest.

The other genre I have shot extensively is sports photography. This field can be incredibly rewarding when the right conditions come together, paired with the appropriate equipment. Typically, you need a lens with at least 200mm focal length and an aperture of around 2.8 to allow in as much light as possible, especially when shooting fast-moving action in varying lighting situations. From there, it’s all about finding the optimal position that maximizes the impact of the shot and visually tells a compelling story of what’s unfolding on the field.

I’ve captured some great head-on shots of soccer players, but often these images lack context because there’s no background detail, which can make it look more like a training session from the viewer’s perspective. To truly convey the dynamics of a match, I always aim to include some of the opposing team members in the frame, and if possible, the goalmouth. This composition helps viewers immediately understand the action without needing to guess what’s happening.

With soccer specifically, I’ve found that any moment where the ball or players are in the air tends to create the most striking images since the game is predominantly played on the ground. Shots of players leaping for the ball or the ball itself suspended mid-air add drama and excitement. And it’s important not to overlook the celebrations - some of my best photos have been capturing the raw emotion of players celebrating goals, often juxtaposed with the disappointed expressions of the opposing team in the background, adding a powerful narrative layer to the image.

Finally, some other notable genres that I’ve had the pleasure of shooting include weddings, birthday parties, products, children, pets, food, landscapes, and many more diverse subjects. To be honest, I genuinely love them all, even though each comes with its own unique set of positives and challenges, both for the photographer and the specific gear required to capture the best results. What about you - what is your favourite thing to shoot? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences, so please feel free to share in the comments below.