Choosing Font/Typography

So...a question just popped into my head... How do you choose fonts to go with various images? Do you just cycle through the ones you got until you find what looks right? Or for certain things do you generally use a set of fonts, like this font that font and another font to use usually when making an ad (or go more specifically? and go for ceratin fonts when the subject matter is cars, as opposed to nature, as opposed to computers, as opposed to people etc.). Are there guides to choosing fonts that I just can't find? General fonts used with fantasy artwork, general fonts used with sci-fi artwork, fonts used with something else more broad or more specific?

And how would a knowledge of typography help exactly with choosing fonts, or would it help?
I'm just asking this out of pure curiosity, sort of...:p And the fact that I'm not too fond of trying to pick out fonts for an image/sig/something by having to cycle through all of the fonts that I have. I'm just wonderin' if, when I'm working on something more on the fantasy side, a certain group of fonts generally look better, or when with something else, another set of fonts generally look better. (Tryin' to make this as clear as possible on the first post :p ).

Anyway, I hope this was in the right place. I tried searching google and these boards first, found a little info, but didn't seem to quite answer the question...
Thanks for your time

Well my method is to scroll through each one. A great way is to select the text, ctrl-H to remove the selection, click on the font menu so the current font is highlighted, then use the arrow keys....its pretty fast.

And the way iknow if i like a font is based on my previous experience, what ive seen that i like. i mean thats it really.

Originally posted by human#7billion
Well my method is to scroll through each one. A great way is to select the text, ctrl-H to remove the selection, click on the font menu so the current font is highlighted, then use the arrow keys....its pretty fast.

No need to highlight the text on the canvas, then hide the highlighting. As long as you have the text layer highlighted in the Layers Palette you can highlight the font name in the Character Palette and then use the arrow keys as you've described.

This also works for other text attributes, but you have to TAB to the next field in the Palette for the change to take effect on the canvas.

I scroll through each one, but generally I only use a few different fonts.

As for certain fonts for fantasy/nature whatever, there are probably certain styles of fonts that are generic for that style, but you can't really say "use this exact font for sci-fi, etc.".

An understanding of typography can help you in every aspect of design however. Good typography can make any design go from good to great, and any good design from good to crap if done poorly.

Smart move for everyone:

Print out a catalog of examples of all fonts.

Immensely helpful.

Is there any quick way to print out a catalog of examples of fonts? or would I have to go into word and just make a bunch of text for each font to do this, or are there online printable sample lists like this of generic fonts?

Thanks for help/time/etc.

I use dafont.com for unique fonts that I don't have on my HD. That way I just enter my custom text and download the one I like the best.