is it a pic, a picture, a photo, or a photograph?

[Josh66]

A photo (short for photograph) is an image made by light falling on a light sensitive surface. Therefore, all photos are "images" or pictures, or whatever else you want to call it. Not all "images" are photos. A drawing is not a photo. An oil painting is not a photo.

"Art" can be a photo, but it doesn't have to be - and at the same time, a photo does not have to be "art". "What is art" is a question that gets asked a lot here, and I'm not going to try to define it. If I had to define it, I would just say "you know it when you see it".

 

[Natalie]

I'd like to hear how people think the word "shot" figures into all this.

I took a photo of a house.
I took a picture of a house.
I took a shot of a house.

All the same thing.

 

[Josh66]

I'd like to hear how people think the word "shot" figures into all this.

I took a photo of a house.
I took a picture of a house.
I took a shot of a house.

All the same thing.

I agree with that. "Shot" is interchangeable with photo or picture for me, but I know a lot of people disagree.


IMO, some people just get overly concerned with which word you choose to use...

 

[rexbobcat]

Well, considering how the English language works and whatnot.....the terms are synonyms, and are interchangeable....just like my lenses.

That being said, a pic or picture is a broad term encompassing all created still imagery including paintings and drawings etc....

Photograph or photo is a narrow term with a specific meaning pertaining to the capture of light onto a recording medium.

Can we please stop being pretentious now?

 

[Ballistics]

I say image or photo

 

[naptime]

hmmmm wasn't execting all this

looks like i can stick to calling it whatever feels natural at the moment.

 

[Ballistics]

hmmmm wasn't execting all this

looks like i can stick to calling it whatever feels natural at the moment.

If someone really breaks your balls about what word you just used to describe your photo/pic/image etc... They:

1) Have to much time on their hands
2) Need to get over themselves
3) Need to have some quality time with a lady/man friend

 

[Dom6663]

It's an image.

This.

By literal definition a photograph is a tangible copy of the image. So a print.
Where as an image is a collection of data that is translated through software, to create a design (the picture)

An image becomes a photo when it is printed.

 

[brush]

Its true, in literal definition digital photography isn't a photo until you print it. Until then, it's an image. But that's being a little nit-picky for practical use. We still "dial" phones and phones haven't had dials since the days of rotary.

I refer to it as shot or photo most of the time, but don't really give it much thought.

HOWEVER, I did once get extremely offended when somebody referred to my photos as snapshots that should be given to anybody who wants them for free.

 

[nmoody]

I personally don't care what its called. But I do worry about offending others by calling their work of art a picture or something they deem to be a lesser term than what its worthy of.

 

[H4X1MA]

I personally HATE the word photo due to my SO always watching that aweful Americas Next Top Model or whatever it's called. Tyra banks I think it is uses the word photo all of the time and it makes me want to smash my TV.

 

[Redbaron]

From our point of view, whenever the word "picture" is used, my son reaches for the crayons/pencils or paintbrushes.... so it's photos, simply because we're too lazy to say "photographs"... Image (like pictgure) can refer to anythng IMO, photo, drawing, painting etc. I seriously doubt a photo(graph) has to be printed to be called a photo(graph) - even if it's on the screen IMO it's still a photo(graph).

JMHO

 

[KmH]

I find saying the word photograph out loud is so tedious and sounds so...I don't know, loaded.

An influence from growing up in the television - 10-second sound bite era?

A result of the high school peer pressure to dumb everything down, avoid getting good grades, and the appearance of being an achiever?

A result of avoiding the hard subjects in school that used big words and complex concepts?

 

[Sonoma]

Madness!

Pic - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Photograph - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Looks to me like they both mean the same thing, so call it what you like.

I like fish tacos!