What is Photography?

[sashbar]

On a philosophical level; it's difficult for me to explain my feelings towards photography. I guess, on a broad level, I see photography as communication. Even photos that are taken just to be pretty are still trying to communicate to the viewer that they're pretty.

On a philosophical level it is just the way to express yourself, nothing more and nothing less.
To put it philosophically, to take a photograph you start with selecting your camera, then you find an object, a scene, a composition etc. etc., and choose the time to press the button. Then you develop it in post production. By taking all these steps - philosophically - you are doing nothing but telling us all who you are and what you are.
To put it shortly - philosophically - whatever pictures we are taking we are shooting ourselves. Often in the leg, - again, philosophically. Ha. ha.... ha.

 

[rexbobcat]

On a philosophical level; it's difficult for me to explain my feelings towards photography. I guess, on a broad level, I see photography as communication. Even photos that are taken just to be pretty are still trying to communicate to the viewer that they're pretty.

On a philosophical level it is just the way to express yourself, nothing more and nothing less.
To put it philosophically, to take a photograph you start with selecting your camera, then you find an object, a scene, a composition etc. etc., and choose the time to press the button. Then you develop it in post production. By taking all these steps - philosophically - you are doing nothing but telling us all who you are and what you are.
To put it shortly - philosophically - whatever pictures we are taking we are shooting ourselves. Often in the leg, - again, philosophically. Ha. ha.

Expressing yourself entails communication. You cannot have one without the other.

I can't tell if you're mocking me.

 

[sashbar]

On a philosophical level; it's difficult for me to explain my feelings towards photography. I guess, on a broad level, I see photography as communication. Even photos that are taken just to be pretty are still trying to communicate to the viewer that they're pretty.

On a philosophical level it is just the way to express yourself, nothing more and nothing less.
To put it philosophically, to take a photograph you start with selecting your camera, then you find an object, a scene, a composition etc. etc., and choose the time to press the button. Then you develop it in post production. By taking all these steps - philosophically - you are doing nothing but telling us all who you are and what you are.
To put it shortly - philosophically - whatever pictures we are taking we are shooting ourselves. Often in the leg, - again, philosophically. Ha. ha.

Expressing yourself entails communication. You cannot have one without the other.

I can't tell if you're mocking me.

I am not. It is not my words actually. Some past master said that each and every photograph you take is a photograph of yourself. I do not remember who it was.

 

[photoguy99]

I love these responses. Really great to see.

 

[runnah]

The bigger question is what photography isn't?!

 

[The_Traveler]

Too many of these answers seem to be focused (no pun intended) on the issues of mechanically creating an image in some way.
If painters were posed a similar question would any concentrate on the tubes of paint or brushes?
For me, all of the mechanical stuff is just the minor technical obstacles on the way to create some reproduction of an image that has developed in my head.

 

[oldhippy]

A hunting device, for old, tired, vegetarians.

 

[snerd]

I can't define it, but I know it when I see it.

 

[Fred Berg]

It is also a language that needs no words.

 

[John Hunt]

it is the oppurtunity to present my unique vision of something to other people.

 

[photoguy99]

For me, my instant reaction to the word 'photography' is always fine art black and white prints. This, despite the fact that it's such a slight and minor subgenre of even the most conservative ideas of what photography is.

If I think on it for a moment I open my mind and embrace, or at any rate try to embrace, all of it. The selfies. The pictures of lunch. The drunk chicks. The color photos. All that crazy stuff.

Ultimately it's all, as rexbobcat and perhaps others have suggested, about communication. Those Instagram snaps of soup are surely someone reaching out and saying 'I am here. And I am eating lunch. Hello there, world!'

So what does that mean to me? For a good long time in my own work I was just copying others. I aspired at most to make good copies of someone else's work. Not exact copies, but photographs very much like those other ones.

And for reference, there's nothing wrong with that. I aspire to play the piano no better than that, and shall never aim higher. There are many areas in my life where my highest goal is to be almost as good as someone else who is half-decent.

It didn't satisfy me in photography. By thinking it through and seeing that it is communication, I was able to make that leap, to stop trying to copy and start trying to say something. Then I was able to start working on the problem of finding a personal voice and personal methods. Built around my first love, of black and white prints, but without winding up a bush-league Ansel Adams.

 

[Kenneth Walker]

It's what you do with a camera.

 

[Civchic]

Photography, for me, is two parts. First, it is a documentation of my family's life. I don't know why I want or need that - but it is a major part of my life. I print the albums every 3-6 months and we (as a family, or individually) regularly curl up on the couch to read through them - "Oh, remember that day!", "Haha Daddy looked funny there!" So I always aspired to have a nicer, prettier, clearer record of my kids' lives and the places we go.

In the process, photography has become a defining part of ME. Me without a camera would be unusual. Family members don't even bother to bring their cameras because "Melissa will get some shots of the day". It's also my balm, my stress release, and a reason to get my butt outside and adventure. Before I picked up the DSLR I was sort of floundering in my mid-30s for an identity besides mom and wife and employee. Now it's something to strive for, work at, and improve.

 

[gsgary]

Photos burn well the ones of my ex wife did

 

[bribrius]

record of a moment in time. Of places, people, things. Rest of it is fluff.