We often praise photography’s unique ability to freeze time; to preserve in image that which might otherwise slip away into the dim reaches of memory. Yet photography can do much more than document. Storytelling, expressing emotion and reflecting on culture all operate through media. We’ll look at why photography captures more than moments, and dig into its meaning.
The Art of Storytelling
Photography at its essence is a way of telling stories. Each one of the images narrates a different story, in an emotion, experience, or a context that touches viewers. A photograph can make you feel joy, sorrow, nostalgia, or hope, and you can often feel it very strongly. That was the sort of thing I could do with pictures — for example, a picture of a child laughing in the sunshine by a park might trigger thoughts of innocence and happiness, and a picture of an empty road after a storm might make you feel lonely and contemplative. By careful composition, lighting and subject matter, photographers craft images that create engaging visual stories with which the audience can interact on a personal level.
Emotional Connection
But photography can make emotions that are outside of time and space. A photograph can take viewers back to a moment in time, or bring back memories of other times that were similar. And there is no photo more powerful than a portrait, the way in which expressions and gestures of subjects reveals (and hides) layer upon layer of personality and emotion. This can be a candid shot of a family member or a friend that really penetrates the soul of the picture and really lets you understand the person’s spirit. This is what makes photography such a personal experience for the creator, and the audience.
Cultural Reflection
It photographs is a way of reflecting societal values, norms and contextual history as well. The cultural practices, social issues and events that have constituted our world are documented. The importance of photojournalism as the means of spreading awareness about important global issues like poverty, war, and climate change cannot be overemphasized. Photographers can kick start conversations, incite action, and tear us open, through the imagery they create. For instance, when civil rights movements or environmental protest images became iconic they not only recorded history but they also changed public perception and the policy. In other words, photography is a strong means to advocate and resist for social change.
The Passage of Time
Photographs are of moments, but they are also markers of time, telling us how life changes. Decades old family photos give us a glimpse into the past generations fashion trends, lifestyles and historical contexts. As the years go by, these are invaluable records of our connection to our heritage and of our shared history. They allow us to think about how much has changed and how much has stayed the same.
The Creative Process
For many photographers, shooting photos are in many ways the exploration of our creativity and self expression. Every photograph is a choice of composition, lighting, perspective and subject matter. Photographers can communicate their own perceptions and understandings about the world in these ways. Photography then becomes an extension of an artist’s vision and emotions, whether through a vibrant landscape, or an intimate portrait.
Conclusion
Documentation is just a tiny part of what photography can do, it can capture stories, emotions, cultural reflections and passage of time. Photography is a powerful medium to connect and understand through its capacity to generate feeling and thinking. Whether in galleries or in our personal albums, when we look at photographs, we remember that each picture contains more than a moment—at its center lies the experience, felt and remembered, then carried over time and space. In this manner, photography enhances our lifestyles by providing us the ability to see the universe in different angles; literally and figuratively.