Monday 28 November 2016


Photography and its importance in Today’s scenario

In simple words photography can be defined as capturing of moment with a device called camera. And in technical terms it can be defined as drawing with light or capturing light with the help of a device called camera. So it is very clear that in absence of light & camera photography is not possible. We need a sufficient amount of light to click a picture. Camera is a light tight box with has a lens on one side and recording medium on the other side.

The word "Photography" is derived from the Greek words photos ("light") and graphy ("to draw"). This word was first used by the scientist Sir John F.W. Herschel in 1839. We can define photography as a method of recording images by the action of light, or related radiation, on a sensitive material.

Photography has become the part and parcel of our lives these days. We cannot imagine our life without photography. There is no field left which does not use photography. Weather its newspaper, advertising, fashion, medicine, industry, astronomy etc. photography is tend to stay there and with advent of Facebook, WhatsApp and other social networking media use of photography is increasing day by day.  Whether we are at home or outside we tend to see so many photographs every day. The most common use of photography is to preserve memories. As memories fades away with time so we keep photographs of the special occasions or moments to preserve the memories we don’t want forget. But besides preserving memories photography is an important tool of communication. There is a very well-known saying about photography that “a picture is worth than thousand words” i.e. the message which cannot be communicated by a thousand word story can be easily communicated by a single photograph.

Photography has an extremely important role today. It is used in advertising, magazines, science and research, newspapers and perhaps even in your own work. Without photography, our lives would certainly not be as exciting. We would have never been able to show Earth from outer space, or the first man walking on the moon.

Practical application of photography are found in nearly every human endeavor from astronomy to medical diagnosis to industrial quality control.

Photography extends human vision into the realm of objects that are invisible because they are too small or too distant, or events that occur too rapidly for the naked eye to detect. We would of never been able to find a cure for many diseases if photography was not around.

Photographs are also used in attempts to sway public opinion. Governments, political parties, and special-interest groups have long used the graphic representation and emotional impact of photographs to further their causes.

Photography can also help to bring about desirable changes. Photographs of child labourers helped to bring about legislation protecting children from exploitation.Photography is also a powerful means of communication and a mode of visual expression that touches human life in many ways. For example, photography has become popular as a means of crystallizing memories.   

Most of the billions of photographs taken today are snapshots--casual records to document personal events such as vacations, birthdays, get-together and weddings.As a nonverbal means of communication, photography can overcome the barriers of language and communicate through universal visual symbols. Photographs can also be objects of art that explore the human condition and provide aesthetic pleasure. Photography is a satisfying hobby or a rewarding career for millions of people.



Ms. Sanyogita Chaudhary
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Communication Studies

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