A typology is a system that is used for putting things in to groups based on how similar they are. In photography this can be seen by grouping images of the same or similar objects together that share the same level of high consistency. For example putting images of buildings with the same environment.

Examples of different typologies:

Bernd and Hilla Becher

Bernd and Hilla Becher were a German couple who took images of the disappearing industrial architecture in Europe and North America. Their photography was very different to other photographer as they started off by documenting the history of German architecture before the structures were removed. Their images would consist of water towers, factories, coal bunkers and other industrial structures. When taking their images they always wanted they sky to be separated from the structure or subject in the image. They also wanted the sky to be plain, so would take their images on an overcast day to make sure the background was clear with no clouds. To make sure the background was clear they would go to the same structure at different times of day and would have to wait for the weather to change. Once they had got all their images they would group their similar images together, in a grid formation, creating many typologies; which can be seen below. The idea of presenting their images in a grid formation was inspired by Karl Blossfeldt as he presented his images of plants in that way.

Examples of their work:

Kevin Bauman

Bauman is a Montana based photographer who specialises in architectural photography such as his well know project  100 Abandoned Houses. His photography has been used by many interior design clients.

Bauman’s project ‘100 Abandoned Houses’ photography is unique and displays a range of houses in different environments. Kevin Bauman said taking the images were “a way of satisfying my curiosity with the state of my home town. I had always found it to be amazing, depressing, and perplexing that a once great city could find itself in such great distress, all the while surrounded by such affluence.” I like how he has taken something that we see in everyday life and made it fascinating in a way that each individual image leaves the viewer wondering what story the house has.

Karl Blossfeldt

Karl Blossfeldt was a German photographer who was most well know for his images he took of plants however, he started out as a sculptor. He created typologies out of his natural that he took his images on a camera he made out of wood. Blossfeldt took his images of the plants as he wanted to reveal the essential form of each plant.