photography

American  

[fuh-tog-ruh-fee] / fəˈtɒg rə fi /

noun

1. the process or art of producing images of objects on sensitized surfaces by the chemical action of light or of other forms of radiant energy, as x-rays, gamma rays, or cosmic rays.

2. cinematography.

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photography British  

/ fəˈtɒɡrəfɪ /

noun

1. the process of recording images on sensitized material by the action of light, X-rays, etc, and the chemical processing of this material to produce a print, slide, or cine film

2. the art, practice, or occupation of taking and printing photographs, making cine films, etc

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• multiphotography
  noun

Etymology

Origin of photography

First recorded in 1839; photo- + -graphy

Explanation

Photography is the art or process of taking pictures using a camera. If you're very interested in photography, you might want to learn how to develop your own film in a darkroom. You should also practice yelling "Say cheese!" The word photography combines Greek roots phōtos, "light," and graphé, "represent by drawing lines" — so photography is essentially "drawing with light." Since it was invented in the 19th century, the art of capturing images using light has expanded far beyond what the original photographers could have imagined. Today many of us practice photography using our phones. Other advances through the years have included color film, instant photographs, and digital photography, among many others.

Example Sentences

“Tonal Variations: Photography and Music,” for instance, gathers images by Paul Caponigro, William Eggleston, Lisette Model and others.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Photography and new printing methods helped ads evolve, and more competition led to more experimentation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Daisy's work has been recognized by The Society of Publication Designers and American Photography.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

McCord’s work is part of an exhibition at the Los Angeles Center of Photography addressing the idea of loneliness, now considered an epidemic in America.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026

Several decades after the march, his photographs came out in a book titled Powerful Days: The Civil Rights Photography of Charles Moore.

From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry