Importance of Photography
By PETER MARDJONOVIC
Photography is a visual art form that creates images by recording light electronically through the means of the image sensor or through the means of a light-sensitive material, such as photographic film. Photography is important because it is a spark for change, tells a story, and is history through images.
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Photography has helped spark change in the world; one photo of how children in Africa are starving and barely surviving their day to day life is enough to evoke emotion in people. Due to feelings of dread and sadness, people will go out of their way to ensure that the child has a better life. The power of one image can make the world wake up to the horrors that exist around us and lead us to have a better life.
Moreover, as seen by sophomore, Julie Lomurno, photography is more than just camera work: “When I hear ‘photography’ to me it tells a story. You could be in a totally different state, country, anywhere and you can grab a scene of what is happening in the photo. By using part of your imagination as well a photo can tell a lot about a person and a place.”
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Lomurno also said, photography also shares a special spot in her heart: “Photography means something special to me. It’s a way to express myself and tell a story no one would know about if I didn’t capture it. There’s a saying that comes to mind ‘a picture speaks a thousand words’ and I strongly believe in that.”
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Clearly, art is impactful on the lives of many on a deeper level than just an array of images without meaning.
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What may be more important to note is that visual art is also a reliable way to keep history intact. Photography keeps tabs on how life was before the present time which helps humans understand and teach history.
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Images are great for learning about history because people in today’s digital society find that it’s easier to learn about the past through images than through text; for example, looking at images of how things used to look; what people wore; where they stayed; animals; and many other concepts/features about the world are passed on generationally through images.
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History is important to never forget; it keeps tabs on the struggles of our ancestors so that we never forget what they went through, and allows us to understand how to make our own choices.
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Photography goes beyond just a skill practiced in an art class; photography keeps track of history, makes history, and tells a story of what could have happened there and then at that instant.