The Importance Of Photography In Society

1640 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: What is the importance of photography to communicate

When pictures are taken it’s a moment being captured; a moment that can be either sentimental or influential. Photos have a substantial impact on the things people see or do. It can connect people throughout the world, creating friendships and pathways. Photography has the power to inspire many people and could lead to a change for the better. It’s also a visual learning tool that helps non-verbal people communicate. Photography is important because it opens a view into a person’s mind and allows them to convey messages. It’s a universal language: anyone can look at a photo and decipher its meaning or be influenced by it. Photography has a positive influence on society by evoking emotions and insight. Photography inspires people; it can influence …show more content…

Sarinana quotes, “Seeing children with polio, viewing racial discrimination, etc. undoubtedly appeal to our emotions and our yearning to help those in need” (Photography and the Feeling of...). Our species have and will always rely on our understanding of how others feel, attending to the needs of those around us, and working with each other to create a better society. “Photography in our society is important because we need visual imagery that reflects our connectedness, especially in a world as inhumane as ours.(Sarinina)” Photos have the power to make a difference in the world. A picture can influence a person to fight for what they believe in, or change someone's opinion for the better. A picture will bring people throughout the world …show more content…

With the invention of smartphones, photography has become easier now than in the past 100 years. It’s empowering to take our own photos; we can take as many as we want and sharing them is effortless in the digital world. People in our society take pictures spontaneously without any effort. We share the pictures we take on apps like Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. We are connected to each other in the simplest of ways: digitally. We are in the digital age, and we still do things traditionally. Exchanging prints of photos we take to share memories to keep those memories alive. These pictures will eventually become our

Show More
Related

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of On Photography By Susan Sontag

    640 Words  | 2 Pages

    Susan Sontag once wrote, “To collect photographs is to collect the world.” In her article entitled “On Photography,” she overviews the nature of photography and its relation to people using it. Sontag discusses photography’s ability to realistically capture the past rather than an interpretation of it, acting as mementos that become immortal. Continuing on to argue the authenticity of photography and how its view points have shifted from art into a social rite.With the use of rhetorical devices, Sontag scrutinizes the characteristics of photography and its effects on surrounding affairs; throughout this article Sontag reiterates the social rites, immortality and authenticity of photographs, and the act of photography becoming voyeuristic. With the use of the rhetorical devices pathos, appeal of emotion, ethos, appeal to ethics and credibility, and logos, appeal to logic, Sontag successfully persuades the audience to connect and agree with her views.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Here I Am Taking My Own Picture By Alex Williams

    1189 Words  | 3 Pages

    There you are holding your camera an arm’s length away from your face, posing in the most flattering position to capture your best angle. There you are taking a photo of yourself to share with all of your Facebook friends. Taking a self-portrait photo, also known as a selfie, is something almost everyone has done in this new generation. This action is typically done without a second thought. In Alex Williams’ article “Here I Am Taking My Own Picture” that second thought is provoked through exploring the quickly spreading trend of self-portrait photography. In the article while Williams’ provides interesting examples on a changing generation as this trend progresses through social media and modern technology; Williams also leaves something to be desired within the article due to a lack of direction in the author’s stance on the topic.

    Read More

  • Why We Take Pictures By Susan Sontag Summary

    612 Words  | 2 Pages

    Photography allows us to maintain memories and relish them whenever we desire. Although some advocates might argue that people are no longer enjoying experiences instead taking more pictures, in the essay, “Why We Take Pictures”, by Susan Sontag, she conflates that photography can be used as a defense against anxiety and a tool of empowerment. I agree with Sontag on the significance of photographs and how it allows us to store a part of our extended relatives so we are able to hold on the memories of family. Therefore, we must appreciate how photography allows us to manage anxiety, express feelings and remember our loved ones.

    Read More

  • Teju Cole Against Neutrality

    252 Words  | 1 Pages

    There is an old saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” which is very true. In the article, "Against Neutrality", by Teju Cole mainly focuses on how a photograph can change a person perspective in an entire different way. Coles states, “The camera is an instrument of transformation”. A photographer has the power to create multiple different perspectives, which can be good and bad. It depends on the person who takes the picture and with the intent of the photo. A photographer is like a writer because they want to send some time of message to their audience.

    Read More

  • My Selfie Myself By Jenna Wortham

    508 Words  | 2 Pages

    Moreover, Wortham understands the selfie as ‘a kind of visual diary, a way to mark our short existence,’ a dairy of our pictures of our precious moments and memories in our day-to-day lives that we are sharing and putting them up for everyone to see. It is naturally a major role in society today. Selfies have become something of a main factor in the world of social media, which means it’s safe to say that society is getting to a point where the real world and the virtual world overlap almost

    Read More

  • Whether Photography Limits Understanding

    939 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sontag, Susan. "Essay | Photography Enhances Our Understanding of the World." BookRags. BookRags. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.

    Read More

  • Sontag Essay

    518 Words  | 2 Pages

    Susan Sontag’s essay on how photography has limited people’s understanding of the world contains many interesting points that can be agreeable while at the same time having few that I tend to disagree with. Photography can be good and bad; it can open our minds up to new cultures and experiences through its imagery. However, at the same time it can limit our understanding of the world around us and of the world around the image it is portraying.

    Read More

  • A Picture In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Birthmark

    1096 Words  | 3 Pages

    What is a photograph? Now, one might say a photograph is an image taken of oneself, another person(s), and/or a place using a camera. Others might say that a photograph is an image of a moment or memory captured in time that will be forever remembered. Both are correct of course, but I believe a photograph has the potential of meeting both of those ideas. In addition, pictures exist to portray any image of ourselves that we want noticed; by the world. Pictures and selfies can help create any façade one wishes to maintain in order to hide who they really are. These pictures, define who we are as human beings; They enhance our social standing and advocate our individuality. Each picture taken has an underlying message that is trying to be heard.

    Read More

  • The Heroism Of Vision By Susan Sontag Analysis

    1168 Words  | 3 Pages

    Photography is simple yet versatile. With just the press of a button, any moment in time can be immortalized. Additionally, its ubiquitous nature has made a significant impact on various fields of study as well as our personal lives. Photography is used in academia as a form of reference, in media to tell stories and spread messages; it’s a method of capturing meaningful memories of friends and family and as an art to introduce ideas, pose questions and display emotions. Susan Sontag and Roland Barthes both provide their input on multifaceted and arduous questions, such as: What is the meaning of a photograph? What role do photographs play in our society? How does one look at photographs and proceed to “understand” them? On Photography (by

    Read More

  • The Birth of Photography

    1583 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Birth of Photography goes way back to the very early stages of it’s development, in 1565 it was found that certain silver salts turned black when open to an element, which at this time they believed to be air. It wasn’t until mid 1720’s when they discovered it was in fact light that reacted with the salts to turn them black; this led to numerous amounts of unsuccessful trials at capturing images in a lasting, photochemical form. Many scientists, amateur inventors and artists passionately pursued developing this form throughout the 29th century. A French scientist, Joseph Niepce was the man who made this process a success. He took an eight-hour exposure of what is believed to be his courtyard outside his house and created the first paper negative in 1816. It took another three years before a fixing agent was discovered for this process and the term ‘photography’ was born. It was hundreds of years till photography had reached this stage but over the next 80 years progression in photography was dramatic. Different techniques were tried and tested but most common was the black-and-white method, which dates back to the birth of photography. “In this ‘gelatin silver’ technique, a sheet of paper is coated with a mixture of white pigment and gelatin, then with a gelatin / silver-salts solution. It is exposed to light through a negative and developed in a chemical solution.” (Wheeler, 2002, p.9)

    Read More

  • The Power of Photography

    861 Words  | 2 Pages

    Have you ever seen a painting or picture that captivates you and directly stirs up emotion within you? More than likely, you have. Usually, viewers merely observe the picture and enjoy the way it looks and how it makes them feel. But, have you ever asked yourself, “why?” What about the picture makes it pleasing to the viewer? With each strategy the photographer uses creates their own touch and passion that floods all over the picture. The emotional connection nearly goes unnoticed for when the picture is well photographed, the viewers experience the sensation in their subconscious. This is one of the most powerful tools that a photographer holds in their hands. If one can become a master of manipulating how the photo affects its viewers, the said photographer can potentially maneuver people’s minds and thoughts with one click of a button. The time spent with my mentor has opened up the door for me to tap into that power though the use of background, focus, shutter speed, angles, and most importantly, lighting. Even with all these techniques, the person behind the camera must remember that creativity must be at the forefront of all operations. Caleno (2014), when writing about the basics of capturing a beautiful moment in a picture commented, “If we want to be creative we must drop these pre-conceptions and start looking at things from a small child’s innocence.”

    Read More

  • Photography: A False Lens on Reality

    696 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pictures save time, improve efficiency and provide convenience. In order to keep up with the internet’s fast pace, pictures must possess simplicity. This simplicity allows us to quickly absorb information then move onto the newest meme on the internet. The more pictures we move through, the more internet we surf. The more we internet we surf, the more information we receive. With saving time, pictures also grant us convenience. Instead of buying a ticket to see the northern lights, we can google the different colors in the sky. Instead of visiting our friend, we see a picture on their Facebook wall and know that they are alive. Between running late and juggling responsibilities, pictures provides a rapid glimpse into a constantly updating

    Read More

  • The Importance of Image in the Modern World

    693 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Importance of Image in the Modern World Image is defined as the physical outward appearance that people view an individual or an object. Over the years, image has evolved from mere vanity to being regarded as a great importance in the modern world. It is not merely the vivid representation of a person or an object; it is a powerful tool used by us to impress and “wow” people, for self or even to make money. Image is also an important factor in society nowadays, as it draws a line between the popular people and the “fashion scum of society”; it separates the normal everyday products from the high-end gadgets. Image is indeed everything in the modern world today.

    Read More

  • The History of Photography

    1831 Words  | 4 Pages

    In today’s world, photography has become a part of our daily lives. People take photographs of food, c...

    Read More

  • Photography Is The Main Source Of Communication

    1249 Words  | 3 Pages

    Photography has created an outlet for the masses to story tell. It has a way of speaking without words like most art forms and is a manner of expression in itself. To eradicate photography from humans would be equivalent to taking away a limb from humankind. Our society has grown an immense amount of dependency on it. Photography has become almost a daily menial task such as brushing your teeth; where we must take pictures of the things we deem important or equally unimportant, even more so with the invention of social media outlets such as Instagram and Snapchat, where photography is the main source of communication between people who use them. Susan Sontag offers the basis of what taking pictures can undertake in both our daily lives and moments that are not part of our daily lives, such as travel. Traveling to places where one is not accustomed can flare pent up anxiety. A way to subdue that anxiety could be through taking pictures, since it’s the only factor that we have total control over in a space where we don’t have much, or, any control of our surrounding environment. On the other hand, taking photos can also be a tool of power in the same sense as it allows for it to be a defense against anxiety. With the camera in our hands, we have the power to decide who, what, where, when, and why we take a picture. This in turn also gives the person who took the picture power over those who later analyze the photos, letting them decide the meaning of the photo individually, despite the intended or true meaning.

    Read More

More about The Importance Of Photography In Society

Open Document