The Creative's Compendium: An Ongoing Glossary for Photography and Cinematography Styles, and Beyond

Styles and Beyond for the Prompt Engineer

Life often takes us by surprise. That was the case with me and photography. I'd been exploring 3D animation and visual effects, and I got a camera only to capture textures for my creative work.

Then something odd happened. People began to call me a 'photographer'. This felt strange. I thought the appeal of my early pictures was down to the DSLR, not any skill on my part.

But as time went on, I started to see things differently. I realized that photography was about more than just taking pictures. It was about telling stories and capturing moments and emotions. This idea was reinforced by my work in the fitness and fashion sectors. The goal wasn't just to take a picture. It was to create something meaningful.

Along the way, I met many 'photographers'. These were people who loved to talk about their equipment. It made me wonder about my place in all this. Was I a 'photographer' because I used a camera? Or were they the real photographers because of their technical know-how?

Then I discovered AI and its potential for creativity. This threw up a whole new set of questions. Was I the artist, or was I just directing the AI? Was the art created by the AI, or was I influencing it in some way?

For me, the answer was clear. I didn't want to let the AI do all the work. That's why I started working with Stable Diffusion. I didn't want the AI to create art for me. I wanted to guide it and shape it according to my vision.

How to Use this Guide for Optimal Prompt Engineering

This guide will grow overtime and will offer a comprehensive roadmap for prompt engineering, leveraging keywords from Photography and Cinematography. Use it to craft prompts that capture specific aesthetics, shot types, or lighting styles. Each section is linked to a dedicated, in-depth article which explores the respective subject matter in detail. The goal is to enable you to write prompts that are not just visually engaging, but also technically accurate and contextually rich.

For instance, if you're writing a prompt that requires a specific aesthetic, you can refer to the 'Aesthetics & Cinematographic Styles' section. This helps you to capture the essence of the aesthetic accurately in your prompt. Similarly, for prompts involving particular shot types or lighting styles, the sections on 'Cinematography Cinematic Shots' and 'Lighting Styles in Photography and Cinematography' respectively, serve as useful references.

Essentially, each section of this guide is designed to help you find key terms of photography, cinematography, to be used for Prompt Engineering in applications like Stable Diffusion and Midjourney, helping you to write nuanced, insightful prompts. Utilize this guide as a reference tool, a study guide, or a spark for inspiration as you navigate the world of prompt engineering.

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Table of Contents:

1. Photographic Styles and Techniques

2. Photography and Cinematography Styles

3. The Language of Shots: Camera Angles in Photography

4. The Visual Language of Cinematography

5. Lighting Styles in Photography and Cinematography

6. Key Figures in Photography and Cinematography

7. A Guide to Cameras and Lenses

8. Color and Aesthetics a. An Overview of Filters and Photographic Effects b. Exploration of Aesthetics & Cinematographic Styles

9. Conclusion

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Photographic Styles and Techniques

Photography, like any art form, is not simply a one-size-fits-all discipline. It's a world as wide and varied as the people who explore it, each practitioner bringing their own unique lens to bear upon the world around them. Over the years, various styles and techniques have emerged and evolved, becoming recognized as distinct genres within the larger umbrella of photography. Let's explore some of these styles, and the techniques often employed within them.

Photography and Cinematography Styles

Each of these styles encompasses a different perspective of the world, offering unique opportunities for creativity and exploration. As your understanding of these styles evolves, you may find yourself drawn to particular ones. Explore, experiment, and enjoy the process of discovery.

Abstract Photography	Analogue Photography	Polaroid Photography	Instant Photography	Beauty Photography
Candid	Documentary	Glamour Photography	High Fashion	Large Format
Lifestyle Photography	Modernist	Paparazzi	Pictorialist Style	Pinhole Photography
Street Fashion	Surrealist	Tintype Photography	Environmental Portraits	Editorial Portraits
Conceptual Portraits	Business Portraits	Family Portraits	Maternity Portraits	Newborn Portraits
Boudoir Portraits	Fitness Photography	Nude Art Photography	Fine Art Photography	Double Exposure

The Language of Shots: Camera Angles in Photography

This section will act as a guide to the vast range of camera angles employed in both photography and cinematography to imbue each frame with the desired feeling or message. Recognizing and understanding these different camera angles is essential to capturing or interpreting a scene effectively.

Size & Detail	Character Relationship	Camera Angle	POV & Movement	Other
Close Up On Face	Over-the-Shoulder Shot	Low Angle / Low Angle	Point of View (POV) Shot	Establishing Shot
Full Body	Two-Shot	Eye Level Angle	Overhead Shot	Master Shot
Head Shot	Three-Shot	Dutch Angle	Top Shot	Single Shot
Upper Body	Group Shot	Worm's Eye View	Bird's Eye Shot	Detail Shot
Medium Close Up	Single Shot	High Angle Shot / High Angle	Reaction Shot	Insert Shot
Extreme Close Up	Cross Shot	Flat Angle	Follow Shot	Cutaway Shot
Long Shot	Multi-Shot	Oblique Angle	Whip Pan	Wide Shot
Medium Shot	Split Shot	Aerial Shot	Tilt Shot	Cowboy Shot
Full Shot	Reaction Shot	Underwater Shot	Dolly Shot	Profile Shot

The Visual Language of Cinematography

This section dives into the nuanced world of cinematic shots. From close-ups to aerial views, understanding these shot types can drastically enhance the storytelling capabilities of a filmmaker or photographer. These techniques provide a language through which artists can communicate visually, evoke emotions, and guide viewers' attention.

Camera Movements	Shot Sizes and Angles	Cutting Techniques	Point of View	Miscellaneous
Aerial Shot	High Angle Shot	Jump Cut	Point of View (POV) Shot	Over-the-Shoulder Shot
Arc Shot	Low Angle Shot	Smash Cut	Two-Shot	Single Shot
Crane Shot	Eye Level Shot	Match Cut	Subjective Shot	Group Shot
Dolly Shot	Dutch Angle	Fade In/Out	Overhead Shot	Establishing Shot
Tracking Shot	Worm's Eye View	Dissolve	Top Shot	Reaction Shot
Zoom Shot	Bird's Eye Shot	Iris In/Out	Profile Shot	Montage
Tilt Shot	American Shot	Wipe	Hand-held Shot	Sequence Shot
Pan Shot	Two-Shot	L Cut	Long Take	Insert Shot
Whip Pan	Three-Shot	J Cut	Steadicam Shot	Cutaway Shot
Master Shot	Group Shot	Cross-cutting	Reverse Angle Shot	Whip Zoom Shot

Lighting Styles in Photography and Cinematography

Lighting is an essential aspect of both photography and cinematography, playing a vital role in setting the scene, creating mood, and revealing the texture and form of subjects. This section examines various lighting styles that artists can use to enhance their work and evoke specific emotions or reactions.

​Natural Light	Artificial Light	Mixed Light	Hard Light	Soft Light
Direct Light	Indirect Light	Low Key Lighting	High Key Lighting	Rembrandt Lighting
Split Lighting	Loop Lighting	Broad Lighting	Short Lighting	Butterfly Lighting
Flat Lighting	Side Lighting	Top Lighting	Under Lighting	Silhouette Lighting
Frontal Lighting	Chiaroscuro Lighting	Three-Point Lighting	Four-Point Lighting	High Contrast Lighting
Low Contrast Lighting	Motivated Lighting	Magic Hour Lighting	Golden Hour Lighting	Blue Hour Lighting
Twilight Lighting	Day for Night	Night for Day	Beauty Lighting	Paramount Lighting
Hollywood Lighting	Clamshell Lighting	Back Lighting	Rim Lighting	Fill Lighting
Key Lighting	Ambient Lighting	Practical Lighting	Dappled Light	Reflected Light
Soft Diffused Light	Window Light	Morning Light	Afternoon Light	Evening Light
Candlelight	Sunlight	Moonlight	Neon Lighting	Shadow Light / Shadow Play
Bounceg Light	Fill-Flash	Cross Lighting	Rimlit / Edge Lighting	Broad and Short Lighting
Hatchet Lighting	Contraluz / Silhouetting	Overcast Light	Dawn Light	Dusk Light
Spot Lighting	Lantern Lighting	Double-Back Lighting	Long Exposure	High Key Portrait
Low Key Portrait	Sandwich Lighting	Cameo Lighting	Light Tent	​Outdoor Reflector Light
Outdoor Shadow Light	Diffused Backlight	Barndoors	Stroboscopic Effect	Stage Lighting
Video Lighting	Fill Light	Catchlights	Backlighting (Hair Light)	Reflected Backlighting
Up Lighting	Down Lighting	God Rays	Flash Photography	Cinematic Lighting

Key Figures in Photography and Cinematography

Explore the inspiring work and unique styles of well-known artists in the fields of photography and cinematography. From pioneers who defined the medium to contemporary artists who continue to push the boundaries, this section offers a glimpse into their creativity and impact on the visual arts.

Ansel Adams	Dorothea Lange	Robert Capa	Richard Avedon	Henri Cartier-Bresson
Steve McCurry	Diane Arbus	Irving Penn	Man Ray	Alfred Stieglitz
Margaret Bourke-White	Annie Leibovitz	Cindy Sherman	Sebastião Salgado	Andreas Gursky
​Simon J. Morton	​Ryan Astamendi	​Brett Seeley	Andreas Gursky	​Sebastião Salgado
​Cindy Sherman	​Annie Leibovitz	​Margaret Bourke-White	​Alfred Stieglitz	​Man Ray
​Irving Penn	​Diane Arbus	Steve McCurry	Richard Avedon	Henri Cartier-Bresson
​Robert Capa	​Dorothea Lange	​Ansel Adams	​Alex Timmermans	​Alfred Stieglitz
Ando Fuchs	Anne Brigman	​August Sander	Brandon Woelfel	Chris Friel
David LaChapelle	Eugene Atget	​Garry Winograd	​George Hurrell	Germaine Krull
​Hans Bellmer	​James Bidgood	Kim Keever	​Lee Friedlander	Liam Wong
​Lotte Reiniger	Martin Schoeller	Mickalene Thomas	Miko Lagerstedt	​Miles Aldridge
Misha Gordin	Nan Goldin	​Nathan Wirth	Nick Knight	Oleg Oprisco
Oskar Fischinger	​Paolo Roversi	Paul Barson	​Richard Avedon	Tim Walker
​Sean Archer	​Tyler Shields	​Walker Evans	​Wes Anderson	​Yousuf Karsh

A Guide to Cameras and Lenses

This section provides an overview of the tools that help bring creative visions to life. From retro to digital cameras and a variety of lenses, understanding their features and capabilities can empower artists to choose the right tool for their artistic goals.

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​Cinema Cameras	Digital Cameras	​Retro Cameras	Film Types	Lens
Aaton LTR	Canon EOS 5D	Diana F+	Agfa Vista	50mm
​ARRI ALEXA 65