What is Photography?

Jude Bennett
Mar 28, 2017
2 min read

Photography, by definition, is the art or process of producing images by the action of radiant energy (light) on a sensitive surface (as film or an optical sensor). In other words, it is simply nothing more than a manipulation of light onto a surface to produce an image. However, ask any photographer about their artwork or photography in general, and they will tell you a story that far surpasses the pure control of light itself.

So what is photography? Well, we’ve already answered that… but what is photography to people? When photography was first invented in the 1800s, the main focus was the human figure. This can be seen in Victorian family portrait photography especially, but since then the art form has branched massively, including virtually anything from the humblest of tiny creatures to the enormous majesty of galactic nebulas.

Photography is special to me for several reasons. I’m a photographer by passion; I really enjoy taking photos and creating artwork myself, and I use my work to express my thoughts and emotions. Anyone can take photos, and this is one of the beautiful features of photography; it just requires a vision. An ability to look through the viewfinder at the world and capture what was going on at that split second in time. In my opinion, photography is one of the principle forms of expression: imagery. Most people can look at a photo of a beautiful sunset or a stretching coastline and universally recognize the beauty. It does not require a translator. Photography is much more than taking photos; it is about spreading a message to people, whether that be about the horrors that man plagues the earth with, or the love that ultimately prevails. Whatever the message; photography has the power to stop the world in its tracks.

I am still learning how to be a better photographer every day, and I’d like to think that I get slightly better each time I pick up a camera or set up a studio. Photography to me, in essence, is power: the power to project myself and the power to challenge beliefs and opinions, the power to make people smile, the power to shock people and make them re-think. Photography is my escape, and a means to captivate. So, pick up a camera and go outside. You might be surprised with what you can capture.