61 Types of Photography You Need to Know (With Examples)

The main types of photography include portrait, landscape, wildlife, street, documentary, sports, and product photography. Each gives you a different subject to explore, from people and everyday life to nature and the objects around you.

This guide covers 61 types, with a photo example for each and links to detailed tutorials. Some entries describe a subject, such as birds. Others describe a technique, such as long exposure, or a medium, such as film. They overlap: a black-and-white film portrait belongs to several categories at once.

If you’re choosing what to try first, start with a subject you can photograph regularly. You can explore more than one genre with the camera you already have.

61 Types of Photography You Need to Know

There are 61 numbered entries below, grouped into six sections. Use these links to go straight to the area that interests you:

1. Cameras, lenses, and capture methods: digital, film, smartphone, drone, tilt-shift, and pinhole photography.
2. People and events: portraits, weddings, sports, music, fashion, families, and more.
3. Nature and outdoor scenes: landscapes, wildlife, birds, macro, oceans, cityscapes, and the night sky.
4. Reportage and exploration: photojournalism, documentary, street, travel, and related fields.
5. Artistic styles and techniques: fine art, still life, abstract, long exposure, black and white, and more.
6. Photography for business: products, food, architecture, property, social media, and commercial work.

Which type should you try first? Choose a small project that suits what you enjoy:

• Working with people: Try a portrait of a willing friend near a window. Pay attention to their expression and the light on their face.
• Exploring outdoors: Photograph one local landscape at two different times of day. Compare how the light changes it.
• Building a scene at home: Arrange three objects for a still life. Move the objects and camera until the composition feels balanced.
• Noticing everyday details: Try street or abstract photography on a familiar walk. Look for gestures, shadows, shapes, or patterns.
• Capturing movement: Photograph a moving subject in a safe, controlled setting. Compare a sharp frame with one that shows deliberate motion blur.

These are starting exercises, not rules. A genre is useful when it gives you a reason to practise.

Camera and Lens Photography

These entries describe the equipment or capture method rather than the subject. You can use digital or film cameras across many genres, while methods such as drone and pinhole photography change how you make the image.

1. Digital Photography

Digital cameras record photographs with an electronic sensor. You can review a shot on the screen and adjust your exposure or composition before taking the next one.

Unlike a roll of film, a memory card can hold many photographs, with capacity depending on the card and file sizes. Batteries and storage still set practical limits.

Digital photography also gives you a flexible editing workflow. Shooting in RAW format preserves more image data for adjustments than a processed JPEG, though editing cannot rescue every missed focus or clipped highlight.

2. Film Photography

Film photography records light on a light-sensitive emulsion. The film must be developed before you can view the photographs, so you cannot check each frame immediately as you would on a digital screen.

Different films, formats, and development choices affect the result. Working with a limited number of frames can encourage you to slow down and think about each exposure.

Check out our list of the best film photographers for inspiration.

3. Smartphone Photography

Smartphone photography uses the camera you can carry in your pocket. It is a practical way to explore portraits, food, travel, street scenes, and other subjects without buying a separate camera.

Image quality and camera controls vary between phones. Good light, careful framing, and a clean lens are useful starting points; an app alone does not guarantee a professional result.

Our smartphone photography article is the best place to start if you want to learn more.

4. Drone Photography

Drone photography uses a camera carried by a remotely piloted aircraft. It gives you an aerial view of landscapes, buildings, coastlines, and patterns that are hard to see from the ground.

It is one way to make aerial photographs, rather than a separate subject category. Check the applicable flight rules and location restrictions before planning a shoot.

See our full guide to drone photography.

5. Tilt-Shift Photography

A tilt-shift lens lets you make two different adjustments. Shift changes the framing while you keep the camera level, which helps avoid converging verticals in building photographs. Tilt changes the angle of the plane of focus.

The selective-focus “miniature” look is one creative use of tilt. You can imitate that look with blur in editing software, but an editing effect is not the same as using the lens movements when you take the photograph.

Learn more about tilt-shift photography.

6. Pinhole Photography

Pinhole photography uses a lightproof camera with a tiny opening instead of a lens. You can make one from a suitable tin or box, with a cover over the hole to act as the shutter.

Load suitable light-sensitive photo paper or film under the correct darkroom conditions. Keep the camera still while light passes through the opening and exposes the material.

There is no universal exposure time. It depends on the hole size, camera dimensions, light, and film or paper. Use guidance for your materials and make test exposures rather than assuming one or two seconds will work.

Photography with Human Subjects

This section looks at the types of photography with people as their main subjects. These genres range from planned portrait sessions to fast-moving events.

7. Portrait Photography

Portraiture is one of the oldest types of photography. Since the invention of the camera, it has been used to capture people throughout history.

Technology has changed, but portraiture remains one of the most popular types of photography. We love personal storytelling. And there aren’t many art forms more personal than portrait photography.

Portrait photography is a feature of other types of photography. Photographers use portraits for fashion and fantasy photography. You’ll also find portraits in photojournalism and documentary photography.

See our extensive list of famous portrait photographers for inspiration. We also have a list of the best contemporary portrait photographers, so you can see the artists carrying the torch for this wonderful art form.

8. Self-Portrait Photography

A self-portrait is a photograph in which you are the subject as well as the photographer. It can be a simple likeness, an experiment with lighting, or a carefully staged character.

Self-portrait photography gives you space to explore identity and practise without directing another person. Here are some self-portrait photographers to get you inspired.

9. Wedding Photography

Wedding photography records the people, details, and events of a couple’s wedding day. It calls for planning as well as quick reactions, because important moments cannot simply be repeated.

Wedding photography involves portraits of families and friends. And there’s an element of documentary photography when recording the special day. You can also be creative with set design and poses.

10. Sports Photography

Sports photographers photograph competition, movement, and the people involved. Knowing the sport helps you anticipate where the next moment will happen.

Sports photography captures the action on the field, track, or pitch. There’s a lot of skill in capturing the highs and lows of the sporting drama. You have to know your sport. And you need the correct settings on your camera.

11. Music Photography

Music photography can involve shooting live concerts or festivals. Or perhaps you might be doing promotional shots for a band or artist. Music photography work can be published in magazines and online. Or it can be used for album artwork.

Music photography can be great fun if you’re a music fan. Play your cards right… You could get a front-row seat or a backstage pass. But it’s hard work, so you need to be dedicated.

Our article on music photographers is a great starting point if you need some inspiration.

12. Event Photography

Event photography can overlap with other photography types. But event photography deserves its own section because it requires a broad skill set. Event photographers cover many different events, from music festivals to athletics championships.

Event photographers are a versatile bunch. They need to be able to shoot a speaking event on Tuesday and an art fair on Wednesday. The gig can be any event, so they must be ready with their camera.

13. Fashion Photography

Fashion photography is a blend of portrait and product photography. But it’s much more than taking pictures of models in clothes. It’s about creating images that portray a lifestyle. It’s not just the clothes. It’s the person wearing them.

A fashion photographer might photograph models on a catwalk. Or they might be developing concepts for advertising campaigns. The fashion industry looks fun and glamorous, but being a fashion photographer is hard work.

14. Family Photography

Family photography records relationships and shared moments. Many families want to treasure moments with the ones they love. And the family photographer needs to create those magic moments with their camera.

Family photography can involve portraits at home or in a studio. Or they can be candid shots in a special location.

Sometimes, it will be the whole family and other times, it will be the parents or the siblings together. It often depends on what the family wants. But there’s plenty of room for creative family photo ideas, too.

15. Child Photography

Child photography can be the most fun and stressful job in the world. But if you can cope with an occasional tantrum or crying fit, child photography is a rewarding profession.

Perhaps I’m stating the obvious, but child photographers must be good with kids. But they also need to enjoy their company. This will put everyone in a good mood. And you’ll be able to create photos the parents will treasure.

16. Newborn Photography

Newborn photography is different from child photography. It requires a separate set of skills and considerations. Kids can be loud, energetic, and boisterous. But newborns are far more fragile, and you need a delicate touch.

A simple photograph of a baby held by a parent can record these early days. Newborn safety comes before a pose or prop; this is a specialist area, not a setting in which to improvise complex poses.

17. Headshot Photography

Headshot photography does have a lot in common with portrait photography. But headshots are specifically for professional purposes.

They’re photos used by actors and young professionals on their profiles and applications. The photograph should suit how and where it will be used.

18. Boudoir Photography

This type of photography is for grown-ups. Boudoir photography is the art of taking sexy and sensual photos. But they don’t have to be explicit. Boudoir often includes lingerie, so there’s a crossover between fashion and product photography.

Boudoir photography is about making the subject look and feel sexy, no matter who they are. You could be working with professional models. Or it could be a client wanting to spice up their relationship.

19. Glamor Photography

Glamor photography uses lighting, styling, and posing to emphasize the subject’s appearance and appeal. It can be fully clothed or more revealing; nudity is not what defines it.

There is overlap with fashion and boudoir photography. The emphasis is on the person rather than on showing a garment or product. Discuss the subject’s boundaries and the intended use of the images before the shoot.

For one contemporary example of a bold, stylized approach, see photographer Carianne Older.

Nature Photography

The next category looks at types of photography centered around the natural world. Earth is a beautiful place. And many types of photography celebrate the landscapes, flora, and fauna of our native planet.

20. Nature Photography

Nature photography is a broad category covering the natural world, including plants, animals, landscapes, and small details.

Nature photographers may show a whole habitat or concentrate on one subject within it. Wildlife and landscape photography are related specialties, and a single photograph can fit more than one category.

21. Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is the study of the textured surface of the Earth. And it features images of natural scenes from all over the globe. Landscape photos can capture deserts, rocky mountains, or lush hillsides. They can be grand or more intimate images.

You do not need a famous viewpoint to practise. A local field, woodland, or stretch of coastline gives you a place to return to as the light and weather change.

See our Landscape Photographers post for more spectacular examples. 

22. Wildlife Photography

Wildlife photography looks at the wonderful subject of animals in the wild. This type of photography involves patience and concentration. And when wildlife photography is done well, the photos can be magical.

Wildlife subjects can be close to home, too. Local animals give you a chance to study behavior and practise timing without making a distant trip. Keep your distance and avoid disturbing the animal for a photograph.

23. Bird Photography

Bird photography may sound like a section of wildlife photography. And birds are wildlife. But many fantastic photographers dedicate themselves to documenting birds in the wild.

Bird photography requires precision with the camera and a lot of patience. And when you get it right, the results are fantastic. Birds are some of the most interesting and beautiful creatures in the natural world. And bird photography is a celebration of that.

Click on our Bird Photographers article to see the masters at work.

24. Environmental Photography

Environmental photography documents the natural world and the effects of human activity on it. Subjects can include pollution, habitat loss, conservation work, and changes in a landscape.

Environmental photographers often work with a documentary or journalistic purpose. Clear captions and context help readers understand what a photograph shows and what it cannot establish on its own.

25. Pet Photography

Pet photography isn’t strictly nature photography. Pets are domesticated, and the discipline overlaps with family photography. But despite being our friends and companions, our pets are animals, too.

Dog portraits are very popular with dog owners. These can be the dog on their own or include other pets. They can even include members of the family. But pet photography isn’t limited to dogs. You can’t forget cats, rabbits, horses, and tortoises.

26. Macro Photography

Macro photography is the art of photographing the minuscule. A macro lens lets you focus closely and show fine detail in small subjects, such as insects, flowers, and everyday objects.

Macro photography isn’t exclusive to nature photography. You can use macro lenses to document anything. But it is commonly used to study insects and other tiny lifeforms.

27. Sunset Photography

We can all agree that there’s nothing quite like a beautiful sunset. But sunsets don’t last long, so you must take the picture before you’re left in darkness.

Capturing the beauty of a sunset in a digital image isn’t easy. They can often appear flat and dull. Sunset photography requires skill, patience, and knowledge. That’s why sunset photography is considered a unique type of photography.

28. Ocean Photography

Ocean photography is a subcategory of landscape photography. But this type of photography focuses on the beauty of seas and oceans rather than land.

Seas, oceans, and coastal areas offer an excellent variety of scenes. And the behavior of the seas is ever-changing, so the possibilities are endless. You can shoot ocean photography from land or a boat. And drones give you another option for shooting the sea.

29. Underwater Photography

Taking photos underwater can have amazing results. The underwater landscape is full of beauty. Light, color, and visibility change underwater, creating a different set of photographic challenges.

Underwater photography isn’t easy. And you must learn special skills and have underwater equipment. But if you love the water, it’s a type of photography you have to try.

30. Cityscape Photography

Technically, cityscapes aren’t part of the natural world. But cityscape photography finds beauty in a manufactured world.

It has a similar concept to landscape photography, using similar settings and compositions. But this type of photography looks at the beauty in the unnatural. Night cityscape photography is another sub-genre worth looking at.

31. Aerial Photography

Aerial photography is the art of taking photos from the air. The photographer has a bird’s-eye view from a plane or helicopter. The camera can point straight down or look across the scene at an angle. Aerial images can show patterns in a landscape as well as support mapping work.

Aerial photography used to be inaccessible to most photographers. But the invention of the drone changed that.

32. Astrophotography

Astrophotography looks directly at the night sky to capture the stars and nebulae that populate our universe. Scientists use this type of photography to study the cosmos. And it’s also a pursuit of keen amateurs with a passion for stars.

The results can be spectacular. But astrophotography requires specialist skills and knowledge. You can begin with the camera you have and a stable support. The equipment needed depends on the target: a photograph of the Moon is a different challenge from a faint nebula. Specialist filters are not a requirement for every astrophotograph.

33. Panorama Photography

Panorama photography creates a view wider or taller than a single frame would normally show. It is often used for landscapes and cityscapes, but can also show interiors and other scenes.

You can make a panorama by taking overlapping photographs and stitching them in software such as Adobe Photoshop. Many smartphones also have a panorama mode. A dedicated 360-degree camera is an option for immersive images, not a requirement for a panorama.

Reportage Photography

This category looks at the types of photography we use to explore and document the world. They’re the types of photography that involve human stories. Photographers plying their trade in these areas show us news from around the world and inspire us to venture out ourselves.

34. Photojournalism

Photojournalism is journalism reported through the lens of a camera. Photojournalists use photographs, supported by accurate captions and context, to report events. And thanks to them, we can view the world’s major events from our sofas.

Photojournalists must represent events accurately. Staging a news scene or editing it in a way that misleads the viewer conflicts with that purpose.

35. Documentary Photography

Documentary photography has some overlap with photojournalism. But documentary photography creates narratives using photos. Photojournalism reports on stories as they happen. Documentary photography dives into themes and ideas, looking for stories.

Visual documentaries can involve lots of other types of photography. Many documentary photographers use portraits to add a human element to their narrative. Others look for candid shots for a natural feel to their storytelling.

36. Street Photography

Street photography observes everyday life in public places. It often focuses on spontaneous moments, gestures, and the relationship between people and their surroundings.

Street photographers can tell a story within one frame or build a series over time. The genre overlaps with documentary photography, but a street photograph does not need to report a news event or explain a whole subject.

Every country has different rules and laws about taking pictures in public places. It’s a tricky subject, and you should proceed cautiously, especially if you’re shooting in a foreign country. It’s always good to know your rights as a street photographer.

37. Travel Photography

Travel photography records places and the experience of visiting them. It can combine landscapes, architecture, food, portraits, and street scenes, whether the trip is close to home or far away.

But travel photography allows us a glimpse of corners of the globe we can barely imagine. Travel photographers expand our knowledge of the world, introducing us to new landscapes and cultures. They fire up our imagination and inspire us to strap on our backpacks and head out the door.

38. Urban Exploration Photography

Urban exploration, or “urbex,” takes you to abandoned places. You venture into old factories and derelict buildings with a camera around your neck. These places litter our urban landscapes, though many are long forgotten.

Urbex is a lot of fun. But it’s one of the more dangerous types of photography. Old factories aren’t playgrounds, and many are falling apart. You should be safe and take precautions on an urban exploration photography shoot.

39. Editorial Photography

Editorial photography accompanies stories and interviews in magazines and online publications. They can involve celebrities, sports stars, fashion brands, or movie releases. Or they can be conceptual editorial pieces that relate to a story or person.

Editorial photographers have a lot of creative freedom. They can choose how they want to make their set of photos. They can do natural portraits or candid documentary shots. Or they can make stylistic images with visual techniques and effects.

40. War Photography

This type of photography isn’t for everyone. It’s extremely dangerous, and you need the courage to take war pictures. War photography is a branch of photojournalism. But it deserves its own place on our list due to its high-risk nature.

War photography shows us the true horrors of war. War journalism is often sterile, focusing on locations and numbers. But war photography tells us the true human cost of war.

War photographers show us the harsh reality of conflict, carnage, violence, and suffering. War photography isn’t easy to look at. But it’s important we do.

41. Action Photography

Action photography captures subjects in motion. It includes sports, running animals, dance, and other fast-moving scenes, whether you are taking part or watching from the side.

A fast shutter speed can freeze movement. A slower shutter speed, combined with panning, can show the subject against a blurred background. Action cameras offer a first-person viewpoint, but that viewpoint does not define the whole genre.

Artistic Photography

The list of artistic photography genres looks at creative types of photography. Of course, all photography is creative. But these genres involve an artist’s vision and creative techniques.

42. Fine Art Photography

All types of photography can be considered art. But fine art photography aims to create images that are pieces of art in their own right. The photographer’s ideas and intended expression guide the work. It may tell a story, explore a concept, or invite the viewer to study form and light.

Fine art photography can involve other types of photography. Fine art photographers often use portraits and self-portraits. And they also use still life, abstract, and conceptual photography. They use in-camera and post-processing techniques to explore new avenues of image-making.

43. Still Life Photography

Still life photography looks at inanimate objects. Much like in still life paintings, the object of still life photography can be a single item or a collection of items. They can be connected, or they can be completely unrelated.

Still life photography has a strong connection to fine art photography. They both want to have a beautiful image. The photographer wants to change the ordinary into the extraordinary. It’s an exploration of color, shape, and meaning.

44. Abstract Photography

Abstract photography takes objects out of their normal context. It strips the subject of its meaning, so it’s nothing more than a form. Abstract photographers look for shapes and patterns in their environment. And they frame them in an aesthetically pleasing way.

45. Minimalist Photography

Minimalism takes a “less is more” approach to photography. Examples of minimalist photography are simple, containing very little in the image. The photos are uncluttered and have a strong and dynamic composition. The negative space adds power to the subject.

Minimalist photography can be powerful and eye-catching thanks to the use of a few interesting elements. 

46. Fantasy Photography

If you love fairy tales and magical adventures, you should look into fantasy photography. This genre is about creating worlds and characters and using them to tell stories with your photos.

Fantasy photography involves elaborate set designs and costumes. They’re used to create myths and legends from other worlds. They have princes and princesses, witches and wizards.

Fantasy photographers explore their imagination. They adopt old fairy tale tropes and themes. And they also develop brand new stories for people to get lost in.

47. Multiple Exposure Photography

Double or multiple exposures were one of photography’s first types of composite image-making. With a film camera, you create a double exposure by exposing the same section of film twice. This gives you two images in one photo.

You can also create double exposures in digital photography. You take two photos separately, then bring them together in post-processing. You can combine image layers in Adobe Photoshop and Luminar Neo.

Multiple exposure photography is something every photographer should try.

48. Composite Photography

Double exposure is a form of composite imaging. But many artists have taken composite photography to new places thanks to digital technology. They combine images in Photoshop to create one piece of artwork. It’s often called digital collage.

Photoshop and Luminar Neo both offer layers for combining images.

49. Time-Lapse Photography

Even if you don’t know it, we’ve all seen time-lapse photography in nature documentaries. They show a flower blooming in just a few seconds. Videos like this are created by taking a series of pictures at set time intervals. Then they’re brought together to create a time-lapse video.

Time-lapse footage looks fantastic. And it’s not as complicated as you might think. You can try your hand at time-lapse photography. Start with a camera or phone that can capture images at intervals, a stable position, and a way to assemble the sequence into a video.

The subject can be anything that changes over time. You can shoot a flower growing or dying. Or maybe you prefer snow or ice melting. You can also try a night sky time-lapse if you’re into astrophotography.

50. Long-Exposure Photography

You might be able to guess what long-exposure photography is from the name. It’s a form of photography that uses long exposure times to create fun and interesting images.

Motion blur is something many photographers avoid. But long exposure photography uses motion blur as a creative effect. It works well at night when artificial lights draw lines in the darkness. This could be the headlights of a car in motion. Or you can write words with a glow stick.

51. Blacklight Photography

Blacklight photography uses ultraviolet illumination to make fluorescent materials glow. In the familiar neon-colored effect, the camera records the visible light emitted by those materials.

That is different from reflected-ultraviolet photography, which records UV radiation itself. A standard camera photographs the visible glow; recording reflected UV is a separate technique with different equipment requirements.

52. Black & White Photography

You might think black and white is a style rather than a type of photography. Any photography on this list can be in color or black and white. You can even take a color portrait and make it black and white in Photoshop or Lightroom.

While you can change from color to black and white with any genre, black-and-white photography is a unique pursuit.

When you shoot in black and white, you look for different things. You can’t rely on color to get attention. You have to find other things to make your images interesting. Contrast, texture, and composition really add to black-and-white photos.

53. Flat Lay Photography

Flat lay photography is where you arrange items on a flat surface and take a photo from above. Your flat surface is the canvas on which you paint your picture. You can create themed images. Or you can use them to send messages.

Flat lay photography is used in social media and advertising to present items together. Flat lay food photography is a popular niche.

54. High Dynamic Range Photography

High dynamic range (HDR) photography helps preserve detail across a scene with bright highlights and dark shadows. A common method is to photograph the same scene at different exposures, then merge the frames.

HDR does not have to look intensely saturated or unnatural. The aim is to handle a wider brightness range; the final appearance depends on how you process the result. Software such as Adobe Photoshop can merge bracketed exposures.

55. Crystal Ball Photography

Crystal ball photography is centered around one specific prop—a crystal ball. The ball refracts light, showing an inverted view of the scene inside it.

There are plenty of ways to experiment when shooting crystal ball photography. It won’t tell you your future. But you can have fun creating unusual images!

Photography for Business

Many genres can become part of a photography business. Our guide to making money from photography covers possible routes. The entries below focus on images made for businesses and their customers.

56. Product Photography

Product photography is the art of taking pictures of products so they can be sold. Product photography images are used on sales pages online and in print.

The aim is to show the product in its best light. For a catalog or sales page, the image should show the product clearly so potential buyers know what they’re looking at. Product photographers can also create styled images for advertising campaigns.

Product photography is often simple, with the product on a white backdrop. But there are ways you can get creative, too. You can add themes that relate to the product. And product photos can be developed into advertising campaigns.

57. Food Photography

Food photography is a big industry in its own right. Food magazines, blogs, and menus all need photos of fabulous food. And making food look good is harder than you might think.

We all love food. And it’s easy to get excited about food when you can smell and taste it. But making people’s tummy growl with just an image takes some effort. Food photographers require the right skills, knowledge, and equipment. Lighting and styling should make the dish clear and appealing.

58. Architecture Photography

As you might have guessed, architecture photography is the art of shooting buildings and other structures. This might be to celebrate the architecture. And the shapes and lines are often highlighted in minimalist or abstract photography.

Architects and surveyors use architectural photography. You find it in magazines and advertisements. Sometimes, the architecture is the product on display. Other times, the buildings are symbolic of something else.

59. Real Estate Photography

Real estate photography plays a vital role in selling and renting properties. Real estate photographers must have the property looking its best in the photos. These will be displayed on the agent’s websites and directories. And they want people to buy.

You need plenty of photography skills for a successful real estate photography business. Choose views that explain the space and show its useful features. Aim for an attractive, accurate impression rather than making a room appear to be something it is not.

60. Social Media Photography

Social media photography creates images for posts, profiles, and campaigns. It can draw on portrait, food, product, travel, and other genres depending on the account and its audience.

Consider where the image will appear, how it will be cropped, and whether the main subject will be clear on a small screen. You can work with a smartphone or a separate camera.

Our social media photography guide explores the skills involved.

61. Commercial Photography

Commercial photography is the creation of images used for commercial purposes. It can involve advertising campaigns for products, or it can be photography for brand marketing.

Commercial photographers will use portrait, fashion, and product photography. Art directors and marketing experts may join the photographers. Together, they’ll build a commercial campaign.

Conclusion: Choose a Type of Photography to Try

On the path to becoming a photographer, picking up the camera is the first step. Then you need to decide which direction you want to take. And as you can see from our list, there are tons of options.

You can focus on people photography, creating intimate and personal portraits. Or you can explore and study the natural world with landscape or wildlife photography. Or perhaps you want to report on the biggest stories across the world.

You do not have to choose a permanent specialty. Pick one accessible subject, make a small set of photographs, and review what you enjoyed and what needs work. Then follow the linked guide for that genre and try again. The 61 types here give you routes to explore, and you can combine them as your interests develop.