# photograph

/ˈfoʊtəˌɡɹæf/ (US) · /fˈəʊtəɡɹˌæf/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/photograph
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a picture

noun · CEFR A1

a picture made by a camera.

For teachers: an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, such as film or an electronic sensor.

- She showed me a photograph of her family taken during their summer holiday.
- The archive contains a rare photograph of the city before the earthquake, providing invaluable evidence for the restoration project.

### 2. to take a picture

verb · CEFR A2

to take a picture of someone or something using a camera.

For teachers: to capture an image of a subject using a camera. Transitive when specifying a subject; can be used intransitively to describe the act.

- The tourists spent the afternoon photographing the ancient ruins.
- The wildlife biologist spent weeks in the blind, attempting to photograph the elusive snow leopard in its natural habitat.

### 3. to look in pictures

verb · CEFR B2

to look a certain way when someone takes your picture.

For teachers: to have a specified appearance when captured in a photograph. Intransitive; usually modified by an adverb like 'well'.

- She is very beautiful in person, but she doesn't photograph well.
- The model was famous not just for her features, but for her ability to photograph well even under the harshest studio lighting.

## Examples

- She took a photograph of the mountains.
- He keeps a framed photograph of his grandparents on his desk to remind him of home.
- The exhibition features a rare photograph from the early twentieth century, capturing the city's architecture before the rapid industrial expansion changed the skyline forever.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.