photography

photography — noun

1. the skill, work, or process of using a camera to create pictures, and sometimes

1.nounA2
Definition

the skill, work, or process of using a camera to create pictures, and sometimes moving images, by recording light.

Example

Nina studied photography at college and opened her own studio.

study photography

At this school, photography includes short film projects in the second year.

broader course use: includes short film work

Common collocations
  • digital photography
  • street photography
  • wedding photography
  • study photography
  • go into photography
Synonyms
  • picture-taking

    informal and plain; less common as a dictionary-style term

  • camerawork

    often about how the camera is used in a film or show, not the whole field

  • filming

    specifically recording moving images, not still photos

  • videography

    focuses on video production, especially for events or commercial work

Grammar Patterns

study photography

[type] photography

go into photography

Usage Note

Usually uncountable. In everyday English, it most often means taking still pictures; if moving images are included, the surrounding context usually makes that broader meaning clear.

Common Mistakes

She studies photograph at college.
She studies photography at college.
'photograph' is the picture; 'photography' is the subject or activity.
I enjoy taking photographies on trips.
I enjoy photography on trips.' OR 'I enjoy taking photographs on trips.
'photography' is uncountable; use 'photographs' for individual pictures.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Photography' is the broad everyday word for making images with a camera, especially still pictures. It can sometimes stretch to short film work, but if the main point is moving images, 'filming' is clearer. 'Videography' is closer to professional video production, often for weddings, events, or online content. 'Camerawork' is narrower still: it talks about how the camera is handled inside a film or television production, not the whole field. 'Photojournalism' is a special branch of photography used to report real events in the news. So you might study photography at art school, do videography for a hotel, praise the camerawork in a drama, or read photojournalism from a war zone.

photography ↗filmingvideographycameraworkphotojournalism

Common collocations

Nouns

  • digital photography
  • fashion photography
  • street photography
  • wildlife photography
  • wedding photography

Phrases

  • study photography
  • go into photography
  • be interested in photography
  • make a living from photography

Prepositions

  • photography of
  • photography by
  • photography for

Etymology

GreekFrenchEnglish

'Photography' came into English in the 1800s from French photographie. The word was built from Greek parts: photo-, meaning 'light', and -graphy, meaning writing or recording. That matches the central idea of photography as making an image by recording light. The word stayed the same as cameras moved from film to digital sensors.