What is institutional photography?

I've seen collections of photos categorized as Institutional Photography, does anyone know what type of photography this is?

And, how it may differ from corporate photography?

Perhaps you have to be crazy to do it?

I think it means corporate photography for institutions that aren't corporations -- government entities, educational institutions and the like.

Photographs, of, in or around an institution, I'm guessing.

So, I have taken photos of a corporations assets, namely its buildings (some exterior, some interior), and photos of

people touring the boardrooms inside the same buildings. These photos are were then used by the company for

marketing collateral: brochures, website, projected on the walls in their boardrooms, stuff like that.

Is this corporate photography, institutional, or simply commercial photography?

Matt

And, yes Bob, clearly we are all crazy to be involved in this anyway! =)

It's of, for, and by those of us who are institutionalized.

P.S. Just today I found out that the gate wasn't to keep those other folks OUT...

Institutional Photography are images created for an institution such as universities, large businesses, museums etc. Often these types images are of a documentary nature and repositories of these images are maintained by these institutions for informational and corporate historical purposes. They can be created by freelancers, an in-house photo department, and in some cases, by a camera savvy employee. This sits under the umbrella of corporate photography which covers a much broader scope such as advertising/ annual report work to technical industrial work.

Institutional photography is a art. Done while your hands are behind your back and you are wearing a white coat backwards. Sorry I could not resist, Bob Opened the cell door.