What is photography?

Photography is an art form that has been around for nearly two centuries and has evolved in countless ways since its inception. From the earliest camera obscuras to the latest digital technologies, photography has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of photos being taken every day...

What is photography?

Photography is the art of capturing and processing light using a sensor or film.

But the essence of photography is to treasure moments and share them with the world. Quite simple, but the action itself is capable of changing people’s perceptions.

Photography is not merely about capturing light through a sensor or film; it’s about capturing moments and preserving them for the future. As Susan Sontag noted in On Photography, the art form “imprisons reality,” allowing us to share glimpses of a fleeting world.^[1]

A photo can have a deeper meaning and tell thousands of important stories. Some of the best examples of this are photos taken during wartime.

There are many eye-opening photos circulated during the war. Some photos snap the winners’ glorious moments while others show the utter devastation of citizens caught in the crossfire. Photos like Joe Rosenthal’s Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima^[2] or Nick Ut’s Napalm Girl^[3] have become iconic not only for their historical significance but for how they evoke the complex emotions of conflict.

But that’s not all, photography also has the nature of having multiple interpretations, especially in modern photography and art. Each photograph invites personal interpretation. As Roland Barthes explored in Camera Lucida, viewers bring their own experiences to an image, giving it unique meanings.^[4] A photo’s impact lies not only in its composition but in the ways viewers connect it to their own lives and perspectives.

Some see the bigger “picture,” while others take it as an analogy to life, transforming it into those “wise” quotes.

As you widen your knowledge about photography, aesthetics, and techniques, you can unveil even more meaning behind a single photograph.

What is the purpose of photography?

The purpose of photography is to capture and preserve moments and memories, communicate ideas and emotions, and document events, people, and places.

Photography can be used to capture the beauty of nature, document social and political issues, tell a story, or convey a message. It can be used to bring people together and to tear people apart.

Photographs are used for many things. In the past, photography’s purpose was to supply portraits for people who could not afford paintings.

As mentioned in the previous paragraph, photos during war enable people to grieve and remember heroes and family members who passed away on the battlefield. Lovers can also use a photograph to soothe the suffocating pain of missing their loved ones on a cold night.

As time goes by, photography serves more diverse purposes. You can see this with all the different niches of photography.

For example, product photography is based on the sole purpose of selling a product such as food. The photographer should make every item of food and beverage look shinier, mouth-watering, and more delicious than its competitors.

Meanwhile, portrait photography aims to tell a story about an individual’s identity, personality, and story. This style is divided into several more types, such as lifestyle portraits, street portraits, and many more, each of which has a different purpose.

For hobbyist photographers and regular people, photography is a way to document meaningful moments in life—memories stored indefinitely in a picture, which you can look back at anytime.

When was photography invented?

When was photography invented? Photography as we know it began with the first permanent image, captured by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826 or 1827. Titled View from the Window at Le Gras^[5], this image was created using a process Niépce called heliography^[6], which involved exposing a pewter plate coated with bitumen of Judea for about eight hours to produce a lasting image.

This achievement marked a transformative moment, laying the foundation for photography as both a practical technology and an artistic medium​. This breakthrough created a ripple effect, and the rest is history.

In 1829, Niépce partnered with Louis Daguerre, who continued to refine photographic methods after Niépce’s death in 1833.^[7] Daguerre’s work led to the creation of the daguerreotype^[8], a method using silver-plated copper to produce sharp, direct-positive images.

Introduced in 1839, the daguerreotype became the first widely commercialized photographic process, allowing photography to spread as a new and accessible form of documentation and expression​.

But the names who popularized photography were talented figures such as Alfred Stieglitz, Dorothea Lange, Ansel Adams, and many more.

Stieglitz, a pioneer of straight photography, promoted photography as an art form equal to painting or music, emphasizing its ability to capture emotion and meaning. Lange’s documentary work brought to life the hardships of the Great Depression^[9], while Adams’ dramatic landscape photography highlighted the medium’s power to preserve natural beauty.^[10]

These early pioneers helped establish photography as a powerful cultural tool that could shape perception, document history, and inspire new forms of artistic expression.

Why is photography important?

Photography is important because it captures and preserves moments, emotions, and histories, allowing us to share experiences, document reality, and see the world from different perspectives.

Let me ask you something -- how important are your childhood memories for you? I have a soft spot for those old memories, and every photo of them induces a nostalgic feeling. That itself shows the power of photography.

Without photography, it will be hard to understand our history. We will not see the historical sites that once existed, old cultures, inventions, and other precious events that happened in the past.

A journalist uses photography to spread a message to the whole world, giving a chance to the minority to be seen and attracting people’s attention to the neglected problems around them.

Photography has also become a new trending source of income for many.^[11] Their annual pay is undoubtedly affected by their portfolio, amount of experience, and reputation.

What are the different types of photography?

There are over 60 different types of photography, but I will only describe the most common ones. Here is a brief explanation of the most common photography styles.

Be sure to also check out our guide on different photography genres.

1. Portrait photography

Portrait photography is by far the most popular photography style. We can easily find it on someone’s social media profile pictures or a dull driver’s license photo.

Everyone in any setting can be the subject of portrait photography; from your family at home, friends in school, co-workers in the office, and even yourself. You can shoot your subject either posed, candid or close-up.

Even though this style looks super simple to do, some photographers struggle to shoot a good one. The common reason is they cannot make the subject feel comfortable posing in front of the camera. Therefore, the subject looks awkward and unnatural.

When shooting a portrait, keep in mind that your subject is an ordinary human with a set of emotions and thoughts. Try to interact with them in the most relaxed manner to make them feel confident and show their true self.

2. Headshot photography

Headshot photography focuses on the main subject, starting from their head to shoulders, with their preferred scenery as a backdrop.

Everyone is always in need of a high-quality headshot, whether it be for personal or professional reasons, so if you can master your headshot photography technique, you can make a great living as a photographer.

3. Fashion photography

Fashion photography photos are the pictures you see in a fashion magazine or online shop.

This photography style has one sole purpose: making every fashion item aesthetically pleasing and appealing to its consumers. Furthermore, lure them into buying those items.

Fashion photographers should master portrait photographer skills, possess tons of creative ideas in the back of their heads, and love to collaborate with stylists, creative directors, models, and other crew members.

4. Food photography

The main goal of food photography is to promote the products and entice customers to buy them.

No matter how small or large the scale is, every food and beverage business will need this type of photography. You will need a lot of money to build a career in this industry since professional food photography needs a studio and other special equipment.

It means that this industry is promising, especially in the age of the internet, just like now.

5. Landscape photography

Landscape photography is about capturing the beautiful landscape of Mother Nature.

Landscape photographers often use higher-end cameras and tools to acquire the best photos. A busy city full of working-class people during the day or glamorous urban nightlife can also be a landscape photography subject – it is known as a cityscape.

6. Event photography

As the name implies, this type of photography focuses on capturing every exciting moment in an event, from a wedding, birthday celebration, family gathering, annual meeting in the office, and many more.

Event photographers’ services are always in high demand.

7. Street photography

Street photography is about capturing people, places, and cultures in a candid fashion. A great street photographer is one who can capture emotions and expressions while staying relatively inconspicuous.

There is nothing worse than sticking a camera in a stranger’s face.

8. Sports photography

As the name implies, sports photography focuses on capturing the live action of a sporting event. Whether it be actionable moments during the sport or the players within the sport.

Sports photography is an exciting genre of photography, especially if you are a fan of the sport you are photographing!

9. Product photography

Product photography focuses on products as the main subject, capturing the detail of the product and its features.

The products you photograph can vary from eCommerce items to jewelry, to toys.

10. Wildlife photography

Wildlife photography focuses on capturing images of wildlife. Whether it’s an eagle soaring through the sky, or a lioness and her cubs.

This type of photography can be dangerous, so make sure you come well-prepared! How can it be dangerous you may ask?

Wildlife photography can be dangerous due to the physical harm that can be caused by animals, such as bears or venomous snakes, or environmental hazards, such as rough terrain or extreme weather conditions.

Additionally, the pursuit of the perfect shot can lead to reckless behavior, such as getting too close to animals or disturbing their natural habitat, which can be harmful to both the photographer and the wildlife. It is important for wildlife photographers to be aware of these risks and take appropriate safety precautions.

What do you need to start photography?

In order to start photography, all you need is a camera, a good learning foundation, and some basic editing skills!

Camera and gear

I’d say that you will need a DSLR camera. But as a starter, you can use a smartphone because most of the newest series come with high camera specs.

Renting a DSLR or mirrorless camera from a nearby rental store can be another option to consider. Nevertheless, before buying any camera or other equipment, you should decide which photography career you want to pursue.

Do you want to target a small niche? Or do you want to invent a brand-new photography style? By answering basic questions, you can decide which gear will support you best in this new career.

For example, buying a tripod and multiple lenses for landscape photography, and investing in additional lighting will help those focusing on portrait photography.

Good learning foundation

As a beginner photographer, it is natural to make some mistakes. But do not fall into the same error twice.

From the basic to the professional level, you can learn everything about photography.

Even most tutorial videos, blog posts, books, and other information about photography on the internet are free (such as my guides). Take your time to learn it all to avoid making silly mistakes.

I recommend learning the following sections of photography in this order, it's also the same order as the content in the sidebar:

• Exposure
• Focusing
• Composition
• Lighting
• Editing
• Special Techniques
• Genres
• Business
• Analysis
• History
• Gear
• Reviews

Editing skills

If you want to step up your game, invest your time to master editing skills using Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. Post-processing can help you patch up the little mistakes that you made and even make your subject appear more stunning than before.

So, there’s equipment, knowledge, and also practice in both production and post-production.

Conclusion

In conclusion, photography holds a unique power to connect us to people, places, and moments across time and space. From its origins with Joseph Nicéphore Niépce’s first image to the modern digital age, photography has evolved into a profound form of communication and art.

It allows us not only to document reality but also to express creativity, interpret emotions, and inspire change. By capturing fleeting moments, photography preserves stories that can inform, move, and challenge us, serving as a visual language that transcends cultural and linguistic boundaries.

Whether in the hands of a photojournalist documenting history or an artist expressing a personal vision, photography continues to be a vital tool for understanding and experiencing the world.