How Photography Changed the World – Understanding the Importance of Photography

I am going, to be honest with you, I have been taking pictures for as long as I can remember and I also can tell you that my early years with the camera were abysmal at best. Why? Well, I was not good at what I would do, to begin with, and almost everything that I was doing in terms of photography just involved me taking pictures that looked really, really average.

However, with consistency and a never-ending quest to get better at my work, I realized that I can take some stunning pictures, and that too, without any hindrances. Sure, the journey was never an easy one but I never really gave up on the consistency and kept delivering excellent pictures across the board.

Needless to say, photography is something that has taken me to a lot of places and there have been a lot of ups and downs, as well. However, we are going to talk about how photography, in general, has changed the world and we are going to pay some attention to things work.

How Photography Changed the World

Why is Photography Important to Society

I understand that you might look at someone taking a picture and think to yourself that they are just wasting their time. Sure, there are chances that this might actually happen, too. After all, a lot of people are taking pictures for absolutely no reason but you know what I have learned over the past couple of years? Even if someone is taking pictures for no reason, there is still art because they are in the process of improving themselves to the point that they will become better in their craft.

As far as why photography is important to society, the answer behind that is rather simple. Photography is important because it actually helps society express itself. I know, in the world of mirror selfies and Instagram, a lot of people might feel that photography, in general, has lost its essence but that is not really the case.

Medium of Self-Expression and Inspiration

When most of photographers are taking pictures, they are going ahead and expressing themselves through their work. Of course, you might not want to express yourself through pictures and that is fine as we all have our own ways of expression and our own mediums, too.

Furthermore, photography is important to society because it can easily inspire so many people that are looking at the pictures. I cannot begin to tell you just how many people decided to pick up a camera or their phone and started taking photos because they saw someone doing the same. It might sound like something small and insignificant but in reality, it matters a lot. For the simplest reason that when a person gets inspired, there is a high chance that they end up finding their calling.

The Silent Storyteller

Moving further, photography is something that tells a story. A powerful picture is able to tell a story that words are never going to be able to tell and while it might not be easy for everyone as not everyone is creatively gifted. I have to tell you that once you start taking pictures and telling stories through them, your work is something that will be recognized on its own without you having to do any effort to get the word out.

A Timeless Capture of History

Photography is also an excellent way of capturing history in time. Sure, you are wondering that at the end of the day, they are just going to be pictures but hey, maybe that is the purpose, to begin with. Not everyone is looking to go ahead and use their photography for monetary benefits. Imagine finding a picture that is taken 50 years from now and wondering how different the world used to be. Needless to say, photography is something that has changed the world over time and is something that constantly keeps on doing that.

How Has Photography Changed Over Time

Now, the important thing to understand is that although photography is something that is constantly improving as we are getting new sensors, new cameras, and new technologies but it is also important to take a step and look down at the history of photography because honestly, it is rich, and more importantly, it is very, very old.

You will have to go back countless years if you want to start tracing the history of photography and where it all started but we are going to make things simpler and shorter for you so you can have an easier time developing and understanding.

Childhood Fascination

For those wondering, photography was not always digital and I believe that is a safer assumption that one can make. My first interaction with a camera was with a Ricoh film camera that my mother used to own and honestly, it looked amazing at that time. Sure, I was just a child who would be fascinated by anything and everything but handling that camera felt like a luxury and I could not stop looking at it.

Then I saw a digital camera that was allowed to take upwards of 6,000 photos, all thanks to a memory card. I will be honest, at that time, I thought that this is it and photography cannot get better than that. However, if you take me back now, the Ricoh film camera and that digital camera mean very little.

DSLR & Mirrorless Era

Photography has changed a lot over time, and sure, you are looking at DSLR cameras and mirrorless offerings too but if you genuinely have been looking into getting into photography, this is the right way to go ahead and do it.

However, if you are more interested in actually knowing where it all started from, I have this great article for you to check out which will give you an insight into everything about photography that you should know. It is extensive, sure. But everything you do need to know about photography can be found there.

Why is Photography Important in Our World Today?

This is one question that I get asked all the time. I am on a quest to get a new camera for myself and even though I am far from a beginner, my passion for photography is something that goes unnoticed by some and some even question me as to why I want to spend upwards of $3,000 on a camera/lens combination.

The answer is simple, photography is important to me and even though there are countless ways how I can talk about it, I simply tell people that photography is just as important to me as writing.

With that said, below are some of the reasons why photography is important in our world today, so let’s have a look.

1. Allows You to Connect to the World

I do understand if this comes off as something that is pretentious or does not happen as often as some might think but photography is something that helps everyone connect with the world. You might not be able to be good at a language or something but when you are taking pictures, it can speak to everyone. It is like a single language that is for everyone to understand. This is one thing that most people ask me all the time and I tell them that you can look at a picture and figure out what is happening.

2. Lets You Capture History

One more thing about photography that everyone loves and considers to be very important is that photography is something that lets you capture history, and if that is not an important aspect, then I am not sure what really is.

3. Telling a Story

A picture can be worth a thousand words; a statement that we have been hearing for a long, long time, and with photography, it certainly is something that holds true. So, if you genuinely have been looking into getting into photography, this is one way to go about it.

4. Allows You to Learn a Lot

Honestly, photography on its own is something that allows you to learn a lot. I am not saying that you have to go ahead and join master’s classes just so you can get better at photography. Sometimes, you just have to go ahead and shoot your heart out and you would be surprised to know that the results that you are going to get will be amazing, to say the least.

Simply put, if you have been looking at taking some stunning pictures, you will have to be certain that you are getting all things in order because otherwise, you might not be able to get the right shots. The best thing is that you can go ahead and take as many pictures as possible and you would truly become a photographer who is good at their job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

I do understand that a lot of people are still trying to have a grasp of photography but you must understand that there are a lot of times when things go wrong and the right thing that you can do is be sure that you are not making any mistakes.

If you are looking at the importance of photography, this is definitely something that will help you. For anyone who wants to get into photography, we have some excellent cameras for beginners as well. These cameras are affordable and great at taking pictures, too. You just need a good lens and you are all good to go.