In part one of your IELTS Speaking test, the examiner might ask you, “What type of photos do you like taking?”
On this page, you’ll read tips on answering this question really well, including 10 good examples (go straight to the answers here).
What You Can Say
Simply choose a type of photo you like taking, then explain why you like it. You could also say:
- What you usually take photos of
- Where you like to take photos
- How often you take photos
- How long you’ve liked that kind of photography
- What kind of camera or phone you use
- If you’d like to take different kinds of photos in future
- Any photography courses you’ve been on
- Where you post your photos
- Who you share your photos with
- What time of day is best for your photography
- Anything else that comes to mind
What If You Don’t Like Taking Photos?
If you really don’t like taking photos, it’s okay. You can just say that you rarely or never take photos. Then you might talk about:
- Why you don’t like taking photos
- What types of photos you like to look at
- Any type of photography you used to like when you were younger
- A friend who likes taking photos, and what kind of photos they like
- Anything else you can think of
Different Types of Photos
Here is a list of different types of photos. Which one do you prefer?
- Photos of yourself (selfies)
- Photos of people
- Photos of friends and family
- Photos of special events
- Photos of places
- Photos of natural scenery
- Photos of interesting objects
- Photos of cultural things
And here are some popular genres of photography:
- Wildlife photography
- Portrait photography
- Landscape photography
- Fashion photography
- Street photography (photos of people on the street)
- Travel photography
- Pet photography
- Food photography
- Architecture photography
- Commercial photography
Taking Photos ‘Of’ vs ‘With’ vs ‘For’
Students make a common mistake with the preposition after ‘take photos.’
Usually, we say ‘take photos of something,’ which means that ‘something’ is the object of the photo. For example:
‘I like taking photos of my pet cat. She’s so cute.’
‘I took a photo of my brother in his best suit. He looks great in it.’
If you say ‘take a photo with someone’ it means both you and that person are in the picture together. For example:
‘I took a wonderful photo with Anna. In the picture we’re holding hands, looking at the sea. Look, I have it here.’
‘Excuse me. Would you mind taking a photo of me with my friend?’
And if you ‘take a photo for someone’ it means you’re doing the action for that person, to help them or because they asked you to. For example:
‘I took a photo of my room for my dad. He wanted to see where I live.’
‘When you visit the museum, please take some photos for me. I can use them in my school project.’
Focus on Fluency
For this question, and any part-one question, focus on answering fluently. That means speaking quickly, without hesitation.
Just think of the first thing that comes to your mind and start speaking.
Simple English is okay in part one. You can show off your more advanced vocabulary and idioms in part two when you have more time to prepare.
part one is only meant to warm you up.
Use the Three-Step YES Method
Also, don’t say too much in your part-one answers. You shouldn’t be talking for more than 10 or 20 seconds.
Remember, in part one the examiner has only four to five minutes to ask you 10-12 questions.
That’s not a lot of time. This is why you will see the examiner glancing at their watch every now and then.
So help them out by keeping your answers quite short (but not too short).
If you practice using the three-step YES Method, you should be fine. Just say:
- Your answer (say a type of photography you like)
- Explain your answer (say why you like it) or add a few more details
- Stop talking (let them know you’re ready for the next question)
Example Answers
Let’s take a look at 10 good example answers. Feel free to borrow ideas for your own answer.
Friends and Family
1. I like taking photos of many things, but I mostly take photos of my family and friends. It’s important for me to capture the moment, so we can all enjoy the pictures and good memories later on.
Food
2. I think I most like taking photos of lovely dishes I eat at different restaurants. I’m a real foodie and so are my friends.
Special Events
3. I enjoy taking photos of special events like parties, vacations, weddings, and social dinners. Those are the times when I want nice pictures to remember the occasion.
Travel
4. I love traveling and I’m always using my camera when I travel. I love taking photos of unusual sights and experiences abroad.
Landscape
5. I like taking photos of natural landscapes. I really love going hiking in the mountains near my city, and I use my camera to take photos of amazing views when I see them.
Selfies
6. To be honest, I mostly take pictures of myself. I like taking selfies because I need lots of great pictures of myself to use on social media.
Fashion
7. I’m a big fan of fashion and I enjoy taking pictures of fashionable people around my city. I love street photography.
Pets
8. I have two beautiful dogs and two cute little cats. And I love taking pictures of them and sharing them with my friends and family.
Rarely
9. To be frank, I rarely take photos. I’m not much of a picture person and I’m not very photogenic. So I don’t really enjoy taking pictures of myself or anything else.
Dislike Taking Photos
10. I dislike taking photos because I usually want to enjoy the moment, without thinking about my camera.
Your Turn To Answer
It’s now your turn to try.
Turn on your voice recorder and ask aloud, “What type of photos do you like taking?”
Answer as fluently as you can. Try not to hesitate.
When you’ve finished, listen for any mistakes in your answer.
Then repeat the process. Try to improve a little each time.
This is one of the best ways to prepare for part one of your IELTS Speaking test.